The Nordic Dream Index
What dreams are we saving for?
We asked people across the Nordics what they dream about, how they want to use their money and what choices they make. Here's what they told us.
Three facts from the survey
Optimistic people
In general, we are pretty optimistic about our future economy. In 2025 we ranked it at 4.9 on a scale from 1 to 7 – a number that has risen from 3.9 back in 2023. Most optimistic are people in Denmark and Sweden, but the differences are small. Finland stands out as the least optimistic country.
Different dreams
Men are dreaming about concrete things, such as cars and boats, while women’s dreams focus more on experiencing something new or exciting. Does this division resonate with you?
Saving for a pet
Did you know that Finns love pets and are the keenest to save to get a new fluffy family member?
Our strongest dreams
Denmark
In this country people dream about travels, hobbies and experiences. But this country stands out as the one where most people, although a small number, are not saving at all and as the one country that thinks it is least important to save for a buffer.
Finland
Saving for a buffer stands out as the top goal in Finland, after that comes paying their mortgage. Finland is also the one country that – more than the others – ticks the box of not having enough to be able to save at all. Although the number is small, it is significant in comparison to the others.
Sweden
Sweden stands out as the country that dreams the most about retiring early. In this country, young people also really stand out for dreaming about having enough to be able to buy their own home. This country is also the country where most dream about buying a summer home.
Norway
The Norwegians dream about travel. They are also the one country dreaming most about having experiences with family, grandchildren and friends. In Norway people also dream the most about being able to support their children or grandchildren financially in the future.
Seven good tips for saving
If, like many others, you have dreams that you are saving for, here are some good tips for your savings:
- What are you dreaming about? Start by setting a specific goal for your savings. What will the money be used for, and when? The more specific you can be, the better you can plan how much you need to set aside and how long it will take to reach your goal.
- Set up a realistic budget and get an overview of how much you can save. The budget should be realistic rather than overambitious, so that you have a good chance of sticking to it month after month. You may have some aha moments when you set up your budget and find expenses that you can actually do without.
- Set up a separate savings account so that you don't mix your savings with your everyday finances. Money is tempting once it's in your spending account. That's why it's smart to set it aside for savings. This way, you can also more easily keep track of how far you are from your goal.
- Save at the beginning of the month. This little trick is about prioritizing your savings as soon as you get your paycheck. That way, your savings dictate your spending, not the other way around.
- Automate your savings by making a regular transfer from your salary account so you don't forget.
- Consider investing the money if your dream is more than three years away. Investing involves risk, but it gives your savings the opportunity to grow, so time works in your favor.
- Keep an eye on your progress on an ongoing basis, and adjust your plan if you get extra income along the way. Maybe a pay raise or tax refund could go towards your savings?
About the index
The Nordea Dream Index is extracted from our more comprehensive Nordic Pulse survey, with around 4,000 respondents aged 18 to 80 from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The Nordic Pulse survey measures financial wellbeing across Nordic societies, focusing on sustainability, personal ambition, belief in the future and financial literacy.
The survey is conducted twice a year with around 1,000 respondents from each country, selected to ensure balanced representation across age, gender and region.
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