It’s New Year’s Eve, when Ireland makes resolutions for health, wealth

Mohan Sinha
01 Jan 2026, 17:49 GMT+10

As it is time for New Year’s resolutions, here are a few tips that could help you make some serious savings in the coming year
Smokers who go through a packet of cigarettes a day could save themselves at least 6,700 euros per year, and coffee lovers can make a difference to their savings if they cut down on coffee
A single daily takeaway coffee has risen by seven percent in the 12 months to November

DUBLIN, Ireland: As it is time for New Year's resolutions, here are a few tips that could help you make some serious savings in the coming year.

Smokers who go through a packet of cigarettes a day could save themselves at least 6,700 euros per year, and coffee lovers can make a difference to their savings if they cut down on coffee. A single daily takeaway coffee has risen by seven percent in the 12 months to November.

For those who love dining out but could do with some trimming to their budgets, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) found that the cost of a meal in a restaurant rose by almost 25 per cent in the last five years.

Speaking on Newstalk, psychotherapist Enda Murphy believed small, simple changes could help at the outset when it comes to New Year's resolutions.

"In order to achieve something completely different, I might decide: 'Do you know what? What I'm going to do now is, instead of sitting here, I'm going to put on my trainers. I'm going to go for a walk around the park or bring the dog for a walk,'" he said.

He believed that the more one changes, the easier it gets because survival is not determined by strength or character, but by our ability to adapt.

Murphy said it was important for people planning lifestyle changes in 2026 not to compare themselves with others on social media.

He said social media can sometimes motivate people, but it can also be harmful.

He added that social media does not truly connect people and mainly shows what others want to share, noting that people rarely post about having a bad day.