Three quarters of people aim to keep their 'future self' happy

A poll of 2,000 adults found 77 per cent believe in the mantra "a stitch in time saves nine" - embracing small habits today in the hope of making life straight forward further down the line.

Anthea Turner is encouraging people to take small steps to help their future selves | Will Ireland/PinPep

Ways in which people help their future selves include building up loyalty points with favourite brands (47 per cent) and planning meals in advance to make ingredients go further and cut down on waste (41 per cent).

Meanwhile, 23 per cent have considered switching banks for better deals, and 17 per cent round up and save the difference each time they make a purchase. But 60 per cent said it can be hard to think too far ahead - because of unexpected expenses (46 per cent).