Average family spends £459 a week

The Office of National Statistics has just released a household survey tracking expenditure patterns in 2007. Supposedly, the average family spends £459 a week or about £23900 a year.

I am always surprised how much the average family spends on transportation. It turns out to be the largest single expenditure item.

Likewise, I am a little skeptical about the surprisingly low ranking for alcohol and cigarettes. The ONS reckons that the average household spends just over ten quid a week.

All I can say is that the ONS wasn't thinking of my house when they compiled these numbers.