Consumption Responses to In-Kind Transfers: Evidence from the Introduction of the Food Stamp Program
利用双重差分法估计美国食品券计划引入对家庭食品支出的影响，发现食品券减少了自付食品支出并增加了总食品支出，且家庭对现金和食品券的反应相似。
Economists have strong theoretical predictions about how in-kind transfers, such as providing vouchers for food, impact consumption. Despite the prominence of the theory, there is little empirical work on responses to in-kind transfers, and most existing work fails to support the canonical theoretical model. We employ difference-in-difference methods to estimate the impact of program introduction on food spending. Consistent with predictions, we find that food stamps reduce out-of-pocket food spending and increase overall food expenditures. We also find that households are inframarginal and respond similarly to one dollar in cash income and one dollar in food stamps.