According to the Provident Barometer, 47.5% of Poles are planning major expenses for 2025 in advance, slightly less than in 2024 (51.7%). Alongside budgeting, more Poles aim to save in the new year, with nearly 51% intending to save more frequently, including 85.1% of the youngest respondents.
Additionally, 45.1% of individuals plan to use their savings to cover their largest anticipated expenses. Savings remain the most common method of financing across all age groups, particularly among 18â24-year-olds (57.7%) and seniors (56.2%). Men are more likely than women to use savings for major costs (48.8% vs. 41.5%). Meanwhile, 24.3% of respondents will rely on current income, while others plan to seek external financial assistanceâ8.4% will take out a loan, 7.4% will opt for installment payments, and 3.3% will consider borrowing from a loan company. Only 0.7% are thinking about using buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services.
Top Expenses for 2025
“Nearly half of Poles are already considering their biggest expenses for 2025. Those aged 25â34 are the most proactive, with 60.2% already planning their budgets,” said Karolina Ćuczak, spokesperson for Provident Polska.
In 2025, daily expenses like bills and groceries will surpass vacation trips as the top budgeted items, with one-third of respondents highlighting them. Renovating homes or apartments ranks second (29.8%), followed closely by vacation trips (29.7%).
Planned expenses vary by age group. For instance, one-third of 18â24-year-olds anticipate costs related to purchasing a car, while respondents aged 54â64 are more likely to budget for home or apartment renovations.
Outlook for 2025
Poles remain skeptical about 2025, with over half not expecting an improvement in their financial situation. Only 30.7% are optimistic, a significant drop from 42% in last yearâs survey.
“The youngest respondents are the most optimisticâ56.3% expect to see more money in their accounts. Men are also more positive about their future finances (34.1%) compared to women (27.5%). These predictions motivate Poles to plan and limit expenses,” added Ćuczak.
Poles’ financial plans for 2025 include:
- Cutting unnecessary expenses: 47.1% (up 2 percentage points from last year).
- Planning household budgets: 29.6%.
- Maintaining current financial stability: 21.6%.
- Seeking additional income sources: 18%.
- Paying off debts: 17.5%.
- Shopping more during sales: 17%.
Saving Is Essential
Over half of respondents plan to save more in 2025. To achieve this, 42.4% intend to cut back on dining out and food delivery. Men are more likely to reduce such spending than women (46% vs. 39%). Additionally, 30.2% plan to limit everyday expenses like groceries.
Other areas for potential savings include:
- Home utilities (28.7%).
- Entertainment and culture, including streaming services (28.6%).
- Clothing and footwear (28.1%).
- Vacations and travel (26.9%).
- Gym memberships and sports activities (19%).
New Year’s Resolutions: Health and Finances
Despite their planning tendencies, Poles are not big on New Year’s resolutionsâ68.8% didnât make any for 2025. This trend strengthens with age, reaching 77% among 55â64-year-olds and 82% for those aged 65+.
Among those who did make resolutions, priorities include:
- Health (53.6%).
- Physical fitness (46.3%).
- Finances (40%).
- Dietary changes (39.4%).
- Personal development (30.9%).
About the Study
The Provident Barometer is a recurring survey that provides insights into Polish consumers’ financial behaviors and decisions. The latest edition was conducted by Danae sp. z o.o. using the CAWI method on a sample of 1,000 Polish adults in December 2024.
Source: Manager Plus