An expected rise in consumer spending this Christmas is likely to have a knock-on effect on people's savings in the months ahead, according to Nationwide UK (Ireland).
The lender's Savings Index fell to its lowest point since February in October, with significantly fewer people seeing now as a good time to save money.
The main index, which measures overall sentiment towards savings, fell to 108 in October from 129 in September.
21.6% of those surveyed also said they currently were saving less than they should be, up from 15.5% in September.
Nationwide said that this shift in attitudes appears to be seasonal, as consumers feel more pressure to spend money in the weeks ahead rather than save.
A similar dip in the index was recorded in October of last year and it took until March for the index to regain the ground it lost at that time.
