Women and men may agree on how they define financial success but not necessarily on how to get there, suggests a poll of women investors by TD Waterhouse.

According to the poll, which surveyed Canadian women and men ages 45-64 who share in the responsibility of their household’s finances, saving enough for a comfortable retirement is the biggest measure of financial success for both women and men (70% of women vs. 66% of men).

“It’s great to see both women and men making retirement savings their number one priority,” says Sandy Cimoroni, president, TD Mutual Funds. “While they may differ on the best strategy to take, men and women across Canada certainly have their sights set on an important measure of financial success.”

While women were more likely than men to cite having an emergency fund as a factor for financial success (69% vs. 60% respectively), both women and men defined financial success by similar attributes: being debt free (67% vs. 62% respectively) and being able to pay bills on time (67% and 61% respectively).

An interesting response was that the majority of Canadians don’t consider having money for the ‘finer things in life’ as a measure of success, with only 20% of Canadians saying they define financial success as being able to afford luxuries such as a flashy car, summer home or expensive jewelry.

The steps women and men take to help achieve financial success differ — men are more likely to prioritize paying off credit cards in full (64% vs. 56% of women) and contributing to an RRSP (41% of men vs. 34% of women), whereas women are more likely to suggest that following a budget to manage spending (54% of women vs. 46% of men) is the key to success.

Seeking advice from a professional advisor was lower in priority for both men and women (37% and 34% respectively).

The majority of Canadian women have the right idea when it comes to investing for the future. Nine in 10 believe you should start investing as soon as you can, even if it is a small amount (93%). They also recognize the importance of avoiding debt when possible: 67% say that they would rather postpone a major purchase than buy it on credit.

The TD Waterhouse Women Investor Poll surveyed 1,000 Canadian women ages 45-64, and 500 Canadian men ages 45-64, who share in the responsibility of planning the finances for their households. Results for the study were collected through an online survey by Environics Research Group of women investors across Canada, conducted between September 22-28, and of men investors across Canada conducted between November 18-21.