Consumer Expenditures Midyear Update: July 2017- June 2018

"Average expenditures per consumer unit(1) for July 2017 through June 2018 were up 4.0 percent compared with the July

2016 through June 2017 midyear average, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. During the same period, 
the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) rose 2.3 percent, and average pretax incomes increased 4.3 percent.


Table A. Average expenditures and income of all consumer units
_____________________________________________________________________________
                                                           Percent change      
                             July 2016-    July 2017-   July 2016 - June 2017
Item                         June 2017     June 2018            to
                              Average       Average     July 2017 - June 2018
---------------------------------------    ----------   ---------------------
Income before taxes            $73,207      $76,335              4.3
Average annual expenditures     58,460       60,815              4.0
  Food                           7,407        7,869              6.2
   Food at home                  4,121        4,445              7.9
   Food away from home           3,286        3,424              4.2
  Housing                       19,325       20,001              3.5
  Apparel and services           1,771        1,850              4.5
  Transportation                 9,252        9,735              5.2
  Healthcare                     4,710        4,924              4.5
  Entertainment                  2,941        3,379             14.9
  Education    1,372        1,505       9.7
  Cash contributions             2,088        1,840            -11.9
  Personal insurance and         6,938        6,904             -0.5
   pensions                                                  
   Pensions and Social           6,554        6,474             -1.2
   Security                   
  All other expenditures         2,655        2,808              5.8
____________________________________________________________________________
"

Consumer spending