Changing Behavior to Improve Household Financial Management in Malawi

2013-06-01

2014-07-01

Consumption, expenditures, investments, income and asset levels, loans and transfers, financial literacy level, savings in formal and informal methods, future aspirations and discount rates.

Consumption, expenditures on education and durables, investments in business and agriculture, income and asset levels, loans and transfers, financial literacy level, savings in formal and informal methods, future aspirations (in income, children’s education, assets, social status) and discount rates.

Researchers are testing the effectiveness of three different interventions for overcoming common behavioral barriers to saving. Labeling savings accounts: The first intervention seeks to determine if labeling a bank account with a specific goal for which the money is intended to be spent, such as “school fees,” can help people to achieve their saving goals. The researchers randomly selected 500 people to receive subsidized bank accounts that were labeled with a personal saving goal. A comparison group of an additional 500 people were offered subsidized accounts that were not labeled with any specific saving goal. Financial training and motivation: The second intervention tests whether financial training and motivation courses raise people’s aspirations and inspire them to set and achieve savings goals. The researchers randomly divided the same group of 1000 people who were offered bank accounts into three equal groups. The first group received a 90 minute basic financial literacy training course, the second received basic financial training and an additional “aspiration module” that attempted to motivate them to achieve their savings goals, and the third group served as a comparison and did not receive any financial training or motivation. Direct deposits: The third intervention tests if depositing earnings directly to a bank account instead of receiving them in cash can reduce unplanned spending and increase savings. Three hundred of the 1000 people who were offered bank accounts were randomly selected to receive grants distributed in three installments. Half of those receiving the grants had them deposited directly to their savings accounts, while the other half received the grants in cash.

Done in office by Computer . Account labeling treatment randomization stratified by three variables: village, previous bank account ownership, and self-employment as primary income. Financial literacy training treatment stratified by village and labeling treatment group.

household

No

1,000 households

1,000 households

Actual sample sizes -- Labeled account, control training 145; labeled account, informational training 145; labeled account, informational + aspirational training 146; non-labeled account, control training 145; non-labeled account, informational training 145; non-labeled account, informational + aspirational training 146.