THESE days most women start to think about making a home, marriage and possibly having children when they hit 30.

However, singletons in Southampton admit they would rather be out having fun spending their cash in the city's pubs and clubs than saving for their futures, according to a recent survey.

More than three-quarters of single women in their 30s say they splash out about £8,000 a year - roughly a third of their average £25,000 income - on socialising.

The carefree singletons seem to be following in the footsteps of Bridget Jones, played by Renee Zellweger, and regularly indulge in weekend spending sprees of about £160.

The statistic is revealed as the second Bridget Jones film, The Edge of Reason, premieres across cinemas nationwide today.

The main problem for Southampton's Miss Joneses is that more than half of the big spenders are actually out on the town searching for their own Mr Right.

Only a third of the 200 Southampton women quizzed by online bank Egg said they were happy on their own.

About 130 of the women questioned also said they enjoy drinking Bridget's favourite white wine, while about 70 admitted to smoking.

Matthew Thompson, bar manager of Harvey's in Carlton Place, Southampton, said: "There have been a lot more women coming into the bar recently, particularly in large groups.

''I think a lot of women nowadays are waiting until a lot later in life before they get married and so in the meantime they are spending their time and money drinking with friends instead."

Emma Byrne, chief brand director at Egg, said: "There are some simple things that reallife Bridget Joneses can do in order to be able to still go out and have a good time but also put a little bit away.

"For example, cutting out a bottle of wine a week, if bought in a wine bar, could save £780 a year and one packet less a week of cigarettes could save about £260."

Jasmine Birtles, author of A Girl's Best Friend is Her Money, agrees single women aged 30-plus need to tighten their belts. She said: "As a general rule of thumb women should take their age, divide it by two, and use this figure as a percentage of their income they should be saving for the future."