Expenditure Patterns among Poor Households (Zakat Recipients): A Case in Kelantan, Malaysia

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationships between the household consumption patterns among the poor with the type of expenditure items that they purchased on monthly basis. The study evaluates the household food and non-food demand patters for various poor groups in Kelantan. Data was collected by using a structured socio-economic questionnaire containing both open and close-ended items. 422 respondents were randomly selected for this study are selected from 2019 Kelantan Islamic Religious Council (MAIK) zakat recipients list of the poor and needy category, which is the lowest income quartile in Kelantan. Results of this study shows that the pattern of expenditure changes as the income of the poor changes (increase or decrease). The share of food expenditure will increase with an increase in income. Lower income household spend a higher amount of their expenditure on food items and other non-food expenditure becomes less important.