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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditures in 1998; and earlier reports. http://stats.bls.gov:80/csxhome.htm * Consumer Expenditure Survey Program This program consists of two surveys -- the quarterly Interview survey and the Diary survey that provide information on the buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers) characteristics. Annual income and expenditures integrated from the Interview and Diary surveys in varying detail, classified by income, age, consumer unit size, and other demographic characteristics of consumer units, since 1984. Annual income and expenditures from the Interview and Diary surveys by selected consumer unit characteristics, since 1980. Quarterly Interview survey data by selected consumer unit characteristics, since 1984. Coverage * The surveys target the total noninstitutionalized population (urban and rural) of the United States in 1980, 1984 and thereafter. The surveys targeted the urban noninstitutionalized population in 1981 through 1983. * The data are collected in independent quarterly Interview and weekly Diary surveys of approximately 5,000 sample households. Each survey has its own independent sample, and each collects data on household income and socioeconomic characteristics. * The Interview survey includes monthly out-of-pocket expenditures such as housing, apparel, transportation, health care, insurance, and entertainment. * The Diary survey includes weekly expenditures of frequently purchased items such as food and beverages, tobacco, personal care products, and nonprescription drugs and supplies. * EXPENDITURES Expenditures consist of the transaction costs, including excise and sales taxes, of goods and services acquired during the interview or recordkeeping period. Expenditure estimates include expenditures for gifts, but exclude purchases or portions of purchases directly assignable to business purposes. Also excluded are periodic credit or installment payments on goods or services already acquired. The full cost of each purchase is recorded even though full payment may not have been made at the date of purchase. The order of the expenditures listed here follows the order of presentation in published CE tables. The major expenditure categories are: Food Housing Apparel and Services Transportation Health Care Entertainment Other Expenditures FOOD Food at home refers to the total expenditures for food at grocery stores or other food stores and food prepared by the consumer unit on trips. It excludes the purchase of nonfood items. Cereals and cereal products includes ready-to-eat and cooked cereals, pasta, flour, prepared flour mixes, and other cereal products such as cornmeal, corn starch, and rice. Bakery products includes bread (white and other than white), crackers and cookies, biscuits and rolls, cakes, cupcakes, bread and cracker products, pies, tarts, sweet rolls, coffeecakes, doughnuts, and other frozen and refrigerated bakery products such as cookies, bread and cake dough, and batter. Beef includes ground beef, roasts, steaks, veal, and other cuts of beef, excluding canned beef. Pork includes bacon, pork chops, ham (including canned), roasts, sausage, and other cuts of pork. Other meats includes frankfurters; lunch meats such as bologna, liverwurst, and salami; also lamb, mutton, goat, game, and organ meats. Poultry includes fresh and frozen chickens and other fresh and frozen poultry (Cornish hens, turkey, duck, etc.). Fish and seafood includes canned fish and seafood and fresh or frozen finfish and shellfish. Eggs includes fresh eggs as well as powdered eggs and egg substitutes. Fresh milk and cream includes fresh whole milk and other fresh milk such as buttermilk and fresh cream (including table cream, whipping cream, fresh sour cream, and fresh sour cream dressing). Other dairy products includes butter, cheese, ice cream products, yogurt, powdered milk, condensed and evaporated milk, liquid and powdered diet beverages, malted milk, milk shakes, chocolate milk, and other specified dairy products. Fresh fruits includes all fresh fruits. Fresh vegetables includes all fresh vegetables. Processed fruits includes all frozen fruits and fruit juices, canned and dried fruits, and canned or bottled fruit juices. Processed vegetables includes canned, dried, and frozen vegetables, and vegetable juices. Sugar and other sweets includes sugar, candy and chewing gum, artificial sweeteners, jams, jellies, preserves, fruit butters, syrup, fudge mixes, icings, and other sweets. Fats and oils includes margarine, shortening and salad dressings, nondairy cream substitutes and imitation milk, and peanut butter. Miscellaneous foods includes frozen prepared meals and other foods, canned and packaged soups, potato chips, nuts and other snacks, condiments and seasonings, olives, pickles, relishes, sauces and gravies, baking needs and other specified condiments, other canned and packaged prepared foods, salads, desserts, and baby foods. Nonalcoholic beverages includes diet and nondiet carbonated drinks (cola, fruit, and other carbonated drinks), coffee (roasted, instant, and freeze dried), tea (loose, instant, and ready-to-drink), and other nonalcoholic beverages, including noncarbonated fruit drinks, breakfast substitutes, chocolate flavored powders, and other specified nonalcoholic beverages. Food away from home includes all meals (breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner) at restaurants, carryouts, and vending machines, including tips, plus meals as pay, special catered affairs such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, and confirmations, and meals away from