2020CENSUS.GOV

Household Pulse Survey: Effects of 

COVID on Household Finances

Thesia I. Garner, Adam Safir, and Jake Schild

Bureau of Labor Statistics

BLS-CEO Seminar

March 5, 2021
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Outline

• Background

• HPS Overview

• HPS Results

• Survey Comparisons

• HPS Advantages
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Background

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blsgov
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Economic Impact Payments (EIP) for Individuals

First round of payments included in CARES Act (March 27, 2020)

 $1,200 to individuals with AGI less than $75,000 and $2,400 to couples filing jointly with 

AGI less than $150,000

 Dependents under the age of 17 qualify for an additional $500 per dependent 

 Direct deposits began on April 15th and paper checks began on April 20th

Second round of payments included in the CRRSA Act (December 21, 2020)

 $600 to individuals with AGI less than $75,000 and $1,200 to couples filing jointly with AGI 

less than $150,000

 Dependents under the age of 17 qualify for an additional $600 per dependent

 Direct deposits began on Dec 29th and paper checks began on Dec 30th

 Phase-out hit sooner (see slide after Contact slide for more details)
2020CENSUS.GOV

https://www.usatoday.com/storytelling/coronavirus-reopening-america-map/#restrictions

March 2, 2021 November 20, 2020

May 6, 2020 July 21, 2020

Dynamic Situation: State Openings & Closings
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Household Pulse Survey* Overview

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* For information on partners and protocol see slides after Contact slide
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Questions: EIP, Spending Behaviors, and Resources

Phase

Start & End 

Dates BLS CE/DPINR Question Topics

Phase 1 06/11/20 

07/21/20

Q15. EIP receipt and use, with examples

Q19. Detailed spending

Q20. Resources to meet spending, last 7 days

Phase 2 08/19/20

10/26/20

Q19a. Difficulty in paying for usual spending, last 7 days

Q19b. Changes in spending behavior, last 7 days

Q19c. Reasons for spending behavior changes, last 7 days

Q20. Resources to meet spending, last 7 days

Phase 3 10/28/20

12/21/20

Q19a. Difficulty in paying for usual spending, last 7 days

Q19b. Changes in spending behavior, last 7 days

Q19c. Reasons for spending behavior changes, last 7 days

Q20. Resources to meet spending, last 7 days

Phase 3 

Extension

01/06/21

03/01/21

Q15. EIP receipt and use, last 7 days, no examples, changed order

Q19. Detailed spending (related to last 7 days)

Q19a. Difficulty in paying for usual spending, last 7 days

Q19b. Changes in spending behavior, last 7 days

Q19c. Reasons for spending behavior changes, last 7 days

Q20. Resources to meet spending, last 7 days
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Receipt & Use of EIP (HPS Q15)

Phase 1: If you, or anyone in your household, already received, or plan to receive a “stimulus payment,” that is 

the coronavirus related Economic Impact Payment from the Federal Government, did or will you use it: 

 Mostly to pay for expenses (food, clothing, shelter, etc.) 

 Mostly to pay off debt (car loans, student loans, credit cards) 

 Mostly to add to savings 

 Did not or do not expect to receive the stimulus, payment 

Phase 3: In the last 7 days, if you or anyone in your household received a “stimulus payment,” that is a 

coronavirus related Economic Impact Payment from the Federal Government, did you...

 Mostly spend it

 Mostly save it 

 Mostly use it to pay off debt 

 Not applicable. I did not receive a stimulus payment 
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Household Pulse Survey Results

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Use of EIP (HPS Q15)

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Use of EIP (HPS Q19): Regrouped Response Options

Phases 1 and 3: What did (or will) you and your household spend the “stimulus payment” on? 

 Food (groceries, eating out, take out)  Spending

 Clothing (clothing, accessories, shoes)  Spending

 Household supplies and person care products  Spending

 Household items (TV, electronics, furniture, appliances)  Spending 

 Recreational goods (sports/fitness equipment, bicycles, toys, games)  Spending

 Rent  Spending / Housing

 Mortgage (scheduled or monthly)  Debt / Housing

 Utilities and telecom (natural gas, electricity, cable, internet, cellphone)  Spending

 Vehicle payments (scheduled or monthly)  Debt

 Paying down credit card, student loans, or other debts  Debt

 Charitable donations or giving to family members  Spending 

 Savings or investments  Savings 

 Other  Spending 
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Use of EIP (HPS Q19) when Q15=Receipt: 

Regrouped Non-mutually Exclusive Options
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Financial Difficulty (HPS Q19a)

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Phase 3 EIP Use (Q15) by Financial Difficulty (HPS Q19a)

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Not difficult at all A little difficult Somewhat difficult Very difficult

Spending Debt Savings
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Changes in Consumer Behavior (HPS Q19b): 

Regrouped Response Options

Phases 2 and 3: In the last 7 days, which of the following changes have you or your household 

made to your spending or shopping? 

