Overview
- Polling by Civey for Smava of 5,000 adults conducted from mid-December to early January found 10.9% started the year in the red, up from 10.3% in 2025 and 9.0% in 2024.
- Overdraft sizes shifted toward smaller sums as the share owing more than €2,000 fell to 33.9% from 46.6%, while amounts up to €1,000 rose to 53.2%.
- High living costs were the top reason cited at 27.7%, followed by annual bills such as insurance at 13.5% and unexpected expenses like repairs at 11.2%.
- Using the Dispo remains expensive at an average 11.30% interest, and Smava recommends considering installment loans, about 25% cheaper on average, or debt counseling for longer-term deficits.
- Regional and demographic gaps persist, with Schleswig-Holstein highest at 13.6% and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern lowest at 7%, families more often overdrawn than childless households (12.9% vs 10%), and women more likely to cite living costs while men more often point to annual charges.