After three straight quarters of rising interest in investments, more Canadians say they're focused on paying down debts as they head into the New Year, according to a national poll for Manulife Financial.

Those who say their top priority is to pay down credit cards, lines of credit and mortgages hit a five-year high in Manulife's poll, conducted in mid-December by Research House, an Environics Company.

Twenty eight percent of Canadians surveyed said their top priority is to trim their consumer credit, up from 24 per cent a year ago and 20 per cent in early 2008.

The next most-cited priority - to pay down the mortgage - was chosen by 14 per cent, up from 11 per cent a year ago.

The third priority - saving for retirement - was named by 11 per cent of 1,000 respondents in the national poll, down from 14 per cent a year ago.

When asked about their overall financial shape, 46 per cent said they believe they are in better financial health compared to five years ago - that's off from 51 per cent in 2009 and 60 per cent the previous year.

Another 28 per cent now feel they're in the same financial boat as late 2004, while one in four felt worse off.