Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Half of Russians spend all income on everyday needs. Those Russians who save money do so to buy a flat or for a rainy day.

MOSCOW, May 21, 2014. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information describing how Russians spend their money, and what they save them for.

A relative majority of Russians (47%) spend money on everyday needs; over the recent ten years the share of such respondents has not changed (47% in 2004); they are mainly persons with income below average (57%), rather than those having high income (26%). One-third of respondents (36%) basically spends money on everyday needs and set aside the remaining part.

Only 15% of respondents first set aside and then spend the remaining part. They are mainly respondents with high level of income (22%), and rarely Russians having low income (12%).

As before, Russians save up money generally for a rainy day (27%), for purchasing an apartment (26%), or just for future use (24%). Russians also say that they could start saving up for medical treatment (21%), leisure, or entertainment (16%).  Persons aged 60 and over tend to put money aside for a rainy day (51%) or for a medical treatment  (35%); whereas Russians aged 25-34  - for purchasing an apartment (45%), for leisure, or entertainment (25%). The share of those who save up for education is 12%. Ten percent of Russians save up to purchase a car; 9% - to buy expensive items. Every tenth person (10%) saves money to spend later in case they lose their job. Six present would buy a dacha. Only 4% would not save up for any reasons.

The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on April 12-13, 2014. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. Data are weighted by gender, age, education, working status and type of settlement.  The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

How do you (your family) manage your income? (close-ended question, one answer)

 

III.04

V.05

V.06

VI.07

VI.08

V.12

X.13

IV.14

First I put some money  aside ; the remaining part is spent on everyday expenses

16

9

15

13

19

12

15

15

I spend money on everyday expenses; the remaining part  is being saved

34

28

29

30

40

32

33

36

I spend all my money on everyday needs ; I am not saving money

47

60

52

54

36

53

50

47

Don`t know

3

3

4

3

5

3

2

2

What for do you make savings / or what for would you like to make savings if you could?

 (close-ended question, not more than 3 answers)

 

1 qtr 10

2 qtr 10

3 qtr 10

4 qtr 10

1 qtr 11

2 qtr 11

3 qtr 11

4 qtr 11

1 qtr 12

3 qtr 12

4 qtr 12

1 qtr 13

2 qtr 13

4 qtr 13

IV.

14

For a rainy day

25

24

25

21

27

26

25

26

26

20

24

23

22

28

27

To purchase a house

21

25

27

27

24

27

27

26

27

30

29

28

29

29

26

For future use, just in case

32

29

26

28

30

28

28

26

27

22

24

25

27

25

24

For treatment

20

19

19

18

18

19

20

19

17

19

22

20

17

18

21

Leisure, entertainment

13

12

10

11

11

13

10

13

11

12

13

19

18

13

16

Education

15

16

14

12

13

16

15

14

14

14

15

14

15

13

12

To  buy a car

10

9

10

11

11

11

8

9

11

11

12

12

13

11

10

In case I lose my job

11

10

9

10

11

9

10

9

8

9

10

10

7

10

10

To purchase expensive items (equipment et cet.)

10

7

10

10

7

5

5

8

9

9

8

11

10

9

9

To buy dacha, garden cottage

4

5

5

6

5

6

6

6

5

7

7

5

6

7

6

To get additional income, to  multiply savings  (to receive interests, to draw a dividend)

3

4

4

4

4

4

3

3

4

3

3

3

3

5

4

Other purposes

4

4

3

3

3

4

4

3

5

3

3

3

3

3

4

I refuse making savings for any reasons

4

3

4

3

3

5

5

5

4

3

4

3

4

6

4

Don`t know

4

4

4

4

4

2

5

5

6

2

2

4

4

3

4

Private enterprise, buying stocks

4

6

4

5

5

4

3

4

4

4

4

4

3

5

3

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

Read the article in Russian