57 percent of respondents to a new survey by market insight company GfK picked travel as one of the factors that make up “the good life,” putting it at number five on the list.
GfK asked 23,000 consumers in 17 countries online about what factors they personally see as being part of “the good life,” specified as the life they would like to have. God health, financial security and leisure time were the three most popular picks, followed by a happy marriage, travel for leisure, a home you own and control over one’s life.
“Good health” was selected by nearly eight out of 10 of respondents, while “financial security” attracted seven out of ten and “leisure time” nearly six and a half out of 10. Over half of people also see a happy marriage, travel for leisure, a home you own, and control over one's life as being part of the good life. And exactly half include having a job that is interesting.
In contrast, less than half of people include children, spiritual enrichment, or a yard and lawn or nice garden. And less than a quarter include really nice clothes, accessories or jewelry, a college education, the latest electronics and gadgets, or a luxury or second car.
College education has greater “good life” resonance with younger age groups than older ones, GfK said. Teenagers lead with 29 percent including this, falling to 26 percent of 20-29 year olds and 23 percent of those aged in their thirties and forties, with further drops for those in their fifties and sixty plus. This trend of lessening popularity within each consecutively older age group is also seen for the factors of: really nice clothes, accessories or jewelry, having the latest electronics or gadgets, and having a luxury or second car.
Here’s a look at the full list:
- Good health - 78%
- Financial security - 70%
- Free time/leisure time - 64%
- A happy marriage - 60%
- Travel for leisure - 57%
- A home you own - 54%
- Control over one's own life - 53%
- A job that is interesting - 50%
- Children - 46%
- Spiritual enrichment - 39%
- A yard and lawn/a nice garden - 36%
- Really nice clothes/accessories/jewelry - 24%
- A college education - 23%
- Having the latest electronics and gadgets for my home - 23%
- A luxury car or second car - 22%
- Don't know - 1%
- None of the above - 1%
In direct contrast, good health, financial security and control over one's own life is most popular among older age groups than younger ones, for their vision of a good life. For financial security, this is led by those aged 60 plus, where 78 percent include this, and then falls steadily for each consecutively younger age group, to reach just 64 percent of teenagers.
People in Argentina are the most likely to include travelling for leisure in their picture of the good life - standing at 71 percent. They are followed by Brazilians (67 percent) and Spaniards (66 percent).
Financial security, on the other hand, has most resonance with people in Russia, where 82 percent list this, followed by those in Germany and Belgium (both 79 percent).
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