Roughly 76% of Romanians consistently keep a detailed record of their expenses or monitor their budget, and banking apps dominate the top money management solutions, according to a study conducted by Raiffeisen Bank Romania in partnership with Appinio.<\/p>\n
More than half of respondents (55%) stated that they use their bank\u2019s mobile app to check transactions and automatically track expenses, making it the main financial management tool. At the same time, 34% still use traditional methods, such as keeping records on paper, and 13% rely on SMS or push notifications for each payment to track their expenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMore and more people are using banking apps, integrated benefits, and savings tools provided by banks to manage their budgets more efficiently. Beyond simple account administration, this change speaks about a real need for planning and long-term stability,\u201d said Mihail Ion, Vice President of Retail and Member of the Executive Board of Raiffeisen Bank Romania<\/p>\n
Approximately one in three Romanians (34%) use cashback or loyalty points, and a similar percentage activate discounts and offers directly from the app. At the same time, 32% use interest-free installment payments with their credit card, and 14% use automatic savings options, such as Round-up or Saving Box.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The largest part of Romanians\u2019 monthly budget is directed toward essential expenses, according to the report. Food represents the main expense category, with 17% of income, followed by utilities, which total 13%. Installments or rent represent, on average, 8% of the budget, a level similar to that allocated for health or for savings and investments.<\/p>\n
Other important categories are clothing and transport (7% each), as well as education and entertainment (6% each). The study also shows that the percentage dedicated to savings and investments (8%) is higher than that dedicated to entertainment.<\/p>\n
In terms of money management style, 31% of Romanians prefer simple approaches and save naturally, 24% plan and save long term, and 21% seek a balance between spending and savings along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The research on budget management is part of the Despre Bani 1:1 series, carried out by Raiffeisen Bank Romania. The study was conducted in February 2026, in collaboration with Appinio, using the CAWI method, on a sample of 1,000 people aged between 18 and 65, nationally representative for the digitalized population.<\/p>\n