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Managing Mental Accounts: Payment Cards and Consumption Expenditures

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Gelman
  • Nikolai Roussanov

Abstract

Does mental accounting matter for total consumption expenditures? We exploit a unique setting in which individuals exogenously received a new credit card, without requesting one. Using random variation in the time of receipt we show that individuals temporarily increase total consumption expenditure by making purchases with the new card without reducing spending on the others. We do not observe a corresponding increase in indebtedness. Total consumption expenditure rises even for the least liquidity-constrained individuals. The evidence is consistent with consumers treating methods of payment as nonfungible budget categories, as suggested by models of mental accounting and narrow bracketing.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Gelman & Nikolai Roussanov, 2023. "Managing Mental Accounts: Payment Cards and Consumption Expenditures," NBER Working Papers 31613, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31613
    Note: AG AP CF EFG LS ME
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • D99 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Other
    • G02 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Behavioral Finance: Underlying Principles
    • G40 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - General
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets
    • G5 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance
    • G50 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - General
    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • G53 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Financial Literacy

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