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Consumer Expenditure Surveys

Note to 2008 CE Public Use Microdata users

ERRATA – RBT file
Consumer Expenditure Public-Use Microdata

December 2, 2009:

To users of the 2008 Consumer Expenditure Survey Public Use Microdata files bought before December 1, 2009:

An error was found in the month of receipt in the public-use Interview Tax Rebate file (RBT08) and related values in the MTAB file (MTBI083). Replacement files (or CDs, if preferred) will be sent upon request to all users who have received the original release of 2008 data. The error does not involve the dollar amounts received or how the money was intended to be used by the respondents.

Description of the error

The following Interview Files were affected:

SAS, SPSS, STATA, ASCII-comma-delimited(*.sas7bdata, *.sav, *.dta, *.csv)

ASCII column parametered file type

RBT08.*

RBT08.txt

MTBI083.*

MTABI083.txt


Variables affected: RBTMO (in RBT08) and REF_MO (in MTAB)

In 2008Q3, several CUs were assigned the incorrect month of receipt for their 2008 tax rebate. The month values have been corrected in the RBT08 file and their corresponding UCCs in the MTBI083 file. A total number of 170 records were corrected.

All of the files have the same variables, formats and start positions (where applicable) as in the original release. Details on the variables can be found in the 2008 data dictionary.

Addendum Files

To request the “RBTMO” replacement files in SAS, STATA, SPSS, ASCII – comma delimited, or ASCII – column parametered, please contact the Consumer Expenditure Survey and be sure to specify what file type is needed. If you prefer, we will replace the original version of the CD with the corrected version.

  • Phone- (202) 691-6900
  • Email - cexinfo@bls.gov


  • All orders placed after December 1, 2009 will receive the data CD with addendum files contained within. The corrected CD-ROMs will have label indicating the most recent version number (v2) for the CD to distinguish them from previously released CDs.

    We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us by telephone or email.




    ERRATA – Interview Data Dictionary
    Consumer Expenditure Public-Use Microdata

    December 2, 2009:

    To users of the 2008 Consumer Expenditure Survey Public Use Microdata files bought before December 1, 2009:

    Four variables from the UTA file were found to be missing in the PUMD Access data dictionary and the Interview Data Dictionary.

    Additionally, the year values in the QYEAR variables in the PUMD Access data dictionary and Interview Data Dictionary were not updated to reflect the current release years.

    These pieces of documentation have been corrected and are available upon request.

    The Interview Data Dictionary is also available on the CE website.

    Variables updated in the data dictionary:

    TELRESD
    TELCELL
    TINTNET_
    TCABLE_
    QYEAR

    Replacement Documentation:

    To request the corrected documentation files, please contact the Consumer Expenditure Survey.

  • Phone- (202) 691-6900
  • Email - cexinfo@bls.gov


  • All orders placed after December 1, 2009 will receive the data CD with the corrected documentation contained within.

    We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us by telephone or email.

     

    Last Modified Date: December 7, 2009