Residents of our country do not doubt for a moment that the national currency will depreciate. But at the same time they continue to keep their savings in rubles. Such a paradox appeared in the course of a sociological poll conducted by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM). Most citizens expect a decrease in the value of the ruble against the dollar.

More than half of the respondents (52%) said that in three months a unit of US currency would cost 61 rubles. (the average value for the answers of those who gave a specific forecast). A year later, in the opinion of Russians, 64 rubles will be given for the dollar (38% of the respondents gave an accurate forecast). The survey was conducted at the official rate of the Bank of Russia of 57 rubles for $ 1. The same trends were observed a year ago. Then the dollar also cost 57 rubles, and the Russians expected that in three months its price would rise to 60 rubles, and in a year it would be 59 rubles. Uncertainty about the future of the ruble, however, does not prevent Russians from trusting their hard earned money in national currency. It is in it that two-thirds of respondents (68%) keep their savings. Preferred are the 5% of citizens, the euro - 3%, other currencies - 1%. 29% of Russians do not have a "safety cushion". It is noteworthy that in Moscow and St. Petersburg ruble skeptics are much more: in capitals, foreign currencies are preferred by 12% and 11% respectively. Official statistics of the Central Bank confirms that Russians are telling the truth. As of February 1, the volume of deposits attracted by Russian banks in rubles was 20.1 trillion rubles. This is four times more than the volume of foreign currency deposits - 5.2 trillion rubles. In previous years, in rubles, savings were kept by a smaller number of citizens - from 52% in 2015. up to 59% in 2017. At the same time, the number of households that do not have savings is consistently declining. In 2015, the. 41% of Russians did not make stocks, in 2016 - 38%, in 2017 - 37%. Over the course of currencies is regularly monitored by more than half of Russians.

At the same time, citizens are becoming less interested in citizens: 54% now, and in previous years it was from 56% to 60%. Leading expert-consultant VTsIOM Oleg Chernozub does not see anything strange in that Russians are predicting an unenviable fate for the ruble, but they continue to invest in the domestic currency.

This "clear evidence of the recovery of the Russian economy and society as a whole," said the expert. Chernozub does not rule out that Russians are better positioned in the situation on the foreign exchange market than officials and economists. "For more than a year the expectations of households fluctuate in the range of 63-65 rubles per dollar. Could it be that households are more likely than other economic operators to feel that the ruble / dollar rate is too high? Let's see, "he concluded..