How financially literate are Europeans? Not very - but who knows most?
EU citizens are not doing well when it comes to financial literacy. Nearly half lack an understanding of basic financial concepts, including inflation.
A third of Europeans do not understand how inflation works, according to a survey by Eurobarometer. The same survey revealed only 18% of EU citizens were able to show a high level of financial literary.
According to the survey, 65% of EU citizens are aware that, in times of positive inflation, the purchasing power of their money decreases, meaning they can buy less than they could before with the same amount of money.
Lack of knowledge about inflation could be seen as concerning
In October 2022, the annual inflation in the EU reached levels not seen before in the previous four decades at 11.5%. While the rising cost of living was the most pressing worry for 93% of Europeans at that time, apparently a third of EU citizens do not know how inflation affects their lives.
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The best performers were the Netherlands (43%), Denmark (40%), Finland (40%) and Estonia (39%) where about four in 10 respondents display a high level of financial knowledge.
Romania and Portugal reported the worst scores in high levels of financial knowledge at 13% and 16%, respectively.
That isn’t true. I’m literate as well as all my friends.
Lemmy is just an echo chamber of financial illiteracy. It’s mind boggling how few basic concepts are understood here.
The questions are in the article I see there missed all the time here.
I mean, maybe that's true -- I've seen no poll on here.
But I think that the article's point stands, and it's talking about a Eurobarometer poll of Europe as a whole and Europe not doing so well. That's not just a tiny pocket somewhere.
Are you literate or do you think you're literate? Have you and your friends taken any evaluations to back that up? If so, who designed the evaluations?
Because I bet could I find an economist who would tell you that all sorts of things you think you know about how economies were are entirely wrong. And then a second one to tell you that everything that the first economist says is wrong.
I just the evaluation listed in the article. I got 100%. It’s only 5 questions.
You are confusing with economics with financial literacy. Not exactly the same things
Americans generically are horrible at financial literacy. It’s something that should be taught in school. It was when they went to high school. Hence why I can answer the questions easily.
Uh...
If Americans are genetically horrible at it, you can't teach it to them.
Generically. Auto correct.
Okay, well anyway, I think the test is confusing economics with financial literacy because not knowing the connection between bond prices and inflation doesn't show you're financially illiterate. Not knowing details about bond investment is not a sign of financial illiteracy. If it was, almost everyone would be financially illiterate because most people aren't doing a lot of trading in the bond markets.
Financially literate people are. I trade in stocks and bonds. Everyone I know does. It’a most likely part of your 401k which most people don’t understand. The test was designed to see you understood basic concepts like what inflation does to money. That’s a basic financial literacy question. Do you understand compound interest, etc.
You move in small circles. First of all Europe doesn't have 401ks. Secondly, only 34% of Americans have 401ks.
https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/08/who-has-retirement-accounts.html
Maybe get off the yacht and talk to a poor person once in a while. Be sure to lecture them on how it's their fault for being poor because they lack financial literacy when you do though.
I am aware Europeans don’t but I specially said Americans. Most likely that’s why they are poor. If you don’t understand how money works, you’re doomed to fail.
They could use an Ira if they do not have a 401k. Tax deductible and same concept.
I knew you'd blame poor people for being poor because they weren't financially literate.
Although your type usually blames them for not pulling themselves up by their bootstraps and starting a small business. I guess that's gone out of fashion for conservatives these days.
Well how are they going to start a business if they are not financially literate? They’d fail.
I grew up poor. Most my Friends were dirt poor. None of us are poor now.
Now I have plenty of poor family but they are financially illiterate.
It’s a skill everyone should be taught in school.
Ah yes, the "I was poor once and now I'm rich so anyone poor person who is poor isn't trying hard enough" chestnut. Haven't heard that one from a conservative in a week or so. It usually isn't even true.
But sure, you and "most of your friends" both grew up "dirt poor" and are now all well off. That's very believable and I'm sure no one would doubt that story.
Do go on though, tell me about the time you had to live in a tent in the woods with your dad for a couple of years while you went to high school since you were "dirt poor" like the definitely dirt poor girl at the library where my wife works. We bought her a tent so she could have some privacy. I'm guessing that would be giving her an undeserved handout in your book.
Weird how you turned this into a discussion about an article into an attack on me. Since you have once again resorted to person attacks, I’ll end the conversation here.