Study of Consumer Purchases in the United States, 1935-1936

In 1935, the principal investigators interviewed a national sample of all families in the United States to ascertain for the first time in a single national survey the earning and spending habits of inhabitants of large and small cities, villages, and farms. Families completed questionnaires that reported in detail all household income sources and expenditures. Respondents were asked to list the amount of all income received by the family from each person employed as well as from other sources such as gifts, interest and dividends, pensions, and work in the home. Complete information was also provided on family composition, type of living quarters, housing accommodations, fuel and other utility expenses, medical care, recreational activities, tobacco use, purchase of reading materials, educational expenses, miscellaneous occupational expenses, gifts furnished, taxes paid, automobile expenses, personal care costs, and a detailed appraisal of all changes in family assets and liabilities over the course of the previous year. Families also reported the quantity of food items consumed, unit purchase price, and total expense of all food items consumed by the family in the seven days prior to the interview. In addition, families were queried on furnishings and equipment purchased for the home as well as on all items of clothing purchased for each family member in the previous year. Demographic characteristics recorded for each household member include relationship to the household head, age, sex, occupation, weeks spent at home or away from home, wage rate, length of time employed during the year, and total earnings.