Happily, most believe that Ireland is a good place to grow up in (74%) and to grow old in (61%).  People appreciate the positives about living in Ireland, particularly our welcoming nature, our environment, our culture and our values. That said, people are also very aware that more needs to be done to improve our services and make them fairer for all.

As 2023 gets underway the cost of living challenge continues.  In response many are taking a pragmatic approach by planning to cut their cloth and increase the amount they save. While it is good to see that over half feel confident about managing their day-to-day finances, it is sobering that 1 in 5 do not. There are clear indications that many will struggle financially in 2023, with a third saying they don’t expect to have money left over at the end of the month or wouldn’t be able to handle a major unexpected expense.

When we conducted our research in December, 8 out of 10 people already had a New Year resolution in mind. Getting more exercise, healthier eating, taking care of our mental health and sorting out our finances are the most popular New Year resolutions for 2023. Thirty five percent plan to lose weight, get fit or improve their diet, 10% plan to sort out their finances and cut back on spending, 9% plan to take better care of their mental health and 8% plan to spend more time with family and friends. It’s good to see that people are focused on taking care of their health and wellbeing in the widest sense, building their resilience for any challenges ahead. The key of course is to try and make our good intentions stick, and one way to do this is to frame them in a positive way, focusing on what we want to do or achieve, rather than what we want to give up or avoid.

Click here to read the full report, and our tips on making New Year resolutions stick:

https://www.permanenttsb.ie/blog/reflecting-ireland--an-insight-into-consumer-behavioural-change-in-ireland--looking-forward-to-2023/