<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Post Adjustment > Expenditure Surveys > General Questions (during the survey) > What level of detail or accuracy is required in reporting my expenditures?

Expenditures in categories with consistent amounts are easier to remember; for instance, rent, domestic service costs, utility bills, expenditures on durable items, etc. Expenditures in other categories, however, may be more erratic and difficult to recall; for example, monthly expenditures on groceries. For these items, estimates based on past trends are acceptable.

 

Generally, you should provide an exact amount of your expenditure; otherwise, provide an estimate which makes sense to you and is plausible for the item under consideration.

 

You may use receipts if you have them, but you are not required to keep receipts for the survey. To help track your expenditures for a few months prior to the survey, and also calculate reasonable estimates of monthly expenditures, you may download and use the soft-copy version of the survey questionnaire, or use our new tracking and budgeting tool both of which are available on from this web site.