Eating out a distant memory
People who live alone and who do not have or do not want financial support from their families are in an even worse position. Marilita Karayiorgi, 29, lives in Athens with her brother. «We pay 550 euros for rent and 350 for water, electricity, telephone and mobile telephones. A few months ago, I found an extra job as my brother is not yet working full-time. At present, just one unexpected payment can throw the budget out,» she said. Another extra burden is her credit card, which she acquired at a time when it was the only way she could make ends meet. «I couldn’t manage and was late on some of the payments. Now I am paying compound interest and struggling to pay it off,» she added. Her friend, Giorgos Liakaris, sheds light on another aspect of the general financial situation. «When people don’t have any money, you see it straight away in the entertainment sector. Friends who used to go out to eat two to three times a week now go out just for a drink. During the week, restaurants in the city center are empty.»
