Now that erratic holiday spending has ceased and tax time nears, consumers are tallying their spending records and questioning where their incomes went.

According to the latest Consumer Expenditure Survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the older the consumer; the bigger the spender. For instance, those between 30 and 50 years of age spent an average of $1,192 on gasoline and oil while those between 15 and 30 spent substantially less with $820. Consumers are paying attention to their vehicle maintenance and repair; with 30 to 50 years of age an average of $751 yearly. Those over 50 spent an average of $1,116 yearly on vehicle maintenance and repair. When considering that 30 to 50 years old own an average of 2.4 vehicles and the 50 and above age group average 2.7 vehicles, those figures promise financial growth for automotive technicians.

Consumers also spent heavily on food away from home, entertainment, health care and general household operations. According to the survey, 30 to 50 year-olds spent an average of $6,105 on food with $1,971 of that total going to food away from home. Entertainment averaged $441 for consumers between 30 and 50 for the year. An average of $1,814 was spent on health care by those 30 to 50. This increased to $2,327 on average for those over 50 years of age. The average household operations spending for consumers in the 30 to 50 range checked in at $530 for the year. Consumers 50 and above averaged $1,011 on household operations.

A strong economy and consumer spending are vital elements in the business plan of any automotive service facility. Consumer expenditures for other categories and demographics can be obtained through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or by contacting Denise Caspersen at (800) 272-7467, ext. 236.

Stat Corner is written by Denise Caspersen, ASA's research management specialist. She can be reached at (800) 272-7467, ext. 236.

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