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Early influences on saving behaviour: Analysis of British panel data

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  • Brown, Sarah
  • Taylor, Karl

Abstract

Using data from the British Household Panel Survey and Understanding Society, we examine the saving behaviour of individuals over time. Initially, we explore the determinants of the saving behaviour of children aged 11–15. Our findings suggest that parental allowances/pocket money (earnings from part-time work) lower (increase) the probability that a child saves. There is also evidence that the financial expectations of the head of household have an influence on their offspring’s saving behaviour, where children of optimistic parents have a lower probability of saving by approximately 2 percentage points. However, there is no evidence of an intergenerational correlation in savings behaviour: the saving behaviour of parents appears to have no bearing on the saving decisions of their offspring. We then go on to explore the implications of the saving behaviour of children for their savings decisions in later life, specifically when observed in early adulthood. We find that having saved as a child has a large positive influence both on the probability of saving on a monthly basis and on the amount saved as an adult. This finding is robust to alternative empirical strategies including IV analysis where the most conservative estimates show that having saved as a child increases the probability of saving during adulthood by 12 percentage points.

Suggested Citation

  • Brown, Sarah & Taylor, Karl, 2016. "Early influences on saving behaviour: Analysis of British panel data," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1-14.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:62:y:2016:i:c:p:1-14
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2015.09.011
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    Cited by:

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    4. Ze Chen & Yuan Wang & Yanjun Guan & Michael Jie Guo & Rong Xu, 2023. "Long‐term effect of childhood pandemic experience on medical major choice: Evidence from the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in China," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(5), pages 1120-1147, May.
    5. Lynne Robertson-Rose, 2020. "“Because My Father Told Me To”: Exploratory Insights into Parental Influence on the Retirement Savings Behavior of Adult Children," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 364-376, June.
    6. Panu Kalmi, 2018. "The Effects of Financial Education: Evidence from Finnish Lower Secondary Schools," Economic Notes, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA, vol. 47(2-3), pages 353-386, July.
    7. Moreno-Herrero, Dolores & Salas-Velasco, Manuel & Sánchez-Campillo, José, 2018. "Factors that influence the level of financial literacy among young people: The role of parental engagement and students' experiences with money matters," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 334-351.
    8. Brown, Sarah & Ghosh, Pulak & Pareek, Bhuvanesh & Taylor, Karl, 2021. "The protective role of saving: Bayesian analysis of British panel data," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 57-72.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Household finances; Panel data; Saving;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance

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