Survey of Household Spending 2023 - Your diary of daily expenses (PDF, 204.25 KB)
Thank you for completing the questionnaire, which was the first part of the survey. The only thing left to complete is your diary of daily expenses. Ideally, please start completing it the day after you submitted the questionnaire.
Why a diary?
Some expenses were not covered in detail during the questionnaire. Frequent day-to-day expenses are often forgotten or understated when collected, but overall they can represent a good portion of a household's budget. This diary will help you to report all of your household's daily expenses and will also help you track your weekly spending. Please complete the diary for 7 or 14 days consecutive days, as instructed in the questionnaire or by your interviewer.
Where does all our money go?
When identifying expenses, some easily forgotten items include coffee and meals purchased at work, school or on the go; miscellaneous items purchased at the pharmacy, grocery store and hardware store; and items purchased by other members of the household. Other examples of forgotten expenses include tickets for the theatre, movies and sporting events; pet food; drinks purchased in bars; purchases made in garden centres and sports stores; and online purchases. That all counts!
How to complete the diary:
Have a receipt?
This is the easiest way to keep track! Put receipts into the diary's pocket. You will not have to transcribe these expenses in the diary. Fill in the diary on a daily basis to avoid forgetting items.
If you don't have a receipt, transcribe an expense:
- Write the date (DD/MM) and a description of the expense.
- Record the cost (CAN$) of each item after deducting coupons, rebates or gift certificates.
Expenses–in stores and online:
- Use this section to record your purchases in stores and online.
- Do not include taxes (unless already included in the cost, such as gas).
Expenses–restaurants, cafeterias, bars, coffee shops, etc.:
- Use this section for expenses in restaurants, fast food restaurants, snack bars, cafeterias, bars, coffee shops, vending machines, caterers, etc.
- Include all taxes, tips and alcoholic beverages in the total cost column, separating the cost of alcohol in the designated column.
Didn't spend anything today?
Please let us know by writing the date and "No spending" in the "Expenses–in stores and online" section.
How to return the diary:
Please use the prepaid return envelope that was included in the survey package to mail the completed diary back to us.
First name:
Diary Start Date
DD MM
Diary End Date
DD MM
Expenses-in stores and online
To report more items, go to next page.
Item #
Date (dd/mm)
Description of item
Total cost (Do not include taxes)
For example:
31/12 GAS 42.75
31/12 MILK 5.89
31/12 MOVIE TICKETS 24.00
Expenses-restaurants, cafeterias, bars, coffee shops, etc.
Item #
Date (dd/mm)
Check the restaurant type
Table service
Fast food
Cafeteria
Other
Check the meal type
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snack or beverage
Alcoholic beverages only
Alcoholic beverage cost
Provide the estimated cost of alcoholic beverages include in the "Total cost"
Total cost
Include all taxes, tips and alcoholic beverages.
To report more expenses, go to next page.
Comments/additional items or expenses
Examples of easily forgotten seasonal goods
Winter:
- Holiday cards and wrapping paper
- Gifts – please list the gifts instead of simply reporting "gifts"
- Decorations – real or artificial trees, garlands, wreaths and lights
- Valentine's Day items – flowers, chocolate and jewellery
- Craft fairs – soaps, knitted blankets, paintings and decorations
- Windshield washer fluid, de-icing salt and shovels
- Winter sports equipment – hockey sticks, skates, snowshoes, skis and snowboards
- Electronics – tablets, readers and video games.
Spring:
- Chocolates
- Mother's Day and Father's Day – please list the gifts instead of simply reporting "gifts"
- Flowers, plants and other gardening related items– trees, shrubs, soil, seeds, sod, fertilizers and weed controls
- Gardening equipment – shovels, rakes, garden hoses and gardening gloves
- Income tax software
- Camping equipment
- Decorations for the yard.
Summer:
- Snacks at ice cream parlours
- Barbecues and picnic related expenses – charcoal, grilling tools and picnic basket
- Swimming pool supplies and accessories - chlorine, inflatables and filters
- Tickets for outdoor events – music and theatre
- Admission to water parks and amusement parks
- Fees or tickets for festivals, fairs and concerts.
Fall:
- Food from farmers' markets
- Gardening products – fertilizer, plants and bulbs
- Halloween and Fall decorations
- Halloween candy
- Home-made beer and wine materials
- Canning materials and supplies
- Snow tires.
Other examples of easily forgotten items
Other easily forgotten items:
- Gasoline for automobiles, motorcycles, trucks and recreational vehicles
Expenses purchased without a receipt or electronic receipts, such as:
- Purchases made at a convenience store – tobacco products, lottery tickets, newspapers, magazines, chewing gum and beer
- Alcoholic beverages and drinks purchased in bars or clubs
- Lunches – for children at school and adults at work
- Beverages – coffee, juice and soft drinks
- Casinos and slot machines
- Internet purchases – please list each item purchased separately.
Occasional purchases, such as:
- Magazines and newspaper subscriptions
- Small electric food preparation appliances – electric grills, toaster ovens, toasters, coffee makers, kettles, blenders, electric knives, breadmakers and electric barbecues
- Health care supplies – first aid kits, bandages, thermometers, bathroom scales and elastic hosiery
- Pet-related goods – food, leashes, litters, collars, aquariums, grooming equipment and doghouses
- Sport or activity-specific equipment – skates, cleats, dance shoes, fishing rods and hunting supplies
- Movies, live performing arts, "dinner and a show" packages or season tickets – theatre, concert and sporting events.