U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

American Time Use Survey

Purchasing Goods and Services

Purchasing goods and services includes time spent purchasing consumer goods, professional and personal care services, household services, and government services.

Consumer purchases includes time spent purchasing or renting consumer goods. Professional and personal care services includes time spent obtaining, receiving, and purchasing professional and personal care services provided by someone else for pay. Household services includes time spent arranging for and purchasing household services—such as housecleaning, cooking, and lawn care—provided by someone else for pay. Government services includes time spent obtaining and using government services, such as purchasing government-required licenses or paying fines or fees.

For a more detailed description of this activity category, see the ATUS 2011 Technical Note.

Tables on this page:

Other sources of ATUS data

Purchasing goods and services on weekdays and weekend days in 2011

Time spent purchasing goods and services (1) and percent of the civilian population purchasing goods and services, averages per day on weekdays and weekends, 2011 annual averages
Activity	Average hours per day, civilian population		Average percent engaged in the activity per day		Average hours per day for persons who engaged in the activity
Activity	Weekdays	Weekends and holidays (2)	Weekdays	Weekends and holidays (2)	Weekdays	Weekends and holidays (2)
Total, purchasing goods and services	.69	.81	42.2	43.5	1.62	1.87
Consumer goods purchases	.32	.48	37.8	42.1	.86	1.14
Grocery shopping	.10	.13	13.1	15.3	.75	.84
Professional and personal care services	.09	.04	8.8	3.4	1.00	1.09
Financial services and banking	.01	~0	3.1	1.3	.24	.24
Medical and care services	.06	.01	3.8	.6	1.45	1.82
Personal care services	.02	.02	1.7	1.1	1.16	1.43
Household services	.01	.01	2.0	1.1	.72	.79
Home maintenance, repair, decoration, and construction (not done by self)	~0	~0	.4	.1	1.02	1.03
Vehicle maintenance and repair services (not done by self)	.01	~0	1.0	.7	.74	.74
Government services	~0	~0	.6	.2	.69	(3)
Travel related to purchasing goods and services	.25	.29	41.0	42.3	.62	.68

Footnotes:
(1) All estimates refer to purchasing goods and services done as a main (primary) activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included.
(2) Holidays are New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 2011, data were not collected about Christmas Day.
(3)Estimate is suppressed because it does not meet the American Time Use Survey standard for quality and reliability.
~0 Estimate is approximately zero.
NOTE: Data refer to persons 15 years and over.

These and other detailed activity estimates are also available in:

Table A-2: Time spent in detailed primary activities, and percent of the civilian population engaging in each detailed primary activity category, averages per day by sex on weekdays and weekends, 2011 annual averages (PDF)

For a further description of ATUS data and methodology, see the ATUS 2011 Technical Note.

Purchasing goods and services done by men and women in 2011

Time spent purchasing goods and services (1) and percent of the civilian population purchasing goods and services, averages per day by sex, 2011 annual averages
Activity	Average hours per day, civilian population			Average percent engaged in the activity per day			Average hours per day for persons who engaged in the activity
Activity	Total	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women
Total, purchasing goods and services	.72	.62	.82	42.6	38.4	46.6	1.70	1.61	1.77
Consumer goods purchases	.37	.31	.43	39.1	35.4	42.5	.95	.87	1.01
Grocery shopping	.11	.08	.13	13.8	11.3	16.1	.78	.74	.81
Professional and personal care services	.07	.05	.10	7.2	5.3	9.0	1.02	.85	1.11
Financial services and banking	.01	~0	.01	2.6	2.2	2.9	.24	.20	.28
Medical and care services	.04	.03	.06	2.8	1.9	3.8	1.47	1.49	1.47
Personal care services	.02	.01	.03	1.5	.9	2.0	1.22	.67	1.46
Household services	.01	.01	.01	1.7	1.5	1.9	.73	.88	.62
Home maintenance, repair, decoration, and construction (not done by self)	~0	~0	~0	.3	.2	.4	1.02	1.14	.97
Vehicle maintenance and repair services (not done by self)	.01	.01	~0	.9	.9	.8	.74	.94	.53
Government services	~0	~0	~0	.4	.5	.4	.76	.94	.59
Travel related to purchasing goods and services	.26	.25	.28	41.4	37.3	45.3	.64	.66	.62

Footnotes:
(1) All estimates refer to purchasing goods and services done as a main (primary) activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included.
~0 Estimate is approximately zero.
NOTE: Data refer to persons 15 years and over.

These and other detailed activity estimates are also available in:

Table A-1. Time spent in detailed primary activities and percent of the civilian population engaging in each detailed primary activity category, averages per day by sex, 2011 annual averages (PDF)

For a further description of ATUS data and methodology, see the ATUS 2011 Technical Note.

Other sources of ATUS data

ATUS news releases

ATUS tables

ATUS charts

ATUS papers and publications

Last Modified Date: June 22, 2012