Anggriawan Sugianto

The Psychology of Spending: Insights from 'Monopoly Money'

Recently, I came across an intriguing journal article published by the American Psychological Association titled "Monopoly Money: The Effect of Payment Coupling and Form on Spending Behavior," authored by Priya Raghubir and Joydeep Srivastava, both esteemed professors in the field of marketing.

Through their research, Raghubir and Srivastava shed light on the concept of the "pain of paying" – the discomfort individuals feel when parting with a significant sum of money. They conducted comparative studies to examine how different forms of payment affect shopping behavior, including cash payments versus credit card transactions and cash payments versus shopping vouchers.

Their findings revealed that people tend to spend more when using credit cards or shopping vouchers compared to cash, even for habitual purchases. The shift in payment method seemingly trivializes money, akin to playing with Monopoly money, making it easier to overspend.

This research offers valuable insights from both producer and consumer perspectives. For sellers, strategies to enhance sales include promoting credit/debit card logos, offering shopping vouchers instead of direct discounts, partnering with banks to provide exclusive credit card promotions for specific items, and facilitating electronic payments. Ultimately, making payment methods less transparent, such as avoiding cash transactions, can reduce the "pain of paying" and boost sales.

As consumers, it's essential to exercise caution when encountering market promotions. Maintaining control over credit card or debit card usage is crucial, ensuring awareness of current balances before making purchases. Additionally, it's vital to recognize and eliminate any inclination to treat alternative payment methods as Monopoly money.

Reflecting on this research, I can't help but feel nostalgic for a game of Monopoly. Perhaps it's time to dust off the board and enjoy a round of strategic fun once again.