Survey of Consumer Finances, 1953

This data collection is one in a series of financial
surveys of consumers conducted annually since 1946. In a nationally
representative sample, the head of each spending unit (usually the
husband, the main earner, or the owner of the home) was interviewed.
The basic unit of reference in the study was the spending unit, but
some family data are also available. The questions in the 1953 survey
covered the respondent's attitudes toward national economic conditions
and price activity, as well as the respondent's own financial
situation. Other questions examined the spending unit head's
occupation, and the nature and amount of the spending unit's income,
debts, liquid assets, changes in liquid assets, savings, investment
preferences, and actual and expected purchases of cars and other major
durables. The survey also elicited respondent's attitudes about
different methods of using income remaining after expenses were met,
e.g., investing in stocks or putting money in savings. In addition,
the survey explored in detail the subject of housing, e.g., previous
and present home ownership, value of respondent's dwelling, and
mortgage information. Further questions concerned life insurance
premiums and coverage and common stock ownership and value. The 1953
survey included a separate questionnaire for farmers that contained
differing questions on sources of income and housing. Personal data
include number of people in the spending unit, age, sex, and education
of the head, and the race and sex of the respondent.