Resolutions Prove Brittle In The Chill January Days

When December 31st rolls around we all want to make a clean start in the New Year and make our lives better. Many of us make resolutions in January, some are achievable and some are not but recent research shows that most of us have forgotten about our ideals by the end of the first month in the year. It seems that as the hangovers and the party memories fade so does the will power.

A new report reveals that three million (39 per cent) of the British adults who begin the year with a New Year's resolution will have already succumbed to temptation and got back to their old ways by the start of February.

Of the seven million who make resolutions one in ten aims to give up smoking and one in five hope to lose weight, but a massive 50 per cent made resolutions aim to improve their financial situation.

Saving and budgeting were the most popular ways in which people hope to improve their finances, with 53 per cent and 55 per cent respectively hoping to pick up these habits for the New Year.

Almost a quarter (1.5 million) hopes they would be able to pay their own mortgage and not the landlord's, and wanted to get on the property ladder.

The marketing director of a leading finance company, which carried out the research, said: "It is very encouraging to see so many people starting the year with resolutions - especially financial.

"However, it can be easy to let these good intentions fall by the wayside. An Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) could encourage you to persevere with your resolutions and improve your finances."

The New Year’s resolution dates back to ancient Roman times and the god Janus. With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forwards to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness form their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year. In fact, the Romans named the first month after Janus and this is where our word January comes from.

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