Greek households are feeling the pinch, a trend reflected in the Bank of Greece's Financial Stability Report for October 2025, released on Wednesday, Oct. 22. While card payments are on the rise, the average amount spent per transaction has dropped noticeably, signaling that citizens continue to use cards-but for smaller, more carefully calculated purchases. This trend goes beyond banking statistics; it paints a clear picture of the economic strain on Greek families. More Cards, Smaller Transactions In the first half of 2025, the number of active cards rose 5.3% from 2024, reaching 21.6 million. Yet overall usage remained stagnant. Card transactions totaled 1.325 billion, nearly unchanged from 1.326 billion in the previous semester, while the total value fell 5% to 57 billion euros. The average number of transactions per card decreased from 65 to 61-67 for debit cards and 29 for credit cards. Meanwhile, the average value per card fell...