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3. One-person Household Income and Expenditures of the 65 Years or Older Age Group
(1) Living expenditure
A. Overview
Looking at the average monthly living expenditures in October and November 2004 for one-person household of those 65 years or older (elderly, one-person households), men had higher expenditure figures at ?165,923 and women ?155,959. Seen by the ratio of living expenditure per item, men spent more on food, housing, transportation and communication, and reading and recreation than women, while women outspent men for clothes and footwear, medical care and ?other living expenditures.? Comparing this sex differences for line item expenditures to young, one-person workers? households, while there was a 6.8-point gap in the 24.6% young, one-person male workers spent on food compared to women?s 17.8%, there was a 2.8-point disparity between elderly, one-person household at 22.9% and 20.1%, respectively. Further, in contrast to the 8.2 point difference between the 4.8% spent by young, one-person male workers on clothes and footwear and the 13.0% spent by women, elderly households spent 2.7% and 4.8% respectively, a 2.1-point gap, indicating that there was less of a sex gap than in young, one-person workers? households. (Figure I-10) Looking at the breakdown for food, men spent larger amounts than women on eating out, cooked foods, and alcoholic beverages. On the other hand, women?s expenditure on vegetables and seaweeds, fish and shellfish, fruits, and other ingredients and cakes and candies was higher than men?s. (Figure I-11)
Table I-5 All Elderly, One-person Households? Average Monthly Living Expenditures by Sex
Figure I-10 All Elderly, One-person Households? Living Expenditures Ratios by Sex Classified by Expenses
Figure I-11 All Elderly, One-person Households? Itemized Food Expenses by Sex
B. Social expenses
Social expenses for elderly, one-person households were ?21,289 for men and ?24,205 for women, with both exceeding the average expenses for all age ranges, ?15,997 for men and ?21,472 for women. Money gifts of ?11,202 made up a 52.6% share of men?s social expenses and 56.5% of women?s at ?13,675, both of which exceeded the averages for all age groups, 32.0% for men and 49.1% for women. (Table I-6)
Table I-6 Social Expenses and Money Gifts? Shares of All Elderly, One-person Households? Living Expenditures by Sex
C. Medical care
Expenditures on medical care for elderly, one-person male household, ?6,394 were 1.3 times the ?4,767 average for men in all age groups.Expenditures on medical care for elderly female, ?8,183 were 1.1 times the female average of ?7,621. Seen by itemized medical expenditure, men spent a higher share on medicines than women, while women?s expenditures for examination charges and other medical services were higher compared to men?s. (Figure I-12)
Figure I-12 All Elderly, One-person Households? Itemized Medical Care Expenses by Sex
(2) Elderly, not working one-person households? income and expenditures
Among elderly one-person household, not working, one-person men had ?170,565 in income and women ?139,874. Broken down, social security benefits such as public pensions were ?160,008 and ?128,117, respectively, accounting for 93.8% and 91.6% shares of income. Women had a slightly higher share than men of income other than social security benefits and this was due, in most cases, to remittances and cash gifts. Men had ?156,363 in disposable income and women ?132,785 and with respective living expenditures of ?162,397 and ?153,251, both sexes? consumer outlays exceeded their disposable income. The shortfalls were covered by dipping into savings (including private pensions received). (Figure I-13)
Figure I-13 Elderly, Not Working, One-person Households? Average Monthly Income and Expenditures Breakdown
