In Latvia, 26% of women have a financial "safety cushion" that allows them to cover expenses for three to six months in the event of a loss of income, while among men such savings are present in 33%, reports the LETA agency, citing representatives of SEB Bank and the conducted survey.
According to a survey, more than half of women — 56% — admit that they do not have sufficient financial savings to cover everyday expenses in the event of a loss of income: some have none at all, while others would have enough for less than one month. One in four women (26%) has a financial cushion sufficient to cover expenses for three to six months; however, this figure is lower than among men (33%), indicating gender differences in financial stability.
Moreover, women are more likely than men to acknowledge that over the past six months they have had to start spending their savings, thereby reducing their safety net — this was reported by 39% of women and 32% of men.
Financial literacy mentor at SEB Bank, Linda Shablinska, explains that for women, financial stability often poses a more serious challenge due to lower incomes and career breaks. Women are more likely to take on caregiving responsibilities. The survey results also show that women are more likely than men to save, for example, for their children's future or a family vacation.
The majority of women — 87% — indicated that they do not invest in any financial instruments: stocks, funds, ETFs, or bonds. Only 7% of women invest in stocks, 5% in investment funds, and 3% choose ETFs and bonds. More than half of women (55%) invest no more than 50 euros per month, and only 7% can afford to invest more than 300 euros per month.
Among men, the share of those who do not invest in financial instruments is 76%; however, those who do invest generally allocate larger amounts — for example, 18% invest more than 300 euros per month.
The main reasons women do not invest are related to financial constraints and a lack of knowledge: 49% of women stated that they have no disposable income, 32% admitted that they do not understand investments at all, and 23% believe it is safer to keep money in a checking or savings account. Another 18% fear risks and note that investments do not guarantee profits.
The survey results show that one in five women who are currently not investing would be willing to start doing so in the near future.
The population survey was conducted in October 2025 by Norstat. It involved 1,000 respondents from the Baltic states.
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