Citizens of Ethiopia and Egypt, for example, spent an estimated 55% and 43% of their incomes, respectively, on food and non-alcoholic beverages (excluding purchases made at restaurants, bars, hotels and the like).

FORBES: How We All Spend Our Money

Impoverished denizens of Ethiopia and Egypt, for example, spend an estimated 55% and 43% of their incomes, respectively, on food and non-alcoholic beverages (excluding purchases made at restaurants, bars, hotels and the like).

FORBES: How The World Spends Its Money

This more recent data--courtesy of Spending Pulse, the economic research arm of MasterCard (nyse: MA - news - people ) WorldWide--divides U.S. consumer discretionary spending into eight buckets: air travel, e-commerce, electronics, furniture, lodging (as in hotels, not primary residences), apparel, luxury (excluding jewelry) and restaurants.

FORBES: How The World Spends Its Money