Top New Year's resolutions are to eat less and save more money

2009 is set to be the year for saving with ‘cutting down on spending' and ‘saving more money' reaching the top five New Year's Resolutions for 2009, according to research from Alliance & Leicester Savings.

Top Five Resolutions for 2009:

Take regular exercise - 40%
Lose weight - 39%
Cut down on spending - 26%
Save more money - 25%
Learn a new skill - 20%

With money worries on the nation's minds, more ‘traditional' New Year's resolutions have fallen down the list this year, with only one in eight (12%) pledging to drink less alcohol, one in ten (11%) planning to quit smoking and (9%) hoping to find a new relationship or love.

Hetal Parmar, Manager for Savings at Alliance & Leicester said: "The tradition of kick-starting a New Year with a ‘wish-list' of resolutions clearly lives on. Our research found the old favourites of exercising more and losing weight snatching the top two spots for 2009. However, finances are clearly also a big priority for us all, with Brits wanting to cut down on their spending and to save more of their hard earned cash - over and above wanting to stop smoking or to find love!"

One in ten (10%) are planning to begin saving for the first time in the New Year, and many (32%) hope to save more next year than they did this year - with the younger generation the most optimistic about increasing their nest eggs (43%).

However, not everyone is as optimistic about 2009, with some (9%) admitting that, while they will continue to save next year, they expect it to be less than they set aside in 2008, and a further quarter (23%) don't expect to have any spare cash at all next year and will not save - this is particularly apparent among the elderly (31%).

Hetal Parmar, concludes: "The New Year is a great starting point for new savers, even putting away £10 a week will soon start to add up. Think of it as paying another bill by setting up a standing order from your current account to your savings account - this is an easy way to get into the savings habit."