Most consumers look more closely at spending - survey

SEVENTY per cent of consumers are looking more closely at their spending and more than a quarter intend to stop buying take-away coffees, a survey has found.

The research, carried out for communications company BT with a sample of 300 adults, found that three-quarters of those surveyed felt they could take greater control of their spending.

Some 21 per cent of cost- conscious consumers said they would start shopping in discount food stores and 16 per cent said they would cut back on going to the pub.

However, it seems that no one in Mayo is prepared to give up on a night out to save a few euro; not one of the people surveyed there answered "yes" when asked if they would be prepared to cut back on socialising. However, 79 per cent of Mayo respondents were happy to make savings in clothes and grocery shopping and 54 per cent said they had gone online in search of savings.

Dubliners also bucked the national trend; although 26 per cent of those surveyed nationwide said they would give up takeaway coffee, in Dublin 49 per cent intended to make the sacrifice.

However, not every one is counting their cents; almost half of those surveyed in Cork said they were happy with their spending and 50 per cent of those surveyed in Portlaoise said they were too busy to worry about it.