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A Study On The Gender Differences Among SHS Students in Budget Allocation
A Study On The Gender Differences Among SHS Students in Budget Allocation
People budget their money differently, their differences depend on their day to
day needs and their needs largely depend on their lifestyles and practices. In their day to
day living, people usually encounter problems on how they manage their financial
resources effectively and efficiently. Having a budget in place prevents out-of-control
spending and lessens the likelihood of arguments (Quicken, 2018).
Most of the Filipinos who have a hard time budgeting their allowance are
students (Nolasco, 2018). Of all the concerns students have in common money-related
problems are at the forefront of their minds, even more so than making friends or
planning to further their education. That is why, many students adopt money-saving
behaviors (Hoyt, 2013). According to the NSW Office of Fair Trading Research, among
the teenagers nowadays, those who aged 18 are the ones who are prone to large debt
through problems in financial budgeting. That’s why this study focused on Senior High
School as respondents because students at this level are at the age ranging from 16-18
years old. With the existing gaps in literatures, the researchers therefore conducted a
study regarding this aspect with emphasis on whether there is difference between the
budget allocations of the Senior High students based on their gender.
Research Questions
The study aimed to know if there is a difference on budget allocation on the
Senior High School students in terms of gender which will answer the questions stated
below:
1.) What is the budget perception of male and female students?
2.) What is the budget allocation of male students?
3.) What is the budget allocation of female students?
4.) Is there a significant relationship between the budget perception and budget
allocation of Senior High students based on their gender?
5.) Is there a significant difference on budget allocation of Senior High students
based on their gender?
Hypothesis
There is no significant difference on the budget allocation of the students in
terms of gender.
Hence, the main objective and importance of this study was to look into the
result whether there is a difference in the budget allotment of the students’ allowance
with respect to their gender and if who is better at accounting. This study sought the
impartment or dissemination of awareness among people on how male or female
students budget their money according to their needs, wants and priorities. This also
urged at raising awareness against gender equality and the current condition of the
students in terms of budgeting. It also aims at unleashing from the mind of the citizens
that females are thriftier than males or vice versa in terms of spending or saving
behavior or in allocating budgets.
Literature Review
Underpinning Theory
This study is anchored on the Utility theory which assumed that people
commonly have a diminishing utility of wealth. This basically means that individuals are
risk averse. The measure of the utility of wealth is not the main issue however the
researchers found it to be of importance to mention how it is related to risk aversion.
That is, each peso has greater value to the poor than to the wealthy. The utility of wealth
Studies conducted show different results when it comes to the attitude or how
people react on budgeting or financial management aspects that lead us to different and
diverse beliefs towards budgeting in terms of gender. Generally, men and women have
different attitudes and behaviors related to spending and that their behaviour may vary.
Many aspects had influenced the person’s attitude, belief and decision-making behaviour
in spending, one of which is gender (Nandanan & Sibila, 2017; Aswegen, 2015; Gutter
et. al, 2010).
Studies have found in spending, budgeting and saving behavior that, females
react positively to these behaviors more likely than males (Fisher, 2010; Stollack et. al,
2011; Seereetrakul, 2013). Females/ women tend to budget more their money than
males because they are risk averse. They do not want to spend their money to unsure
plans which can be considered as a waste of time in budgeting (Balhorn, 2013; Francis
et.al, 2014). However, males especially those who have financial difficulties in sustaining
their educational expenses tend to be more knowledgeable in finance (Ergun, 2017).
While many studies had laid results revealing that there is a significant effect of
gender difference in budget allocation and that gender could be a great factor when it
comes to financial management of a person, there are still studies that opt to prove that
However, on the study conducted by Bailey et.al (2008) using the stratified
random sampling they examine the spending pattern of a traditional student population
to analyse their spending behavior and results show that women devote larger share of
their budget on general merchandise, while men favor recreation. Mostly of the women’s
concern and utmost priority are their basic needs while men usually prioritize their hobby
when it comes to budget allocation.
Gender differences mean that male and female teenagers have different
attitudes, preferences and choices. Consequently, the product categories of choice also
differ between genders. Much research has been conducted in this area. Male
adolescents in Finland have been found to be more rational in their purchases than
female adolescents. Studies show that women spend their money on clothes, cosmetics,
gift-giving to friends while men on hobbies and sport gear, computers, computer games,
visit to the cinema, sporting equipment, multimedia equipment , entertainment and
attractions. However, both genders do not show significantly different expenditure on
clothing and personal ornamental items, shoes, mobile phones, internet services and
educational equipment (Brusdal & Berg, 2010; Saimek, 2009).
