More than half of Romanians would make it for only three months with salary cuts

Around 67 percent of Romanians could cope for only three months with a 25 percent drop in salaries, according to a study released by the Research Institute of the Quality of Life. More than half of the Romanian population has issues in dealing with day to day needs (65 percent), while 61 percent live from one pay check to the other. When they run out of cash, most of them (75.3 percent) cut expenses, 61.5 percent get loans from relatives and friends and 42.4 percent open tabs with the food stores in the proximity, the study reveals. Most of those who manage to put some money aside keep their cash at home and don't use financial services to manage their money. The study has also revealed that 55 percent of the population has little information or no information at all about financial services, according to Sue Rutledge, who coordinates World Bank's consumer protection and financial education program. Romanians would get a score of 3, which means 31 points out of 100 in terms of financial education. The main information sources for their financial education are the media, especially TV and friends.