Question

Should people typically pay more attention to their real income or their nominal income? If you choose the latter, why would that make sense in today's world? Would your answer be the same for the 1970 s?

Short answer

People should typically pay more attention to their real income as it provides a more accurate measure of their financial situation by taking into account the purchasing power of money and the effects of inflation. This is particularly relevant in today's world, where increasing inflation rates in various countries and the impact of globalization emphasize the importance of understanding the actual value of one's income in terms of what it can buy. Comparatively, in the 1970s, while inflation rates were generally higher, the emphasis on real income remained, as the rapid increase in prices could erode the actual value of a salary. Therefore, both in today's world and during the 1970s, real income would have been more relevant to assess one's financial well-being and standard of living.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of Real and Nominal Income

Nominal income is the amount of money that a person earns, without considering the effects of inflation. Real income, on the other hand, takes into account the effects of inflation and represents the purchasing power of a person's income. Real income provides a more accurate measure of a person's financial situation since it reflects the true value of money in terms of what it can buy.

Real Income Vs. Nominal Income

Typically, people should pay more attention to their real income because it takes into consideration the changes in the cost of living, reflecting their actual purchasing power. Nominal income does not account for inflation, which means that even if a person's nominal income increases, their real income might not increase or might even decrease if the inflation rate is high.

Real Income Importance in Today's World

In today's world, it is more important to focus on real income because it shows how much money a person has in terms of purchasing power. With increasing inflation rates in various countries, it becomes crucial to know how much a person can actually buy with their income. Besides, globalization has given rise to income inequality and varying living standards, making it essential to understand how much a person can afford across different countries with different costs of living.

Comparing to the 1970s

In the 1970s, the situation was different as inflation rates were generally higher than they are today. High inflation rates had a more significant impact on people's real income, making it more important to consider real income rather than nominal income. However, it is worth noting that even in the 1970s, real income would have been more relevant to people's financial well-being than nominal income. This is because a person's purchasing power was affected by the rapid increase in prices, sometimes eroding their salary's actual value. To conclude, people should typically pay more attention to their real income than their nominal income, both in today's world and in the 1970s. Real income provides a more accurate measure of a person's true financial situation as it takes into account the purchasing power of their money. While the 1970s experienced higher inflation rates, real income still remains a crucial factor for understanding a person's actual wealth and standard of living.