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Do migrant remittances affect household spending? Focus on wedding expenditures

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  • Jakhongir Kakhkharov

    (Flinders University)

  • Muzaffarjon Ahunov

    (Woosong University Jayang-Dong)

Abstract

We use nationally representative survey data and propensity score matching to investigate the impact of remittances from labor migrants on households’ wedding expenditures. The investigation provides evidence that remittance-receiving households spend a smaller share of their budget on wedding ceremonies. Since lavish wedding ceremonies serve the purpose of increasing households' social status through conspicuous displays of wealth, the study concludes that remittance-recipient households are less likely to be engaged in conspicuous consumption than are households that do not receive remittances.

Suggested Citation

  • Jakhongir Kakhkharov & Muzaffarjon Ahunov, 2022. "Do migrant remittances affect household spending? Focus on wedding expenditures," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(2), pages 979-1028, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:63:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s00181-021-02163-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-021-02163-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Sima Rani Dey & Faroque Ahmed & Mohammad Tareque & Md. Moniruzzaman, 2024. "Impact of Returnee Remittances on Migrant Households’ Well-Being in Bangladesh," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 36(6), pages 1545-1572, December.
    2. Jakhongir Kakhkharov & Nicholas Rohde, 2023. "Remittance flows and informal economies in post‐Soviet transition countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(10), pages 3057-3080, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Migration; Remittances; Household expenditures; Wedding expenditures;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F24 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Remittances
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis

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