AS more handy services become available to help with the time constraints of busy lives, new research reveals many are shelling out for tasks they could easily do themselves.

A study by TopCashback.co.uk, reveals residents in the Daily Echo region are spending £2,655 a year on basic errands including pet walking, laundry washing, home cleaning and car washing, because they either are too busy or feel too lazy to do it for themselves.

Eight in 10 slothful residents in the area admit to being too lazy to cook from scratch, choosing instead to eat through in excess of £420 a year on takeaways. The research also reveals car owners have abandoned the Sunday tradition of washing their vehicle and now fork out an average of £9.51 on car cleaning services each month. They are also own up to taking taxis for distances they could easily walk, costing them a monthly average of £16.62. The study also shows an increasing amount of workers are becoming too lazy, or too busy, to prepare packed lunches, which sees them spending an extra £40.46 each month.

When quizzed about how much money they splurge on beauty treatments they could do for themselves, residents say they spend more than £300 a year (roughly £25.84 a month).

Pet owners admit to spoiling their beloved pooches with grooming treatments and pet walking services that add an average of £28 to their monthly expenses.

The research also found residents shell out £46.13 on private cleaners each month.