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Consumer Expenditure Diary CE Diary

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Burden Statement

How long will the interview take?
We expect that it will take about 9 minutes per day to record your expenditures in the diary.

By law (Title 13, U.S. Code), we must keep your information confidential; we use it for statistical purposes only.

This survey is collected under OMB control number 1220-0050. This survey could not be conducted without a valid OMB control number.

If you have comments regarding this survey, please send them to CEComments@bls.gov.

Accessibility

The Census Bureau is committed to making online forms and other public documents on its Internet server accessible to all. Currently, we are reviewing our websites and making modifications to those pages which are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. We use Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) to create pages that are generally accessible to persons using screen-reading devices, and we are careful in our construction of HTML documents to ensure maximum accessibility. We include alternate text describing graphics.

Many Census Bureau Internet documents are in ASCII or HTML formats. These documents are accessible to persons using screen-reading software. We also have a large number of documents in Adobe Acrobat PDF (Portable Document Format) files. Currently, many people using screen-reading devices cannot read documents in PDF format, specifically those that were created from a scanned hard copy.

Adobe Systems, Inc. is producing various products designed to make Adobe Acrobat documents accessible to persons using screen-reading software. Adobe's accessibility web pages describe their efforts.

To allow us to better serve those with visual disabilities who are having difficulty accessing PDF documents: you may contact us directly for further assistance at 301-763-INFO (4636), 800-923-8282, or by submitting a request at ask.census.gov.

Security Information

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OMB №: 1220-0050

Approval Expires: 11/30/2023

Contact Us

Please contact us with any questions or concerns. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

You can reach the Help Desk by email at Census.CE.Helpdesk@census.gov or by telephone at 877-744-1522. Our Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm ET.

After hours: Please leave your name, phone number, and a detailed message. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Help

User Settings

Please contact us with any questions or concerns. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

You can reach the Help Desk by email at Census.CE.Helpdesk@census.gov or by telephone at 877-744-1522. Our Help Desk representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm ET.

After hours: Please leave your name, phone number, and a detailed message. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

General Instructions

Complete this diary for Week 1 and Week 2 of the two-week period. Enter everything you and the people in your household spend money on each day – the products you buy, the services you use, the household expenses you have during the week – no matter how large or small they are.

We recommend that you record your expenses each day. Think about where you went and what you did.

Include payments by:

Cash
Credit/Debit Card
Automatic Withdrawal/Payroll Deduction
Check
Money Order
Store Charge Card
Food Stamps
WIC Voucher
Gift Certificate

Keep receipts and other records so that you will remember to record what you bought or paid for.

Some record types include:

Receipts
Bank Statements
Catalog/Internet Purchases
Bills
Credit Card Statements
Pay Stubs

Include items that you bought for people who are not in your household, such as gifts.

Do Not Record

Expenses while you were away from home overnight
Business or farm operating expenses
Sales tax, except for Meals, Snacks, and Drinks Away from Home

How to Fill Out Your Diary

For each category, please record:

Meals, Snacks, and Drinks Away from Home
- Select the date of purchase.
- Enter the name of the restaurant, vendor, or cafeteria where you made this purchase.
- Enter the total cost with tax and tip.
- Mark one of the four choices that best describes where you made the purchase.
- Mark whether alcoholic beverages were included or not, and if yes, enter the cost of the alcoholic beverages.
Food and Drinks for Home Consumption
- Select the date of purchase.
- Enter the name of the store, business, or website where the item was purchased.
- Describe the item.
- Enter the cost without tax and deduct any discounts or coupons.
- Mark whether the item was fresh, frozen, bottled/canned, or other.
Clothing, Shoes, Jewelry, and Accessories
- Select the date of purchase.
- Enter the name of the store, business, or website where the item was purchased.
- Describe the item and enter the cost without tax.
- Mark the appropriate sex and age range of the person for whom the item was bought.
All Other Products, Services, and Expenses
- Select the date of purchase.
- Enter the name of the store, business, or website where the item was purchased.
- Describe the item and enter the cost without tax.

