A new report shows that we are a house proud nation with double the number of people opting to spend their free time buying something for the home (31%) than something for themselves (16%).
At a time when the nation's literacy levels have come under scrutiny, two thirds of us chose reading a book as a top leisure activity (63%). The popularity of a trusty read is spread evenly across men and women of all ages.
The research from
intu sheds fresh light on how we spend our free time and who we spend it with. Several of the most popular leisure pursuits involve family members enjoying quality time at home with each other.
Top 10 ways we like to spend our free time
- Watching a film/ TV at home 79%
- Reading 63%
- Eating out with family and friends55%
- Seeing family/relatives 55%
- Going out for drinks with family/friends 44%
- Cooking a family meal 41%
- Having a family trip out 40%
- Investing time in my hobbies 40%
- Gardening 37%
- Going to the cinema 33%
Additional findings
Dashing fears of a broken society and the decline of the family unit, these latest figures suggest the majority of adults jealously guard their free time. Leisure pursuits with family members are a priority and we have an active attitude towards getting out of the house to enjoy their downtime.
Beyond the daily staples of watching TV and reading, the majority of Britons value shared experiences. Further, after a period of austerity when common budget cutbacks included staying at home in the evenings (44%) and avoiding eating out (46%), many are now opting to go out to enjoy their free time with eating out with family or friends overtaking meeting for drinks.
