More than half of Fijians were unable to save any money over the past year, with many saying they spend their income as soon as they receive it to meet everyday expenses, according to the Reserve Bank of Fiji’s 2025 Fiji Financial Services Demand Side Survey.
The survey found that 55 per cent of Fijians did not save or put money aside during the past 12 months, while only 45 per cent managed to save.
Among those who were able to save, most did so at least once a month.
The findings show that the likelihood of saving increases with both education and income.
University graduates and households earning more than FJ$30,000 annually were significantly more likely to have savings, while only about one-third of people with primary school education or less reported saving money during the past year.
There was little difference between men and women, with 44 per cent of men and 46 per cent of women reporting they had saved.
The survey found the leading reason for saving was to prepare for emergencies, followed by having money available for everyday expenses.
Among those who saved, 29 per cent identified emergency preparedness as their main motivation, while 20 per cent said they were saving to meet daily living costs.
Women were significantly more likely than men to save for their children’s education, with 25 per cent of female savers identifying this as their main reason, compared with 12 per cent of men.
The survey also found that commercial banks remain the preferred place to save, used by 55 per cent of those with savings.
However, many Fijians also keep money at home (41 per cent), make voluntary Fiji National Provident Fund contributions (36 per cent) or use mobile wallets (30 per cent) to store savings.
Saving at home was particularly common among rural households because of easier access to cash when needed.
The report shows savings behaviour has changed since 2020, with fewer people keeping savings in commercial banks and more using mobile wallets, voluntary FNPF contributions and home-based savings.
For those unable to save, the biggest obstacle was simply having no money left over.
Among respondents who did not save, 85 per cent said they spend all of their income on household expenses as soon as they receive it.
Others cited having no source of income as the reason they were unable to save.
The findings highlight the financial pressures facing many households despite improvements in access to financial services, suggesting that while financial inclusion has expanded, many Fijians continue to struggle to build financial resilience or prepare for unexpected expenses.
