57 Common Household Expenses

John Spacey, updated on August 25, 2024

Household expenses are expenditures at the level of a family. These include fixed expenses that are predictable and regular such as rent. Household expenses also include variable expenses that are sporadic and unpredictable such as out-of-pocket medical costs. In a budget, these expenses can be estimated with a category such as "Other Expenses" or "Contingency Fund." The following are common types of household expense.

Afterschool Activities	Bank Fees
Benefits & Social Security	Books & Magazines
Celebrations & Events	Child Care
Cleaning Supplies	Clothing
Credit Card Fees	Dental
Educational Materials	Electronics
Energy & Fuel	Entertainment
Eye Care	Food
Footwear	Furniture & Bedding
Garbage Disposable	Gifts
Hair Care	Healthcare
Home Appliances	Home Decor
Home Office Supplies	Interest
Internet	Leisure Equipment
Life Insurance	Maintenance
Medical Insurance	Medicine & Medical Devices
Memberships	Mobile Devices
Mortgage Payments & Rent	Outings
Parking	Pension & Retirement Savings
Personal Supplies	Pet Supplies & Services
Phone	Private Lessons & Tutoring
Professional Expenses	Registration Fees (e.g. Driver's License)
Restaurants	School Supplies & Uniforms
Senior Care	Snacks & Beverages
Streaming Media & Television	Taxes
Toiletries	Transportation Fees
Tuition	Utilities
Vacations	Vehicle Insurance
Vehicle Lease

Household expenses can include discretionary spending such as vacations. Alternatively, a budget can be restricted to your non-discretionary spending that includes anything that isn't optional to maintain your standard of living.