In 2004 the total, noncapital, living expenses of 1,225 farm families enrolled in the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management Association (FBFM) averaged $52,589–or $4,382 a month for each family (Table 1). This average was 9.2 percent higher than 2003 and 18.2 percent higher than in 2002. Another $5,960 was used to buy capital items such as the personal share of the family automobile, furniture, and household equipment. Thus, the grand total for living expenses averaged $58,549 for 2004 compared with $52,908 for 2003, or a $5,641 increase per family. The average amount spent per family for capital items was $1,211 more, while noncapital expenses increased $4,430 per family. The sample farms, which were mainly grain farms, were located primarily in central and northern Illinois.
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