A

Only Just Begun

The eleven Household Clusters that comprise Ruf's "Only Just Begun" Family Cluster include people who are just getting started on the road of life. They're married with small children ages 5 years and younger. They live in single family homes in smaller suburban settings where they drive their compact cars and full-size pick-up trucks to their jobs in the armed forces, law enforcement and administration. They enjoy reading outdoor media and frequently use the internet. They eat often at fast food restaurants and have probably purchased toys or attended a theme park recently. Their household spending is geared towards transportation, food & beverages and personal care.

B

Small Town Satisfaction

The people who fall into the thirteen Household Clusters that comprise Ruf's "Small Town Satisfaction" Family Cluster are living comfortable lives in small town suburbs. These established married couples have older children between the ages of 16 - 18. When they're not on-the-job as engineers and home-based business owners, "Small Town Satisfaction" enjoy watching sports events on television and eating in family restaurants. Although they have some consumer debt, "Small Town Satisfaction" still find the money to make home improvements and feather their nests with new furnishings. They also tend to spend on entertainment, transportation and household operations.

C

Success in the Suburbs

The people who fall into the fifteen Household Clusters that make up the "Success in the Suburbs" Family Cluster are living the quintessential suburban dream. They're married with children, living in mid-size suburban areas in single family homes. These stock and mutual fund owners enjoy careers as educators, corporate managers and engineers. Their income also affords them little luxuries such as vacations to foreign lands and fine wines. They spend their income on their homes & household operations, household furnishings, education, personal insurance, gifts and the occasional contribution.

D

Road to Success

The "Road to Success" Family Cluster is comprised of five Household Clusters featuring people who tend to be younger, single, highly educated and rapidly making a place for themselves in the world. These up-and-comers live in condos and townhouses in the city where they enjoy careers in the arts and social sciences. Outside of work, they lead active lives that include dancing, traveling or cooking for fun. You can also find this group surfing the net, reading magazines or drinking distilled liquor. They use their better than average incomes for their homes & household operations, reading materials, education, apparel, personal insurance, gifts and contributions.

E

Average Joes

The folks who fall into the eight Households Clusters that comprise Ruf's "Average Joes" Family Cluster tend to live in apartments or other rental properties located in small-size suburban areas. This audience is less likely to be married with children and tends to make their living in the armed forces or in the fields of computers and social services. These frequent internet users enjoy distilled liquor, are members of collector's clubs and have recently bought a household or kitchen appliance. They use their somewhat less than average income for reading materials, personal care, utilities, healthcare, transportation and other miscellaneous expenses.

F

Laborer Pains

The people who make up the nine Household Clusters that comprise Ruf's "Laborer Pains" Family Cluster are farmers, maintenance workers and construction laborers who did not graduate from high school. They live paycheck-to-paycheck in the suburbs where they're less likely than the national average to be homeowners. The bulk of their income goes towards food & beverages, utilities, personal care, tobacco and apparel.

G

Keeping It Simple

Ruf's "Keeping It Simple" Family Cluster is made up of twelve Household Clusters that contain people who are married with children, living in houses built before 1990 in mid-size suburban areas. They drive their standard and subcompact cars to their jobs as healthcare technicians, social servants and clerical administrators and enjoy listening to sports events on the radio, watching TV and going dancing in their downtime. This segment's household spending is earmarked for transportation, healthcare, tobacco, utilities and other miscellaneous expenses.

H

Modest Homemakers

The people who fall into the ten Household Clusters that make up Ruf's "Modest Homemakers" Family Cluster are married with children and living in rural, non-farm areas. These high school graduates have jobs in installation & repair, production, transportation and construction--some even have a home-based business. They enjoy "going mobile" and drive anything from vans and full-size pick-ups to motorcycles, standard cars and ATVs/UTVs. These real estate owners also enjoy reading outdoor media. "Modest Homemakers" spend their household income on healthcare, tobacco, food & beverages, and of course, transportation.

