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Italian households� opinions on the difficulty of saving

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Bassanetti

    (Banca d'Italia)

  • Concetta Rondinelli

    (Banca d'Italia)

Abstract

The paper investigates the opinions of Italian families on the advisability and the possibility of saving. The analysis was carried out using the monthly micro-data underlying the Italian consumer survey conducted by Isae up to 2010 and by Istat thereafter. The results show that in recent years there has been a sharp increase in the proportion of households that consider it appropriate to save. This appears to be closely related to their expectations about the cyclical situation, in particular unemployment, pointing to a strengthening of the precautionary motive. By contrast, since the second half of the last decade only a small number of households state that they have actually been able to save. This also seems to be linked to the structural characteristics of the household. The growing gap between the advisability and the possibility of saving is greater for the elderly and, among young people, for those living alone, renting their accommodation and working under a fixed-term employment contract. The discrepancy is greater for households that reside in the larger municipalities.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Bassanetti & Concetta Rondinelli, 2013. "Italian households� opinions on the difficulty of saving," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 147, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_147_13
    as

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    File URL: https://www.bancaditalia.it/pubblicazioni/qef/2013-0147/QEF_147.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    4. Stefania GABRIELE & Bianca Maria MARTELLI & Michele RAITANO, 2009. "How Dark Is The Night: The Consumers� Mood Coping With The Crisis. Evidences From Isae Consumer Survey," Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Spiru Haret University, Faculty of Financial Management and Accounting Craiova, vol. 4(3(9)_Fall).
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    savings; qualitative surveys; disposable income;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General

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