People save more when they are part of a support group or if they receive regular messages reminding them of their savings goals, according to new research in Chile. The studies also found higher interest rates have little effect on increasing the amount people save.

People who eat more fruit and vegetables are happier, according to research by David Blanchflower, Andrew Oswald and Sarah Stewart-Brown. Those consuming the recommended five or more portions of fruit and vegetables are likely to see their life satisfaction rise by between 0.2 and 0.3 points on a 10 point scale. To place this in perspective, this compares with a loss of 0.9 points associated with unemployment.

Saving even modest amounts on a regular basis may increase happiness. A survey by the British group NS&I suggested saving £50 a month would make many people feel better. The survey also found six in ten respondents are currently dissatisfied with their level of savings.