Enhanced budgeting and monitoring features in electronic payment instruments may encourage low earners to use debit cards more, according to research published by The Netherlands Bank earlier this month.

In Cash versus debit card: the role of budget control, Lola Hernandez, Nicole Jonker and Anneke Kosse note that both cash and the debit card are perceived by the public as "helpful" for managing their budgets.

"Individuals differ in major respects, however," the authors say. "In particular, low