As many as 82.5 per cent of Poles do not consider having debts to be a shameful fact. Only 13.6 per cent consider any loan to be a reason to be ashamed. This is probably due to the fact that, 28 years after the political transformation, we are joining the countries of Western Europe, where it is natural to incur financial obligations.
However, when Poles are asked about specific modes of debt (mortgage, car loan, credit card and others), respondents' attitudes towards debt change. Fewer people say that all debts are embarrassing (only 10%, a drop of almost 4%). On the other hand, there is a drastic change in the number of people who believe that no financial obligation is a cause for shame. Although as many as almost 83 per cent of respondents said this at the beginning, when questions about maintenance debts, the use of chwilówki or pawnbrokers come up - the number drops to around 19 per cent.
Censored alimony
About what in debt are we ashamed to tell our friends? Here, alimony debt is breaking records – as many as 46.8% of respondents would not like to admit to it. Failure to pay alimony is a serious problem for Poles – according to data from the Ministry of Justice, as many as 80% of people who have been awarded these benefits do not meet their obligation to pay child support.
According to research commissioned by the law firm PMR Restrukturyzacje, using a pawn shop and taking a loan against collateral is also a source of embarrassment - 41.8 per cent of people find it shameful. As many as 38.6 people are ashamed of so-called 'chwilówki', i.e. loans from money lenders that do not check the customer's credit history in the BIK, for which they charge usurious interest rates.
Late payment of household bills for rent, electricity and gas is a source of embarrassment for 33.2 per cent of people. Far fewer respondents are embarrassed by late payments to ZUS and the tax office - only 25 per cent would not want to talk about it with friends.
Credit is for the people
We are not embarrassed by having a mortgage - it is normal debt for 45.7 per cent of those surveyed. The same is true of investment credit taken out by entrepreneurs - 39.6 per cent of people do not find it embarrassing. Car credit (38.2 per cent), credit cards (35.7 per cent) and bank loans (33.2 per cent) are also accepted. Slightly less acceptable are loans for household appliances, a TV or a computer - only 26.4 per cent of respondents would admit to this in front of friends. A loan from family is also no reason to be ashamed - 30.7 per cent of respondents would not be reluctant to admit it.
In my opinion restructuring adviser Poles find it easier to admit to the obligations they themselves incur. When they make an obligation, they do so consciously. On the other hand, alimony debts, which in the vast majority of cases result from a court judgment (i.e., in some percentage of cases, from losing), are a source of shame for many people.
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