Financial Behaviors Before and After the Financial Crisis: Evidence from an Online Survey

Abstract

This study investigated the performance of 20 financial practices before and after the recent global financial crisis. Data were obtained from an online financial self-assessment tool using responses collected from January 2005 through December 2010. The 10,661 respondent sample was divided into pre- and post-December 31, 2007 cohorts for purposes of comparison. Significant time-period differences were found in a positive direction for quiz scores that indicated the frequency of performance of 12 financial practices and for the total score of all practices. After converting quiz items to three broad behavioral categories, scores for all three behaviors – budgeting, spending, and saving – were significantly higher after the financial crisis began.

Keywords: financial behaviors, financial crisis, financial practices, online survey, recession