Most Canadians Would Rather Stick To A
Budget (74%) Than A Diet (25%)
Toronto, ON - The results of a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Capital One finds that physical and financial health are topping the list of New Year's Resolutions this year. In fact, three in ten (28%) Canadians indicate that when the clock struck midnight on Jan 1st their most important resolution was to `become more physically fit' (19%) to `lose weight' (8%), or to `get or stay healthy' (1%). However, thinking about their financial health, 15% of Canadians' indicate that their most important resolution was to `become more financially secure'.
When it comes to trying to act on those resolutions, most Canadians would rather follow a budget (74%), than follow a diet (25%). For example, with regards to their holiday shopping budget, most Canadians stuck right on their financial target (64%), while 7% even saved money this holiday season.
But some Canadians were not so diligent in sticking to a budget. Nearly two in ten (17%) spent more than they meant to and `don't really care' about that fact, while 5% spent more than they meant to but `now regret it', and an equal proportion (5%) have `no idea' how much they spent.
Managing one's credit cards is likely one of the best ways to become financially fit. However, one quarter (25%) of Canadians do not know what the interest rate is on their primary credit card. Furthermore, a majority (58%) of Canadians do not know of the existence of low-interest (prime + below 5%) credit cards on the market.
These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Capital One from January 8 to January 10, 2008. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1005 adult Canadians was interviewed by telephone. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 1773.09 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult working population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]
About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.
To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.
Ipsos
Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.
Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe.
Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2006, Ipsos generated global revenues of 857.1 million euros ($1.1 billion USD).
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