In an Italy still marked by inflation, international tensions and a climate of global uncertainty, savings once again become the most authentic barometer of the collective state of mind. The investigation Acri-Ipsos 2025, presented in Rome on the occasion of World Savings Day, in fact tells the story of a country that rediscovers itself as prudent but not resigned. We save more, we seek stability, but there is still a percentage of Italians who spend everything they earn and an even higher one. who is afraid of the future.
The value of saving for Italians in the new economy
After years of turbulence and price increases, saving returns to take on an almost ethical value. According to research promoted byAssociation of Foundations and Savings Banks with Ipsos91% of Italians consider saving a value to be passed on to the new generations. It is no longer just a question of putting aside what is left over, but of an act of responsibility towards the future, both personal and collective.
Italians are rediscovering the value of money as protection from risk, but also as a lever of stability and participation. This strengthens a more mature idea of home economics: prudent, realistic, but capable of looking beyond the present. In fact, the number of those who manage to save every month is growing, rising from 41% in 2024 to 44% in 2025.
However, today 22% of Italians live without being able to put something aside. Although this is a slightly improved percentage compared to last year’s 24%, within the same period the share of those who are no longer able to save has gone from 30% to 32%. This group is made up of people who previously had a positive saving capacity who now, due to new burdens, inflation or other economic reasons, have lost this capacity.
Another important aspect is how saving is conceived. 58% of women, for example, consider it a tool for economic autonomy, linked to the desire for independence and security. For men, saving remains more linked to family protection (45%). 42% of young people, however, associate it with the possibility of changing their life, of financing a project, studies, a business.
Trust and perception of the future
On the confidence front, only 28% of Italians say they are optimistic about their personal future, while 53% look at the coming years with concern. It is no coincidence that 20% of families declare that they are no longer able to afford ordinary expenses. Furthermore, a marked generation gap persists:
- 55% of young people under 35 have savings of less than 5,000 euros,
- 23% of over 55s have savings of less than 5,000 euros.
Even on the territorial front, the differences remain strong. The North maintains higher levels of average savings, while in the South the share of vulnerable families grows. According to Acri, fragile savers (i.e. those who are unable to put anything aside or who live in constant economic emergency) increase by two points in just one year. However, trust in the economic system rises from 45% to 47% and also trust in banks from 41% to 44%.
Prudence remains the prevailing attitude. After years of successive crises (pandemics, wars, high energy prices), 37% of Italians prefer to keep their savings in liquidity, in a current account or in cash. 22% instead use deposit accounts and 19% rely on mutual funds or ETFs. Insurance policies and social security funds collect 14%.
