Consumer Spending 2007 – Where Does the Money Go?

Average US Consumer Spending - 2007

In 2007 the average consumer spent $49,638  on a range of necessary and desired expenditures. These expenditures come out of an annual household income of $63,091 per year on average, before taxes. The average consumer owns 1.9 vehicles, and 67 percent of them are homeowners with loans. Households average 2.5 people and 1.3 earners reside in each.

The largest expenditure of the average household is housing. This takes up an average 34.1 percent of the yearly budget of households. This is an average of $16,920 spent on housing. This amount includes $10,023 spent on shelter, $3,477 spent on public services and utilities, $984 spent on household operations, $639 spent on housekeeping supplies and 3.6 Percent spent on household furnishings and equipment.

The second largest expenditure for the average consumer is transportation. The cost of vehicles purchased is an average of $3,244 per year, making it 6.5 percent of the average budget. The cost of oil and gas for vehicles costs the average consumer $2,384 per year, for an average of 4.8 percent of the total yearly budget. Combines, the cost of vehicles and their maintenance costs consumers an average of $8,758 per year. This is a total of 17.6 percent of the yearly budget.

Another large expenditure is healthcare. The average consumer spends $2,853 on healthcare each year. Another physical necessity, food, costs consumers an average of $6,133 per year. An average of $3,465 of that is spent on food that is consumed at home, and $2,668 of it is spent on food consumed away from home. Combines, the money spent on food is 12.4 percent of the entire yearly household budget.

Insurance and pensions are important financial considerations and they cost the average consumer $5,336 per year. This is a total of 10.8 percent of the annual budget. $5,027 f this, 10.1 percent of the yearly budget, is spent on social security and pension contributions. In addition, the average consumer pays an average of $309 each year, making up 0.6 of the annual budget.

Other expenditures include a yearly average of $945 spent on education, making up 1.9 percent of the annual budget. Consumers pay an average of 3.8 percent of their annual income, $1,881, on clothing and related services. Personal care items add up to $588 per year for a total of 1.2 percent of the annual budget.

Entertainment costs $2,698 yearly, making up 5.4 percent of the average consumer’s income. Purchasing reading materials makes up 0.2 percent of the average income, or $118 per year. The average consumer spends $1,821 per year on cash contributions. This makes up 3.7 percent of the consumer’s annual income.

Alcoholic drinks cost an average of $457 per year, or 0.9 percent of the budget. Tobacco and related tobacco supplies cost an average of $323 of the average consumer’s budget, for a total of 0.7 percent of the yearly income. Miscellaneous expenses make up the remaining1.6 percent of the budget with $808 per year.

(source: visualeconomics.com)

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