Diary Examples

Meals, Snacks, and Drinks Away from Home
- Fast Food, Take-out, Delivery, Concession (you pay before you eat/drink)
- Full Service Places (you pay after you eat/drink)
- Vending Machines or Mobile Vendors (include vending machines, carts, & food trucks that move from place to place)
- Employer and School Cafeterias (includes elementary school pre-payments)
Food and Drinks for Home Consumption
- Grain Products (cake mixes, cereal, cornmeal, flour, pasta, rice, spaghetti, etc.)
- Bakery Products (cakes, cookies, frozen waffles, pies, white bread, other bread, etc.)
- Beef (briskets, ground beef, round & other roasts, sirloin, etc.)
- Pork (bacon, ham, pork chops, sausage, etc.)
- Poultry (chicken parts, duck, whole turkey, etc.)
- Other meats (bologna, frankfurters, lamb, liverwurst, organ meats, salami, etc.)
- Fish & Seafood (fish, shellfish, etc.)
- Oils, Fats & Dressings (salad dressing, shortening, vinegar, etc.)
- Eggs & Dairy Products (butter, cream, cheese, ice cream, skim milk, powdered milk, etc.)
- Fruits & Fruit Juices (apples, bananas, cranberry juice, oranges, orange juice, etc.)
- Sugar, Sugar Substitutes & Sweets (artificial sweeteners, candy, gum, jams, jellies, etc.)
- Vegetables & Vegetable Juices (beans, corn, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato juice, etc.)
- Other Food Items (baby food, pet food, frozen foods, gourmet/specialty items, sauces, seasonings, soups, etc.)
- Non-Alcoholic Beverages (carbonated & non-carbonated waters, cola & other carbonated beverages, fruit-flavored beverages, instant & ground coffee, tea, etc.)
- Alcoholic Beverages (beer, champagne, liqueurs, whiskey, wine, etc.)
- Food & Beverages Purchases as Gifts for someone not in your household (candy, cheese, fruit baskets, wine, etc.)
Clothing, Shoes, Jewelry, and Accessories
- Casual, Sportswear, Formal (dress, pants, shirt, shorts, suit, sweater, etc.)
- Undergarments & Sleep Clothes (hosiery, lingerie, pajamas, socks, etc.)
- Outdoor, Work, School, Costumes (coat, jacket, thermals, uniform, windbreaker, etc.)
- Shoes (boots, dress, sandals, slippers, sneakers, etc.)
- Jewelry, Accessories & Sewing Items (belt, buttons, hairpiece, hat, ring, thread, umbrella, etc.)
All Other Products, Services, and Expenses
- Medicines, Medical Supplies & Services (bandages, canes & other medical equipment, doctor & dentist services, prescription eyeglasses, health insurance, prescription drugs, ointments, vitamins, wheelchairs, etc.)
- Entertainment/Amusements & Sports/Recreation (admissions to movies, clubs, sporting & cultural events, camping, CDs, concert tickets, hunting, sports & exercise equipment, tapes, toys, TVs, video/stereo equipment, video purchase/rental, etc.)
- Housekeeping Supplies & Services (bathroom tissue, brooms, laundry & cleaning detergents, light bulbs, maid service, mops, paper towels, sponges, etc.)
- Housewares & Small Household Appliances (blenders, coffee makers, cooking utensils, dinnerware, glassware, irons, utensils, pots & pans, telephones, toasters, etc.)
- School Expenses (daycare, high school & college tuition, room & board, school supplies, textbooks, etc.)
- Transportation Expenses (airline fares, buses, car rental, commuter fares, new & used cars, maintenance and repair, parking fees, taxis, tolls, train fares, etc.)
- Personal Care Products & Services (cosmetics, dental products, deodorants, hair care products, hand soap, men's & women's haircuts, perfume, shaving products, skin care products, etc.)
- Clothing Services (alterations, dry cleaning, shoe repairs, storage, tailoring, etc.)
- Tobacco & Smoking Supplies (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smoking accessories, tobacco, etc.)
- Gasoline, Oil & Additives (brake fluid, coolants, gasoline, motor oil, etc.)
- Home Furnishings, Decorative Items, Linens & Major Appliances (artwork, clocks, curtains, lamps, picture frames, pillows, plants, refrigerators, rugs, sheets, sofas, stoves, table cloths, tables, towels, vases, etc.)
- Home Maintenance, Hardware, Lawn Supplies & Services (hand tools, improvement & repair equipment, lawn/garden equipment, nails, power tools, screws, supplies, services, etc.)
- Housing Expenses (cable service, electricity, garbage removal, heating/cooling, insurance, maintenance fees, mortgage payments, property taxes, rent, telephone, etc.)
- All Other Expenses (alteration and repair of household furnishings, ATM service fees, babysitting, books, club dues, diaper services, donations, legal & accounting fees, magazines, newspapers, pet supplies & veterinary services, photographic supplies, postage, sewing goods, shipping & handling, stationery, etc.)

