The Federal Reserve can increase or decrease the money supply, therefore altering the inflation rate. To ensure that people have access to funds in times of need, banks serve a crucial function. Banks are responsible for enforcing regulations set by the Fed, who acts as a watchdog. This is a major distinction between the two. This article discusses in detail about functions of money supply.
To put it simply, a country’s “money supply” is the sum total of its currency in circulation plus other liquid assets such as bank deposits that can be checked. There are no currency types left out.In most nations, the amount of currency in circulation is determined by the government or the central bank. These organizations contribute to a more liquid economy by increasing the supply of money in circulation.
Top 10 – Key Functions of Money Supply
Using a wide variety of items as currency would be quite difficult. Because of this need, societies develop uniform monetary systems for exchanging goods and services. The ability to function as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and a location to hold value is essential for something to be taken seriously. This topic outlines functions of money supply which will assist you to achieve desired goals in your life.
Value Assessment
It’s not always easy to determine a good’s value in a barter economy. One horse might be equivalent to five cows or a hundred quintals of wheat, or a Maruti might be worth as much as ten two-wheelers. One of the issues with barter is that different goods and services have different exchange values.
Because of its versatility, money has become the standard unit of accounting. This implies that the worth of all products and services traded in a market may determine by reference to the medium of exchange. Even if there is just one standard for determining value, a monetary system can nonetheless facilitate the exchange of price information. This facilitates transactions and clarifies the value of a product or service.
Barter System
The only alternative to utilizing money is to once again engage in bartering. But if we attempted bartering now, we’d recognize that it’s not a practical way to conduct business and abandon the practice immediately.
If a baker sold bread to a greengrocer and the greengrocer only accepted onions and carrots as payment, the baker might either dislike onions and carrots or have an abundance of them. Most individuals are aware of the fact that currency can use to facilitate monetary transactions. There is never any doubt in my mind that the cashier will accept my payment at the store.
True enough, US currency bears the inscription, “This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private.” This ensures that the U.S. government will defend my right to pay in dollars issued within the U.S. This is good functions of money supply.
Equilibrium
When the supply of real money is equal to the demand for real money, that’s the equilibrium interest rate. Next, a graph displaying the equilibrium between the money supply function and the money demand function will present.
Supply
It is simpler to describe the money supply if we believe that the only reliable means to determine the total amount of currency in circulation is through the acts of the central bank. This means it will unaffect by macroeconomic variables like interest rates, and it will also make explanatory functions superfluous.
A Measure of Money
Money has the ability to serve as a standard of measurement. The worth of goods and services produced in a given location over time can measure in monetary terms. The value of a country’s manufactured commodities and services record and quantified with currency.
The value of all goods and services generated in a country during a given accounting year is known as its gross national product (GNP). According to J. R. Hicks, anything that can value monetarily include in the gross national product. In this way, it is possible to compare various products and services against one another.
To compare and contrast the value of various economic activities, money can serve as a yardstick. The cost of a new computer is often likened to that of other commodities such as t-shirts, bicycles, or even corn.
Since money is a global standard for measuring worth, expressing the price in monetary terms may help you better grasp the situation. A brand new computer today can set you back somewhere between a hundred and a hundred and fifty bushels of maize. A price quoted in terms of bushels of maize might be more helpful to you.
Delayed Payments
When people have to make delayed payments, they can do it more easily with cash. It’s the norm for compensation in the industry now and going forward. If you borrow money from someone, for instance, you must repay the principal and the agreed-upon interest rate.
It is simpler to pay interest or delay payments when money is available than to make monthly payments. Because of this, many other kinds of financial institutions have flourished and become more widely accessible to the general public. This is another good functions of money supply.
A Place to Keep Money
Wheat, salt, and even horses and cows lose value with time, which is a major drawback to utilizing them as money. This makes them a poor choice for long-term monetary storage. If you want to know how difficult it is to save money in a barter market, just ask a farmer. He intended to store up some of the weekly wheat harvest for future use. However, by the time he reached retirement age, all of his “savings” would have been spent.
If I work hard today and earn $25, I can retain that money and use it whenever I like, whether that’s tomorrow, next week, or next year. In fact, hoarding cash is a more secure approach to preserve its purchasing power than storing perishable commodities like grain. Although money is a convenient and efficient medium of exchange, it cannot replace other forms of value storage. Money loses its purchasing power over time due to inflation.
Saving Money
Due to the impossibility of storing services and the short shelf life of many commodities, modern society requires new methods of cost reduction. Putting money aside, retrieving it when necessary, and spending it on a whim are all simple processes. In addition, when inflation is minimal, money retains a large portion of its value.
Value Transfer
Money is more than just a store of value; it may use to acquire goods and services both within and outside of a country. Value can transfer across locations using this method as well.
In both domestic and international markets, monetary exchange is the norm for purchasing and selling things. Because of this, the money market has become more stable and liquid, and vital businesses relating to the money market have flourished.
Demand
A money demand function illustrates how several macroeconomic variables collectively affect the level of aggregate demand for money. The prior reasoning suggests that real GDP and price levels have a beneficial impact on money demand.
This is due to the fact that dealings will be in great demand. The present average interest rate will discourage consumers from purchasing money due to worries about speculation. This is one of the best functions of money supply.
FAQ
How do you Measure the Amount of Money?
Popular measures of money supply include the monetary base, M1, and M2. Reserve funds that banks and other depository institutions retain in accounts at the Federal Reserve increase the amount of money in circulation. The term “monetary base” is used to refer to this total.
What Happens when the Amount of Money Grows?
Interest rates tend to fall as money supply increases. People will have more disposable income and will be able to invest more easily as a result of this. As a result, manufacturers have increased output and spent more money on materials.
When Money is being Used as a Way to Save Money?
Money’s uniqueness also lies in the fact that it may exchange for other goods and services. Money’s dual nature as both a means of exchange and a store of value makes it useful in a wide variety of contexts. Because it may exchange for goods and services at any time and in any location, money is a convenient means of storing wealth.
Final Words
They were a convenient medium of exchange for both immediate and future transactions due to their high value relative to their weight, their divisibility, and the difficulty in producing counterfeits. Many believe that precious metals are a safe investment since their value remains stable over time. Others, however, would argue that these locations’ value as wealth storage facilities was contingent on the expectations that were placed upon them. As long as there remains a need for ornamental items like jewelry, it is likely that their status will maintain.
This optimism leads to the assumption that their worth will remain unchanged. They were simple and reliable methods of estimating monetary value. Anyone can easily calculate the cost of goods and services by using gold weights such as grams and ounces. We’ll look at the functions of money supply and talk about the related topics in this area. For tips on features of money supply, check out this guide specially for you.
