The Bureau of Labor Statistics website is a treasure chest of info for geeky types like me. If you click on the consumers link on the left hand side, you can then click through to find average spending for various groups broken down by income level, family size, and age group. I find this fascinating from a purely educational point of view. I don't think that this report means that I need to run out and spend $376 on tobacco and smoking supplies, but it is interesting to see where our spending is near to or far from the national averages.
Another thing that is useful about reading these BLS charts is that it shows you how the federal government breaks down budget categories. I've often wondered how to budget things: do I want to put all insurance in one category, or does auto insurance go under transportation and homeowner's insurance go under housing? You can do whichever works for you, but it is good to think about these things.
Maybe you will find it interesting, too.
