r/PeterExplainsTheJoke 9h ago

Meme needing explanation Petah?

Post image
14.6k Upvotes

2.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/BigWhiteDog 5h ago

<negative interest rates How does that work? I've heard the term but don't understand how that would work.

8

u/echoshatter 5h ago

There's a penalty for hanging on to money. Banks would essentially be fined for not loaning money out, so the net result is insanely low-to-zero interest for borrowers.

The problem is, of course, if the downturn is that bad, you have to weigh having money in reserve that takes a penalty versus loaning it out and losing it all.

1

u/BigWhiteDog 5h ago

Ah, ok. Thanks

2

u/ChocolateNo3010 5h ago

As I understand it for savings, you are charged for keeping money in a bank account, so rather than getting interest you lose money.

2

u/VicariousInDub 5h ago

Wouldn’t that just lead to everyone running to the banks and trying to take their money out and therefor basically ruin the banking system?

2

u/ByrdmanRanger 4h ago

"You're thinking of this place all wrong. As if I had the money back in a safe. The money's not here. Well your money's in Joe's house. That's right next to yours and in the Kennedy house and Mrs Melan's house and... and a hundred others."

-George Bailey

2

u/ProfessionalTie545 4h ago

Like the it's a wonderful life guy?

1

u/ByrdmanRanger 4h ago

Yup. Even decades later the system is the same. If I went to my local bank to withdrawal all my money, it's extremely unlikely they'd have enough to cover it unless it was a prominent bank in a fairly large urban center. And that's just one person. Hell, most banks don't have liquid assets to cover all their customers cash if they all start pulling it out.

1

u/iloveplant420 4h ago

As soon a they said that this scene popped into my head. I've seen this movie hundreds of times. It's my dad's favorite. He'll watch it any time of year.

2

u/ByrdmanRanger 3h ago

It was my dad's favorite Christmas movie, we still watch it every Christmas Eve even after he passed some years ago.

1

u/oXObsidianXo 4h ago

Bold of you to assume you can just go and pull all the money out of your account. What you’re talking about it a bank run btw.

1

u/OdessyOfIllios 4h ago

Possibly and probably for those who understand what ZIRP or negative real rates implies.

Having money in a savings account would be silly. The value of a dollar today would be more valuable than the value of a dollar tomorrow in such a situation.

Would be a good environment to be buying equity.

1

u/Fn_Spaghetti_Monster 3h ago

Just to add, bank typical only have to actual keep 5-10% of the money you deposit "on hand". The other 90% they turn around lend out to someone else.