A Quitline spokeswoman said those who get through the first six months are likely to stay off ciggies. Of those who joined Quitline last January, 24.2 per cent were still smoke-free by June and 20.9 per cent were smoke-free this week.
According to ASH (Action and Smoking and Health), poor people are nearly three times more likely to smoke than the wealthiest 20 per cent.
Drink less
After the sore heads and empty wallets of the silly season, drinking less is a popular goal every New Year.
Software salesman Nathaniel Holman said he wanted to cut down on drinking in 2013.
With Auckland pint prices now often topping $10, Holman thought a realistic goal was to spend $50 less on booze each week.
If he puts that cash aside he will save $2600 by next Christmas. His wife, Belinda, had stopped drinking coffee to pay for a TV.
Get fit
Auckland personal trainer Marcus Steward said people would break even if they were prepared to spend money to get fit. Cutting back on eating and drinking were often outcomes when people committed to getting healthy. Also, job prospects often go up and health costs go down with enhanced fitness, Steward says. Fit people have stronger immune systems and are less likely to need medicine or fall ill.
Acoustic engineer Jacqueline Bittl said she had ditched the gym but was still keen to get fit. "I stopped going to the gym because it got too expensive. Playing sport is free."
Sport New Zealand says the health and productivity benefits of sport add $1 billion to our economy, reducing the burden on taxpayers who fork out for public services such as healthcare.
Student Sophie Plunket said most young women wanted to lose weight in the New Year. She resolved to spend an hour on the treadmill each day.
Cut up your credit card
Dumping the credit card remains a pipe dream for people hooked on a culture of unconscious spending, says money coach Jill Porter.
But with a change in attitude, almost anyone can ditch the piece of plastic in the New Year.
Credit cards were once a must for anyone who bought goods online, but debit cards are now a much safer option.
"One of the reasons people get into problems with consumer debt like credit cards is that it's very unconscious spending.
"If you are taking money out of the account you live on, you're forced to deal in reality."
Learn a new language
Learning a new tongue can seem a daunting process - but it can boost job prospects.
"There are now roles in the workforce that require employees to speak Te Reo, such as in broadcasting, policy and government," Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples said.
Maori-language teachers with less than three years' experience can earn up to $55,000 per year, according to Careers.govt.nz.
Those with more than four years' experience can earn up to $71,000 - $30,000 more than the average New Zealand salary.
