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Maruf Ahmed
With 2019 on the horizon, many will be turning their thoughts to the year ahead and looking at what positive changes they can make in the New Year. Figures released today have revealed the UK is now as likely to give up on meat as it is alcohol, as the trend of veganism continues to boom.
VoucherCodes.co.uk, the leading savings site, surveyed over 2,000 people across the country and discovered that 2,662,900 Brits will be aiming to avoid eating and using animal products as part of Veganuary in the New Year. Indeed, 1 in 20 (5%) will not consume meat or dairy products in January – making Veganuary as popular as those attempting Dry January (6%).
Indeed, young adults (16-24 year olds) are particularly invested in the veganism trend, with a tenth (8%) aiming to go vegan compared to 7% who are planning to go without alcohol.
A third of Brits (37%) say they undertake a New Year’s resolution to improve their health and well-being, while a quarter (27%) do it to challenge themselves. For some, however, it is an opportunity to prove they can achieve something they have previously failed to do (15%).
New Year’s resolutions
After the excitement and excess of Christmas, many Brits view the New Year as a chance to wipe the slate clean. A third of Brits (34%) believe January represents an opportunity for ‘New Year new me’ and two-thirds (67%) have already decided on a New Year’s resolution.
Amidst the festivities in the lead up to Christmas, we are perhaps prone to missing the occasional gym session. It is unsurprising, then, that more than two out of five Brits (44%) resolve to exercise more in 2019. However, despite the average person spending £39.55 per month on their renewed ambition of getting fit, the research has discovered half (50%) will have given up by March. Indeed, just a third (35%) will continue to make the most of their gym memberships for more than six months.
Top New Year’s resolutions
Save more money
44%
Exercise more
44%
Eat more healthily
40%
Read more books
23%
Learn a new skill
18%
Perhaps prompted by overindulging in too much food and booze over Christmas, two out of five Brits (40%) aim to eat more healthily in the New Year and a tenth (12%) want to cut down on their alcohol consumption. While the typical Brit claims they would be able to eat healthy for just three months, the research has found alcohol is a much tougher feat – particularly for men. Indeed, a quarter (26%) say they wouldn’t be able to do it at all while the average man wouldn’t reach the end of February. On the other hand, half of women (48%) believe they would still be going strong in July.
Brexit impacting millennial aspirations
While we are pretty confident with plans for New Year’s resolutions, the longer-term future is out of our hands with Brexit expected to impact both the economy and jobs. This is particularly the case for millennials (16-34 year olds), with more than a quarter (28%) admitting they’re uncertain what the immediate future holds and two out five (43%) saying Brexit will impact their decisions.
The research has discovered that millennials are most worried about money, with two out of five (41%) admitting that their top goal for the new year is to be financially secure. Half believe it will be harder to save money in 2019 (49%) and plan to cut back as a result of Brexit (49%), causing three out of five (60%) to confess they will rely more heavily on sales and discounts.
Brexit impact on millennials*
I will cut back on spending due to Brexit
49%
It will be harder to save money in 2019
49%
Will cut out on going on dates
19%
Postpone buying a property
11%
Postpone starting a family
10%
This is having a big impact on millennials’ professional aspirations and their ambition to achieve them. A third (35%) worry that Brexit could lead to them being unemployed, causing as many as two out of five (39%) to reveal they hope to get a new job in the next 12 months. Indeed, in an effort to become as employable as possible, a quarter say they want to secure a new qualification (23%) and learn a new skill (25%) in 2019.
Financial uncertainty caused by Brexit will influence life-changing personal decisions for millennials. A quarter admit they would like to get engaged/married (24%) or start a family (25%) in 2019, however one in ten (10%) admit they will postpone having children and 7% will wait to tie the knot. Similarly, almost as many will be forced to delay getting on the property ladder (11%) as those who will continue to put a deposit down (17%).
Holidays
One of the hot topics around Brexit is how it will impact the freedom of movement and British citizens working and holidaying around Europe. Indeed, despite half (47%) believing Brexit will make trips abroad more difficult, over a third (37%) aspire to go on more holidays in 2019.
The majority (56%) think holidays will now be more expensive as a result of Brexit and the findings have discovered the average couple will need to spend £987.50 to go abroad together in 2019. However, this is a cost not worth paying for a third of Brits (36%) who will instead choose to staycation in the UK, where a couple will be required to spend significantly less at £574.10. This is highlighted by two out five (40%) planning to go on multiple trips around the UK compared to a third (34%) expecting to travel abroad more than once over the course of the year.
However, the research has revealed huge differences between millennials and Generation X (over 45 years old). Indeed, while half (48%) of millennials plan on having more than one international holiday next year, two out of five (43%) Generation X will not leave the country.
Anita Naik, Lifestyle Editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “With Brits more environmentally aware than ever before, we’ve seen a real surge in people going vegan – and it’s interesting to see it overtake Dry January among young adults’ New Year’s resolutions. Meanwhile, it’s great that we will be looking to compensate for overindulging in the Christmas festivities by exercising more and eating healthily come 2019.
However, the research has revealed a wave of uncertainty hitting the UK as a result of Brexit. Millennials will be particularly affected as financial insecurity will result in doubts over employment, as well as postponing huge decisions such as getting on the property ladder and popping the question. If you’re worried about your finances going into 2019, VoucherCodes have a series of tips to help trim your outgoings and keep to your budgets.”
