We propose a new measure of the rate of poverty we call the supplemental expenditure poverty measure (SEPM), based on expenditure in the Consumer Expenditure Survey. It treats household expenditure as a measure of resources available to purchase the minimum bundle necessary to meet basic needs. Our measure differs from conventional income and consumption poverty in both concept and measurement, and it has advantages relative to both. Poverty rates using our basic measure are very close in level and recent trend to those of the most preferred income-based poverty rate produced by the US Census Bureau. But the SEPM poverty rate differs from the US Census Bureau measure at different levels of the poverty line. For example, the number of individuals living in either poor or almost poor households is 5 percentage points greater (about 16 million individuals) using our measure. We also construct an augmented measure that adds additional potential liquid resources. This "maximal resources" measure indicates that if disadvantaged households used up all their bank balances and maximized their credit card borrowing, 9.6 percent of the population (over 31 million individuals) would still be poor and unable to purchase the goods necessary for the basic needs of life.

我们根据消费者支出调查中的支出提出了一种新的贫困率衡量标准，我们称之为补充支出贫困衡量标准 (SEPM)。它将家庭支出视为可用于购买满足基本需求所需的最低消费组合的可用资源的衡量标准。我们的衡量标准在概念和衡量上都不同于传统的收入和消费贫困，并且相对于两者都有优势。使用我们的基本衡量标准得出的贫困率在水平和近期趋势上与美国人口普查局制定的最受青睐的基于收入的贫困率非常接近。但 SEPM 贫困率不同于美国人口普查局在不同贫困线水平上的衡量标准。例如，使用我们的衡量标准，生活在贫困或几乎贫困家庭中的人数要多出 5 个百分点（约 1600 万人）。我们还构建了一个增加额外潜在流动资源的增强措施。这种“最大资源”衡量标准表明，如果弱势家庭用尽所有银行存款并最大限度地借用信用卡，9.6% 的人口（超过 3100 万人）仍将处于贫困状态，无法购买满足基本需求所需的商品生活。