Government Considers Diary-Based Spending Data for Affluent Households

The government regularly asks families how much money they spend on different things.

Some wealthy families in gated communities are refusing to answer these surveys.

The government is thinking about letting them record their spending themselves instead.

They might enter purchases such as food, services and haircuts into an online system.

This could be easier than answering questions from a survey worker.

It could also help families avoid forgetting what they bought.

However, poorer families would still be interviewed in person, so the two kinds of answers might not match perfectly.

Resident associations worry about privacy and security, while the government says the information will be protected.

Officials want to test the idea before the next major survey in 2027.