Are food stamps considered near cash? I was wondering if certain government coupons like food stamps can be considered a form of near cash. I recall my professor saying something like near transfer, but I am unsure if the terms "near transfer" and "near cash" are interchangeable.
It think it depends on:


the liquidity and value of government coupons: if you could sell them very easily for cash and with little discount, then there is little difference.
the accessibility/familiarity of the expenditure they are to represent: if they are food coupons to be exchanged in any major supermarket, then beneficiaries could simply using them for their monthly shopping. If they are to be used only in a super-healthy store, not so easily accessible, and valid only to buy children's food, maybe some of the coupons will not be used, or will be resold at a high discount. In that case, they are less like cash, since it is not very rational to destroy cash, or sell cash for less cash.


The two points are surely connected.