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Job Loss, Credit Constraints and Consumption Growth

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  • Crossley, T.
  • Low, H.

Abstract

We use direct evidence on credit constraints to study their importance for household consumption growth and for welfare. We distentangle the direct effect on consumption growth of a currently binding credit constraint from the indirect effect of a potentially binding credit constraint which generates consumption risk. Our data is focused on job losers. We find that less than 5% of job losers experience a binding credit constraint, but for those that do, they experience significant welfare losses, and consumption growth is 24% higher than for the rest of the population. However, even among those who are currently unconstrained and who are able to borrow if needed, consumption responds to transitory income.

Suggested Citation

  • Crossley, T. & Low, H., 2012. "Job Loss, Credit Constraints and Consumption Growth," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1223, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    • Handle: RePEc:cam:camdae:1223
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Siassi, Nawid & Dolado, Juan J. & Lalé, Etienne, 2015. "Moving Towards a Single Labor Contract: Transition vs. Steady State," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112858, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    3. Sule Alan & Thomas Crossley & Hamish Low, 2012. "Saving on a Rainy Day, Borrowing for a Rainy Day," Koç University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum Working Papers 1212, Koc University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum.
    4. Thomas Crossley & Hamish Low, 2011. "Borrowing constraints, the cost of precautionary saving and unemployment insurance," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 18(6), pages 658-687, December.
    5. Sebastian Devlin-Foltz & John Edward Sabelhaus, 2015. "Heterogeneity in Economic Shocks and Household Spending," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2015-49, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    6. J. Carter Braxton & Gordon Phillips & Kyle Herkenhoff, 2018. "Can the Unemployed Borrow? Implications for Public Insurance," 2018 Meeting Papers 564, Society for Economic Dynamics.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Job Loss; Credit Constraints; Consumption;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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