2001 Consumer Expenditures Surveys — 2002-12-03

Average annual expenditures per consumer unit rose 3.9 percent in 2001, following increases of 2.8 percent in 2000 and 4.1 percent in 1999, according to results from the Consumer Expenditure Survey released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The increase in expenditures from 2000 to 2001 was more than the 2.8 percent annual average rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over this period. The changes in expenditures from 2000 to 2001 varied among the major components of spending and are not strictly comparable to previous data for some items. (See the Technical note on page 2.) Expenditures on personal insurance and pensions showed the largest increase, 11.1 percent. Spending on housing, health care, and entertainment also rose more than the overall average, ranging from 4.8 to 5.6 percent. Spending on food and transportation rose by 3.2 and 2.9 percent, respectively, whereas spending on apparel and services decreased by 6.1 percent.