Study title

The Household Budget Survey records all residing household expenditures to purchase goods and services to meet their needs; it is the main data source to describe, analyze and explain household spending behaviours. The survey allows to analyze the evolution of the household expenditure level and composition, according to household socio-demographic characteristics. The survey is conducted through two different technique: a self-filled diary, in which the household records purchases over a seven-day period, and a final face-to-face interview. According to sample design, approximately 28,000 households are interviewed each year. The survey refers to the total cost of the good or service purchased, apart from the moment of consumption or use and the payment instrument (instalments or credit card). Every item of expenditure reported in the dataset refers to a period of one month. The survey is used by Istat for the determination of the relative poverty.