home on trips. Alcoholic beverages includes beer and ale, wine, whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, and other alcoholic beverages. HOUSING Owned dwellings includes interest on mortgages, property taxes and insurance, refinancing and prepayment charges, ground rent, expenses for property management/security, homeowners' insurance, fire insurance and extended coverage, expenses for repairs and maintenance contracted out, and expenses of materials for owner-performed repairs and maintenance for dwellings used or maintained by the consumer unit. Mortgage principal repayments are payments of loans and are shown in Other financial information. Rented dwellings includes rent paid for dwellings, rent received as pay, parking fees, maintenance, and other expenses. Other lodging includes all expenses for vacation homes, school, college, hotels, motels, cottages, trailer camps, and other lodging while out of town. Utilities, fuels, and public services includes natural gas, electricity, fuel oil, wood, kerosene, coal, bottled gas, water, garbage and trash collection, sewerage maintenance, septic tank cleaning, telephone charges, and other public services. Domestic services includes babysitters, day care tuition, care of invalids, and domestic and other duties. Other household expenses includes housekeeping services, gardening and lawn care services, coin-operated laundry and dry-cleaning (non-clothing), termite and pest control products, moving, storage, and freight expenses, repair of household appliances and other household equipment, repair of computer systems for home use, reupholstering and furniture repair, rental and repair of lawn and gardening tools, and rental of other household equipment. Housekeeping and garden supplies includes laundry and cleaning supplies, cleaning and toilet tissues, stationery supplies, postage, miscellaneous household products, and lawn and garden supplies. Household textiles includes bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, and other linens, curtains and drapes, slipcovers and decorative pillows, and sewing materials. Furniture includes living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, nursery, porch, lawn, and other outdoor furniture. Floor coverings includes installation and replacement of wall-to-wall carpets, room-size rugs, and other soft floor coverings. Major appliances includes refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, stoves, ovens, garbage disposals, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, air-conditioners, sewing machines, washing machines and dryers, and floor cleaning equipment. Small appliances/miscellaneous housewares includes small electrical kitchen appliances, portable heating and cooling equipment, china and other dinnerware, flatware, glassware, silver and other serving pieces, nonelectric cookware, and plastic dinnerware. Excludes personal care appliances. Miscellaneous household equipment includes typewriters, luggage, lamps and other light fixtures, window coverings, clocks, lawnmowers and gardening equipment, other hand and power tools, telephone answering devices, telephone accessories, computers and computer hardware for home use, computer software and accessories for home use, calculators, office equipment for home use, floral arrangements and house plants, rental of furniture, closet and storage items, household decorative items, infants' equipment, outdoor equipment, smoke alarms, other household appliances, and small miscellaneous furnishings. APPAREL AND SERVICES Men's and boys' apparel includes coats, jackets, sweaters, vests, sportcoats, tailored jackets, trousers, slacks, shorts and short sets, sportswear, shirts, underwear, nightwear, hosiery, uniforms, and other accessories. Women's and girls' apparel includes coats, jackets, furs, sportcoats, tailored jackets, sweaters, vests, blouses, shirts, dresses, dungarees, culottes, slacks, shorts, sportswear, underwear, nightwear, uniforms, hosiery, and other accessories. Apparel for children under 2 includes coats, jackets, snowsuits, underwear, diapers, dresses, crawlers, sleeping garments, hosiery, footwear, and other accessories for children under 2. Footwear includes articles such as shoes, slippers, boots, and other similar items. It excludes footwear for children under 2 and special footwear used for sports such as bowling or golf shoes. Other apparel products and services includes material for making clothes, shoe repair, alterations and repairs, sewing patterns and notions, clothing rental, clothing storage, dry cleaning, sent out laundry, watches, jewelry, and repairs to watches and jewelry. TRANSPORTATION Vehicle purchases (net outlay) includes the net outlay (purchase price minus trade-in value) on new and used domestic and imported cars and trucks; other vehicles include attachable campers, trailers, motorcycles, and private planes. Vehicle finance charges includes the dollar amount of interest paid for a loan contracted for the purchase of vehicles described above. Gasoline and motor oil includes gasoline, diesel fuel, and motor oil. Maintenance and repairs includes tires, batteries, tubes, lubrication, filters, coolant, additives, brake and transmission fluids, oil change, brake adjustment and repair, front-end alignment, wheel balancing, steering repair, shock absorber replacement, clutch and transmission repair, electrical system repair, exhaust system repair, body work and painting, motor repair, repair to cooling system, drive train repair, drive shaft and rear-end repair, tire repair, other maintenance and services, and auto repair policies. Vehicle insurance includes the premium paid for insuring cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Public transportation includes fares for mass transit, buses, trains, airlines, taxis, private school buses, and boats. Vehicle rent, licenses, and other charges includes leased and rented cars, trucks, motorcycles, and aircraft, inspection fees, State and local registration, drivers' license fees, parking fees, towing charges, and tolls. HEALTH CARE Health insurance includes health maintenance plans (HMO's), Blue Cross/Blue Shield, commercial health insurance, Medicare, Medicare supplemental insurance, and other health insurance. Medical services includes hospital room and services, physicians' services, service of a practitioner other than physician, eye and dental care, lab tests, X-rays, nursing, therapy services, care in convalescent or nursing home, and other medical care. Drugs includes prescription and nonprescription drugs, internal and respiratory over-the-counter drugs. Medical supplies includes topicals and dressings, antiseptics, bandages, cotton, first aid kits, contraceptives, syringes, ice bags, thermometers, sunlamps, vaporizers, heating pads, medical appliances such as braces, canes, crutches, and walkers, eyeglasses, and hearing aids, rental and repair of medical equipment. ENTERTAINMENT Fees and admissions includes fees for participant sports; admissions to sporting events, movies, concerts, plays; health, swimming, tennis and country club memberships, and other social recreational and fraternal organizations; recreational lessons or instruction; rental of movies, and recreation expenses on trips. Television, radio, and sound equipment includes television sets, video recorders, video cassettes, tapes, disks, disk players, video game hardware, video game cartridges, cable TV, radios, phonographs, tape recorders and players, sound components, records and tapes, and records and tapes through record clubs, musical instruments, and rental and repair of TV and sound equipment. Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment includes pet food, pet services, veterinary expenses, toys, games, hobbies, tricycles, and playground equipment. Other entertainment equipment and services includes indoor exercise equipment, athletic shoes, bicycles, trailers, campers, camping equipment, rental of campers and trailers, hunting and fishing equipment, sports equipment, winter sports equipment, water sports equipment, boats, boat motors and boat trailers, rental of boats, landing and docking fees, rental and repair of sports equipment, photographic equipment, film and film processing, photographer fees, repair and rental of photo equipment, fireworks, pinball and electronic video games. OTHER EXPENDITURES Personal care products and services includes products for the hair, oral hygiene products, shaving needs, cosmetics and bath products, electric personal care appliances, other personal care products, personal care services for males and females. Reading includes subscriptions for newspapers, magazines, and books through book clubs; purchase of single copy newspapers and magazines, newsletters, books, and encyclopedias and other reference books. Education includes tuition, fees, textbooks, supplies, and equipment for public and private nursery schools, elementary and high schools, colleges and universities, and other schools. Tobacco products and smoking supplies includes cigarettes, cigars, snuff, loose smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, and smoking accessories such as cigarette or cigar holders, pipes, flints, lighters, pipe cleaners, and other smoking products and accessories. Miscellaneous includes safety deposit box rental, checking account fees and other bank services, legal fees, accounting fees, funerals, cemetery lots, union dues, occupational expenses, and finance charges other than for mortgage and vehicles. Cash contributions includes cash contributed to persons or organizations outside the consumer unit including alimony and child support payments, care of students away from home, and contributions to religious, educational, charitable, or political organizations. Life, endowment, annuities, and other personal insurance includes premiums for whole life and term insurance; endowments; income and other life insurance; mortgage guarantee insurance; mortgage life insurance; premiums for personal liability, accident and disability, and other nonhealth insurance other than for homes and vehicles. Retirement, pensions, and Social Security includes all Social Security contributions paid by employees; employee's contributions to railroad retirement, government retirement, and private pension programs; retirement programs for self-employed. * patterns and notions, clothing rental, clothing storage, dry cleaning, sent out laundry, watches, jewelry, and repairs to watches and jewelry. TRANSPORTATION Vehicle purchases (net outlay) includes the net outlay (purchase price minus trade-in value) on new and used domestic and imported cars and trucks; other vehicles include attachable campers, trailers, motorcycles, and private planes. Vehicle finance charges includes the dollar amount of interest paid for a loan contracted for the purchase of vehicles described above. Gasoline and motor oil includes gasoline, diesel fuel, and motor oil. Maintenance and repairs includes tires, batteries, tubes, lubrication, filters, coolant, additives, brake and transmission fluids, oil change, brake adjustment and repair, front-end alignment, wheel balancing, steering repair, shock absorber replacement, clutch and transmission repair, electrical system repair, exhaust system repair, body work and painting, motor repair, repair to cooling system, drive