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Household Saving in Chile: Microeconomic Evidence

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  • Andrea Butelmann P
  • Francisco Gallego

Abstract

Saving behavior at the household level in Chile has not been analyzed in recent decades. Based on 1988 and 1996-1997 Chilean microeconomic evidence (Household Budget Survey), this article studies household saving behavior. The analysis is extended to include broader definitions of saving such as investment in human capital and durable goods purchases. Income and permanent characteristics such as education are shown to be important determinants of the rate of household saving. Furthermore, we find an income/expenditure parallelism and positive saving rates for the elderly. At a first stage of analysis, these facts contradict the predictions of the life cycle theory, but some corrections (using demographic corrections and a different treatment of pensions) change these preliminary conclusions. Differences in credit constraints faced by different groups are studied for their likely effects on consumption smoothing. Finally saving rates of the elderly are analyzed focusing on their contradictory role found in macro and micro studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Butelmann P & Francisco Gallego, 2000. "Household Saving in Chile: Microeconomic Evidence," Journal Economía Chilena (The Chilean Economy), Central Bank of Chile, vol. 3(1), pages 5-24, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:chb:bcchec:v:3:y:2000:i:1:p:005-024
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Grigoli & Alexander Herman & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel, 2017. "Is Private Saving in Latin America and the Caribbean Different?," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 1255-1280, November.
    2. Gan-Ochir Doojav & Borkhuu Gotovsuren & Tsenddorj Dorjpurev, 2012. "Financial Contagion and Volatile Capital Flows," Occasional Papers, South East Asian Central Banks (SEACEN) Research and Training Centre, number occ56, April.
    3. Arda Aktas & Duygu Guner & Seyfettin Gursel & Gokce Uysal, 2010. "Structural Determinants of Household Savings in Turkey: 2003-2008," Working Papers 007, Bahcesehir University, Betam, revised Jun 2010.
    4. Juan A. Rojas & Carlos Urrutia, 2004. "Social Security Reform with Uninsurable Income Risk and Endogenous Borrowing Constraints," Working Papers 0409, Centro de Investigacion Economica, ITAM.
    5. Alfredo Schclarek & Mauricio Caggia, 2017. "Household saving and labor informality: the case of Chile," Journal Economía Chilena (The Chilean Economy), Central Bank of Chile, vol. 20(3), pages 052-080, December.
    6. Cerda, Rodrigo & Fuentes, J. Rodrigo & García, Gonzalo & Llodrá, José Ignacio, 2015. "Understanding Domestic Savings in Chile," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 7254, Inter-American Development Bank.
    7. Andrea Butelmann P & Francisco Gallego, 2000. "Household Saving in Chile: Microeconomic Evidence," Journal Economía Chilena (The Chilean Economy), Central Bank of Chile, vol. 3(1), pages 5-24, April.
    8. María José Roa García & Diana Mejía (ed.), 2018. "Decisiones financieras de los hogares e inclusión financiera: evidencia para América Latina y el Caribe," Investigación Conjunta-Joint Research, Centro de Estudios Monetarios Latinoamericanos, CEMLA, edition 1, volume 1, number 7sp, December.
    9. Andrea Butelmann P & Francisco Gallego, 2000. "Household Saving in Chile: Microeconomic Evidence," Journal Economía Chilena (The Chilean Economy), Central Bank of Chile, vol. 3(1), pages 5-24, April.
    10. Mr. Francesco Grigoli & Alexander Herman & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel, 2015. "Saving in Latin America and the Caribbean: Performance and Policies," IMF Working Papers 2015/108, International Monetary Fund.
    11. Italo Lopez Garcia, 2015. "Human Capital and Labor Informality in Chile A Life-Cycle Approach," Working Papers WR-1087, RAND Corporation.
    12. Stephen Dobson & Carlyn Ramlogan-Dobson & Eric Strobl, 2020. "Savings and the informal sector," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(2), pages 217-234, March.
    13. Alfredo Schclarek & Mauricio Caggia, 2015. "Household Saving and Labor Informality: The Case of Chile," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 89359, Inter-American Development Bank.
    14. Rodrigo Cerda & J. Rodrigo Fuentes & Gonzalo García & José Ignacio Llodrá, 2015. "Understanding Domestic Savings in Chile," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 91437, Inter-American Development Bank.
    15. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Ana María Tribín-Uribe, 2018. "Determinants of Formal and Informal Saving in Colombia," Investigación Conjunta-Joint Research, in: María José Roa García & Diana Mejía (ed.), Financial Decisions of Households and Financial Inclusion: Evidence for Latin America and the Caribbean, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 4, pages 95-123, Centro de Estudios Monetarios Latinoamericanos, CEMLA.
    16. Juan A. Rojas & Carlos Urrutia, 2008. "Social Security with Uninsurable Income Risk and Endogenous Borrowing Constraints," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 11(1), pages 83-103, January.
    17. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Ana María Tribín-Uribe, 2018. "Factores determinantes del ahorro formal e informal en Colombia," Investigación Conjunta-Joint Research, in: María José Roa García & Diana Mejía (ed.), Decisiones financieras de los hogares e inclusión financiera: evidencia para América Latina y el Caribe, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 4, pages 101-131, Centro de Estudios Monetarios Latinoamericanos, CEMLA.
    18. World Bank, 2011. "Turkey - Country Economic Memorandum (CEM) : Sustaining High Growth - The Role of Domestic savings : Synthesis Report," World Bank Publications - Reports 12264, The World Bank Group.
    19. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Ana María Tribín-Uribe, 2016. "Ahorro de los hogares de ingresos medios y bajos de las zonas urbana y rural en Colombia," Borradores de Economia 960, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    20. Craig P. Aubuchon & Juan Carlos Conesa & Carlos Garriga, 2011. "A primer on social security systems and reforms," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 93(Jan), pages 19-35.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E20 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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