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A self-employed pure altruist can donate both time and money

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  • Soneye, Olurotimi O.

Abstract

In models of voluntary contributions to public goods, pure altruists are typically held to donate either time or money, but not both. I show that under self-employment, a pure altruist can rationally contribute both time and money when the opportunity cost of time is endogenously linked to productivity. This link segments giving into time-only, money-only, and joint regimes. An implication is that observing joint contributions of time and money does not necessarily imply behavior driven by warm glow.

Suggested Citation

  • Soneye, Olurotimi O., 2026. "A self-employed pure altruist can donate both time and money," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:260:y:2026:i:c:s0165176526000170
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2026.112823
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Femida Handy & Eliakim Katz, 2008. "Donating behavior: if time is money, which to give? A preliminary analysis," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 35(4), pages 323-332, September.
    2. Femida Handy & Eliakim Katz, 2008. "Donating behavior: if time is money, which to give? A preliminary analysis," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 35(4), pages 323-332, September.
    3. Douglas Young, 1982. "Voluntary purchase of public goods," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 73-85, March.
    4. Andreoni, James, 1989. "Giving with Impure Altruism: Applications to Charity and Ricardian Equivalence," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(6), pages 1447-1458, December.
    5. Lilley, Andrew & Slonim, Robert, 2014. "The price of warm glow," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 58-74.
    6. Alexander L. Brown & Jonathan Meer & J. Forrest Williams, 2019. "Why Do People Volunteer? An Experimental Analysis of Preferences for Time Donations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(4), pages 1455-1468, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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