This article was written in the scope of the project “FINFAM – Finances, Gender and Power: how are Portuguese families managing their finances in the context of the crisis?" (PTDC/IVCSOC/ 4823/2012 – FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-029372), financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Operational Programme Factors of Competitiveness (COMPETE) and by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).