Budget Allocation
Spending
Saving
Gender Gender
Male Female
The research studied the differences between male and female students
in their budget allocation in terms of spending and saving. In the diagram, Gender (Male
and Female) served as the independent variable and Budget Allocation as the
dependent variable. The horizontal line connecting the two sub variables (Male ,Female)
showed the differences and the line connecting horizontal line showed their differences
when it comes to budget allocation in terms of saving and spending.
METHODS
Research Design
This study used the Descriptive Quantitative Research design since the
information needed is a quantifiable data for the researchers to measure the budgeting
or financial allocations of students in terms of gender and on what aspects do men or
women spend or save the most.
Instrumentation
The researchers made used of a questionnaire as their data gathering tool. The
Data Analysis
T- Statistical test for the sample population was employed to determine the
significant difference of the student- respondents’ budget allocation in terms of gender.
Descriptive Statistics (Mean and Median Frequency) was administered in measuring the
budget allocation and budget perception of the male and female respondents. While
Pearson Correlation R was used in analyzing the relationship between budget
perception and budget allocation. The data collected was presented in a tabular format
in order to summarize the numerical facts for the purpose of analysing them.
Ethical Considerations
In conducting this research, especially when gathering some data, there are a lot
of things they considered. The researchers asked the respondents politely for their
cooperation and participation in this research. The respondents were also informed of
the content and purpose of the study. Consent form was given to each respondent and
they are not being forced in joining the study. After having gathered the information, the
identity of the respondents was held confidential. The answers of the respondents were
also reflected without fabrication and falsification. For the sake of anonymity, the
questionnaires used were burnt and buried.
Male students do
save/ set aside
their money for
Saving Often 3.0 3.93 future use at
oftentimes.
Table 2 shows that male respondents are only occasionally allocating their
budget when it comes to spending and buying their personal needs and wants thus they
are not that efficient spender but on the other hand, they had set aside their money for
future needs / wants and for personal and academic use in the future frequently thus
male students are perceived to be efficient when it comes to saving aspects rather than
spending. Legend: Never=1-1.8, Seldom=1.81-2.6, Sometimes=2.7-3.4, Often=3.5- 4.2,
Always= 4.3-5.
‘ Female students
spend their
Always money for
Spending
3.0 4.31 personal needs
and wants
frequently.
Female students
allot their money
Saving Sometimes for saving and
3.0 3.39 future purposes
occasionally.
Table 3 indicates that the female respondents frequently allot their money for
spending and purchase their personal needs and wants and even their future desires at
oftentimes thus females had high level when it comes to spending activity. It is also
shown in the table that the female are less efficient when it comes to saving aspects and
set aside their money occasionally rather than spend it. Legend: Never=1-1.8,
Seldom=1.81-2.6, Sometimes=2.7-3.4, Often=3.5- 4.2, Always= 4.3-5.
Further results of this study showed that the male students are only on the
average level of spending but more into saving. They were not considered as a
compulsive shopper and buy anything they want in impulse for they value they money
through planning and saving and they are more into setting aside their money for their
future needs and wants. They prioritized saving for different things rather than allocating
a lot for their own desires. Although majority of the studies found that women are more
conservative than men in financial decisions that females are more risk averse than male
which leads female adopting into more conservative financial policy and male being a
risk-taker when it comes to spending activity. The results somewhat proved that male
students at this young age are still risk-averse in allocating their budget for spending
that’s why they are putting it into saving.
Female students were considered spenders rather than savers. They have a high
possibility of committing a compulsive decision when it comes to buying leading them to
commit purchases (unexpected or not) that were beyond their budget. In the studies of
Berggren & Gonzales (2010), it was showed that women are more conservative than
men in financial decisions leading them to be more risk-averse in spending. They are
more aware as to which they will be spending their money than male, as a result they
should be an efficient spender. But the further results negated it by showing that female
had a high level of spending which leads them to be a compulsive buyers and inefficient
spenders. This somewhat reflects to the Philippines current condition wherein majority of
those who purchases a lot on dresses, cosmetics and other desirable things are the
CONCLUSION
With the growing genders in our community, it would surely result to diverse
choices and preferences and budget allocation would also be affected. The findings
revealed that when it comes to allocating budget, male students differ from that of female
students. Female students are considered as risk-takers and male students to be risk-
averse when it comes to spending aspect. On the other hand, male students are into
saving aspect rather than to spending and that they agreed much with setting aside their
money for future purposes. However, aside from their allocation solely, budget
perception of an individual also posed a relationship with the way they allocate but the
way they perceived the usage of budgeting plan has only an impact to their spending
level and has no effect to their saving activity. Considering the gender of an individual
instead of its sex when allocating his/her budget would conform to the idea that gender is
a great influencer as to how a person decide on his/her own preferences and choices
thus, budget allocation would be considered and affected along the way.
RECOMMENDATION
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