Nuremberg – September 12, 2026 -- Three-quarters of Germans have already financed a purchase, while missed payment deadlines among adults under 30 rose to 23 percent from 14 percent in autumn 2025, according to the TeamBank Liquidity Barometer.
Younger consumers treat financing as routine, survey shows
Some 33 percent of Germans under 30 now consider invoice purchases, installment credit and other financing forms self-evident, a 12-percentage-point jump from autumn 2025. This age group also plans to spend significantly more over the next 12 months than the national average, the survey found.
Payment lapses and tracking problems climb among young borrowers
29 percent of respondents under 30 report losing track when running multiple financing arrangements simultaneously. Despite this, 48 percent of the same group rate their financial knowledge as at least good, a higher share than among older respondents.
Older Germans pull back on financing use
Around 60 percent of Germans over 30 now use financing only in exceptional cases. Discomfort with financing products is also more common among older respondents, at 56 percent, compared with 47 percent among those under 30.
"Financing has become part of everyday life for many young people. What matters is conscious management of one's own liquidity, supported by suitable product solutions," said Christian Polenz, CEO of TeamBank AG.
Survey covered over 3,000 adults across Germany
Market research institute YouGov surveyed 3,073 people aged 18 to 79 online in April 2026 on behalf of TeamBank AG. The Liquidity Barometer has tracked liquidity and consumption behavior among the German population since 2013.