Amazing graphs on what happens to spending on everything from underwear to airlines as we grow up

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Reuters

It's that time of year again when Americans spend like crazy for their loved ones and themselves.

But everyone's needs and wants evolve dramatically with age.

HS Dent, an economic forecasting firm, compiled Census data on spending behavior and presented them as a series of demand curves (see right). The curves measure average annual expenditure for a given product over the age of the consumer.

The charts couldn't be more plain. But with a tiny bit of imagination, the curves offer a vivid look at how spending patterns change over time.

What are some things we learned? Well, men spend less on underwear as they get old, but spending on robes spike near the end of life. As we get older we use a lot less plastic cutlery. And alcohol consumption stays pretty steady from the day we turn 21 until we turn around 70.

Eventually, you stop buying magazines off of newsstands...
...because you're saving money by getting magazine subscriptions
We use less cheap flatware as we get older
But as you grow into your 50s, you learn to buy nicer flatware. And you probably use those until you die
And so goes your hearing
This is why you invest in healthcare stocks as the population ages
Your social life gets much less interesting with age
Air travel peaks before retirement
Men really let themselves go once they hit their 40s
20 year olds drink just as much as 70 year olds
However, smoking is a bit more volatile
Did you ever notice how hand towels at your grandma's house are really old?
And the guest bedroom at grandma's house was never that comfortable was it?
Camping is for you young folk
You're probably spending on your kids early in your adulthood
Your financial situation gets much more complicated in your 50s
The mid-life crisis car purchase actually happens in your 50s
What are men's furs?
Hugh Hefner is single-handedly driving the loungewear demand for the 80+
Presented without comment
Women are at their most fabulous in their 50s
No surprise, but your visions gets worse
But grandma's garden always looked nice
You clearly get more paranoid with age
More on that paranoia
Chances are you'll be moving into a nursing home after you turn 75
Here's one area where you splurge as you near death
You spend more on this stuff at an old age. But once you get really old, someone else is paying
Hopefully, this isn't evidence that people spend less time calling their elders
The value of a comfortable seat never gets old
It appears math becomes less relevant after college
Younger adults need the most help with their kids
People will always love to read
Older people like to take the bus
Vanity seems to taper off after age 55

Eventually, you stop buying magazines off of newsstands...