Where do Americans spend their money?
According to the Census Bureau, based on an approximate household median income of $43,300, nearly 13 percent ($5,357) goes to buy food, with about 40 percent ($3,114) of that spent at restaurants and fast-food stops. Nearly 20 percent ($7,859) goes toward housing, 5.7 percent ($2,267) for health care, and more than 19 percent ($7,697) for transportation. Americans contributed $241 billion to charity in 2003 and spent more than $34 billion on their pets in 2004. After eating, paying for the house, making the car payment, and grooming Fido, Americans had entertainment expenses. In the first six months of 2005, according to the trade publication Home Media Retailing, Americans spent more than $11 billion to rent DVDs and videocassettes. Disney’s “The Incredibles,” was the biggest hit, bringing in more than $400 million in revenue.
