Census to Survey Spending Habits Posted by AVCU on 1:10 PM

This month the U.S. Census Bureau will begin collecting information about how much Americans spend for groceries, clothing, transportation, housing, health care and other items from a sample of households across the country. The Consumer Expenditure Survey, to be conducted by field people, consists of two parts:

• Interview Survey — During the year, about 15,000 households will be visited each quarter to obtain data on relatively large expenditures and also those expenditures that occur on a regular basis (such as rent and utilities).
• Diary Survey — During the year, another 12,500 households will be asked to keep two consecutive one-week diaries of smaller, more frequent purchases that may be difficult for respondents to recall later (such as a fast-food purchase at a drive-through window, a soda or candy bar from a vending machine, or a carton of eggs from the supermarket).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics then calculates and publishes integrated data from the two surveys — providing a snapshot of the national economy and spending habits. Government economists use the survey results to update a “market basket” of goods and services for the Consumer Price Index, the most widely used measure of inflation.

Read the complete text of this release, including supplementary figures and additional statistics.