Nearly one in two Belgians (47%) considers managing their budget as a source of psychological stress, and more than one in two are putting off financial decisions due to a lack of clarity, according to a survey carried out by Cofidis between late April and early May.
Women, French-speakers and, above all, young people feel particularly overwhelmed by their financial situation. Money is no longer just an economic constraint but is also becoming a mental burden for a growing proportion of the population.
The financial pressure on Belgian households is intensifying and is being felt more and more keenly, noted Cofidis in its sixth purchasing power barometer.
Of those surveyed, 37% believe their purchasing power has fallen over the past year, compared with just 10% who report an improvement, whereas only 22% made this observation in 2024. Over three years, this represents an increase of more than half.
Worrying every day
The mental strain associated with managing money is particularly keenly felt in everyday life, Cofidis noted: one in ten people have struggled to pay for essential expenses such as groceries over the past year, while one in four have been unable to save.
A third of those surveyed worry regularly about their financial situation, and one in six even worries about it every day. This concern leads 57% of Belgians to postpone their financial decisions due to a lack of clarity.
Women (51%), French speakers (56%) and, above all, young people under 34 (60%) feel more pressure from their financial situation, compared with the national average of 47%.
According to Cofidis, Belgians estimate on average that they are short of around €480 a month to feel financially comfortable.
