Financial literacy is increasingly valued not simply as an individual good but as a public good necessary for the low-carbon transition. This chapter explores the relation between financial literacy, resilience, and the goals of sustainable finance in the case of Hungary. Integrating the literature from other countries with survey data from 361 respondents, the study finds a critical “intention-behavior gap”: respondents report high subjective financial literacy, but household behaviour is still defensive, where precautionary savings are preferred before long-term green investing. It is arguable that this “safety-first” mentality is a rational response to historical economic instability, and poses a structural barrier to the uptake of sustainable finance topics. The research implies a relationship where financial resilience is not a competitor to sustainability, but rather a necessary prerequisite for sustainable investing. Therefore, to release household capital into the green transition, policymakers need to reorganise financial education as a pathway for resilience as a baseline for climate-aligned financial engagement.