Diary FAQ

CE-803A
11-2004

Information on Your Participation
in the Consumer Expenditure
Diary Survey

U.S. Department of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Administration

Helping You Make Informed Decisions

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Frequently Asked Questions About the
Consumer Expenditure Diary Survey
What Is the Consumer
Expenditure Diary Survey?
The Consumer Expenditure (CE) Diary Survey
collects information on expenditures and income of individual households. We attempt
to collect data from approximately 1,000
households per month. Your information
is combined with responses from throughout the country. The combined information
shows how the economy is affecting the
various parts of the population such as the
young, the old, the retired, and the disabled.
The Office of Management and Budget has
approved this survey and assigned the
Control Number 1220-0050. We cannot
conduct this survey unless we display this
number. We are conducting this survey for
the Department of Labor under authority of
Title 29, United States Code.

Why Did You Choose Me for This Survey?
We selected your address, not you personally, as part of a sample throughout the
country.

What Guarantee Do I Have That the
Information I Give to You About My
Personal Business Is Not Reported to
Other Persons or Organizations?
Every Census Bureau employee takes an oath
and is subject to a jail penalty, a fine, or
both, if he or she discloses any information
that would identify you as an individual. We
release the information for statistical purposes only, and we never release information
that would disclose your identity. The
information you give is confidential by law
(Section 9 of Title 13, United States Code).

CE-803A
(11-2004)

What Will You Ask Me?
Your cooperation will help us collect accurate
data. You will be asked to record your expenditures, such as for food at home, food while
away from home, household products, housekeeping products, and personal care items on
a diary that we will leave with you. We will
visit your household three times over a
2-week period for this survey, to place and
pick up the diaries. We expect that it will take
about 15 minutes to record your expenditures
daily in addition to about 15 minutes for each
of our visits over this 2-week period. Your
participation in this survey, while voluntary,
is extremely important. If you have any
questions or recommendations for reducing
its length, send them to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, Division of Management Systems,
Project 1220-0050, Washington, DC 20212.

Who Uses the CE Data?
Your responses will help to update the
Consumer Price Index which measures inflation and directly affects wages, pensions, and
the cost for goods and services. The Federal
Government also uses the data in trying to
understand how government policy affects
different kinds of families. For example, the
CE data show the effects of tax changes on
various groups such as those of different ages,
income levels, and marital status.
In addition, many people in your community
and the Nation use the information to make
important decisions that can help to create
jobs. For example, shopkeepers or persons
wanting to expand or start a business use it
to decide where to locate based on consumer
spending habits. State governments also
use CE data to estimate their revenue. For
example, when states increase gasoline taxes,
they can calculate the amount of additional
funds they will receive by using CE data.