Citizens are trying to choose between saving money and big purchases
After a year and a half of political and economic instability, Russians have already recovered from the shock, but the majority still cannot determine the acceptable tactics for dealing with money: whether to save, whether to invest, whether to spend on the momentary pleasures of life? «MK» tried to figure out what tactics would be optimal for whom.
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Only 30% of Russians believe that it is worth making large purchases now, according to the results of a survey conducted by VTsIOM in July 2023. There is a positive trend here (in January there were only 23% of such optimists, and a year ago even 17%), but the number is still too small. There are much more negatives — those who believe that nothing serious can be bought today: 43%. However, here, too, there is a step towards stability: a year ago there were 73%.
These figures show that the proportion of Russians who found it difficult to answer is quite high — 27% of the respondents, i.e. over a quarter of the respondents. Everything is prosaic: the townsfolk have no understanding of what is happening, therefore, there are no grounds for leaning towards one or another position. “Live as you lived” is the advice that Russians most often give to each other during intimate conversations in the kitchens. Experts are of the same opinion today.
— I would recommend not to make sudden movements, — says financial consultant Viktor Gritsay in an interview with an MK correspondent. — For those who today have retained a sufficient level of income, I would recommend simply maintaining the existing standard of living. You don’t need to frantically dump savings or revel on the last money, but you don’t need to save hard. Continue to save at a comfortable pace, such as 10 or 20 percent of income, as you are used to. Today does not seem like a good day for me to start saving heavily for the sake of, for example, buying an apartment as an investment. Of course, this does not apply to those who have clear financial goals, for example, saving up for moving to another country or for higher education for their children, and even for buying a house or a car, if you planned them before. The best thing you can do when everything around you is unstable is to maintain stability at least in your life.
However, major purchases are not necessarily an apartment and a car (let's face it: for most, these are not “purchases”, but an event comparable to a wedding or dissertation defense). We are also talking about expensive goods, well, at least outerwear, as well as vacation vouchers or, for example, paying for additional education. Today, 34% of Russians surveyed said that the frequency of such purchases from them has decreased. There are several reasons for this: someone's income decreased amid the crisis, someone cannot afford to maintain their usual standard of living due to rising prices, and someone's priorities have changed.
“I would say that the “experience economy” is still working today, although it is considered a symbol of well-fed, calm times,” says Anastasia Alexandrova, a practicing psychologist. — Many of my clients have now come to the conclusion that they want to change priorities: for example, not to update their wardrobe for the summer, but to go on a trip. And most often these are those who used to have enough for both, and now they are forced to make a choice.
In turn, social network users noted that the reduction in purchases has another reason — the lack of goods that we would like to buy.
“We were thinking about buying a new car for my wife. Not because of urgent need, but rather just for fun. However, now the Toyota Yaris she would like is too expensive, about 3 million rubles, and it’s not easy to buy. Refused. Well, there seems to be no need to buy just a car for the sake of a car, the old one is still on the move, ”shared 48-year-old Igor.
“I have always been a clothes maker, but after the departure of my favorite clothing brands, I have not yet found things that I would like to buy. I go shopping, I try something on, I look, but nothing makes me happy. So, it turns out, I save money: I don’t spend on clothes, because I don’t want to spend on them, ”Alina, 32, echoes him.