The pie charts present data on the spending of the American people in different categories in 1966 and 1996. By comparing both diagrams, each year displayed a unique pattern of money distribution.
In 1966, 44% of people’s purchases were for food, representing the dominant category then. However, this figure decreased to 14% in 1996. Similarly, people dedicated 9% of their budget to petrol, declining by 1% in 1996. At the same time, the difference in the amount of money spent on furniture was 2% between the two years. There was a marked reduction in buying books, decreasing from 6% to 1% in 1966 and 1996, respectively.
In contrast, cars gained popularity by 1996, increasing from 23% to 45%. Due to the revolutionary breakthroughs in technology, people bought computers with 10% of their budgets in 1996, after spending only 1% on them. Money spent on restaurants increased by 7% throughout the years.
To sum up, the charts reflect a shift in people’s priorities. Overall, food was the most bought in 1966, while cars were in 1996.