2010 Consumer Expenditures Surveys — 2011-09-27

Average annual expenditures per consumer unit(1) fell 2.0 percent in 2010 following a decrease of 2.8 percent in 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. While spending fell in 2010, prices for goods and services increased 1.6 percent from 2009 to 2010, as measured by the average annual change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). This was the second consecutive year that there has been a drop in spending. The 2010 level of average annual expenditures, $48,109, was lower than the 2006 amount of $48,398. Spending on food and housing fell 3.8 percent and 2.0 percent, respectively, contributing to the overall drop in spending in 2010. Healthcare (+1.0 percent) and transportation (+0.2 percent) were the only major components of spending to increase. Among the other major components, entertainment fell 7.0 percent, cash contributions dropped 5.2 percent, personal insurance and pensions decreased 1.8 percent, and apparel and services fell 1.4 percent. Table A.