Explaining transactions in time banks in economic crisis

Abstract

This article studies the services exchanged in a particular Spanish time bank. Using data from users and transactions, we analyse the users’ profile as well as the determinants of providing and receiving different services. Our results show that the representative user is a Spanish female, not married, middle aged, highly educated and unemployed. We also find differences in the personal characteristics driving the supply and demand of services.

Keywords:

• time banking
• community currency
• informal economy
• probit models

JEL Classification:

• J49
• C25
• L39

Notes

¹ We have also estimated the models for the subsample of females. Although there are some differences in the magnitude of the estimated coefficients, our main qualitative findings do not change. The results are available from the authors upon request.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support from the Spanish Government under project ECO2011-29751 by the first author, under project ECO2010-17943 by the second author and under project ECO2012-32854 by the third author is gratefully acknowledged. The first author also acknowledges financial support from Generalitat Valenciana under project PROMETEO/2013/037.