Savings By and For the Poor: A Research Review and Agenda

43 Pages Posted: 18 Jul 2013 Last revised: 4 Apr 2014

See all articles by Dean S. Karlan

Dean S. Karlan

Yale University; Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management; Innovations for Poverty Action; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan

Yale University

Jonathan Zinman

Dartmouth College; Innovations for Poverty Action; Jameel Poverty Action Lab; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: March 2014

Abstract

The poor can and do save, but often use formal or informal instruments that have high risk, high cost, and limited functionality. This could lead to undersaving compared to a world without market or behavioral frictions. Undersaving can have important welfare consequences: variable consumption, low resilience to shocks, and foregone profitable investments. We lay out five sets of constraints that may hinder the adoption and effective usage of savings products and services by the poor: transaction costs, lack of trust and regulatory barriers, information and knowledge gaps, social constraints, and behavioral biases. We discuss each in theory, and then summarize related empirical evidence, with a focus on recent field experiments. We then put forward key open areas for research and practice.

Keywords: Savings, Randomized Evaluation, Poverty

JEL Classification: D12, D91, G21, O16

Suggested Citation

Karlan, Dean S. and Karlan, Dean S. and Lakshmi Ratan, Aishwarya and Zinman, Jonathan, Savings By and For the Poor: A Research Review and Agenda (March 2014). Yale University Economic Growth Center Discussion Paper No. 1027, Yale Economics Department Working Paper No. 118, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2294668 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2294668

Dean S. Karlan (Contact Author)

Yale University ( email )

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Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management ( email )

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Innovations for Poverty Action ( email )

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

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Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan

Yale University ( email )

28 Hillhouse Ave
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United States

Jonathan Zinman

Dartmouth College ( email )

Hanover, NH 03755
United States
603-646-0075 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.dartmouth.edu/jzinman/

Innovations for Poverty Action

1731 Connecticut Ave, 4th floor
New Haven, CT 20009
United States

Jameel Poverty Action Lab

E60-246
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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