On average, women spend 399 hours shopping a year, survey finds (2024)

Shopaholics agree: It takes time to hone a craft.

From scouring the mall for the perfect pair of jeans to loading up the cart with groceries, women spend an average of 399 hours and 46 minutes shopping a year, a new study finds.

Marketing research firm OnePoll.com surveyed 2,000 female shoppers to find out that the typical woman makes 301 trips to the store annually, spending close to 400 hours a year buying clothes, books, food and toiletries, The Motley Fool reported.

Tallied up, that figures out to 81/2 years spent shopping over 63 years — or 3,148 days racked up over the course of a lifetime, according to The Motley Fool.

But before anyone starts pointing fingers at the irresistible lure of retail therapy, a breakdown of those hours shows that women spend a large portion of that time on household shopping and routine errands. The average woman spends 94 hours and 55 minutes buying food, making 84 trips to the grocery store annually, the website reported. Shopping for toiletries accounted for an average of 17 hours and 33 minutes.

Still, all those Saturdays at the mall add up. The study found women spend more than 100 hours spread out over 30 annual trips shopping for clothes, and an additional 40 hours and 30 minutes looking for shoes. They also spend an average of 31 hours and 21 minutes a year browsing for books and magazines.

As far as casual looking goes, females spend an average of 49 hours a year window-shopping.

On average, women spend 399 hours shopping a year, survey finds (2024)

FAQs

On average, women spend 399 hours shopping a year, survey finds? ›

The study found women spend more than 100 hours spread out over 30 annual trips shopping for clothes, and an additional 40 hours and 30 minutes looking for shoes. They also spend an average of 31 hours and 21 minutes a year browsing for books and magazines.

How much time does the average woman spend shopping? ›

Women spend an average of 58 minutes per shopping trip, while men spend 45 minutes. 89% of women and 41% of men claim responsibility for daily household shopping.

How much does a woman spend on her wardrobe in a lifetime? ›

Women spend (on average) between $150-$400 per month on clothing. It is estimated a woman will spend around $125k on clothes in her entire lifetime.

How much does the average person spend on clothes a year? ›

How much do clothes cost per month? In the United States, households spend an average of about $120 per month on clothes. That comes out to $1,434 per year.

How to buy clothes intentionally? ›

The advice I would give to anyone looking to create a purposeful wardrobe is to consider your lifestyle before adding any new item to your wardrobe. Ask yourself how often you'll wear the item, and whether or not the price tag is proportional to the number of wears you intend to get out of it.

What do females spend the most money on? ›

A $526K Lifetime Tab: All the Ways Women Pay More Than Men
  • Personal Care Products. On average, women's shampoo costs around $9 while men's shampoo costs close to $6, Business Insider reported. ...
  • Home Ownership. ...
  • Feminine Care Products. ...
  • Clothing and Accessories. ...
  • Beauty Products. ...
  • Healthcare. ...
  • The Total Cost.
Jan 19, 2024

How much does the average female spend on groceries per month? ›

USDA-suggested moderate cost grocery budget
Age-gender groupsWeekly grocery costMonthly grocery cost
Female:
12-13 years$70.20$304.20
14-18 years$70.00$303.50
19-50 years$73.30$317.70
17 more rows
Apr 23, 2024

Which gender spends more on clothes? ›

In one recent survey, turns out that men, on average, spend more money on clothes than women. An article in Salon.com says men spend $85 per month on garments, while women lay out $75 per month.

What is the average times a woman wears a piece of clothing? ›

There's little hard research on how often people generally wear their clothes, but one survey of 2,000 women in the UK found respondents on average wore an item seven times. Other researchers have found that some women wear an item just once because they don't want to repeat an outfit in a photo posted to social media.

What's a normal amount of clothes for a woman to own? ›

According to a report referenced by Vogue in 2022 that leans on sustainability goals, “The researchers found that a “sufficient” wardrobe consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits in total.

How much does the average American spend on shopping? ›

Average American Spending per Day: All Ages
Average Daily Spending by Americans of All Ages
Groceries$11.95
Clothing/Apparel$5.02
Pets$1.95
Overall$164.55
11 more rows

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

Which age group spends the most money on clothes? ›

This statistic shows the average weekly household expenditure on clothing and footwear in the United Kingdom in 2022, by age of household reference person. In the UK, respondents aged 30 to 49 spent an average of 22.50 GBP on clothing and footwear, this was the highest spend out of all age groups.

At what age should you start paying for your own clothes? ›

By the time your kids get to late elementary school and early middle school, they could start paying for entertainment and certain gifts. By starting from a young age, by the time your kids are teenagers, they'll be ready to pay for things like clothing, gifts and school extras.

How do minimalists buy clothes? ›

If you do decide to buy new clothes, take a more mindful and intentional approach to shopping and consider the following:
  1. Make sure you have a specific need for the item. ...
  2. Consider the environmental impact of the item. ...
  3. Think about the long-term value of the item. ...
  4. Look for high-quality items that will last a long time.

Is buying clothes a therapy? ›

Shopping Lifts Spirits

It makes us feel better about ourselves and our place in the universe. It is a form of therapy. It is good to occasionally reward or affirm yourself with a purchase.

What is the average time a woman spends getting ready? ›

But according to one survey, women spend on average 27 minutes getting ready for work. According to another, women spend on average about three times as long as men getting ready for both work and social engagements.

How much time does a person spend shopping? ›

35% of people spend less than 30 minutes grocery shopping per trip. 39% of people spend 30 to 44 minutes grocery shopping per trip. 27% of people spend 45+ minutes grocery shopping per trip.

How many times does the average person go shopping? ›

Grocery shopping: U.S. consumers' weekly trips per household 2006-2023. The primary grocery shopper in U.S. households made an average of 1.6 shopping trips per week in 2023.

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