UK Holidaymakers Flash the Cash Before their Summer Vacations

People in the UK are spending lots of money in preparation for their summer holidays, despite the continuing recession, as their appearance is more important to them - according to DiscountVouchers.co.uk. The money off voucher website conducted a survey of UK consumers recently to track habits.

Twelve percent of the 700 respondents of the survey said they would spend £1,000 on looking good for the summer, while more than 50% said that they would spend up to £500. Due to the higher living costs in London, residents would cap their spending at £2,500, although people in East Anglia said that paying over £2,500 on their appearance was common.

The recent spate of reality TV programmes, such as Made in Chelsea, The Only Way is Essex (or TOWIE as it is known) and Geordie Shore might have kick-started the trend of looking after our looks. In a funny quip from TOWIE members heading to Marbella for their summer sun, "No carbs before Marbs", is very close to the findings of the survey.

The voucher site, DiscountVouchers.co.uk, found that up to half of the people surveyed would visit a hairdresser, 83% would buy new clothes or shoes, and over 50% would add new swimwear to their list. To make sure they look good, 20% of the people asked would buy beauty treatments.

Sun bed outlets and fake tan suppliers will see a spike in sales as 20% of people said they would try and kick-start their sun tan, and those joining a gym or dieting amounted to just under 20%.

Although they are less likely to go to a beautician, people from the North East are more likely to get pre-holiday tans and their hair cut at a hairdresser.

"We have seen people striving to cut-back on their energy and fuel bills because of the recession, but that hasn't stopped 50% of people saying they would pay up to £500 to ensure they look good on holiday", said Doug Scott, DiscountVouchers.co.uk managing director. The discount site owner also added, "People are more interested in their looks than what the future holds for their finances."

North-westerners said that they would work out more (25%), lose weight (60%) and prepare themselves better (24%) when asked what ideas they had to look better on holiday.

People from Wales, London and Scotland agreed that they would stop drinking as much, and people from the south west (42%) said they would enhance their dress sense.

One piece of advice that was very common across the survey is that people should 'wear more sun cream to stop sun burn'.
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