What do people spend the most money on?  
There are many ways to address this but i've been focusing on the following:
What do people spend the most money on in general, meaning what
industry takes in the most money?  This can be driven by governments
and/or individuals.  
Another helpful indicator may be per capita spending and what people
spend the most money on.
I'm thinking there might be some ranking that addresses this topic. 
My inclination is that most spending is on shelter, but this may even
vary by country so to make it less complicated, the answer may be in
regards to the U.S. or the world as a whole.
Thanks,
A

Hi Agame!


According to the latest U.S. government statistics, American household
spending totaled, on average, $40,677 per household in 2002.

Americans spent their money in eight major categories: food, housing,
apparel, transportation, health care, entertainment, and personal
insurance and pensions. Americans spend the most on housing.

The following table, based on findings from the U.S. Department of
Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows the average annual spending
for U.S. households for 2002.

Housing               13,283

Transportation         7,759

Food                   5,375

Personal ins./pensions 3,899

Health care            2,350

Entertainment          2,079

Apparel and services   1,749

Education                752
 

U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics,
ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/ce/standard/y0002/multiyr.txt


Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey
http://stats.bls.gov/cex/2001/Standard/age.pdf


Consumer Expenditures in 2001
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics April 2003
http://www.bls.gov/cex/csxann01.pdf

Claritas, Consumer Spending Patterns

?The data contained on this page of Consumer Spending Patterns (CSP)
are from Claritas' Consumer Buying Power database, derived using
information from the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES), which is
conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.?
http://www.cluster1.claritas.com/eReports/Content/samples/consspend.pdf


Search Criteria 
U.S. spending per capita housing transportation food health
Consumer spending patterns
Spending patterns of Americans
Expenditure survey


I hope you find this helpful!

Best regards,
Bobbie7

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Request for Answer Clarification by agame-ga on 14 Jan 2004 13:46 PST

Great and quick response.  Did you find anything on world spending
issues which would relate more to government spending because
governments also spend large sums of money, maybe more than individual
consumers.  Thanks.

---

Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 14 Jan 2004 18:44 PST

I?m pleased that you were happy with my research. Here is some
additional information regarding your clarification about government
spending. I am providing data for U.S. government spending since I
didn't come across information for global government spending.


Budget of the U.S. Government

?There are many categories of services provided by the Federal
Government. First, there are social security and Medicare benefits.
Second, there is national defense (salaries and pensions for members
of the Armed Services and to provide equipment and supplies to our
armed forces). Another use of Federal tax receipts for net interest
(payments of interest on the public debt, less interest received by
trust funds and other interest received).?


 ?The Federal Government provides income security programs
(unemployment compensation, retirement and disability programs, food
stamps and housing subsidies). It also has programs for health care
(assistance to the poor through the Medicaid program, the training of
health care professionals, and medical research activities). In
addition, the Government is responsible for education, training and
social services (grants to elementary, secondary, and vocational
schools and assistance to colleges and universities). The Government
also provides grants to state and local governments for social
services programs.?
http://www.ustreas.gov/education/faq/budget/us-budget.html

Federal Government: Expenditures 2002
http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/factfiles_detail.cfm?issue_type=federal_budget&list=8


U.S. Government spending 2002

The amounts below are in hundreds of thousands of dollars (100,000).

Social security           456,413  
National defense          348,555  
Medicare                  230,855  
Health                    196,545  
Interest                  170,951  
Other                      97,794  
Fed. employee retirement   83,193  
Education/soc. services    70,544  
Transportation             61,862  
Veterans services          50,984  
Unemployment               50,645  
Administration of justice  34,316  
Food assistance            33,228  
Natural resources          29,454  
International affairs      22,357  
Agriculture                22,188  
General government         17,385  
Space flight               13,473  
Community development      12,991  
General science             7,242
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-us-budget-and-where-does-the-money-go.htm


Best wishes,
Bobbie7

Thanks for all of your help.  The only reason I didn't rate 5 stars
may even be my fault for not being clearer but i began this question
by wondering where most of the money in the world goes.  I don't want
to ask again because you have already been thorough in what you did
answer.
Great research,
agame