If they were to run out of income, 65% of Romanians would not be able to cover their expenses for even a week. Almost half (46%) of the population do not make savings, and of those who do, 27% do not put money aside in an emergency fund, according to the results of the latest national study reflecting Romanians’ attitudes and habits in the financial field, made by KRUK Romania together with IRES in November this year. In contrast, 25% of Polish people say they could live at least a year on the money accumulated in such a fund, according to a comparative analysis by the company. 29% of Romanians never plan their budget, and 30% can afford to buy only what is strictly necessary, the study shows. However, 10% of the population cannot afford basic expenses, while in Poland, the percentage of those with insufficient income is only 3%. If they had a large amount of money, 14% of Romanians would not save at all. Otherwise, most (33%) would deposit the money at the bank or invest in real estate (11%), while only 5% of those surveyed would open a business and only 2% would be willing to invest on the stock exchange. 14% of the population would keep the money at hand. In terms of priorities, the majority of respondents first pay their utilities and services (98%), then the usual household purchases (95%) and the health expenditure (95%); instalments (88%) would be paid before the transport (76%) and education costs (68%). Romanians accumulate arrears especially on invoices, due to too low incomes or unforeseen situations; their percentage (18%) is almost double than that recorded in Poland (10%), and the comparative analysis reveals differences in terms of debt responsibility: only 32% of Romanians believe they are personally responsible for the difficulties caused by the failure to pay financial obligations on time, compared to 43% of Polish respondents. Although fear of social stigma and the pressure of penalties are driving more Romanians to pay their arrears, 13% say they can live in peace even if they delay the payment, and 40% of those surveyed think it is unfair to be foreclosed if they do not pay on time. 88% expect to be rewarded if they pay off their debts on maturity. The good news is that the average amount saved by those who manage to put money aside has increased to lei 1314 in 2023 (lei 960 in 2021, lei 1125 in 2022), but also the percentage of those who manage to raise over lei 1000 per month increased from 20% last year to 27% in 2023.
Two Romanians were arrested during Sunday night, May 11, after robbing empty houses in the evacuated mountain village of Brienz located in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The village had been evacuated since November due to rock falls. The locality was, however, monitored by the authorities to prevent break-ins. The would-be thieves apparently tried to […]
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or EBRD, has revised its estimates regarding the evolution of the Romanian economy in 2025 downward to 1.6%. The bank expects Romania’s GDP to grow 0.2% less than the 1.8% estimate made in February, and to increase by 2.4% in 2026. Romania's GDP growth slowed to 0.8% in […]
During a meeting on Monday, May 12, the Cluj-Napoca Local Council approved a draft resolution that imposes smoking restrictions in several public spaces in the city, including public transport stations, parks, and sports facilities. The resolution was adopted with 22 votes in favor and 3 abstentions, and will come into effect 90 days from the […]
An internal survey by Romanian Business Leaders, which does not have national representativeness but was answered by 417 entrepreneurs, shows that 62% of entrepreneurs expect to have to make layoffs, while a third expect the number of employees to remain the same. The expected layoffs are directly connected to the possibility of Romania choosing a […]
Romanian Istvan Kovacs will be the main referee for the UEFA Champions League final between Paris St-Germain and Inter Milan, which will be played on May 31 in Munich. The match will be Kovacs’ third European final in the last 4 years. The 40-year-old referee has previously officiated the UEFA Europa Conference League final in […]
Over 70 museums across Romania will open their doors after hours for the 21st edition of Night of Museums, one of the country's most anticipated cultural events. Held on the night of May 17, the event offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore exhibitions, installations, and creative activities in an unconventional, late-night setting. From major […]
