allaboutwomen

Many of us can't afford to go out having blown lots of money on Christmas and New Year. So what do we get up to at home?

Not going out
Research from Halifax Home Insurance reveals more than a third of Brits will be staying in more than usual this month, mainly because they don't have the cash to go out (58%) or are trying to save money (47%).

More than five million people are keeping out the outside world altogether by spending more than 20 hours inside their home each weekend in January - not including time spent sleeping.

On top of the financial hangover, a general feeling of Christmas overindulgence and a desire to avoiding going out drinking and eating has meant many people prefer to hole up at home.

DIY projects
And while many will be turning to cheap home entertainment including watching DVDs and playing computer games that they received as Christmas gifts (19%), quite a few will be embarking on DIY projects (28%). This New Year DIY boom comes as people are forced to repair items around the home that they can't afford to replace including fittings that were broken over the Christmas period.

Obviously you can save hundreds of pounds with DIY and wielding a paint brush can be fun, but more complex jobs could go horribly wrong without the help of an expert and you could end up with a big bill putting it right.

Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance, says: "DIY is a great way to save money and keep yourself occupied - but for many it can prove a false economy. Our research shows on average more than one in six DIY jobs go wrong, each costing £426 to fix. With more than four million DIY tasks already having been botched this month, we estimate the cost to homeowners has been almost £540 million."

Over one in four embark on DIY simply to keep them occupied during the extra hours they will spend in the home this January. Painting rooms is the most popular DIY task to be undertaken (64%), followed by bleeding radiators, building flat pack furniture (both 32%), putting up shelves and tending to the garden (both 31%).

Financial pressures mean that two thirds of people are bypassing professional tradesmen in favour of roping in friends and family members to help with the work, including fitting bathrooms or kitchens - despite the fact over half of these people are unqualified.

Foulds adds: "We advise anyone undertaking big jobs to check their home insurance policy to ensure they are adequately covered for accidental damage. For larger jobs involving gas, electrical or plumbing work, it's always best to call a qualified professional, otherwise homeowners run the risk of invalidating their home insurance policy if things go wrong."