Working wives' time-saving tendencies: Durable ownership, convenience food consumption, and meal purchases

Abstract

Using nationwide Canadian survey data, this study investigates effects of wife's working status on time-saving tendencies exhibited by wives in household production. Contrary to many previous studies, even after controlling for household income, family life cycle, and other covariates, wife's working status was found to significantly increase the likelihood of the family's ownership of several time-saving durables and the frequency of purchasing meals away from home. Working wives, however, did not appear to be heavier users of convenience foods than nonworking wives