Content
CONTENT ............................................................................................... 4
NIBUD ..................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 7
1.1 WHAT ARE STANDARD BUDGETS USED FOR? ......................................... 7
1.2 HOW ARE STANDARD BUDGETS CONSTRUCTED? .................................... 8
1.3 HOW ARE STANDARD BUDGETS DISSEMINATED? .................................... 8
CHAPTER 2 THE DESIGN OF STANDARD BUDGETS ........................ 10
2.1 DEFINITION ..................................................................................... 10
2.2 STARTING POINT: EXAMPLES FOR CONSUMERS .................................... 12
2.3 POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS .................................................................. 15
2.4 STANDARD BUDGETS FOR HIGHER INCOME LEVELS ............................... 16
2.5 BALANCING THE BUDGET .................................................................. 18
2.6 CLASSIFICATION OF THE EXPENDITURES ............................................. 20
2.7 PRICING ......................................................................................... 22
2.8 GROUPING THE HOUSEHOLDS............................................................ 22
2.9 LOCAL AND REGIONAL STANDARD BUDGETS ........................................ 24
2. 10 UPDATING OF THE STANDARD BUDGETS ........................................... 25
CHAPTER 3 THE CONTRUCTION OF STANDARD BUDGETS ............ 26
3.1 SPENDING CATEGORIES .................................................................... 26
3.2 COST-BEARERS ............................................................................... 27
3.3 THE ROLE OF INCOME ....................................................................... 27
3.4 GROSS OR NET INCOME? .................................................................. 28
3.5 UNIVARIATE ANALYSES ..................................................................... 28
3.6 MULTIVARIATE ANALYSES ................................................................. 29
3.7 EXPERIENCE OF COUNSELORS AND EXPERTS ...................................... 31
3.8 PRICES........................................................................................... 32
CHAPTER 4 THE APPLICATION OF STANDARD BUDGETS .............. 33
4.1 INFORMATION .................................................................................. 33
4.2 PURCHASING POWER CALCULATIONS.................................................. 34
4.3 POVERTY LINES ............................................................................... 35

4.4 CREDIT SCORES, RENT NORMS .......................................................... 36
4.5 LIFE TIME EXPENDITURE PATTERNS / SIMULATING THE FUTURE .............. 38
4.6 COMMERCIALIZATION ....................................................................... 39
ANNEX 1 THE EUROSTAT HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE CLASSIFICATION IN 4 DIGITS. ............................................................ 40
ANNEX 2: THE EXTENDED NIBUD CLASSIFICATION ........................ 44
ANNEX 3: DISTRIBUTION CODES FOR THE CALCULATION OF THE COSTS OF CHILDREN. ........................................................................ 46
ANNEX 4: LOAN-TO-INCOME RATIOS FOR MORTGAGES 2008 ....... 48
ANNEX 5: SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE COST-BEARERS OF NIBUD . 51