Financial Literacy: Identification of the Challenges, Needs, and Difficulties among Adults Living in Rural Areas

Katarzyna Czech, Luiza Ochnio (), Michał Wielechowski and Serhiy Zabolotnyy
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Katarzyna Czech: Department of Econometrics and Statistics, Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Luiza Ochnio: Department of Logistics, Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Michał Wielechowski: Department of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Serhiy Zabolotnyy: Department of Finance, Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: Financial literacy plays a crucial role in individuals’ decision-making processes. The paper aims to thoroughly identify the financial literacy needs and challenges of adults with low financial literacy living in rural areas. The paper presents the results of a focus group study conducted among a target group (35 people) and interviews with financial experts (14 people) in the first quarter of 2023. The study allows us to identify common areas of financial knowledge crucial for adults with low financial literacy living in rural areas. The study was conducted in seven European countries as part of the Erasmus+ project “Learning by Experiencing Escape Rooms: Financial Literacy for Adults (FLER)”. Key findings from the study revealed that participants exhibited low awareness of financial fraud and expressed a need to protect personal information when using digital platforms. There was a clear demand for improved knowledge in certain areas, such as budgeting, emergency funds, balancing risk and reward, and planning for retirement or long-term savings. Participants consistently viewed gamification as a valuable tool for enhancing their understanding of financial topics. The contribution of our study is that we narrow the research gap on the needs and challenges related to financial literacy among rural residents. The results will help pinpoint specific areas of financial knowledge and competencies that are particularly important for adults with low financial literacy. Moreover, these insights are crucial for developing educational content integrated into a virtual escape room to improve financial literacy through engaging, scenario-based learning.

Keywords: financial literacy; rural areas; adults; focus group (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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