 Made more purchases online (opposed to in store)  Protective

 Made more purchases by curbside pick-up (opposed to in store)  Protective

 More purchases in store (opposed to online or curbside pick-up)  Relaxing

 Increased use of credit cards or smartphone apps (opposed to cash)  Protective

 Increased use of cash  Relaxing 

 Avoided eating at restaurants  Protective 

 Resumed eating at restaurants  Relaxing 

 Canceled or postponed in-person medical or dental appointments  Protective 

 Attended in-person medical or dental appointments  Relaxing

 Canceled or postponed housekeeping or caregiving services  Protective 

 Resumed or started new housekeeping or caregiving services  Relaxing 

 Did not make any changes to spending or shopping behavior 

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Changes in Consumer Behavior (HPS Q19b): 

Regrouped Non-mutually Exclusive Response Options

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Survey Comparisons

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Comparisons to Other Surveys:

Similar Question Topics, but Different Approaches 

Research questions:

 Who received stimulus checks? 

 How were the stimulus checks used – to spend, pay down/off debt, or save?

Independent data collection efforts produced results with noticeable differences possibly 

driven by differences in: 

 Field period (e.g., early, mid, late pandemic)

 Sample size/sampling error

 Nonresponse bias and/or selection effects 

 Question wording (e.g., “increase” vs. simply “spend”)

 Recall period (e.g., last week, last month, etc.)
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Comparison Surveys

 Philadelphia Federal Reserve Consumer Finance Institute COVID-19 Survey 

of Consumers (Philly Fed)

 Nielsen Homescan Panel (Nielsen)

 University of Michigan Survey of Consumers (Michigan)
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Survey Protocols & Sample Performance

Survey Selected Field Periods

Avg. Approx. 

Sample Size Per 

Collection 

Period

Recall Period

Avg.

Response 

Rates

HPS Phase 1 June, July 2020* 91,000 Since April 13, 2020 ~2.7%

HPS Phase 3 Jan, Feb 2021* 75,000 Previous 7 days ~6.0%

Philly Fed May, June, July 2020 3,400 Since April 13, 2020 Unavail.

Nielsen July 2020 11,000 Unavail. 25.0%

Michigan May, June 2020 600** Since April 13, 2020 Unavail.

* Phase 1 was fielded from April to July 2020, but questions about the EIP were not added until Week 7 (June). 

Phase 3 began Oct 2020, but questions about the EIP were not included until Week 22 (Jan). 

** Results for Michigan are pooled across the two waves, so sample is 1,200
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Receipt of EIP: Philly Fed & Nielsen

The Treasury Department began to send stimulus payments on April 13 

to qualifying recipients. Have you received your stimulus payment?

 Yes – I received the payment through direct deposit.  Received

 Yes – I received a paper check.  Received

 No – I expect to receive a payment at a later date.  Received

 No – I’m not sure whether I qualify for a stimulus payment  Not Received 

 No – I know I do not qualify for a stimulus payment.  Not Received
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Receipt of EIP Comparison: Philly Fed vs. HPS

Phase 1

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

June 5 - June 13 July 2 - July 13 June 11 - June 16 June 18 - June 23 June 25 - June 30 July 2 - July 7 July 9 - July 14

% of Respondents received or expect to receive EIP 

Philly Fed HPS
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Phase 1

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

% of Respondents received or expected to receive EIP

Nielsen HPS

Receipt of EIP Comparison: Nielsen vs. HPS
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Use of EIP Comparison: Philly Fed vs. HPS (Q19)

Philly FED results 

restricted to YES 

received only; HSP 

results for EIP 

receipt and 

expected receipts

70.1% 71.5% 72.4% 72.7% 72.2% 80.8% 80.9%

42.4% 43.4% 43.9% 44.9% 44.8% 36.7% 34.3%

37.9% 38.7% 33.6% 33.4% 33.5% 33.8% 34.1%

13.7% 13.5% 12.8% 11.9% 11.8%

41.3% 39.4%

% of Respondents reporting receipt and use (not mutually exclusive) 

Philly Fed: Savings HPS: Savings

Philly Fed: Debt HPS: Debt

Philly Fed: Housing HPS: Housing

Philly Fed: Spending HPS: Spending

Phase 1
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Use of EIP: Nielsen & Michigan

 We want to understand how the rebate will 

change decisions you would have made 

without the additional money. Thinking about 

your (family’s) financial situation this year, will 

the rebate lead you mostly to increase 

spending, mostly to increase savings, or 

mostly to pay off debt?

