Aug 26, 2004 07:12
20 yrs ago
34 viewers *
English term
expenses vs. expenditure
English
Bus/Financial
Business/Commerce (general)
I need some subtler shades and hues of meaning and use here, in particular - whether both words can be used to denote money spent by an individual.
I'd appreciate input of native speakers most.
thanks in advance, d.
I'd appreciate input of native speakers most.
thanks in advance, d.
Responses
| 3 +4 | expenses=individual, expenditure=larger |
conejo
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| 4 +2 | See explanation |
Aoife Kennedy
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| 4 +1 | itemized vs lump sum |
Roddy Stegemann
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| 4 | Explanation below |
Mihailolja
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Responses
+4
7 mins
Selected
expenses=individual, expenditure=larger
Expenditures would usually be used to refer to chunks of money companies spend for certain things: such as "capital expenditures."
Expenses is more often used to refer to money individuals spend, such as "business trip expenses," "gas expenses," "food expenses," etc.
If you look it up in the dictionary, the definitions are mostly the same, but to me, "expenditure" would be more a chunk of money, maybe an overall sum of expenses spent on something. Maybe a good synonym would be "outlay". "Expenses" sounds more like a specific amount of money a person spent on something ($500 for a computer, etc.)
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Note added at 8 mins (2004-08-26 07:21:09 GMT)
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Example: \"If expenditures exceed income, you will be in debt.\" Expenditures and income are often used together in this fashion, to describe a sum of expenses.
Expenses is more often used to refer to money individuals spend, such as "business trip expenses," "gas expenses," "food expenses," etc.
If you look it up in the dictionary, the definitions are mostly the same, but to me, "expenditure" would be more a chunk of money, maybe an overall sum of expenses spent on something. Maybe a good synonym would be "outlay". "Expenses" sounds more like a specific amount of money a person spent on something ($500 for a computer, etc.)
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Note added at 8 mins (2004-08-26 07:21:09 GMT)
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Example: \"If expenditures exceed income, you will be in debt.\" Expenditures and income are often used together in this fashion, to describe a sum of expenses.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Graded automatically based on peer agreement."
+2
7 mins
Aoife Kennedy
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Native in: English
Works in: Portuguese to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
See explanation
I don't think this is a hard and fast rule, but for an individual, "expenses" would be the term to use. "Expenditure" is normally used in connection with spending by governments or large organisations:
" Defence expenditure: government observations of the second report
from the Expenditure Committee (HC 259, session 1974-75). ...
www.bopcris.ac.uk/bop1974/ref2090.html "
"... Government capital expenditure, Government capital expenditure refers to
government spending on investment goods. This means spending ...
www.bized.ac.uk/virtual/economy/ library/glossary/glossarygl.htm "
" Defence expenditure: government observations of the second report
from the Expenditure Committee (HC 259, session 1974-75). ...
www.bopcris.ac.uk/bop1974/ref2090.html "
"... Government capital expenditure, Government capital expenditure refers to
government spending on investment goods. This means spending ...
www.bized.ac.uk/virtual/economy/ library/glossary/glossarygl.htm "
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Alexander Demyanov
: It's mostly a matter of usage. Both mean the same thing but "expenditures" is almost always used in institutional contexts.
6 hrs
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thanks :)
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| agree |
Aleksandra Gjoreska
2 days 11 hrs
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Thank you :)
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12 mins
Mihailolja
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Путін хуйло = Putler is a dickhead
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
, Ukrainian
Works in: Ukrainian to English, Croatian to English, Bosnian to English, and 10 more.
Explanation below
"Expenses" usually means money spent by an employeee in the course of their work for a company. A good example is a Sales Representative who has to pay for accomodation, food etc while they do their job, these are all expenses that they can claim back by presenting the receipts to their Employer.
"Expenditure" as explained here is slightly different ( hope this helps )
expenditure [Show phonetics]
noun
1 [C or U] the total amount of money that a government or person spends:
It's part of a drive to cut government expenditure.
The government's annual expenditure on arms has been reduced.
2 [U] the act of using or spending energy, time or money:
The expenditure of effort on this project has been enormous.
(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
"Expenditure" as explained here is slightly different ( hope this helps )
expenditure [Show phonetics]
noun
1 [C or U] the total amount of money that a government or person spends:
It's part of a drive to cut government expenditure.
The government's annual expenditure on arms has been reduced.
2 [U] the act of using or spending energy, time or money:
The expenditure of effort on this project has been enormous.
(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Aoife Kennedy
: Expenses can also be used to describe spending by an individual on a private basis. Note added: household expenses such as utility bills, food, clothing, etc. These are all expenses that an individual incurs on a private basis.
19 mins
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Thanks Aoife, I wasn't aware of that, can you give me any examples?Thanks!
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+1
39 mins
Roddy Stegemann
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
United States
Search HKLNA!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, Japanese to English, French to English, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
itemized vs lump sum
The term "expenses" refers to the individual items of an itemized list of costs. Expenditure emphasizes the total outlay. I have seen and used the following terms on numerous occasions: "household expenses", "household expenditure", "corporate expenses", "corporate expenditure", "department expenses", "department expenditure", "government expenses", and "government expenditure".
If one these terms "expenses" or "expenditure" is used in one context more than another, then it is because we tend to itemize or lump things together more in one context or another.
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Note added at 1 hr 41 mins (2004-08-26 08:53:44 GMT)
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Correction: \"If one these\" should have read \"If one of these\".
If one these terms "expenses" or "expenditure" is used in one context more than another, then it is because we tend to itemize or lump things together more in one context or another.
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Note added at 1 hr 41 mins (2004-08-26 08:53:44 GMT)
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Correction: \"If one these\" should have read \"If one of these\".
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
nothing
: Yes, expenses are particular payments, while expenditure is the sum of all expenses
44 mins
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Yes, well stated. Thanks!
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| neutral |
Alexander Demyanov
: how about "living expenses"?|||It's not that I completely disagree w/your general approach. It just seems to be more about institutional usage rather than about lump/itemized|||Usage is too fuzzy a thing for "diagree"'s
5 hrs
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The rule of thumb that I have provided above is just that - a rule of thumb. Thank you for illustrative example. I find it very worthy. You have made me think of other exceptions, as well. // Then you should probably disagree, but I maintain my position.
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