Ask and it shall be given unto you . . .

A publicity stunt to show how shy people are of asking for help or advice has proved its point - only 28 people offered a free fiver had the courage to ask for it.

People wandered round the streets of London and Manchester wearing sandwich boards telling people to ask for their free money yet very few pedestrians actually approached and enquired - 21 men and 7 women out of over 1800 possible passers-by.

When asked why not, 64 per cent of women and 41 per cent of men said that they would not walk up to anyone wearing boards, six in ten said that it was a trick or that there would be a catch, with a third of over-60s saying that they did not believe that the board wearer was telling the truth and three per cent said that for £5, it was not worth the effort.

Moneysupermarket.com urges people to ask, and keep asking, about financial matters - and to show the same suspicion about renewing car or home insurances, sticking with utility providers or even trusting that your bank is paying you the best rate possible for your savings.

June 06^th 2008

• Cosy up to the government
• A pension worth less than minimum wage?
• Mortgage worries and house price falls - enough to turn you to drink
• You're (hoping to be) fired
• Scared of the switch
• Debt can exacerbate depression
• Keeping hold of the receipts
• Know-it-all teens may not be as "clued-in" as they think
• Pay for 25 years - and it is still not your house
• Still a home owner - with a little help
• The style to which I am already accustomed
• I'm going to work - I may be sometime
• Please Sir, can I have some more?
• How inflation is deflating savings
• More women contributing to pensions
• Spouses will talk about, not listen to, financial advice