Married men would rather go without holidays and a new car than give up their mistress, according to a survey.

Less than one per cent of men who are having an affair said they would be prepared to go without nights with their mistress in order to save money, according to extra-marital dating website IllicitEncounters.com.

Instead, 16 per cent said they would go without a new car, 15 per cent would put off extending their home and the same proportion would sacrifice their football season ticket. A further 11 per cent would cancel their gym membership, while 10 per cent would put off upgrading their mobile phone and six per cent would go without a holiday rather than stop seeing their mistress.

Four times as many men would also stop taking their wife on nights out in order to save cash as those who would cut back on socialising with their mistress.

Sara Hartley, of IllicitEncounters.com, said: “We’ve seen through extensive research that men who cheat have a great deal in common, psychologically, with men who gamble.

“For many monetary risk-takers, starting an affair may be another way of satisfying their urges without breaking the bank,” she said.