Healthy Balance

People of all income levels are spending more time and money on leisure, according to a study conducted by Economics Prof. Dora Costa.

Examining consumer surveys going back 100 years, Costa found that people in the late 1800s spent 75 percent of their income on food, clothes, and shelter. Low-income families spent nearly 1 percent on leisure, while high income earners spent more than 3 percent. By 1991, though, the average household was spending 38 percent of its income on the basics–and 6 percent on recreation.

The study found that both money and time spent on leisure activities had risen proportionately faster for the laborer than for the rich.

Reasons for that, Costa says, include: Americans get more time off than they did; public investment in parks, sports facilities, and golf courses puts more leisure activities within our means; and technology–CDs, videos, and affordable cars–have greatly expanded leisure opportunities.

by Liz Karagianis Next »

On Topic: economics, faculty