2013Consumer Expenditures Surveys — 2014-09-09

Average expenditures per consumer unit (1) in 2013 were $51,100, little changed from 2012 levels, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In 2013 spending decreased 0.7 percent during the same period that the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) increased 1.5 percent. In 2012 spending had increased 3.5 percent, outpacing the increase in prices. In 2013 average income per consumer unit edged down from 2012. Most of the major components of household spending decreased in 2013, as shown in table A. The largest declines occurred in the all other expenditures (-8.2 percent) and apparel and services (-7.6 percent) components. The all other expenditures category includes alcoholic beverages, education, miscellaneous, personal care products, reading, and tobacco products, all of which showed decreases. The only major components of household spending to increase were healthcare (2.1 percent), housing (1.5 percent), and transportation (0.1 percent).