Ready for Monday moaning? A quarter of Brits admit to wasting their weekends
Brits are wasting their weekends, with nearly one quarter (23 per cent) admitting they feel unsatisfied with how they’ve spent those days off, according to research by Hilton.
The study of more than 2,000 adults reveals that those in Wales (32 per cent) are the most dissatisfied when it comes to rating their Saturday and Sunday, ahead of people in the South (26 per cent) and Londoners (25 per cent).
The study also revealed that people are keeping their weekend frustrations a secret - by lying about what they’ve been up to. Almost half (44 per cent) over exaggerate what they do when asked by friends or work colleagues, with the aim of appearing more exciting cited as the main motivation (30 per cent). Twenty per cent exaggerate to cheer themselves up, while only three per cent lie about their weekends to make others jealous.
The scores might have something to do with the fact that research suggests we aren’t spending quality time with friends and family. Just under a quarter (23 per cent) of those surveyed admitted not seeing friends at the weekend, while 15 per cent don’t usually meet up with family members.
Simply getting out of bed in the first place is a tough task for almost a quarter of Brits (23 per cent) who don’t bother moving until at least 10.00am. Londoners enjoy the most lie-ins in the country, with a third kipping until at least then, while the North East is home to the earliest risers with just over half of respondents out of bed at 8.00am or earlier (51 per cent). Perhaps unsurprisingly, students are the worst sleep offenders with more than a third (36 per cent) not rising until 11.00am or later, including 14 per cent who don’t get up until the afternoon.
Aligi Gardenghi, vice president EMEA marketing, Hilton Worldwide, said, “Our research shows that many people feel stuck in a rut when it comes to how they spend their weekends. We want to encourage people to treat their weekends like a bite-sized holiday. With more than 4,250 hotels worldwide, we continue to be the stage for thousands of our guests' experiences. Our Winter Sale – with up to 33 per cent off hotel stays across Europe, Middle East and Africa throughout 2015 - is the perfect way to make sure your weekends count this year and create experiences you can be proud of, whether that’s a spring getaway or simply visiting friends and family closer to home.”
The research also highlighted how Brits are splashing the cash on weekends they end up regretting, with impulse buying (42 per cent) cited as the main money black hole. Takeaway food was second with 40 per cent, ahead of alcohol with 32 per cent of ill-advised weekend spending.
Men admit to wasting more money than women (41 per cent versus 35), while the figures show that we regret our spending less as we get older: 18-24 year olds have the most money regrets with 72 per cent feeling they throw away cash at the weekend, steadily falling to just 21 per cent of over 55s.
What to do at the weekend is a prickly subject among couples, with 14 per cent coming to blows over plans at least once a month. Weekends away scored highly as a preference for how to get the most out of your days off. Forty-seven per cent of people questioned believed a trip can put the spark back into a relationship – while 15 per cent believe it can save a doomed one - with more men than women putting their faith in a mini break to rescue a romance (17 per cent vs 13 per cent).
Despite the popularity of a weekend getaway, almost a quarter of people (24 per cent) never enjoy a short break. Meanwhile, those in the Midlands enjoy the most trips, with eight per cent getting away more than 10 times a year.
Hilton is encouraging people to be a weekender and reclaim their days off. The research marks the launch of Hilton’s annual Winter Sale, with up to 33% off bookings made before 31 January 2015 at more than 300 hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, for weekend stays throughout 2015. For more details, visit hiltonweekends.co.uk/hotels.