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Pay Me Later: Savings Constraints and the Demand for Deferred Payments

Author

Listed:
  • Lasse Brune
  • Eric Chyn
  • Jason T. Kerwin

Abstract

We study a simple savings scheme that allows workers to defer receipt of part of their wages for three months at zero interest. The scheme significantly increases savings during the deferral period, leading to higher post-disbursement spending on lumpy goods. Two years later, after two additional rounds of the savings scheme, we find that treated workers have made permanent improvements to their homes. The popularity of the scheme implies a lack of good alternative savings options. The results of a follow-up experiment suggest that demand for the scheme is partly due to its ability to address self-control issues.

Suggested Citation

  • Lasse Brune & Eric Chyn & Jason T. Kerwin, 2021. "Pay Me Later: Savings Constraints and the Demand for Deferred Payments," NBER Working Papers 28611, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28611
    Note: DEV LS
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    Cited by:

    1. Sanroman Graciela & Bertoletti Lucía & Borraz Fernando, 2024. "Consumer Debt and Poverty: the Default Risk Gap," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4765, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    2. Laura Derksen & Jason T Kerwin & Natalia Ordaz Reynoso & Olivier Sterck, 2025. "Healthcare Appointments as Commitment Devices," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 135(665), pages 81-118.
    3. Tim Ölkers & Annkathrin Wahbi & Oliver Mußhoff, 2025. "Understanding Temptation Spending and Saving Behaviour Among Malian Farming Households," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(3), pages 697-717, April.
    4. Derksen, Laura & Kerwin, Jason Theodore & Reynoso, Natalia Ordaz & Sterck, Olivier, 2021. "Appointments: A More Effective Commitment Device for Health Behaviors," SocArXiv y8gh7, Center for Open Science.
    5. Eliana Carranza & Aletheia Donald & Florian Grosset‐Touba & Supreet Kaur, 2025. "The Social Tax: Redistributive Pressure and Labor Supply," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 93(6), pages 2273-2308, November.
    6. Wang, Yuhao & Li, Xinran, 2025. "Asymptotic theory of the best-choice rerandomization using the Mahalanobis distance," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    7. Wicker, Till & Dalton, Patricio & van Soest, Daan, 2025. "Mental Accounting and Cash Transfers : Experimental Evidence from a Humanitarian Setting," Discussion Paper 2025-006, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    8. Hisaki KONO & Abu SHONCHOY & Kazushi TAKAHASHI, 2023. "At the Right Time:Eliminating Mismatch between Cash Flow and Credit Flow in Microcredit," Discussion papers e-22-013, Graduate School of Economics , Kyoto University.
    9. Wicker, Till & Dalton, Patricio & van Soest, Daan, 2025. "Mental Accounting and Cash Transfers : Experimental Evidence from a Humanitarian Setting," Other publications TiSEM a92dc757-d6b5-4802-8639-c, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    10. Somville, Vincent & Vandewalle, Lore, 2023. "Access to banking, savings and consumption smoothing in rural India," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    11. Galdo, Jose C., 2021. "Using Bank Savings Product Design for Empowering Women and Agricultural Development," IZA Discussion Papers 14523, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Elizabeth A. Berger & Nathan Seegert, 2024. "Half Banked: The Economic Impact of Cash Management in the Marijuana Industry," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 79(4), pages 2759-2796, August.
    13. Laamanen, Jani-Petri & Matikka, Tuomas & Paukkeri, Tuuli, 2022. "Once or Twice a Month? The Impact of Payment Frequency on Spending Behavior," Working Papers 147, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    14. repec:osf:socarx:y8gh7_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Kansikas, Carolina & Mani, Anandi & Niehaus, Paul, 2025. "Structuring cash transfers: cash flow preferences, seasonality, and financial decisions in rural Kenya," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 769, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics
    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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