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Australian Bureau of Statistics Household Expenditure Survey 2003—2004 (published 2005)

Summary relevant to charitable giving
(prepared by John Dickson)

1. Annual household charitable giving compared to income

1.1. All quintiles

The average Australian household spends $231 per year on all forms of charitable giving; or $4.44 per week.
This amounts to less than half a percent (0.4%) of the average gross household income ($58,656); or 40c in every $100.

1.2. Top quintile

Households in the upper 20% income range (gross $130,624+) spend $416 per year on all forms of charitable giving; or $8.00 per week.
This amounts to less than one third of a percent of gross income (0.32%); or 32c per $100.

2. Household charitable giving compared with other expenditure

2.1. All quintiles

Annually, Australian households spend $231 on charitable giving, $355 on confectionary (chips, chocolate and ice-cream), $477 on pets, $600 on cigarettes, $810 on beer and wine and $2,200 on restaurant and takeaway meals.
Weekly, Australian households spend $4.44 on charitable giving, $6.83 on confectionary (chips, chocolate and ice-cream), $9.18 on pets, $11.55 on cigarettes, $15.58 on bear and wine and $42.10 on restaurant and takeaway meals.

2.2. Top quintile

Annually, Australian households in the top quintile spend $416 on charitable giving, $550 on confectionary (chips, chocolate and ice-cream), $640 on pets, $641.68 on cigarettes, $1530 on beer and wine and $4350 on restaurant and takeaway meals.
Weekly, Australian households in the top quintile spend $8.00 on charitable giving, $10.58 on confectionary (chips, chocolate and ice-cream), $12.28 on pets, $12.34 on cigarettes, $29.42 on beer and wine and $83.66 on restaurant and takeaway meals.