Working Women in Delhi Struggle with Expense Tracking and Credit Awareness: IndiaLends Survey

Team L&M

Nearly 47% of working women in Delhi find it difficult to regularly track their expenses, while over 37% are either unaware of their credit score or have never checked it. These insights come from the 5th edition of the WorkingStree Survey by IndiaLends, an online marketplace for personal loans and credit cards. The findings highlight critical gaps in financial awareness among working women in Delhi.

Conducted in February 2023, the survey covered over 10,000 working women aged 21–65 across metro, Tier-1, and Tier-2 cities in India, with around 10% respondents from Delhi-NCR. The report reveals that while women are actively contributing to household finances, challenges remain in money management, credit awareness, and financial decision-making.

Delhi Women Actively Contribute to Household Finances

The survey found that nearly 67% of working women in Delhi contribute to household expenses, with about 31% contributing more than half of their income. On a national level, this number rises to over 70%, indicating a strong role of women in supporting family finances.

“Financial freedom” emerged as the top motivation for women to work, followed by the desire for self-worth and confidence. Across India, women echoed similar motivations, along with the need to support their families. This reflects a growing trend of financial independence among women in India.

Financial Decision-Making Still a Challenge

Despite active financial participation, around 32% of working women in Delhi find financial decisions related to savings and investments complex. This aligns with national trends, where many women still rely on family members such as fathers, husbands, or brothers for financial guidance.

This dependency highlights the need for improved financial literacy and independent decision-making skills among women. Bridging this gap is crucial for achieving true financial empowerment.

Lack of Expense Tracking and Credit Awareness

A significant concern highlighted in the survey is the lack of expense tracking habits and credit score awareness. Nearly half of Delhi’s working women struggle to monitor their expenses regularly, while more than one-third have limited knowledge of their credit health.

Understanding and managing credit scores is essential for accessing financial products like loans and credit cards. The findings indicate a need for better tools and education to help women take control of their finances.

Women Turning to Digital Platforms for Financial Learning

The survey also reveals that nearly 50% of working women in India rely on social media for personal finance knowledge, followed by 30% who learn through news articles and 20% through workshops and seminars.

While this shows increasing interest in financial literacy, only about one-third of women feel fully confident in making independent financial decisions. This gap underscores the importance of structured financial education and awareness programs.

Demographics of the Survey Respondents

The majority of respondents belonged to the 25–34 age group (47.7%), followed by 35–44 years (30.8%). Younger women aged 21–24 made up 13.7%, while those above 45 accounted for 7.8%.

In terms of profession:

• Salaried employees: 43.6%
• Self-employed: 31.3%
• Homemakers: 12.3%
• Professionals (CAs, lawyers): 4.4%

Most respondents were married (70.6%), while 16.4% were single.

Expert Insight on Financial Empowerment

IndiaLends Founder and CEO Gaurav Chopra emphasised that financial empowerment of women is a key driver of economic growth. He noted that while progress has been made, there is still a long way to go in areas like expense tracking, credit awareness, and independent financial planning.

He added that empowering women with the right tools and knowledge can help them achieve their financial goals and contribute to a more inclusive economy.

Conclusion

The IndiaLends WorkingStree Survey highlights both progress and gaps in the financial journey of working women in Delhi and across India. While women are increasingly contributing to household finances and seeking financial independence, challenges like lack of awareness, limited confidence, and dependency on others persist.

Strengthening financial literacy, digital tools, and inclusive financial ecosystems will be key to enabling women to take full control of their financial futures.