Every month, one day is particularly feared by many French people, a source of anxiety and insomnia.
There are days in the year that are more feared than others. The transition to winter time, the shortest day of the year (winter solstice), “Blue Monday” (even if its veracity is widely questioned), the return to work after the holidays… In short, it’s impossible to have a banana every morning.
If this can only be episodic and spread throughout the year, there is still another day that comes back constantly. Every month, many French people fear the same date: that of the 16th. Whether it is January or September, March or July, it is – almost – the same each time.
A date resulting from a survey carried out by the CSA Research institute on behalf of Les Furets, the bank and insurance comparator. It is not due to chance. According to the answers given by those questioned, the 16th of each month corresponds, on average, to the day when many bank accounts fall into the red. Halfway through the month, many find themselves overdrawn. “This is a reality which once again reflects the price increases and the drop in purchasing power that they have faced in recent years”, notes Les Furets to Linternaute.com.
This situation particularly affects those under 35, since 32% of respondents in this age group indicated that they were overdrawn on their current account every month, or almost, also on the 16th. It is also households with less than €1,750 of income per month that are most affected, as well as families with 3 or 4 members.
Being exposed is not comfortable, far from it. Overall, money is a source of anxiety for many French people: a survey by theIfop revealed that 44% of French people have experienced a disorder linked to their financial difficulties, mainly stress and insomnia. A situation which is mechanically accentuated with the passage into the red and the bank overdraft, to the point, for many, of feeling alone or excluded. The changeover day is therefore feared and dreaded.
To push back this fateful date at the latest, Les Furets reminds that “by leveraging competition and comparing offers, you can find the offer best suited to your profile and needs and save money.” Nearly 1,500 euros in annual savings can be made on average through this method according to their figures.
Other French people, no longer in better financial health, have decided to adopt an opposite posture: denial. “I only look at my bank account when I know I have money in it,” commented a listener ofEurope 1while another waits for a phone call before becoming alarmed: “whatever happens, if it really is a disaster I know that my bank will call me.” Enough to really sleep soundly?