Cash contributions Spending
How much American households spend on cash contributions — 2024 data from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey
Spending Insight: Cash contributions
American households spent an average of $2,292 on cash contributions in 2024, representing 2.9% of total consumer expenditures. Spending declined 3.6% from 2023 ($2,378), indicating households may be cutting back or finding lower-cost alternatives.
Since 2020, cash contributions spending has risen by 0.4% (from $2,283 to $2,292), broadly tracking with inflation-adjusted cost changes.
Income is the strongest predictor of cash contributions spending: the top income quintile spends $5,031/year versus $778 for the lowest quintile — a 6.5x gap. Regionally, the West spends the most ($2,564/year) while the Northeast spends the least ($1,857/year). Use the cross-cuts below — by income, region, age, household size, and housing tenure — to see which demographic factors drive this category hardest for your situation.
Spending Trend (2020–2024)
| Year | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,292 |
| 2023 | $2,378 |
| 2022 | $2,755 |
| 2021 | $2,415 |
| 2020 | $2,283 |
By Income Level (2024)
How cash contributions spending varies across income quintiles
| Income Group | Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Lowest 20% | $778 |
| Second 20% | $1,420 |
| Middle 20% | $1,924 |
| Fourth 20% | $2,291 |
| Highest 20% | $5,031 |
By Region (2024)
Geographic variation in cash contributions spending
By Age Group (2024)
How cash contributions spending changes across the lifecycle
By Household Size (2024)
| Size | Annual |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $2,152 |
| 2 People | $2,351 |
| 3 People | $2,690 |
| 4 People | $1,992 |
| 5 or More | $2,201 |
By Housing Tenure (2024)
| Tenure | Annual |
|---|---|
| Homeowner (with mortgage) | $2,935 |
| Homeowner (no mortgage) | $2,288 |
| Renter | $3,788 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the average household spend on cash contributions? ▼
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Spending Guides
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Browse other major categories from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
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Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
