- Significantly more Poles now evaluate their financial situation positively—describing it as average (43%) or “rather good” (41%). Only 16% consider it negative.
- A clear majority (83%) declare they are saving money—2 p.p. more than in 2024 and as much as 11 p.p. more than in 2023.
- Growing savings encourage investment—already 37% of Poles actively invest, and 28% plan to start investing in the future.
- Financial commitments remain stable: 39% of Poles have some form of debt, usually at safe levels below 30% of income.
- The war in Ukraine has influenced attitudes toward spending and saving—Poles have become more cautious in their consumption and more inclined to save.
The survey is part of the Entrepreneurship Development Program implemented by the Think! Foundation in substantive partnership with the Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation and funded by Citi Foundation. It was carried out in cooperation with the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw.
“This year’s edition paints a picture of a cautious pragmatist—a consumer who values stability but is willing to learn and take moderate risks for long-term goals. We’re seeing a clear rise in financial awareness: greater maturity, a more critical approach to sources of knowledge and increased openness to new solutions. For the first time, we also examined the impact of the war in Ukraine—this conflict has heightened prudence and boosted the inclination to save at the expense of consumption,” says Anna Bichta, President of the Think! Foundation, an organization that has been analyzing the financial behavior of Poles for 17 years.
According to the 17th edition of the report “Attitudes of Poles Toward Finance” conducted by the THINK! Foundation together with the Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation, Poles feel relatively comfortable with their finances, typically assessing their situation as average. A strong majority (75%) expect that their household’s financial situation will not deteriorate over the next year, and one in five (22%) expects at least some improvement. Feelings of financial stability and security are also rising—35% now say their situation is stable (up 6 p.p. from 2024) and 30% feel financially secure (up 5 p.p.).
“We see a clear rise in financial maturity: most people are saving, more are investing, and long-term thinking—also about retirement—is becoming more common. However, security remains a dominant need: for many, saving is still primarily for emergencies. Since 2008, the Attitudes Toward Finance study has shown systematic improvement supported by the National Financial Education Strategy and cooperation between the public sector, NGOs, and financial institutions. Financial education is a long-term process, so we consistently support initiatives that teach wise planning and building stability for today and tomorrow,” adds Piotr Kalisz, Chief Economist at Citi Handlowy.
How Are Poles Saving?
Financial security clearly increases with the level of savings. As in 2023 and 2024, the key threshold is an amount sufficient to cover one month of living expenses without additional income—beyond that point most Poles begin to feel at least partially financially secure. Another important threshold is a six-month financial cushion—at this level, 65% of respondents declare a strong sense of financial security.
Perhaps in search of this stability, more Poles are saving regularly. Today, 83% declare they save money—2 p.p. more than in 2024 and 11 p.p. more than in 2023. Savings are most commonly held in savings accounts and term deposits (49%), followed by current accounts (34%) and cash (18%). The median share of monthly income saved has remained unchanged for two years at 11–25% of income.
“The study shows that saving remains primarily focused on emergencies. The percentage of people saving for unexpected expenses has stayed at more than double the pre-2020 level for four years—an effect of uncertainty linked to the pandemic, inflation, and the war in Ukraine. At the same time, long-term thinking is growing: retirement saving has been increasing steadily since 2023 and now reaches 16%,” notes Dr. habil. Katarzyna Sekścińska of the University of Warsaw.
Other savings goals include home furnishings or renovations, holidays, and purchasing real estate—each indicated by 6–11% of respondents.
How Are Poles Investing?
Higher savings levels encourage people to look beyond deposits and cash. Half of Poles clearly see the value of investing (up 5 p.p. from 2024), and another 40% are at least somewhat convinced—highlighting the strong investment potential in Poland.
“Already 37% of Poles actively invest, and 28% plan to start in the future. However, we remain relatively cautious—49% still prefer low-risk options offering smaller but more predictable returns,” says Anna Bichta.
Preferences have slowly shifted toward moderate risk in the last three years. In investment portfolios, the most common assets are:
• real estate,
• government bonds,
• stocks,
followed by foreign currencies, new business ventures, mutual funds/ETFs, and cryptocurrencies.
As for financial knowledge, family, friends, and personal experience still matter, but Poles increasingly seek professional advice from financial institutions. One in five Poles already does so, and the share grows each year—a trend that supports more rational and calmer investment decisions.
What Financial Obligations Do Poles Have?
The share of Poles with financial obligations remains stable—39% have some form of debt. Most loans fall within a safe range, not exceeding 30% of income. However, 27% spend over 30% of their income on repayments, and 4% face significant financial risk, dedicating at least half of their income to debt servicing.
Regarding difficulties with repayments, 16% of borrowers experienced problems in the last 12 months. For one in five of them (20%), the difficulties were long-lasting, indicating structural—not just temporary—financial constraints.
The War in Ukraine Has Changed Financial Attitudes
The war has clearly influenced financial decisions—43% of Poles say it has changed their approach to consumption. One in three (35%) spends less than before, and almost half (49%) now more carefully evaluate whether a purchase is truly necessary.
“Changes in consumption after the outbreak of the war are a sign of more rational and reflective decision-making. The conflict has also reshaped how we view the purpose of saving—45% of respondents say they changed their approach to saving specifically because of the war,” says Paweł Zegarłowicz, President of the Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation.
One in four respondents (27%) said the conflict strengthened their belief in the importance of saving. This has translated into action—36% of Poles save more than before. Furthermore, 20% have changed the allocation of their savings across different forms, with cash gaining importance—24% now keep more of it. The conflict has also increased credit caution—39% have reduced their willingness to take on new debt.
About the Survey
The survey “Attitudes of Poles Toward Finance 2025” was conducted from 25 September to 5 October 2025 on a representative sample of 1,037 adults aged 18–74. It was carried out using the CAWI method (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing) on the Ariadna National Research Panel. The full report can be downloaded free of charge at:
https://think.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Raport_Postawy-Polakow-wobec-finansow_2025_v2.pdf
