Household economics
Household economics covers the economic analysis of all decisions made by households. The microeconomic foundations of household economics were pioneered by the founders of the New Home Economics (NHE), Gary Becker and Jacob Mincer. All family economics is included in household economics and Becker's Treatise on the Family is therefore a major contribution to both fields. Topics covered include:
- consumption and savings
- labor supply and allocation of time to household production and leisure
- child-related topics: fertility and parental investments in children's wellbeing
- the demand for health (part of health economics)
- intergenerational relations, including bequests and care of older relatives
- household formation via cohabitation, marriage or independent living, including the study of mate selection
- divorce and separation
- marriage-related transfer payments such as brideprice, dowry, alimony, and child support
- financial relations among partners and spouses
- macroeconomic applications, including studies related to economic development.
The methods of analyses include market analyses, cost-benefit analyses, experimental analysis, and intra-household bargaining theories.