Chapter 10

Intertemporal
Choice
 Intertemporal Choice
 Persons often receive income in
“lumps”; e.g. monthly salary.
 How is a lump of income spread over
the following month (saving now for
consumption later)?
 Or how is consumption financed by
borrowing now against income to be
received at the end of the month?
 Present and Future Values
 Begin with some simple financial
arithmetic.
 Take just two periods; 1 and 2.
 Let r denote the interest rate per
period.
 Future Value
 E.g., if r = 0.1 then $100 saved at the
start of period 1 becomes $110 at the
start of period 2.
 The value next period of $1 saved
now is the future value of that dollar.
 Future Value
 Given an interest rate r the future
value one period from now of $1 is
FV  1  r .
 Given an interest rate r the future
value one period from now of $m is
FV  m(1  r ).
 Present Value
 Suppose you can pay now to obtain
$1 at the start of next period.
 What is the most you should pay?
 $1?
 No. If you kept your $1 now and
saved it then at the start of next
period you would have $(1+r) > $1,
so paying $1 now for $1 next period
is a bad deal.
 Present Value
 Q: How much money would have to be
saved now, in the present, to obtain $1
at the start of the next period?
 A: $m saved now becomes $m(1+r) at
the start of next period, so we want
the value of m for which
m(1+r) = 1
That is, m = 1/(1+r),
the present-value of $1 obtained at the
start of next period.
 Present Value
 The present value of $1 available at
the start of the next period is
1
PV  .
1r
 And the present value of $m
available at the start of the next
period is m
PV  .
1r
 Present Value
 E.g., if r = 0.1 then the most you
should pay now for $1 available next
period is 1
PV   $0  91.
1 01
 And if r = 0.2 then the most you
should pay now for $1 available next
period is 1
PV   $0  83.
1 0 2
 The Intertemporal Choice
Problem
 Let m1 and m2 be incomes received in
periods 1 and 2.
 Let c1 and c2 be consumptions in
periods 1 and 2.
 Let p1 and p2 be the prices of
consumption in periods 1 and 2.
The Intertemporal Choice Problem
 The intertemporal choice problem:
Given incomes m1 and m2, and given
consumption prices p1 and p2, what is
the most preferred intertemporal
consumption bundle (c1, c2)?
 For an answer we need to know:
– the intertemporal budget constraint
– intertemporal consumption
preferences.
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 To start, let’s ignore price effects by
supposing that

p1 = p2 = $1.
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Suppose that the consumer chooses
not to save or to borrow.
 Q: What will be consumed in period 1?
 A: c1 = m1.
 Q: What will be consumed in period 2?
 A: c2 = m2.
 The Intertemporal Budget
c2 Constraint

m2

0 c1
0 m1
 The Intertemporal Budget
c2 Constraint
So (c1, c2) = (m1, m2) is the
consumption bundle if the
consumer chooses neither to
save nor to borrow.
m2

0 c1
0 m1
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Now suppose that the consumer
spends nothing on consumption in
period 1; that is, c1 = 0 and the
consumer saves
s 1 = m 1.
 The interest rate is r.
 What now will be period 2’s
consumption level?
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Period 2 income is m2.
 Savings plus interest from period 1
sum to (1 + r )m1.
 So total income available in period 2 is

m2 + (1 + r )m1.
 So period 2 consumption expenditure
is
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Period 2 income is m2.
 Savings plus interest from period 1
sum to (1 + r )m1.
 So total income available in period 2 is

m2 + (1 + r )m1.
 So period 2 consumption expenditure
c 2  m2  (1  r )m1
is
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2
m2 
the future-value of the income
endowment
(1  r )m1

m2

0 c1
0 m1
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2 ( c1 , c 2 )  0, m2  (1  r )m1 
m2 
is the consumption bundle when all
(1  r )m1 period 1 income is saved.

m2

0 c1
0 m1
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Now suppose that the consumer
spends everything possible on
consumption in period 1, so c2 = 0.
 What is the most that the consumer
can borrow in period 1 against her
period 2 income of $m2?
 Let b1 denote the amount borrowed in
period 1.
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Only $m2 will be available in period 2
to pay back $b1 borrowed in period 1.
 So b1(1 + r ) = m2.
 That is, b1 = m2 / (1 + r ).
 So the largest possible period 1
consumption level is
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Only $m2 will be available in period 2
to pay back $b1 borrowed in period 1.
 So b1(1 + r ) = m2.
 That is, b1 = m2 / (1 + r ).
 So the largest possible period 1
consumption level is m
c1  m1  2
1r
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2 ( c1 , c 2 )  0, m2  (1  r )m1 
m2 
is the consumption bundle when all
(1  r )m1 period 1 income is saved.

