Back to reality
The fairy lights have been taken down, the holiday movies are back at the bottom of the Netflix menu. Whether people’s January is ‘dry’, ‘vegan’, or just about persevering, the switch from festive cheer to the return-to-work reality can be tough. The self-improvement message often promoted at this time finds an audience because it fulfils a basic impulse to build coping mechanisms for what can be a hard month, especially as financial anxieties hit. Ipsos found that seven in ten people globally are experiencing rises in the cost of living across everything from fuel to eating out, and debt is increasing – 43% of Britons borrowed to pay for the festive season, as did 40% of Americans. With Blue Monday on the 17th, getting through January is top of everyone’s minds, but what does supporting people with their money concerns look like in January and beyond?
