Benjamin Peter (in Toulouse), edited by Solène Leroux 06:13, May 11, 2022

With inflation and economic difficulties, more and more people turn to "my aunt".

This is the nickname of Crédit Municipal which makes it possible to obtain pledge loans.

A few hundred euros in exchange for one or more goods left in their safe.

In Toulouse, since the beginning of the year, we observe an increase in attendance of 10%.

"Times are tough," recognizes Stéphanie.

With her husband, she leaves the Crédit Municipal de Toulouse where she tried to deposit some costume jewelry.

"They didn't take them from me because they weren't gold. Even the plated ones, they don't take them", she laments before fleeing, because coming "to my aunt's " is always a bit tricky.

When taking a ticket to pawn jewelry, a trinket or a painting, everyone looks a little at their feet.

Coming here is an admission of financial difficulty.

However, since the beginning of the year, attendance has increased by 10%.

Between 80 and 100 people come every day to hire an object, a level that had not been seen since the financial crisis of 2008.

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"Just enough time to get back on track"

Anissa, she brought a gold ring and earrings.

Family jewels which brought him 250 euros.

"These days, we need money, so we have no choice, to be able to get by and finish the end of the month", regrets this storekeeper who receives around 1,500 euros per month.

"It will relieve a little while waiting for cash flow. Because with the price of gasoline, the prices in stores, we need that."

However, she will have to repay this loan within six months with interest or she can extend it if, on that date, she only pays interest.

"It's pending. Just enough time to get back on track, hoping prices will drop a bit."

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9 out of 10 people recover their property

Franck Painabaisse, the director of Crédit Municipal, notes that more and more of them are coming because they are struggling to meet these current expenses and in particular the increase in energy prices.

"We are a bit of a spare tire, the last resort. The average loan is 600 euros. It represents small amounts, but which really help people get by," he says.

"We are mainly left with jewelry, bronzes, small paintings, but a lot of gold objects. And with the economic crisis, we notice that gold prices are very high at the moment, which allows us to lend them more", he continues at the microphone of Europe 1.

However, if 9 out of 10 people on average recover their property and repay their loan with interest, he fears that the deterioration of the economic situation will force many of these new beneficiaries to finally abandon their property "at my aunt's".