Food: $7,203, which can be further broken down into $4,049 of food at home and $3,154 on food away from home.
Alcoholic beverages: $484.
Housing: $18,886, which includes mortgage payments or rent, property taxes, maintenance, utilities, household services and products, furnishings and appliances. On a monthly basis, this implies that the average household spends $1,573 on all of these expenses combined.
Apparel and services: $1,803.
Transportation: $9,049. In addition to the cost of vehicles, this includes gasoline, finance charges, maintenance, insurance and public transportation expenses.
Health care: $4,612, which includes the cost of health insurance, medical services, prescription drugs as well as other medical supplies.
Entertainment: $2,913. This includes in-home entertainment costs, as well as outside-the-home entertainment ventures. Certain other expenses, such as your pets, are included here.
Personal care products and services: $707.
Reading: $118.
Education: $1,329.
Tobacco products and supplies: $337.
Miscellaneous: $959.
Cash contributions (charity, for example): $2,081.
Personal insurance and pensions: $6,831. The largest expense in this category is Social Security payroll tax, but life insurance premiums and pension contributions are also included.
Personal taxes: $10,489, which includes the average household's $8,367 federal income tax bill, as well as state and local income taxes.