IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v9y2025i1p2889-2899.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing the Impact of Financial Literacy on Savings Behavior in the Informal Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Emmanuel Sibanda

    (National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)

  • Tendekai Ashley Muzavazi

    (National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)

  • Tsepeso Setoboli

    (National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)

  • Nothando Tshuma

    (National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)

Abstract

Financial literacy is a crucial determinant of economic stability and growth, particularly in the context of Zimbabwe’s economic development. A well refined understanding of financial of financial concepts enables individuals to optimize resource allocation, thereby promoting both personal and national economic well-being. Thus, quantitative study investigates the relationship between financial literacy and savings behaviour among informal sector participants in Zimbabwe, utilizing a purposive sample. The empirical findings reveal a statistically significant positive correlation between financial literacy and savings propensity, indicating that individuals with higher educational literacy exhibit more robust savings behaviours. These results underscore the pivotal role of financial education in enhancing savings habits among informal sector workers. The findings inform policy recommendations for stakeholders, including policy makers, financial institutions, and educational entities, to develop targeted financial literacy initiatives. Such interventions are critical for fostering improved financial management, increasing, increasing savings rates, and ultimately contributing to Zimbabwe’s economic stability and growth. Future research directions include longitudinal studies to capture temporal dynamics and qualitative investigations to provide deeper insights into individual savings behaviours and financial decision-making processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmanuel Sibanda & Tendekai Ashley Muzavazi & Tsepeso Setoboli & Nothando Tshuma, 2025. "Assessing the Impact of Financial Literacy on Savings Behavior in the Informal Sector," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(1), pages 2889-2899, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:i:1:p:2889-2899
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-9-issue-1/2889-2899.pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/assessing-the-impact-of-financial-literacy-on-savings-behavior-in-the-informal-sector/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Richard H. Thaler & Shlomo Benartzi, 2004. "Save More Tomorrow (TM): Using Behavioral Economics to Increase Employee Saving," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 112(S1), pages 164-187, February.
    2. Tim Kaiser & Lukas Menkhoff, 2017. "Does Financial Education Impact Financial Literacy and Financial Behavior, and If So, When?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 31(3), pages 611-630.
    3. Dean Karlan & Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan & Jonathan Zinman, 2014. "Savings by and for the Poor: A Research Review and Agenda," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(1), pages 36-78, March.
    4. Guo, Lin & Xiao, Jing Jian & Tang, Chuanyi, 2009. "Understanding the psychological process underlying customer satisfaction and retention in a relational service," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(11), pages 1152-1159, November.
    5. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2014. "The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 5-44, March.
    6. H. Leroy & S. Manigart & M. Meuleman, 2009. "The Planned Decision To Transfer An Entrepreneurial Company," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 09/577, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    7. Milton Friedman, 1957. "A Theory of the Consumption Function," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number frie57-1, May.
    8. Annamaria Lusardi, 2019. "Financial literacy and the need for financial education: evidence and implications," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 155(1), pages 1-8, December.
    9. William Jack & Tavneet Suri, 2011. "Mobile Money: The Economics of M-PESA," NBER Working Papers 16721, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Lee Cronbach, 1951. "Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 16(3), pages 297-334, September.
    11. Milton Friedman, 1957. "Introduction to "A Theory of the Consumption Function"," NBER Chapters, in: A Theory of the Consumption Function, pages 1-6, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Dean Karlan & Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan & Jonathan Zinman, 2014. "Savings by and for the Poor: A Research Review and Agenda," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(1), pages 36-78, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Somville, Vincent & Vandewalle, Lore, 2023. "Access to banking, savings and consumption smoothing in rural India," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    2. Grohmann, Antonia & Klühs, Theres & Menkhoff, Lukas, 2018. "Does financial literacy improve financial inclusion? Cross country evidence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 84-96.
    3. Augustine Kwadwo Yeboah, 2019. "Drivers of Savings Account Ownership Status: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from Ghana," Journal of Social and Development Sciences, AMH International, vol. 10(1), pages 51-60.
    4. 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.
    5. Mesly, Olivier, 2023. "Irrational exuberance and deception — Why markets spin out of control," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    6. Karthikeyan Shanmugam & Vijayabanu Chidambaram & Satyanarayana Parayitam, 2023. "Relationship Between Big-Five Personality Traits, Financial Literacy and Risk Propensity: Evidence from India," IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, , vol. 12(1), pages 85-101, January.
    7. Suzuki, Aya & Mano, Yukichi & Abebe, Girum, 2018. "Earnings, savings, and job satisfaction in a labor-intensive export sector: Evidence from the cut flower industry in Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 176-191.
    8. Timmons, Shane & Robertson, Deirdre & Lunn, Pete, 2022. "Combining nudges and boosts to increase precautionary saving: A large-scale field experiment," Papers WP722, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    9. Serge Ky & Clovis Rugemintwari & Alain Sauviat, 2018. "Does Mobile Money Affect Saving Behaviour? Evidence from a Developing Country," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 27(3), pages 285-320.
    10. Anukriti, S. & Kwon, Sungoh & Prakash, Nishith, 2022. "Saving for dowry: Evidence from rural India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    11. Orazio Attanasio & Matthew Bird & Lina Cardona-Sosa & Pablo Lavado, 2019. "Freeing Financial Education via Tablets: Experimental Evidence from Colombia," NBER Working Papers 25929, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Loaba, Salamata, 2022. "The impact of mobile banking services on saving behavior in West Africa," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    13. Chiara Canta & Marie-Louise Leroux, 2024. "Financial education as a complement to public pensions: the case of naive individuals," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(4), pages 1-30, December.
    14. Avdeenko, Alexandra & Bohne, Albrecht & Frölich, Markus, 2019. "Linking savings behavior, confidence and individual feedback: A field experiment in Ethiopia," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 122-151.
    15. P.V. Viswanath, 2021. "Connectivity and Savings Propensity among Odisha Tribals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, January.
    16. Lugilde, Alba & Bande, Roberto & Riveiro, Dolores, 2017. "Precautionary Saving: a review of the theory and the evidence," MPRA Paper 77511, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Wei-Yin Hu & Olivia S. Mitchell & Cynthia Pagliaro & Stephen P. Utkus, 2013. "Evaluating Web-based Savings Interventions: A Preliminary Assessment," Working Papers wp299, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    18. H. Kent Baker & Sweta Tomar & Satish Kumar & Deepak Verma, 2021. "Are Indian professional women financially literate and prepared for retirement?," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 1416-1441, December.
    19. Marieka M. Klawitter & C. Leigh Anderson & Mary Kay Gugerty, 2013. "Savings And Personal Discount Rates In A Matched Savings Program For Low-Income Families," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 31(3), pages 468-485, July.
    20. Di Giannatale, Sonia & Roa, María José, 2016. "Formal Saving in Developing Economies: Barriers, Interventions, and Effects," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 8107, Inter-American Development Bank.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:i:1:p:2889-2899. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.