FINANCE FACTS - Budgets and Spending - Monthly Publication on Consumer Financial Behaoior - April 1970

Sep 21, 2026

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FINANCE FACTS (April 1970) summarizes consumer-related financial conditions through several analytical sections. It compares family budget levels, describing how costs vary with family size and age structure, and breaks spending into major consumption categories. It also reports consumer asset and liability estimates as of September 30, 1969, including asset-to-debt ratios and owners’ equity. Additional sections outline trends in industrial production and personal income, highlighting how price changes, taxes, employment payroll shifts, and transfer payments affect overall outcomes for households.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Budgets and Spending

Industrial Production

Consumer Balance Sheet

Personal Income

Consumer Credit

FINANCE FACTS A Monthly Publication on Consumer Financial Behaoior Any or all the material in this publieation may he quoted or neproduced. APRIL 1970 # BUDGETS AND SPENDING Spending paterns of families differ widely depending not only on incomebut also on the family size and age make up,manner of living andplace of residence.The Bureau of Labor Statistics has developedseveral sets of budgets which describe a specified manner of livingfor various types of families.Among them are budgets for three levelsfor an urban family of four persons.Preliminary estimates for spring1969 of these budget costs are now available for 39 metropolitanareas,4 regional classes of nonmetropolitan areas,and urban U.S. This carefully defined budget-type family consisting of a 38-year oldhusband,employed full time,a wife not employed outside the house-hold,a boy of 13,and a girl of 8,has average inventories of clothing,home furnishings,major durables,and other equipment.At this middlestage in the life cycle-after about 15 years of married life-the family⑥is well established,and the husband generally an experienced worker For the intermediate budget,the U.S.urban average cost was $10,077in the spring of 1969.The cost for the lower budget was $6,567-35%less than the intermediate.The higher budget amounted to $14,589一45%above the intermediate budget.These figures include costs ofconsumption-food,housing,transportation,clothing and personalcare,medical care,gifts,education and recreation-as well as otherexpenses including life insurance,occupational expenses,social se-curity payroll deductions,and personal taxes.Consumption costs ac-count for 80%of the total budget at the lower level,78%at the inter-mediate level,and 74%at the higher level. Rising retail prices since spring 1967 have increased the costs for all threebudgets by 11%to 12%.The greatest percentage increases were personaltaxes(28%for the higher to 31%for the lower budget),social securitytaxes,insurance and contributions(13%to 15%),medical care about14%,clothing and personal care 11%.Smaller percentage increasesoccurred for housing(5%to 6%),transportation 8%,and food(8%to 9%). # INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION Industrial production declined {urther in February and was 169.4%of the1957-59 average,off 0.5%from the January level of 170.2.Output de-clines were widespread in manufacturing and more than offset the 0.5%increase in production resulting from settlement of the GeneralElectricstrike. FINANCE FACTS APRIL 1970 Among consumer goods,auto assemblies were reduced again-to anannual rate of 6.5 million units,down almost one-third from mid-1969.Production schedules for March indicate some rise in auto out-put.Partly in response to the strike settlement,production of appli-ances and television sets rose in February but was still 15%below the1969 high.Output of most other consumer goods declined.Outputof trucks also declined further.Production of industrial and commer-cial equipment and defense products rose because of the strike settle-ment.Among industrial materials,production of most durable andnondurable materials dropped,including steel,paper,rubber,andchemicals. # CONSUMER BALANCE SHEET Total assets of consumers are preliminarily estimated at $2,576.6 billionas of September 30,1969.At the same time,consumers had liabilitiesof $363.2 billion leaving them a net worth of $2,213.4 billion. Current (financial)assets were estimated at $1,617.6 billion.Fixed assetsincluded $614.0 billion in homeownership and $345.0 billion as theestimated value of durable goods for a total of $959.0 billion. Current liabilities stood at $114.7 billion and fixed liabilities of mortgagedebt at $248.5 billion,to bring total liabilities to $363.2 billion. Assets and debt position of the American consumer at the end of Sep-tember 1969 showed 17.1 to 1 asset-to-debt ratio of all assets and debtsexcluding those involving homeownership where the ratio was 2.5 to 1.Ratio of all assets to all debts was

FAQs

How do the report’s family budgets differ across budget levels in 1969?

The intermediate urban family-of-four budget averages $10,077 in spring 1969, with the lower budget at $6,567 (about 35% less) and the higher budget at $14,589 (about 45% more). Consumption costs make up the largest share at each level, falling from about 80% (lower) to 74% (higher).

What does the report state about consumer net worth and liabilities as of September 30, 1969?

Total consumer assets are preliminarily estimated at $2,576.6 billion, while liabilities are $363.2 billion, leaving net worth of $2,213.4 billion. Current and fixed asset breakdowns and liability components (including mortgaged debt) are provided to support the calculation.

What factors contributed to personal income changes reported for February?

Personal income rose by $3.3 billion in February, with wage and salary income increasing only $1.7 billion. The gain was moderated by manufacturing payroll declines, while construction, trade industry, and services payrolls rose. Transfer payments also increased to about $70 billion, largely due to social security and unemployment insurance.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana