October 06, 2009
Average annual expenditures per consumer unit rose 1.7 percent in 2008 following
an increase of 2.6 percent in 2007. Increases in spending on housing (1.1 percent)
and food (5.1 percent) coupled with decreases in spending for transportation
(-1.8 percent) and apparel (-4.3 percent) contributed to the small overall
increase in 2008.