train repair, drive shaft and rear-end repair, tire repair, other maintenance and services, and auto repair policies. Vehicle insurance includes the premium paid for insuring cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Public transportation includes fares for mass transit, buses, trains, airlines, taxis, private school buses, and boats. Vehicle rent, licenses, and other charges includes leased and rented cars, trucks, motorcycles, and aircraft, inspection fees, State and local registration, drivers' license fees, parking fees, towing charges, and tolls. HEALTH CARE Health insurance includes health maintenance plans (HMO's), Blue Cross/Blue Shield, commercial health insurance, Medicare, Medicare supplemental insurance, and other health insurance. Medical services includes hospital room and services, physicians' services, service of a practitioner other than physician, eye and dental care, lab tests, X-rays, nursing, therapy services, care in convalescent or nursing home, and other medical care. Drugs includes prescription and nonprescription drugs, internal and respiratory over-the-counter drugs. Medical supplies includes topicals and dressings, antiseptics, bandages, cotton, first aid kits, contraceptives, syringes, ice bags, thermometers, sunlamps, vaporizers, heating pads, medical appliances such as braces, canes, crutches, and walkers, eyeglasses, and hearing aids, rental and repair of medical equipment. ENTERTAINMENT Fees and admissions includes fees for participant sports; admissions to sporting events, movies, concerts, plays; health, swimming, tennis and country club memberships, and other social recreational and fraternal organizations; recreational lessons or instruction; rental of movies, and recreation expenses on trips. Television, radio, and sound equipment includes television sets, video recorders, video cassettes, tapes, disks, disk players, video game hardware, video game cartridges, cable TV, radios, phonographs, tape recorders and players, sound components, records and tapes, and records and tapes through record clubs, musical instruments, and rental and repair of TV and sound equipment. Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment includes pet food, pet services, veterinary expenses, toys, games, hobbies, tricycles, and playground equipment. Other entertainment equipment and services includes indoor exercise equipment, athletic shoes, bicycles, trailers, campers, camping equipment, rental of campers and trailers, hunting and fishing equipment, sports equipment, winter sports equipment, water sports equipment, boats, boat motors and boat trailers, rental of boats, landing and docking fees, rental and repair of sports equipment, photographic equipment, film and film processing, photographer fees, repair and rental of photo equipment, fireworks, pinball and electronic video games. OTHER EXPENDITURES Personal care products and services includes products for the hair, oral hygiene products, shaving needs, cosmetics and bath products, electric personal care appliances, other personal care products, personal care services for males and females. Reading includes subscriptions for newspapers, magazines, and books through book clubs; purchase of single copy newspapers and magazines, newsletters, books, and encyclopedias and other reference books. Education includes tuition, fees, textbooks, supplies, and equipment for public and private nursery schools, elementary and high schools, colleges and universities, and other schools. Tobacco products and smoking supplies includes cigarettes, cigars, snuff, loose smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, and smoking accessories such as cigarette or cigar holders, pipes, flints, lighters, pipe cleaners, and other smoking products and accessories. Miscellaneous includes safety deposit box rental, checking account fees and other bank services, legal fees, accounting fees, funerals, cemetery lots, union dues, occupational expenses, and finance charges other than for mortgage and vehicles. Cash contributions includes cash contributed to persons or organizations outside the consumer unit including alimony and child support payments, care of students away from home, and contributions to religious, educational, charitable, or political organizations. Life, endowment, annuities, and other personal insurance includes premiums for whole life and term insurance; endowments; income and other life insurance; mortgage guarantee insurance; mortgage life insurance; premiums for personal liability, accident and disability, and other nonhealth insurance other than for homes and vehicles. Retirement, pensions, and Social Security includes all Social Security contributions paid by employees; employee's contributions to railroad retirement, government retirement, and private pension programs; retirement programs for self-employed. INCOME AND PERSONAL TAXES Income is the combined income of all consumer unit members 14 years of age or over during the 12 months preceding the interview. The components of income are described below. The order of the definitions of income and personal taxes follows the order of presentation in published CE tables. For a definition of Complete income reporters or Quintiles of income, see the Characteristics section above. Money income before taxes is the total money earnings and selected money receipts during the 12 months prior to the interview date. It includes the following components: Wages and salaries includes total money earnings for all consumer unit members, 14 years of age and over, from all jobs, including civilian wages and salaries, Armed Forces pay and allowances, piece-rate payments, commissions, tips, National