m2 the present-value of
the income endowment

0
0 m1 m2 c1
m1 
1r
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2 ( c1 , c 2 )  0, m2  (1  r )m1 
m2 
is the consumption bundle when
(1  r )m1 period 1 saving is as large as possible.
 m2 
( c1 , c 2 )   m1  ,0
 1r 
m2 is the consumption bundle
when period 1 borrowing
is as big as possible.
0
0 m1 m2 c1
m1 
1r
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Suppose that c1 units are consumed
in period 1. This costs $c1 and
leaves m1- c1 saved. Period 2
consumption will then be
c 2  m2  (1  r )(m1  c1 )
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Suppose that c1 units are consumed
in period 1. This costs $c1 and
leaves m1- c1 saved. Period 2
consumption will then be
c 2  m2  (1  r )(m1  c1 )
which is
c 2   ( 1  r ) c1  m2  ( 1  r )m1 .











slope intercept
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2 ( c1 , c 2 )  0, m2  (1  r )m1 
m2 
is the consumption bundle when
(1  r )m1 period 1 saving is as large as possible.
 m2 
( c1 , c 2 )   m1  ,0
 1r 
m2 is the consumption bundle
when period 1 borrowing
is as big as possible.
0
0 m1 m2 c1
m1 
1r
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2 c 2   (1  r )c1  m2  (1  r )m1 .
m2 
(1  r)m1 slope = -(1+r)

m2

0
0 m1 m2 c1
m1 
1r
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2 c 2   (1  r )c1  m2  (1  r )m1 .
m2 
(1  r)m1 Sa slope = -(1+r)
vi
ng

Bo
m2 rro
wi
ng
0
0 m1 m2 c1
m1 
1r
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
( 1  r )c1  c 2  (1  r )m1  m2
is the “future-valued” form of the budget
constraint since all terms are in period 2
values. This is equivalent to
c2 m2
c1   m1 
1r 1r
which is the “present-valued” form of the
constraint since all terms are in period 1
values.
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
 Now let’s add prices p1 and p2 for
consumption in periods 1 and 2.
 How does this affect the budget
constraint?
 Intertemporal Choice
 Given her endowment (m1,m2) and
prices p1, p2 what intertemporal
consumption bundle (c1*,c2*) will be
chosen by the consumer?
 Maximum possible expenditure in
m2  (1  r )m1
period 2 is
so maximum possible consumption
m2  ( 1  r )m1
in period 2 is c 2  .
p2
 Intertemporal Choice
 Similarly, maximum possible
expenditure in period 1 is
m2
m1 
1r
so maximum possible consumption
in period 1 is
m1  m2 / ( 1  r )
c1  .
p1
 Intertemporal Choice
 Finally, if c1 units are consumed in
period 1 then the consumer spends
p1c1 in period 1, leaving m1 - p1c1
saved for period 1. Available income
in period 2 will then be
m2  (1  r )(m1  p1c1 )
so
p 2c 2  m2  (1  r )(m1  p1c1 ).
 Intertemporal Choice
p 2c 2  m2  (1  r )(m1  p1c1 )
rearranged is
( 1  r )p1c1  p 2c 2  ( 1  r )m1  m2 .
This is the “future-valued” form of the
budget constraint since all terms are
expressed in period 2 values. Equivalent
to it is the “present-valued” form
p2 m2
p1c1  c 2  m1 
1r 1r
where all terms are expressed in period 1
values.
The Intertemporal Budget
c2 Constraint

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 The Intertemporal Budget
c2 Constraint
(1  r )m1  m2
p2

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 The Intertemporal Budget
c2 Constraint
(1  r )m1  m2
p2

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
m1  m2 / ( 1  r )
p1
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2 (1  r )p1c1  p 2c 2  (1  r )m1  m2
(1  r )m1  m2
p2
p1
Slope =  (1  r )
p2

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
m1  m2 / ( 1  r )
p1
 The Intertemporal Budget
Constraint
c2 (1  r )p1c1  p 2c 2  (1  r )m1  m2
(1  r )m1  m2
p2
Sa p1
vi Slope =  (1  r )
ng p2

