More than half of Romanians let AI organize their budget. Some escape stress through “escape tourism”
More than half of Romanians say that artificial intelligence influences their spending habits and over a quarter say that they turn to AI to save money, while around 35% appreciate “escape tourism” to release psychological pressure and disconnect from everyday stress.
A third of Romanians appreciate “escape tourism”. Archive photo
The report, based on Revolut's internal data and a study carried out by Dynata, highlights the trends in personal finance in 2025 and the outlook for 2026. The data shows that, in approaching personal budgets, Romanians rely more and more on technology and automation, while manual budgeting is decreasing in importance.
As the cost of living rises, the definition of financial well-being is changing. Faced with tax increases, economic uncertainty and austerity, 34% of respondents say their main goal in 2026 is to make smarter financial decisions, while 23% aim to actively grow their financial assets rather than save.
Money slipping through the fingers: Forgotten subscriptions
The report shows that Romanians do not have enough clarity on their daily expenses. Although 44% of Romanians admit that they have one or two monthly subscriptions – from streaming (38%) to fitness (12%) – financial efficiency remains a problem.
• 60% say they pay for at least one subscription they don't use.
• 35% refuse to cancel these unused services, fearing that they “might come in handy later”.
The data suggests the need for better visibility, with recurring payment tracking tools becoming essential for the 48% of respondents who spend less than 100 RON monthly on these services. According to the report, in 2025 Romanians spent an average of 60 lei/transaction for subscriptions and recurring payments for utilities, making almost 39 million transactions to different providers to pay for internet, mobile telephony, subscriptions to various streaming or cable TV services.
The rise of AI-powered shopping
2026 is set to be the year of smart spending. The 'new mantra' of society is increasingly related to artificial intelligence, with 55% of respondents admitting that artificial intelligence influences their consumption behaviour.
• Smart Savings: 26% use AI specifically to save money on Christmas and end-of-year shopping.
• Barriers remain: While the rate of adoption is increasing, 15% fear that artificial intelligence will not match their own tastes and preferences, and 12% cite data privacy concerns.
Travel Trends: The Era of 'Getaway'
After the years following the COVID-19 pandemic saw a wave of “revenge travel”, the year 2026 will be defined as one of “escape tourism” – travel is seen as a way to take a break from daily financial and mental burdens.
• 35% of respondents would travel to release psychological pressure.
• 13% travel specifically to escape the worry of bills and financial responsibilities.
• Revolut data indicates that while traditional destinations such as Greece, Bulgaria and Italy remain popular, there is growing interest in exotic destinations such as Japan, Thailand or Vietnam as consumers seek the total disconnect.
“Data from studies we commissioned show us that 43% of people want more financial discipline in the coming year, and 23% are looking for digital tools to automate their wealth management. Whether it's using artificial intelligence or integrating multiple financial services into one app to manage their spending and travel needs, we're with our customers to help them move from financial anxiety to greater financial control in 2026.” said Florina Moisei, general manager at Revolut Bank UAB Vilnius, Bucharest branch.
From speculation to documented investments
Regarding investments, the study shows that Romanians want to improve their investment habits in the following year. The trend is to move away from speculation and towards long-term, goal-oriented investing. One encouraging aspect is the reduction in the perception that there is a gender investment confidence gap. 39% of respondents believe that women are at least as good at investing as men. Internal Revolut data supports the conclusions. In October 2025, the number of women in Romania who invested with Revolut increased by 25% compared to 17% for men, and the total amount invested by women increased by 87% for them compared to 67% for men.
Tamer Nurla, deputy general manager of Revolut Bank UAB Vilnius, Bucharest branch, explained for his part that “we are witnessing a maturing of the local market, with those interested in investing making the transition from speculation to documented investments. While 32% of Romanians mention a lack of funds, and 21% consider that they do not have the necessary information to start investing, our priority is to democratize the access of a diversity of investor profiles to these instruments“. “By offering low-cost trading services like fractional stocks and ETFs in one place, in one app, we're removing the barriers that once prevented people from building a long-term asset base“, explained the official.
