The recession of the Brazilian economy still shows no signs of ending the coming months and the general picture of this beginning of year is very similar to that observed over 2016, with the indicators reflecting the uncertainties of the economic conjuncture. A survey of the Credit Protection Service (SPC Brazil) and the National Confederation of Shopkeepers (Cndl) sought to identify the impacts of the financial crisis on the family budget and shows that the expenses with supermarket and light bills were the ones that Increased in the six months preceding the survey. In both cases, 47% of respondents noticed increased accounts. 

The survey shows that supermarket expenses grew even though 47% of respondents increased the purchase of products from similar brands compared to 2015. Also in the annual variation, the study indicates that there was a reduction in the consumption of items considered non-fundamental, especially with regard to clothes, footwear and accessories (53%) and meals made outside the home or by delivery (47%). The level of consumption of water, light and telephone services was maintained in 2015 by 42% of respondents.

For the chief economist of SPC Brazil, Marcela Kawauti, whether it is time to go shopping, whether dealing with the basic expenses of the month, it is not difficult to realize that prices have risen a lot in recent years and that it takes more money to maintain the same level of consumption. "Although Brazilians modify some consumption habits, there is no way of giving up items considered basic, such as rice, beans or meat, for example. So he realizes he's spending more to fill the shopping cart, "says Kawauti. "In the face of the low purchasing power and the bottom line of the consumer budget, he ends up being forced to spend less time on the phone to control the value of the account and also reduce clothing purchases and how often he goes to bars or restaurants." For The Economist, the results of the research show that Brazilians are trying to adapt to a context of recession, in which incomes do not accompany the escalation of inflation. "

Price increase and income decrease are justifications for no money left at the end of the month

Considering the month before the survey, five out of ten people heard that there was no financial surplus (54%), and 24% still owed, a percentage that increases to 27% between classes C, D and E. In contrast, 44% guarantee that there has been plenty and, In this case, most of them saved in the savings, made some application or left reserved (21%).

For the interviewees who closed the previous month with expenses higher than income, the most mentioned justifications are the fact that things are more expensive, failing to pay the bills with the salary (42%), the decrease in income (26%), uncontrolled Purchases and loss of the notion of expenditures (22%) and loss of employment (20%).

The research also shows that, considering the context of economic crisis and the perception of high prices, it is perceived that it is greater, today, the proportion of people who guarantee to control personal and family spending (34%) although much of the sample has decreased the Financial Reserve Formation (36%). About 58% claim to be researching more prices before shopping, while 44% are hagging more.

Financial education practices in times of crisis would be abolished in the event of an improvement in the economy

The survey of SPC Brasil and Cndl further investigated what consumers would do in 2017 if the country comes out of the current economic crisis and shows that the current financial education practices for control and economy in the budget would not have a future. If the Brazilian economy improves, the attitude adopted to overcome it that will be more discarded from the quotidian of the interviewees is the discipline in the control of personal and family expenses (31%), followed by price surveys (29%) and reduction of meals outside the home ( 26%). Only 22% intend to keep all measures to combat the crisis, even with the improvement of the economy.

According to the financial educator of SPC Brazil and the portal Meu Pocket Feliz, José Vignoli, the data suggest that many people still see the measures of financial control as a sacrifice, rather than incorporating them as healthy habits. "Some consumers only adopt rational behaviors in relation to the use of money because they do not see another way out. For them, the crisis requires control attitudes in order to avoid financial collapse, but as soon as the situation improves, they end up taking the same standards, including the lack of discipline in relation to the personal budget and unplanned consumption, "he explains.

The main justifications for the abandonment of attitudes in relation to the use of money are the willingness to "recover lost time and return to the type of life it had before" (44%) and the difficulty in leading a regulated financial life (35%).

"It is precisely to be able to live with more freedom and less stress than financial education becomes fundamental. Avoiding impulsive purchases, researching prices, carrying out control of expenditures and constituting a financial reserve make the person more prepared to face difficult moments and, at the same time, able to accomplish his goals and dreams of consumption. Organization and control should not be confused with deprivation, "says the financial educator.

Methodology

The research sought to evaluate the degree of financial education of Brazilians and understand how the consumer relates to money. We interviewed 606 consumers aged 18:30 years, of both genders and of all social classes in the 27 Brazilian capitals. The overall margin of error is 4.0 percentage points for a confidence interval of 95%.