Irish people are more likely to splurge on a foreign holiday than save money, according to new research.
The Irish Lifestyle report, which was carried out by Mintel Ireland, revealed that 42.1 per cent of people in the Republic, and 35.7 per cent in the North, prioritise trips abroad over all other spending considerations.
People may be increasingly thinking about long-term economic stability, however, as saving money in a bank or building society was the second most likely output for earnings.
The survey found that for many respondents this increased spending power came at a price. Some 20 per cent of people in the Republic and 19 per cent in the North described themselves as "overworked", despite the research's findings that the working week has shown no significant change since 1998.
The average working week for men both North and South is around 41 hours, while Northern Irish women put in 38. Women in the Republic escape with the lightest workload, clocking in just 32 hours on average.
Although there has been no real decrease in leisure time, the survey shows that working adults are increasingly complaining that they don't have enough leisure time.
Report author Eamon Finn believes that this apparent contradiction can be explained by the concept of "work spill".
"The type of work people are doing has changed with people taking on more responsibility in jobs leading to a rise in general stress levels," he said.
"Therefore, instances of 'work spill' - work and stress entering private time - are becoming more common in contrast to the past."
Mr Finn found a difference of opinion either side of the Border on what to do with this rare free time. For the third year in a row, Northern Irish adults chose watching TV as their top leisure activity. The couch was narrowly squeezed out in the more sociable Republic, however, with "spending time with friends and family" taking up the most spare time.
Perhaps surprisingly, going to church was the most improved leisure activity in the Republic, favoured by 14.9 per cent of respondents - a 5.6 per cent increase on 2003.
Northerners seem to enjoy the best work-leisure balance overall, with two-thirds professing to have found a balance between their responsibilities and their free time. The situation is a little more stressful south of the Border, with only half of people believing that they have achieved a happy medium.
Mr Finn concludes that although the survey contains a few surprises, issues such as marriage, children and mortgage remain the most important.
"People are getting married later, having children later and because of the cost of housing getting a mortgage later. Families are also lasting longer with children staying at home until their mid-20s."