Here are some crazy facts about consumerism and spending.
People love to shop, and we spend a lot of time doing it. We just cannot wait to part with our money. Every year we spend trillions of dollars on clothing, electronics, homes and household items, cars and a billion other products- most of them replacing things that are still working. It’s hard to believe the staggering amounts being spent. Here are some other mind blowing facts about the USA’s consumer habits. But don’t think Americans are alone in this, as they are just an example of how we’ve all become consumers instead of citizens.
1. In 1930, the average American woman owned 9 outfits. Nowadays the average American woman owns 30.
2. 25% of people who have two-car garages don’t have space to park their cars.
4. Since the early 2000’s the home organization industry has doubled in size. It now sees an annual earning of $8 billion.
3. In the last 50 years, the average American home size has tripled.
5. One in ten Americans rents a storage unit outside of their home.
6. There are over 300,000 items in an average American home.
7. Each year the average American throws away 65 pounds (29 kg) of clothing.
8. An average child will accumulate 238 toys by the time they are 10 years old. They will only play with about 12 of them. Despite making up just over 3 percent of the global population of children, American kids consume 40 percent of the world’s toys.
9. Annually Americans spend more on shoes, jewelry and watches ($100 billion) than they do on higher education.
10. Researchers have found that present day Americans purchase twice as many material goods as they did 50 years ago.
11. 60% of private consumption worldwide is done by 12% of the world, who live in North America and Western Europe.
12. In the US, there are more malls than high schools.
13. The average person will spend 3,680 hours (153 days, or 5 months) of their lives looking for misplaced items. The most frequent items are phones, keys, sunglasses, and paperwork.
14. Throughout her lifetime, the average American woman will spend more than 8 years shopping.
15. Almost half of American households are not saving, nor do they have a savings account.
16. Most households have more television sets than they do people.
17. It is estimated that by 2020 China will use more oil per day than the US uses in one year.
18. 99% of the cellphones we replaces are still in good working order.
19. NEARLY 40 PERCENT OF FOOD IN AMERICA GOES TO WASTE!
Related Posts- Is It Possible To Overcome Our Consumerism?
Change The Code 
I’ve enjoyed your posts on consumerism, that’s why Maria and I are working to set up our homestead. To remove ourselves as much as we can from the consumer equation. We plan to grow and raise as much of our own food as we are capable, and to give away the surplus to those who need it.
Hi! That is fantastic. Yes I am really getting getting tired of this “traditional” way of life of just buying stuff all the time for no good reason. So some changes have to be made. Thanks so much for your comment and good luck with your venture.
Reblogged this on Change The Code and commented:
Why? Just why??
really enjoyed reading the list your created on consumerism. we are not typical American family….we work very at being more minimalist in our purchases. recently we were helping another family of two, their are 6 of us, clean their basement. we were overwhelmed…..they had more stuff just in their basement then we had in our entire home. Two adults vs. a home with 2 adults and 4 teenagers. It made me sick as they didn’t know what they had and it meant nothing to them……….all that money spent and most of it was being thrown away or given away. I guess some people have more money then sense! 🙂 Another great post Mark.
I know. I see it with my friends. We have just been so conditioned(fooled?) into thinking we need to have all this stuff. More and more. A lot of us do come to our senses somehow but there are new consumers waiting in the wings. So crazy.
you are absolutely right, crazy! so wished I could have 1/10 of the money our friends spent on the stuff we were hauling out of their basement!
Yes. And of course the whole “money spent” or sunk cost idea is one reason why people won’t declutter. We feel that we are throwing away money. I have clothes in my closet that I NEVER WEAR!! But I still feel that way. Yikes.
you’ll get there! I am way past the sunk cost phase ………..simple is better! and less, in most cases, is more 🙂