Nous blog: Wellbeing warning as price rises hit happiness

3rd March 2023

Nine out of ten adults have cut back on leisure activities to make household savings so they can afford the spiralling costs of heating their homes and buying food.

Brits are risking their mental and physical well-being as they struggle to make ends meet in the cost-of-living crisis. An astonishing nine out of ten adults have cut back on leisure activities to make household savings so they can afford the spiralling costs of heating their homes and buying food.

More than two-fifths say they have given up going to the cinema and the pub, while half have stopped going out to eat, and 27% have ditched theatre trips.

Meanwhile, 25% have cut back on watching live sports because of the crisis, 15% have given up their gym membership and 15% have stopped playing sports to save money.

Wellbeing expert and personal trainer Holly Lucatello warned: “Having to give up lots of the things we are used to doing that make us happy could have a serious effect on people’s wellbeing.

“Even more worrying is that so many are cutting down on gym membership and sport. It’s important to try and replace anything we have to sacrifice with other activities that improve mood.

“Maybe have friends round for a simple meal with a bottle of wine instead of dinner out or a night at the pub. And try walking, running, and simple home workouts to fill the gap left by the gym and playing sports.”

Cost-of-living champion Greg Marsh from Nous.co said: “These things may be seen as luxuries while many are fighting to keep their heads above water, but it’s important to have some enjoyment in life.

“While it is difficult to find the cash for fun things, there are ways you can make savings on your bills. At nous.co we can help you keep track of your household finances and save money on energy, broadband, and other essentials. Plus, we have several online calculators that can help you plan and make sure you don’t get stuck in overpriced contracts, which will hopefully leave you with a little extra cash to enjoy yourself.”

Percentage of people who have given up or cut back on the following:

Eating out………………53%

Cinema……………….….44%

Pub…………………………42%

Premium TV (Sky Sports)………….30%

Theatre……………………27%

Watching live sport…25%

Subscriptions (such

as Netflix, Spotify………17%

Gym membership………15%

Playing sport………………15%

Bingo…………………………..13%