December 28, 2001 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Spending drops on entertainment, pensions and insurance

The changes in expenditures from 1999 to 2000 varied among the major components of spending. Entertainment and personal insurance and pensions expenditures decreased by 1.5 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively.

[Chart data—TXT]

Expenditures on housing and food went up less than the overall change of 2.8 percent in 2000, rising by 2.2 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. Within the food category, spending on food at home rose 3.6 percent, while spending at restaurants, carryouts, vending machines, and other sources of food away from home rose 1.0 percent.

Spending on apparel and services, transportation, and health care rose by 5.5- to 6.5-percent in 2000.

The Consumer Expenditure Survey is the source of these data. Consumer Expenditure Survey data also include the expenditures and income of consumers, as well as the demographic characteristics of those consumers. For more information, see news release USDL 01-480, Consumer Expenditures in 2000.