India

Half of Indians Report Worsening Finances Ahead of Festive Season, Survey Shows

By Gulam Jeelani

A nationwide CVoter Snap Poll conducted on 28–29 September 2026 among 2,051 respondents found that 53.6% of Indian households say their financial condition has deteriorated compared with a year ago, while only 11.6% report improvement and 27.1% say it is unchanged. The survey, which covers purchase intentions for clothing, household appliances, electronics, vehicles, jewellery, home renovation, festive shopping, payment preferences, shopping channels and travel, shows that lower‑income families are most concerned, with 63.2% reporting a decline versus 26.3% in higher‑income groups. Urban respondents report a 40.6% decline, whereas 59.2% of rural respondents say finances have worsened.

Only 24.4% of respondents expect their household finances to improve in the coming year, 38% anticipate further deterioration, 24% expect no change and 13.6% are unsure. Despite financial worries, traditional festive purchases remain common: about 45% of respondents have bought or plan to buy new clothes for at least one family member, with 16.9% for the whole family, 20.4% for children, 6.2% for themselves and 4.8% for others. However, 45.4% do not plan to buy new clothes.

Traditional sweets are preferred over imported chocolates, with 33% likely to buy sweets from a local shop, 8.7% buying both sweets and chocolates, and only 3.1% choosing imported chocolates. Locally made chocolates account for 4.3%.

Large‑ticket spending is restrained: 21.5% have bought or plan to buy kitchen appliances, 18.5% for electronics, and about 22% for two‑wheelers, cars, gold or jewellery. Home renovation plans are mixed; 39% have renovated or plan to, with 14.6% completed and 24.5% intending to start, while 50.2% have no plans for painting or other renovation.

Payment preferences reflect caution: 32.2% plan to pay in full, 12.8% expect to use EMIs or other instalments, 14.7% may combine full payment with instalments, and 32.1% are not planning any major purchase.

Travel intentions show that 47.5% are considering a family holiday, with domestic or nearby destinations at 15.7%, religious or pilgrimage trips at 15.1%, travel to another state at 5.1%, international travel at 1.7% and undecided at 5.3%. The same percentage, 47.5%, are not planning a family trip.

Key takeaways: 53.6% report worsening finances, more than 35% plan to spend less this festive season than last year, 45.4% will not buy new clothes, 52.1% prefer local markets over online shopping, and 47.5% are considering a family trip focused on domestic and religious destinations.