Analysis of Household Financial Management in Facing the Increase in Food Prices in RT 08, Aliantan Village, Kabun District, Rokan Hulu Regency

Abstract

This study analyzes household financial management in facing rising food prices in RT 08, Aliantan Village, Kabun District, Rokan Hulu Regency, where recurring food-price increases place economic pressure on rural households, particularly those with unstable income working in the informal sector such as oil-palm farmers and daily laborers. The study employs a qualitative descriptive approach, with data collected through interviews, observation, and documentation involving seven housewives selected via purposive sampling, and analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, validated through source triangulation. The findings show that household financial management in RT 08 remains simple and has not fully implemented systematic budgeting and financial record-keeping: housewives generally apply budgeting, planning, and joint decision-making with their husbands, but consistently fall short on the record-keeping component, largely because they do not view household finances as requiring the same detailed documentation as a business. In facing rising food prices, housewives apply strategies such as reducing the quantity and variety of food purchased, prioritizing basic needs, postponing non-essential purchases, and relying on loans or assistance from relatives in urgent situations. Households with financial planning and saving habits tend to maintain more stable food consumption than those without such planning. These findings indicate that well-planned financial management, and in particular more consistent record-keeping, plays an important role in sustaining family food security amid continuing food-price pressure.