FAQs

What should I do if I forget my Username and Password?

Click on the "Forgot Username" and/or "Forgot Password" links on the login screen. Follow the relevant directions. If you have any issues, call the CE Help Desk at 877-744-1522 or email Census.CE.Helpdesk@census.gov.
How detailed should my descriptions be?

Refer to the for examples of the level of detail needed in each part. Do not rely solely on brand names.
How can I delete or make changes to an expense that I've saved?

Locate the saved expense listed under the relevant date in the Expenses section of the main page. Click on the saved expense and make any changes. Click the 'Save' button to save your changes. Click the 'Delete' button to delete your expense.
How should I record multiple quantities?

You may group identical items on the same entry and enter a total cost of all the items, or you may write each item on a separate entry with the individual cost.
How should I record pre-payments such as a subway fare card?

Record the expense when you pay for it, not when you use it.
How should I record credit card purchases?

Record the purchase on the day that you use your credit card to pay for it, not the day you receive or pay your credit card bill.
Should I record automatic deductions taken from my paycheck or bank account?

Yes, record automatic deductions (such as health insurance premiums taken out of your account or paycheck) only if they are deducted that week. Write them in the section called All Other Products, Services, and Expenses.
Should I record typical monthly bills?

Yes, record typical monthly bills only if you pay them during the week that you have the diary. Enter them in the section called All Other Products, Services, and Expenses.
What should I do when I use coupons, discount cards, or loyalty cards?

Subtract the discount from the original price and enter the amount that you paid.
Can I just give you receipts instead of entering the information online?

No, we need you to enter the information into the online diary. We encourage you to save your receipts to review them with your Field Representative at the end of the week.
How should I record items if I don’t know whether it includes tax?

Write down the amount paid.
What if I make a contribution or charitable donation?

Record money contributions or donations in the section called All Other Products, Services, and Expenses.
What about gift certificates or gift cards?

If you buy a gift certificate to give to someone, enter it as a regular expense. If you buy a gift certificate to give to someone, write down the cost of it under the appropriate section (e.g., a certificate to a clothing store would go under Clothing, Shoes, Jewelry, and Accessories and a certificate to a department store would go under All Other Products, Services, and Expenses. If you use a gift card, enter the full amount for your purchase as if paid with cash.
What do I do about returns and exchanges?

If an item is bought and returned during the diary period, it can be deleted (see FAQ 3). If it was bought outside the diary period and returned during the period, do not make any entry. If an item is exchanged during the diary period, change or edit the item that was returned to the new item and its cost on the day the exchange was made (see FAQ 3).
Should I record subsidized/reimbursed expenses?

Yes, but if someone not in your household pays for or helps pay for an expense or if you will be reimbursed for an expense, only record the amount that you or someone in your household has to pay.
What should I do about shipping & handling costs?

Include the shipping & handling cost in the total price of the item. If the shipping & handling covered multiple items, include the shipping & handling in the total price of one item from the order.
How do I know what items to report for each type of expense?

Click or tap on the icon next to each expense type category.

Definitions

Date Purchased

select the date from this list on which the meal or item was purchased. The dates available reflect the data collection period for your household’s diary keeping period.

Describe item or expense

Type in a brief description of your purchase. Be as specific as possible.

Where did you make this purchase? (Meals, Snacks, and Drinks Away from Home)

Select the type of place where the Meals, Snacks, and Drinks Away from Home was purchased by someone in your household. For example:

Fast Food, Delivery, Take-out, or Concessions: you pay before you eat or drink;
Full Service Places: you pay after you eat or drink;
Vending Machines or Mobile Vendors/Food Trucks: include vending machines, carts, and food trucks that move from place to place;
Employer or School Cafeterias: includes school meal pre-payments.

Were alcoholic beverages included? (Meals, Snacks, and Drinks Away from Home)

If beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages were purchased, select the yes box.

Is this item? (Food and Drinks for Home Consumption)

Select the nature or type of packaging for the Food and Drinks for Home Consumption that was purchased. For example: Fresh, Frozen, Bottled/Canned, or Other.

Business (Enter Business Name)

Type in the name of the store, restaurant, or website where the item was purchased.

Was the item for: (Clothing, Shoes, Jewelry, and Accessories)

Select the age range and gender of the person for which clothing, shoes, jewelry, or accessories was purchased. For example: Under 2 years old, Boy 2 to 15 years old, Girl 2 to 15 years old, Man 16 year and over, or Woman 16 year and over.