More than half of the Portuguese use credit to pay bills

More than half of Portuguese (53%) have used borrowed money or credit cards in the last six months to pay their bills, a percentage rising to 79% among incomes below the average, reports a study.

According to Intrum's European Consumer Payment Report 2025 (ECPR), which surveyed a thousand people in Portugal, this use of credit occurs despite consumer confidence in day-to-day financial management.

According to the results, 79% of respondents have confidence in their ability to pay all monthly accounts and 70% claim to be able to cope with unforeseen expenditure without borrowing money, two indicators that rise from 2025 (71% and 57% respectively).

In view of the previous survey, Intrum’s study found an increase in the number of respondents who paid at least one invoice after maturity (from 22% to 24%) and the population using artificial intelligence (IA) to manage their personal finances (from 8% to 33%).

The study also pointed out that 17% of respondents are considered financially fragile, compared to 26% last year, and that 38% used the payment option “ buy now, pay later” (BNPL, BuyNowPayLater).

This type of payment is particularly used by consumers with incomes below the average (73%).

According to the authors of the study, flexible payment solutions “make more and more room in consumption habits, stating themselves as a budget management tool”.

During the period analyzed, almost one in four consumers (24%) had a late paid invoice.

Three out of four consumers (75%) pay the invoices within deadlines, below 77% a year before, while the proportion of the population that was late in paying between two and four invoices rose from 10% in 2025 to 17% this year.

Among the main causes for late payments are forgetfulness of payment (59%) and lack of money to carry out these operations (24%). Technical problems account for 13% of delays.

The study points out that 20% of respondents have borrowed at least once in the last six months to pay invoices – above 18% a year earlier – and that half have used the credit card to pay bills in the same period – above 46% in 2025.

The credit card was also more used by the ‘boomers’ – born between 1946 and 1964) – with 67%, than by the ‘millennials’ – born between 1981-1996.

In the country as a whole, Intrum’s financial management index rose from two points to 2025, to 82 points, “showing an overall improvement in consumers’ ability to manage their finances”, with increases in all generations, with the exception of boomers, which remained at 83 points.

The respondents with payment difficulties pointed to the increase in cost of living (59%), unexpected expenditure (46%) and stagnation of wages (38%) as the main causes of financial pressure, all with rises compared to 2025 and above the European average (43%, 31% and 28%, respectively).

Among the Portuguese, 72% say they save monthly for emergency situations (above 60% in 2025 and the European average of 66%) and 65% say they favour saving, “even when it requires personal sacrifices” (63% in 2025 and the European average of 49%).

The survey for Intrum was conducted between July 9 and August 20 and conducted by FT Longitude in 20 European countries, with 20,000 consumers.