Two individuals can trade consumption between today and one year from now. The terms of this trade-off are that for every $1.00 of consumption given up today, an individual receives $1.10 in one year. Person A has no income today but is guaranteed to receive $110 in one year. Person B has $100 today but no income in one year. If Person A decides to consume today (by borrowing) and Person B decides to save some of their income for the future (by lending), what is the best explanation for their different choices despite facing the identical trade-off?

The Two Sides of an Interest Rate

In a model of intertemporal choice, the term (1 + r) represents the trade-off between consuming now and consuming later, where 'r' is the interest rate. This term acts as a 'price' for shifting consumption through time. Match the role of this 'price' to the correct description for a borrower and a lender.

In a model where individuals can trade consumption between the present and the future, an increase in the interest rate makes it more costly for a borrower to consume more in the present. For a lender, this same increase in the interest rate represents a lower opportunity cost of consuming in the present.

The Dual Nature of the Intertemporal Price

Evaluating Consumption Choices Under a Common Price

Intertemporal Choice Scenario

In a model of intertemporal consumption, the 'price' of shifting $1 of consumption from the future to the present is $1.08. This implies that the annual interest rate, 'r', is ____%.

An individual has no income today but expects to receive a large sum of money in one year. They decide to consume a portion of that value today. Arrange the following statements into the logical sequence that describes their decision-making process.

In a simple two-period model, Alex has an income of $200 today and no income in the future, while Ben has no income today but will receive $220 in the future. Both can borrow or lend at an interest rate of 10%. Which statement correctly analyzes the trade-off each person faces between present and future consumption?