Household and Family Living Expenses

SW MN Farm Business Management Association

Click here to print this file using Acrobat Reader.

Approximately 122 families in the SW MN Farm Business Management Association keep careful records of their household and personal family spending. This data is a summary of their spending patterns. The average family consists of 3.5-3.7 persons. The average age is of the farm operator is 48 years old.

Food and meal costs include non-food items typically bought at a grocery store. Medical costs may include medical and long-term care insurance. Total average family spending increased more than 34 percent from 1996 to 2001.

Number of Family Members	3.7	3.7	3.6	3.6	3.5	3.5
	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Food and Meals	$5,446	$5,310	$5,296	$5,310	$5,394	$5,382
Medical Costs	$4,955	$5,175	$5,177	$5,016	$5,591	$6,197
Donations	$1,490	$1,578	$1,669	$1,902	$1,717	$1,989
Supplies	$2,906	$3,770	$3,208	$3,702	$4,104	$4,319
Clothing	$2,383	$2,233	$2,353	$2,097	$2,300	$2,146
Personal Care	$2,444	$2,205	$2,097	$2,635	$2,962	$3,420
Child Care	$370	$372	$286	$289	$457	$458
Gifts	$2,271	$2,071	$2,298	$2,279	$2,544	$2,294
Education	$1,231	$1,554	$2,148	$2,301	$2,917	$2,639
Recreation	$2,082	$2,395	$2,461	$2,245	$2,687	$3,044
Utilities	$1,470	$1,529	$1,338	$1,527	$1,564	$1,630
Vehicle Expenses	$5,202	$5,133	$3,762	$4,523	$5,764	$5,575
Life Insurance	$1,649	$1,799	$1,853	$2,005	$,2077	$2,134
Income/Social Sec Taxes	$7,614	$9,542	$9,869	$8,457	$11,513	$12,483
Savings/Investments	$3,881	$10,640	$2,515	$3,777	$8,677	$8,410
Misc	$2,190	$2,745	$1,867	$2,261	$2,081	$1,860

Total Expenditures	$47,584	$58,051	$48,197	$50,326	$62,349	$63,980

Expense/Family Member	$12,861	$15,689	$13,388	$13,979	$17,814	$18,280

Summarized by Erlin Weness
University of Minnesota Extension Service

Return to the Farm Management Page
Return to the SWROC Home Page

This page was created 3/20/02 by E. Weness with assistance from M. Werner.