Borrowing From Family and Friends: Study of the European Union

Informal borrowing from family and friends suffers from the lack of formal agreement and can lead to severe consequences. Self-control theory suggest some strategies to improve the saving tendencies which can reduce this type of borrowing. To examining which factors that can enhance these strategies in the European Union, this study uses balanced panel data analysis from the Global Findex and Eurostat databases for the years 2014, 2017, and 2021 and conclude a pivotal role of using debit cards and also for saving behavior in addressing this type of borrowing. The study also arises inquiries about the effectiveness of public financial education and empathizes the importance to improve related policies in the FinTech landscape. By elucidating these findings, this paper contributes to deeper knowledge of the dynamics between using debt cards and borrowing practices in the European Union.