(MENAFN- SWNS Digital) Eight in 10 Brits yearn for the simpler times of their youth– when TV was just four channels, face-to-face interactions were the norm and music was listened to on CD, tape or vinyl. A poll of 2,000 adults found 35 per cent feel nostalgic for paying with cash, while 24 per cent long for the days of picking up the phone to actually speak to someone. It emerged 20 per cent pine for chatting with a shop clerk, 25 per cent look back fondly on having their milk delivered, and 28 per cent miss the ritual of renting a VHS tape. And for a fifth, the delivery of the local newspaper is something they still wish was as popular as ever. However, 39 per cent ultimately admitted things have changed for the better – with 75 per cent believing technology has lifted the burden of many everyday tasks. Among the modern tools they rely on most are the smartphone, tablet, and smart meter, which help make daily life more manageable in today's world, according to the survey commissioned by Smart Energy GB. Joy, 62, from London, who has experienced a lot of these changes first-hand, said:“I can't remember what it was like before smartphones or digital maps when I travelled somewhere new. “I just had to try and work it out. If I was abroad, I'd carry around a phrase book and sometimes, that was a lifesaver! "Even paying an energy bill was much more of a hassle when I first moved out. “I used to have to go to a post office or the bank to do it. And if I got the reading wrong, it was a real pain.” As a third (34 per cent) revealed the changing way we do things has made everyday life more convenient. Joy explains how newer household equipment is helping her manage admin. She added:“Nowadays, new gadgets seem to be geared towards making things more simple, and there's some things that definitely make my life easier. “For instance, my smart meter. I have one at home, which sends my meter readings automatically and ensures my bills are accurate, so I don't have to think about it. “After I got it, I tried using a price comparison website and easily found a tariff that suited me better, but the best bit was how easy it is now to switch energy supplier, if I want to.” To keep some older traditions alive, 53 per cent still write things down with a pen and paper, and 37 per cent will tuck into foods or snacks they enjoyed as a child. Nearly six in 10 (58 per cent) feel life was less rushed in years gone by, and 50 per cent found fewer distractions. For more than a third (37 per cent), entertainment like watching a weekly TV show felt like a 'special collective experience'. Other things adults miss from yesteryear included reading a physical map or an A-Z to get somewhere (20 per cent) and browsing physical catalogues (34 per cent). But 49 per cent reckon everyday services have become easier to access in terms of information, and 34 per cent can get things done more quickly than they used to. Checking bank balances (54 per cent), making payments (50 per cent) and catching up on TV programmes (42 per cent) were the top things that have been made easier in recent years. While 42 per cent reckoned it is now easier to book a holiday away, and 38 per cent find it simpler to pay energy bills, according to the OnePoll data. TOP 20 THINGS FROM THE PAST PEOPLE MISS: 1. Buying sweets and snacks with pocket money at the local shop 2. Listening to music on CDs, cassette tapes, or vinyl 3. Writing and receiving handwritten letters 4. Shopping on your local high street 5. Paying with cash 6. Buying music from a record shop 7. Flicking through a physical shopping catalogue 8. Borrowing books from the library 9. Waiting a week for the next episode of a TV show 10. Renting or buying a DVD or VHS from a shop 11. Recording music from the radio on a cassette player 12. Using film cameras to take photos and going to a shop to get it developed 13. Having the milk delivered to your door 14. Picking up the phone to speak to someone 15. Only having to choose from 4 channels on the TV 16. Getting the local newspaper delivered to your door 17. Reading a physical map or the A-Z to get somewhere 18. Having a chat with a shop clerk/assistant 19. Making calls on a landline with a cord or rotary dial phone 20. Using the phone book

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