J

Farmland Values

Ruf's "Farmland Values" Family Cluster features six Household Clusters that contain people who work the land in rural areas. These high school graduates are more than likely married with children in the household. If they're not working the land, "Farmland Values" probably have jobs in law enforcement, transportation or production--many may not even be in the labor force at all. These folks enjoy watching television and reading outdoor media. Their insubstantial household incomes typically go toward healthcare, retail purchases, tobacco, food & beverages and utilities.

K

Comfy Country Livin'

The people who fall into the eight Household Clusters that comprise Ruf's "Comfy Country Livin' " Family Cluster tend to be older folks who are spending their golden years in the country. They enjoy reading the newspaper and watching sports events on television. They also own retirement real estate and have probably taken a cruise recently. Their limited household funds are allocated for retail purchases, reading materials, healthcare, tobacco and utilities, along with other miscellaneous expenses.

L

Big City Burdens

The four Household Clusters that comprise Ruf's "Big City Burdens" Family Cluster contain people who tend to be single without children, living in multi-family units in the urban core. Females tend to dominate the households in this strapped Family Cluster. Their careers in Fire Prevention and Personal Care & Service don't afford them a lot of extras, but they do enjoy watching television and surfing the net. They use their limited funds for retail purchases, personal care, utilities, food & beverages, apparel, healthcare and other miscellaneous expenses.

M

Fast-Lane Families

The people who belong to the four Household Clusters that comprise Ruf's "Fast-Lane Families" Family Cluster tend to be married with children between the ages of 3-18. As its name suggests, this audience leads busy, family-focused lives in large suburban areas on the urban fringe. Engineers by day, this group typically spends $150+ per week on groceries, drives mid-size SUVs or luxury cars and has likely attended a theme park recently. They have probably also invested in a large kitchen appliance and/or low-ticket home furnishings. With a fair amount of income at their disposal, "Fast-Lane Families" tend to focus their spending on their homes & household operations, education, apparel, personal insurance, gifts and contributions.

N

Blue Collar Blues

The folks who fall into the ten Households Clusters that make up Ruf's "Blue Collar Blues" Family Cluster live in suburban areas and are less likely than the national average to be married and have children. This audience is making ends meet with jobs in healthcare support, material moving and food preparation & service. Many may also be currently unemployed. "Blue Collar Blues" enjoy listening to the radio and watching television, as well as reading magazines. With limited discretionary funds, their expenses include items such as utilities, tobacco, food & beverages, retail purchases, healthcare, personal care and other miscellaneous expenses.

P

Low-Rent Singles

Ruf's "Low-Rent Singles" Family Cluster is comprised of five Household Clusters containing people who tend to be young, single and less likely than the national average to have children. This urban-based audience is comprised of renters who live in condos or townhouses. "Low-Rent Singles" are plugged-in with their frequent internet usage and smartphones, from which they have probably purchased downloadable music recently. With limited funds at their disposal, this group's expenditures are directed toward personal care, utilities, retail purchases, healthcare, tobacco and food & beverages.

Q

Lux and Leisure

The five Household Clusters that make up Ruf's "Lux and Leisure" Family Cluster are comprised of people who enjoy the finer things in life. This group is married with children, living in high-end homes in large-scale suburban areas. They drive luxury cars, own stocks & mutual funds and have taken multiple trips to foreign countries. With excess income at their disposal, these doctors, lawyers, executive managers and financial representatives spend their money on their homes and household operations, apparel, contributions, personal insurance, gifts and education.

R

Urban Struggles

Ruf's "Urban Struggles" Family Cluster is comprised of five Household Clusters containing people who live day-to-day trying to make ends meet. This group is less likely to be married and have children compared to the national average. They live in urban areas where they work in healthcare support, personal care & service, maintenance and social services. Many are unemployed. "Urban Struggles" smoke cigars, are members of collector's clubs and have probably purchased a household appliance recently. They enjoy watching TV, listening to the radio and reading magazines. With extremely limited discretionary funds, their spending leans towards retail purchases, personal care, food & beverages, utilities, tobacco, healthcare and other miscellaneous expenses.