The ability of Portuguese families to meet their financial commitments on time has deteriorated significantly over the past year. According to the latest European Consumer Payment Report (ECPR) 2025, published by Intrum, the percentage of consumers who claim to pay all bills on time fell from 85% in 2024 to just 77% in 2025. This eight-percentage-point drop signals a break in financial resilience, suggesting that families' capital buffers have been exhausted by rising living costs and stagnant wages. The study highlights that 46% of Portuguese people have used credit cards in the last six months to pay for basic expenses, effectively using credit as an extension of their salary to survive. Luís Salvaterra, Managing Director of Intrum Portugal, notes that even habitual on-time payers are increasingly struggling with unexpected costs. The primary drivers of debt are the rising cost of living (50%), unexpected emergencies (43%), and stagnant wages (34%). Regional disparities show that the Autonomous Regions of Madeira and the Azores are most affected by the cost of living, while the Alentejo region is most vulnerable to unexpected expenses.