Sixty percent of households in the Far East region collectively manage their finances, according to a VTB survey.
Over forty percent of Russian households share a joint budget, with a quarter preferring to manage money separately, according to a survey by VTB.
In the Central and Far Eastern federal districts, joint budgeting is most common, while in the Southern, Ural, and Volga districts, one person typically controls finances. Residents of St. Petersburg, Moscow, and the North-Western district tend to maintain separate budgets.
Half of Russian families discuss expenses and make joint purchasing decisions. Around a quarter of respondents divide responsibilities for budgeting within their designated areas. In the Ural, Southern, and Far Eastern districts, conversations about spending are most common, while separate budgeting prevails in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Central district.
Disagreements about family finance tendencies do not negatively impact relationships for over half of respondents. When disagreements do arise, they're usually about unnecessary purchases (30%), unilateral decisions (10%), or excessive subscriptions (8%).
Food is the primary expense for Russian households, especially in the Ural and North-Western districts. Households often spend substantial amounts on small everyday purchases. The North-Caucasus district reports the highest frequency of overspending on such items, while St. Petersburg and the Far East show the least.
Twenty-seven percent of Russians allocate a significant portion of their budget to entertainment and online shopping, with the Volga district leading this category.
Russians have shared their strategies for preserving the family budget. Thirty-two percent save part of their salary in deposits and savings accounts, while sixteen percent use bank loyalty programs and get cashback by comparing offers and paying for purchases with the most favorable cards. Twelve percent of respondents divide the budget into categories, and ten percent use cash for expense control.
Rostislav Yanukhin, the head of the transactional retail business department and senior vice president of VTB, stated that managing the family budget is now seen as a creative opportunity. Yanukhin believes that, "Russian families no longer argue about money but collaborate to find original ways to save, coming up with life hacks, consciously choosing cashback categories, and comparing offers before shopping."
The survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1500 Russian citizens aged 18 to 65 living in cities with over 100,000 inhabitants.
Regional economic conditions, government benefits, and essential expense prioritization significantly impact family budget management in Russia. Communities and neighborhood support networks can offer additional resources and services, particularly during economic challenges. Educational benefits, local and seasonal shopping, and budgeting tools help Russian families optimize spending.
- In the Central and Far Eastern federal districts, where joint budgeting is most common, families collaborate creatively to find ways to save, such as comparing offers before shopping and choosing cashback categories.
- Personal-finance discussions often lead to disagreements, with unnecessary purchases (30%), unilateral decisions (10%), or excessive subscriptions (8%) being common sources of contention in relationships, particularly in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Central district.
- While food is the primary expense for most Russian households, households in the Ural and North-Western districts tend to spend the most on small everyday purchases, a trend that is least common in St. Petersburg and the Far East.