Bo
m2/p2 rro
wi
ng
0 c1
0 m1/p1
m1  m2 / ( 1  r )
p1
 Price Inflation
 Define the inflation rate by  where
p1 (1   )  p 2 .
 For example,
 = 0.2 means 20% inflation, and
 = 1.0 means 100% inflation.
 Price Inflation
 We lose nothing by setting p1=1 so
that p2 = 1+  .
 Then we can rewrite the budget
constraint p m
p1c1  2 c m  2
2 1
1r 1r
1  m2
as c1  c 2  m1 
1r 1r
 Price Inflation
1  m2
c1  c 2  m1 
1r 1r
rearranges to
1 r  m1 
c2   c1  (1  )  m2 
1   1 r 
so the slope of the intertemporal budget
constraint is 1 r
 .
1 
 Price Inflation
 When there was no price inflation
(p1=p2=1) the slope of the budget
constraint was -(1+r).
 Now, with price inflation, the slope of
the budget constraint is -(1+r)/(1+ ).
This can be written as
1r
 (1   )  
1 
 is known as the real interest rate.
 Real Interest Rate
1r
 (1   )  
1 
gives
r
 .
1 
For low inflation rates ( 0),  r -  .
For higher inflation rates this
approximation becomes poor.
Real Interest Rate
 Comparative Statics
 The slope of the budget constraint is
1 r
 (1  )   .
1 
 The constraint becomes flatter if the
interest rate r falls or the inflation
raterises (both decrease the real
rate of interest).
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 
The consumer saves.

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 
The consumer saves. An
increase in the inflation
rate or a decrease in
the interest rate
m2/p2 “flattens” the
budget
constraint.
0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 
If the consumer saves then
saving and welfare are
reduced by a lower
interest rate or a
m2/p2 higher inflation
rate.
0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 
The consumer borrows.

m2/p2

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 
The consumer borrows. A
fall in the inflation rate or
a rise in the interest rate
“flattens” the
m2/p2 budget constraint.

0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Comparative Statics
c2 1r
slope =  (1   )  
1 
If the consumer borrows then
borrowing and welfare are
increased by a lower
interest rate or a
m2/p2 higher inflation
rate.
0 c1
0 m1/p1
 Valuing Securities
 A financial security is a financial
instrument that promises to deliver
an income stream.
 E.g.; a security that pays
$m1 at the end of year 1,
$m2 at the end of year 2, and
$m3 at the end of year 3.
 What is the most that should be paid
now for this security?
 Valuing Securities
 The security is equivalent to the sum
of three securities;
– the first pays only $m1 at the end of
year 1,
– the second pays only $m2 at the
end of year 2, and
– the third pays only $m3 at the end
of year 3.
 Valuing Securities
 The PV of $m1 paid 1 year from now is
m1 / (1  r )
 The PV of $m2 paid 2 years from now is
2
m2 / ( 1  r )
 The PV of $m3 paid33 years from now is
m3 / ( 1  r )
 The PV of the security is therefore
m1 / (1  r )  m2 / (1  r ) 2  m3 / (1  r ) 3 .
 Valuing Bonds
 A bond is a special type of security
that pays a fixed amount $x for T
years (its maturity date) and then
pays its face value $F.
 What is the most that should now be
paid for such a bond?
 Valuing Bonds

x x x F
PV     .
1  r (1  r ) 2 T 1 T
(1  r ) (1  r )
 Valuing Bonds
 Suppose you win a State lottery. The
prize is $1,000,000 but it is paid over
10 years in equal installments of
$100,000 each. What is the prize
actually worth?
 Valuing Bonds
$100,000 $100,000 $100,000
PV   
1  0  1 (1  0  1) 2 (1  0  1) 10

 $614,457

is the actual (present) value of the prize.

x x x
PV    .
1  r (1  r ) 2 t
(1  r )
 Valuing Consols
x x x
PV    
1  r (1  r ) 2 (1  r ) 3
1  x x 
 x    
1r  1  r (1  r ) 2 
1

1r
 x  PV . Solving for PV gives
x
PV  .
r
 Valuing Consols
E.g. if r = 0.1 now and forever then the
most that should be paid now for a
console that provides $1000 per year is
x $1000
PV    $10,000.
r 01