An interviewer will call you on:
Your completed diary will be picked up on:
At:
Thank you!
We greatly appreciate your participation.
Collected under the authority of the Statistics Act,
Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.
Confidential when completed
If you spent money today, you have two options to record each expense:
- Put the receipt in the pocket.
OR
- Transcribe each item in the diary. Do not forget to record expenses for which you do not have a receipt.
If you did NOT spend any money today...
Write the date and the words "no spending" in the "Expenses-in stores and online" section.
Thank you for completing the interview part of the survey. The only thing left to complete is your diary of daily expenses.
Why a diary?
To save time, some expenses were not covered in detail during your interview. Frequent day-to-day expenses are often forgotten or understated when collected in the interview, but overall they can represent a good portion of a household's budget. This diary will help you to report all of your household's daily expenses and will also help you track your weekly spending!
Where does all our money go?
When identifying expenses, some easily forgotten items are: coffee and meals purchased at work, at school or on the run, miscellaneous items purchased at the pharmacy, grocery store, and hardware store, and items purchased by other members of the household. Other examples of forgotten items are: tickets for the theatre, movies, and sporting events, pet food, drinks purchased in bars, purchases made in garden centres and sports stores, and on-line purchases.
To ensure nothing is forgotten, think about where you and other members of your household spend money. Do you shop in warehouse type stores, big box stores, markets or convenience stores? Does anyone in your household make purchases online? All that counts!
How to complete the diary:
Have a receipt?
This is the easiest way to keep track! Put receipts into the diary's pocket. You will not have to transcribe these expenses in the diary.
If you don't have a receipt, transcribe an expense:
- Write the date (DD/MM) and a description of the expense.
- Record the cost (CAN$) of each item after deducting coupons, rebates or gift certificates.
Expenses-in stores and online:
- Use this section to record your purchases in stores and online.
- Do not include taxes (unless already included in the cost, such as gas).
Expenses-restaurants, cafeterias, bars, coffee shops, etc.:
- Use this section for expenses in restaurants, fast food restaurants, snack bars, cafeterias, bars, coffee shops, vending machines, caterers, etc.
- Include all taxes, tips and alcoholic beverages in the total cost column, separating the cost of alcohol in the designated column.
Didn't spend anything today?
Please let us know by writing the date and "No spending" in the "Expenses-in stores and online" section.
Tips for completing the diary
Save time! Provide the receipts instead of transcribing items in the diary. Fill in the diary on a daily basis to avoid forgetting items.
First name of respondent
Diary Start Date
DD MM
Diary End Date
DD MM
Expenses-in stores and online
Item #
Date (dd/mm)
Description of item
Total cost (Do not include taxes)
For example:
31/12 GAS 42.75
31/12 MILK 5.89
31/12 MOVIE TICKETS 24.00
To report more items, go to next page.
To report more items, go to page 8.
Expenses-restaurants, cafeterias, bars, coffee shops, etc.
Item #
Date (dd/mm)
Check (✓) the meal type
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snack or beverage
Cost alcoholic beverages1
Total cost (Include all taxes, tips and alcoholic beverages)
1. If alcoholic beverages are included in the "Total Cost", please provide an estimated cost.
To report more expenses, go to the next page.
To report more expenses, go to page 8.
For office use only
Please do not write on this page.
Your interviewer will ask you the following questions when he/she returns to pick up your diary of daily expenses.
1. It is easy to forget certain expenses such as gas, lottery tickets, newspapers and magazine subscriptions, meals and beverages purchased at work, at school or on the run, alcoholic beverages, leisure activities, or goods purchased online. Expenses made while away from home overnight or longer can also be forgotten. Did you, or any member of your household, forget to record any expenses in the diary?
Yes – Go to #2.
No – Thank you for participating in this survey.
2. Please list the items that have been forgotten. Do not include expenses that will be reimbursed. Interviewer: Enter the description used by the respondent
Description
Total cost