 Increase spending

 Increase savings

 Pay off debt

 Note: Question asked of respondents who 

indicated receipt of payment.

Nielsen Michigan

 How did you use the payment from the 

Federal government?

 Mostly to increase spending

 Mostly to increase savings

 Mostly to pay off debt

Note: Question asked of respondents who indicated 

receipt or expected to receipt a payment. 

 HPS Phase 3 – Actual receipt

 Mostly spending 

 Mostly save it 

 Mostly use it to pay off debt 
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Use of EIP Comparison: Nielsen vs. HPS

Nielsen results 

refer to YES 

received & expect 

to receive; results 

for HPS Phase 3 

are restricted to 

actual receipt

Phase 3

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

% of EIP Use: mutually exclusive options

Nielsen: Mostly to increase savings HPS: Mostly add to savings

Nielsen: Mostly to pay off debt HPS: Mostly to pay off debt

Nielsen: Mostly to increase spending HPS: Mostly to pay for expenses
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Michigan results 

restricted to YES 

received only, as 

are results for HPS 

Phase 3

* HPS estimates 

are household 

weighted

Use of EIP Comparison: Michigan vs. HPS

Phase 3

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

% of EIP Use: mutually exclusive options

Michigan: Mostly to increase savings HPS: Mostly add to savings

Michigan: Mostly to pay off debt HPS: Mostly to pay off debt

Michigan: Mostly to increase spending HPS: Mostly for spending
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HPS Advantages

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Strengths of a Rapid Response Survey

• High-frequency data

• Time-relevance

• Large sample sizes

• Flexibility in questionnaire content

• Adds to analysis of CE Interview Survey data
Contact Information

Adam Safir

Division Chief

Division of Consumer Expenditure Surveys

Office of Prices and Living Conditions 

202-691-5175

safir.adam@bls.gov
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Household Pulse Survey

Development

• Coordinated at the Census Bureau

• Designed to deploy quickly and efficiently, collecting 

data on a range of ways in which people’s lives have 

been impacted by the pandemic 

• Since the environment and circumstances rapidly 

changing, design meant to be able to quickly assess 

and report on critical issues, as fast as possible 

Timeline

• Development: March 23–April 23, 2020

• Phase 1: April 23-July 21, 2020

• Phase 2: August 19-October 26, 2020

• Phase 3: October 28-Dec 31, 2020

• Phase 3 Extension: January 6-March 1, 2021

• Phase 3.1: March 31-June 21, 2021

• Experimental Rapid Response Survey

• Proof of Concept

Sample Size and Response Rates Range

• Phase 1: 41K – 133K, and 1.3 – 3.8%

• Phase 3: 59K – 72K, and 5.3 – 6.7%

• Phase 3 Extension: 68K – 80K, and 6.4 – 7.5%

Partners

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics

2. Bureau of Transportation Statistics

3. Census Bureau

4. Centers for Disease Control 

5. National Center for Health Statistics

6. Housing and Urban Development

7. National Center for Education Statistics

8. Maternal and Child Health Bureau

9. Office of Management and Budget

10. USDA Economic Research Service

11. Social Security Administration
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Platform and Frame

Platform: Qualtrics 

• Census Bureau Authority to 

Operate

Email and Text Invitations to Take 

an Online Survey

• National Processing Center was 

shut down due to COVID-19

• Census Bureau could not mail 

invitations

Frames: Used Existing Email and Cell-Phone Contact Frames

• Matched to Census Bureau’s Master Address File (MAF) records

• Emails and phone numbers from respondent contacts and from 

third party vendors

 Phone frame contains over a billion phone/address pairs.

 Phone frame contains phone/address pairs for over 88% of 

addresses in the country

 Three quarters of those phones were acquired in the past two 

years

 The email frame contains over 686 million well-formed 

email/address pairs

 The email frame contains email/address pairs for almost 80% of 

addresses in the country

 Two thirds of those emails were acquired in past two years
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EIP Phase Out by Round

Single, No Children

Filing Jointly, 1 Child

Filing Jointly, 2 Children

Filing Jointly, 3 Children

Single, No Children

Filing Jointly, No Children

Filing Jointly, 1 Child

Filing Jointly, No Children

Filing Jointly, 2 Children

Filing Jointly, 3 Children

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

$4,500

$0 $25,000 $50,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000

Size of Economic Impact Payment

Adjusted Gross Income

First Round EIP Second Round EIP