Of the 1,000 people surveyed between 31 December and 2 January, 27% admitted to having eaten chocolate for breakfast, 41% to having a mince pie at least twice a week and a further 27% to drinking alcohol before noon.
On top of this, 38% did no exercise between 24 and 31 December, which has lead to Brits putting on an average of 3lbs over the period, with nearly a quarter (23%) saying they’ve “put on over half a stone.”
Other indulgences included:
- 18% of respondents said they’d ‘demolished’ a cheese board
- 36% said they’d ‘gone through’ the fancy biscuit tins
- 26% said they’d personally eaten a family bag of crisps
Unexpectedly, Christmas also meant a time of extravagance and spending for many - a total of £521 spent on average during the month of December, including:
- £75 on presents for partners
- £40 on presents for friends or colleagues
- £133 on presents for family
- £24 on presents for pets
- £104 on food and alcohol
- £59 on going out
- £38 on decorations
- £48 on travel and accommodation
James Jones, head of consumer affairs at Experian, commented: “With Christmas all wrapped up now, Brits are making New Year’s resolutions to lose any extra weight and get healthier.
“However, when it comes to getting back in shape, we’re encouraging people to also think about their financial health. By making small changes to your everyday spending, seeking better deals and swapping service providers Brits can trim pounds from their regular outgoings and get financially fitter.”
He also shared his tips for getting ‘financially fit’ in 2018:
- Exercise your right to shop around - Take the time to review your insurance, energy, broadband, mobile and credit providers to ensure you are getting the best deals and rates
- Get your credit score in shape - Your credit score is a good way to assess your financial health, and whether you need to improve it.
- Access how healthy your financial situation is - Looking at your finances holistically could help identify where you can make changes, save money and accelerate your financial goals.
- Draw strength from your savings to sweat out debt - Withdrawing money from your savings to reduce any outstanding borrowing can give your credit score a real boost of energy and makes sense considering the rates on savings accounts right now. But it is also sensible to maintain a small savings buffer for emergencies