site.btaOver Two Thirds of Bulgarians Find It Hard to Cover Day-to-day Expenses: Poll

A poll conducted by the National Statistical Institute to accompany the regular monitoring of household budgets in the last quarter of 2021 showed that more than two thirds of Bulgarians find it hard to cover their day-to-day expenses. A total of 37.1% say they experience some difficulty in covering day-to-day expenses, while 11.9% say it is very difficult for them to do so. Those who say they can cover their day-to-day expenses relatively easily amount to 20.2%, and 4.2% say they have no difficulties doing so.

Nearly 30 per cent of the respondents in the poll whose results were announced on Tuesday say their household income in the past 12 months has increased. The increase is mainly attributed to the increase in welfare benefits, indicated by 34% of the respondents, or salary adjustment, 24.3%. 

A total of 8.4% of the respondents say their household incomes have decreased. For nearly 30 per cent, the main reason for the lower income is reduced working time or salary, while for 20.2% it is loss of employment or bankruptcy. The biggest share of the people who experienced reduced incomes had to cut their spending on food, clothing, travel or other consumer goods - 54%, while 17.2% had to resort to savings to compensate for the reduced income. 

Incomes in the past 12 have remained unchanged for close to 62% of households. 

Irrespective of the change in their income, nearly half of the households (48.7%) cannot meet unexpected spending of over 370 leva with their own resources.  In the fourth quarter of 2021, close to 14% of households experienced difficulties paying on time loans, mortgages, rents, and housing expenses for their main residence.