The bill 80% of Cyprus can’t afford

Your car breaks down and the repair bill is €2,000. Could you pay it tomorrow without borrowing or asking family for help? According to the OECD’s 2025 report on financial literacy in Cyprus, just over one in five people said they could cover a major unexpected expense equal to one month’s income that way. Money Doctor Panayiotis C. Andreou explains what your answer reveals about your financial resilience – and how regular saving can help you handle the next surprise. In the Money Doctor series, Professor of Finance Panayiotis C. Andreou tackles the financial questions, habits and decisions that affect everyday life in Cyprus. Practical, accessible and without unnecessary jargon, Money Doctor is designed to help you understand your money – before an expensive mistake does it for you. Dr Panayiotis C. Andreou, ‘The Money Doctor’, is Professor of Finance at the Cyprus University of Technology, President of the Financial Wellbeing Institute, and creator of the Money Doctor® financial education platform. He also serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Cyprus Financial Literacy and Education Committee. His work focuses on financial literacy, financial wellbeing and the way knowledge, habits and behaviour shape everyday financial decisions. Through Money Doctor®, he aims to make evidence-informed financial knowledge accessible and practical, helping people better understand their money and make more informed decisions. The Money Doctor series | Hosted within Cyprus Mail’s Financial Literacy initiative, which is supported by XM. Money Doctor Home