Guard or Reserve pay (received for training periods), and cash bonuses before deductions for taxes, pensions, union dues, etc. Self-employment income includes net business and farm income, which consists of net income (gross receipts minus operating expenses) from a profession or unincorporated business or from the operation of a farm by an owner, tenant, or sharecropper. If the business or farm is a partnership, only an appropriate share of net income is recorded. Losses are also recorded. Social Security, private and government retirement includes the following: (1) payments by the Federal Government made under retirement, survivors', and disability insurance programs to retired persons, to dependents of deceased insured workers, or to disabled workers; and (2) private pensions or retirement benefits received by retired persons or their survivors, either directly or through an insurance company. Interest, dividends, rental income, and other property income includes interest income on savings or bonds; payments made by a corporation to its stockholders, periodic receipts from estates or trust funds; net income or loss from the rental of property, real estate, or farms, and net income or loss from roomers or boarders. Unemployment and workers' compensation and veterans' benefits includes income from unemployment compensation and workers' compensation, and veterans' payments including educational benefits, but excluding military retirement. Public assistance, supplemental security income, and food stamps includes public assistance or welfare, including money received from job training grants; supplemental security income paid by Federal, State, and local welfare agencies to low-income persons who are age 65 or over, blind, or disabled; and the value of food stamps obtained. Regular contributions for support includes alimony and child support as well as any regular contributions from persons outside the consumer unit. Other income includes money income from care of foster children, cash scholarships, fellowships, or stipends not based on working; and meals and rent as pay. Federal income taxes includes Federal income taxes withheld in survey year to pay for income earned in survey year plus additional taxes paid in survey year to cover any underpayment or underwithholding of taxes in the year prior to the survey. State and local income taxes includes State and local income taxes withheld in survey year to pay for income earned in survey year plus additional taxes paid in survey year to cover any underpayment or underwithholding of taxes in year prior to survey. Other taxes includes personal property and other personal taxes paid, including Social Security taxes for the self-employed paid in the survey year to cover any underpayment or underwithholding of taxes in the year prior to the survey. OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION The items here are not part of expenditures or income. They are provided for additional information. Net change in assets includes changes in savings and checking accounts; purchases of securities (stocks, bonds, or mutual funds) in the year which they were held to the end of the year, sales of securities which were purchased in a prior year; changes in the balances of money owed to the consumer unit (CU); sales and purchases, and repairs and improvements to own dwelling occupied by the CU; vacation home, recreational property, unimproved land and other property owned by the CU; changes in investments in unincorporated family businesses and farms; amounts received or reimbursements from the sale of vehicles; principal amounts of trust held on own dwelling, vacation home, and other properties owned by the CU; and surrender of insurance policies. This value has a positive or negative sign to indicate increase or decrease in assets. Net change in liabilities includes changes in mortgage principal on own dwelling occupied by the consumer unit (CU), vacation home, recreational property, unimproved land and other property owned by the CU; payments of mortgage interest due before either survey year of the survey period; money owed on purchases of cars, trucks, and other vehicles, and money owed to other creditors such as department stores, banks, credit unions, finance companies, insurance companies, doctors, dentists, and other medical practitioners. This value has a positive or negative sign to indicate increases or decreases in liabilities. Other money receipts includes lump-sum payment from estates, trusts, insurance, sale of house furnishings, refunds from overpayment on Social Security, refunds from insurance policies, and refunds from property taxes. Mortgage principal paid on owned property includes the reduction of mortgage principal on a mortgage obtained prior to the interview quarter for a home or any other property. This is not included in homeowner costs, but is repayment of a loan. Gifts of goods and services includes gift expenditures for persons outside of the consumer unit: (1) clothing for females and males over 2 years of age, and infants under 2 years of age; (2) jewelry and watches; (3) small appliances and miscellaneous housewares; (4) blankets, sheets, towels, and table linens; and (5) all other gifts. These items have already been defined. Their values are given so they can be subtracted from the expenditure totals if the value of consumption within the household is desired. * These tables are based on figures supplied by the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce and are subject to revision by the Census Bureau. Copyright © 2006 Photius Coutsoukis and Information Technology Associates, all rights reserved. |