Is the only reason Dry January is so popular because people tend to drink a little too much over the festive period? Or is part of it down to wanting to save money after spending too much on overly pricey last-minute Christmas presents? I wouldn’t be surprised if it were more due to financial reasons than health ones – though I can’t be certain.
If much of it is down to money woes, then the news that household bills increased by 13% in 2017 compared to the previous years probably won’t make you feel much better. There are all kinds of factors involved in this statistic, but energy bills play the largest part. According to data from comparethemarket.com, in 2016, the average household paid an energy bill of £1,383. In 2017, this rose to £1,625. Add to this price rises in car insurance (with an increase from a 2016 average of £692 to a 2017 average of £735), and the numbers soon add up.
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