Americans are spending more than ever. Lifetime earnings have shot up. We're talking about $4.2 million over an adult life. Kind of surprising, isn't it?

Housing eats up the most. Nearly half of what we spend goes there. $1.9 million on a place to live. Real estate prices keep climbing.

Cars are a big deal too. About 15% of our money goes to transportation. That's $630,000. New cars, used cars, fixing them, fueling them - it all adds up.

Kids cost a pretty penny. $580,000 to raise them. Health insurance isn't cheap either. $350,000 over a lifetime.

We're supposed to save for retirement. $250,000 is the average. Home renovations take $230,000. Vacations? $140,000.

Furniture, education, weddings - they all take their slice. It seems the big purchases still dominate our spending. But those vacations add up too. 65 trips in a lifetime. Not bad.

This data paints a picture of American life. It's not entirely clear what it all means, but it's fascinating to see where our money goes.