- Brits save on average £130.74 per month staying in over going out and socialising – rising to £209.32 per month for millennials
- Virgin Media has teamed up with comedian, Lucy Beaumont, to champion JOMO as Brits prioritise staying in this winter
- Customers can experience amazing entertainment for less with Virgin Media TV – find money-saving offers here
WEDNESDAY 22ND OCTOBER, LONDON: New research reveals that Brits are saving an average of £130.74 per month by swapping social plans for ‘me time’, which equates to a staggering national annual saving of almost £86.6 billion[1]. The biggest ‘staying in savers’ are millennials, who bank an impressive average of £209.32 per month, totalling £2,511.84 per year.
To celebrate this widespread embrace of the ‘Joy of Missing Out’ (JOMO), Virgin Media has teamed up with comedian Lucy Beaumont. The move follows research that found over three-quarters (76%) of Brits agree that regular ‘me time’ is important for relieving stress, with more than two-thirds (68%) agreeing that staying in and watching TV is among their favourite ways to decompress after a long week.
As the home of entertainment, Virgin Media is helping customers embrace JOMO with a major revamp of its offering to include Netflix as standard – and at no extra cost – across its full TV bundle range and with broadband only packages of M500 and above, offering customers a saving of £5.99 per month on their entertainment.
JOMO is trumping FOMO
- Nearly a quarter (24%) of Brits are cancelling or postponing social plans because they would rather stay in and watch their favourite TV show.
- Two out of four (41%) Brits enjoy watching TV together with their loved ones, and almost a third (31%) admit to enjoying the tradition of eating the same meal every time they watch a particular film or series.
- Half (50%) of Brits agree that they are more likely to spend money on a streaming service than an evening of social plans.
- Nearly three out of five (58%) Brits agree that staying in and watching TV with a meal/takeaway is among their favourite ways to bond with a partner/friend.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults from across the UK also found that over four in five (82%) Brits reward themselves with ‘me time’ at least once a week, while a quarter (25%) like to celebrate their nights in by posting about it on social media, rising to nearly half (48%) of millennials. The top ways to spend this personal time include binge-watching a TV or streaming series (56%), reading (36%), and having a takeaway (24%).
Virgin Media’s new TV offering comes at the perfect time as the cold and dark evenings takeover the UK for the next few months. Almost two-thirds (64%) of Brits agree to no longer feeling the need to make excuses for cancelling or postponing plans, with nearly nine in ten (89%) saying that they think there is less pressure to attend social plans nowadays.
Over two in five (42%) feel this is due to financial pressures and the cost-of-living, while almost a third of those no longer feeling the need to make excuses for cancelling or postponing plans say they have gained a greater sense of self-worth and confidence (32%), and that their friendships have become more understanding and supportive (32%).
Comedian Lucy Beaumont said: “I was relieved to find the UK is much happier spending a cosy night on the sofa than heading out in the cold to socialise – I thought it might just be me! The research by Virgin Media says that ‘me time’ is still our favourite way to spend an evening, so don’t feel guilty – just relax and watch your favourite film or box set with a cheeky takeaway. And the best bit of all is you can now enjoy a night in for even less with Virgin TV’s new bundle deal which includes Netflix at no extra cost – so you can treat yourself to extra dough balls or naan!”
David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We understand that after a busy day there’s nothing better than putting your feet up and getting stuck into a good box set. Our research confirms that watching TV is the ultimate form of ‘me time’ for millions of Brits, and Virgin Media is here to make sure that treasured time tuning in to the best shows and series is a great experience. So, whether it’s our refreshed TV bundles with Netflix, or a movie night with Sky Cinema and Disney+, Virgin Media TV has something for everyone.”
Those looking for a great deal on unmissable entertainment can find out more about Virgin Media’s TV, broadband and mobile packages here: TV Package Deals | Flexible Plans & £0 Setup | October 2025.
Virgin Media broadband customers also get access to Priority from O2, offering annual rewards worth over £339 according to Uswitch. To access a range of rewards, perks and access to gig tickets art venues across the UK 48-hours before general release, customers can download the Priority app.
[1]£130.74 per month (mean average) x 12 x 55,190,347 (2022 ONS mid-year UK 16+ population estimate figures) = £86,587,031,601.36
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