Final answer:
The question asks for the amount more the average U.S. household had to pay for the same goods and services compared to last year. Without the specific current year's data, it's impossible to answer accurately, but inflation rates and the Consumer Price Index are used to track such changes. Income inequalities and shifts in consumer behavior can also affect spending patterns and necessary household expenses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question provided does not contain adequate information to determine the specific amount the average U.S. household needed to spend more a month than it did last year to pay for the same goods and services. The provided reference material from the Consumer Expenditure Survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide the monthly increase from one year to the next. To answer such a question accurately, one would need the current year's average household consumption data and compare it to the previous year's data. Without this information, answering the multiple-choice question provided is not possible. For an accurate comparison of average monthly expenses year over year, one would typically look at the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures changes over time in the price level of consumer goods and services.
Inflation rates or the CPI are commonly used to estimate how much more or less consumers are paying for goods and services over time. Moreover, specific changes in spending could be attributed to various factors, such as changes in income inequalities, shifts in consumer behavior, or broader economic events like a recession.