Thaindian News

London, July 12 (IANS) An average family in Britain speaks to just two of their neighbours and have the television switched on for at least nine hours a day, says a new study.

Such a family wakes up at 6.57 a.m. and goes to bed at 10.39 p.m. each night, says the study of the nation’s habits conducted by home energy management company AlertMe.

Families spend 88 pounds (around $140) a week on food and drink. Most families eat together three nights a week at 5.54 p.m., the Daily Express reports.

The average employee comes home from work at 5.15 p.m.

For a majority of Britons, Friday nights are for fish and chips, Tuesdays are for pasta bake, Wednesdays are for chicken pie and Thursdays for cottage pie.

Despite the availability of the internet, a majority watch television together every evening. The most watched programme is BBC’s “Doctor Who”.

Parents spend two evenings a month with friends, while a whopping 43 percent spend no quality time together as a couple at all.

Trips to the cinema, DVDs and games for the children cost up to 15 pounds each week.

The study found that eight in 10 families consider themselves “happy” or “very happy” and 70 percent of adults polled described their household as “completely normal”.

The average adult carries around 20 pounds in cash.

Mary Turner of AlertMe said: “Without a doubt these have been testing times for everyone, especially families, and the recession has been a wake-up call, but this study shows that people are really trying to spend within their means.”