Women in the West Midlands spend more on their underwear than almost anywhere else in the country.

Families in the region are also top of the table at forking out to make their homes more attractive.

But when it comes to literary pursuits and keeping abreast of current affairs, they do not fair so well.

Households in the West Midlands spend on average a miserly £1.10 a week on books, joint second from bottom with households in Yorkshire, and only just ahead of the North-east.

And at £1.70 per home, they spend less than people in any other part of the country on newspapers.

These are just some of the facts that emerge from National Statistics' survey into UK family spending published this month.

An analysis of the figures for the West Midlands provides a fascinating insight into the lifestyles of people in the region.

An average of £1.50 spent on "women's under garments" a week per household is joint top nationally with the East.

Men, however, appear less bothered about underwear, investing a fairly typical 40p a week on pants, although this may reflect cheaper costs.

The survey shows families in the West Midlands spend nearly double on making their homes look good compared to those in Yorkshire and a third more than Londoners.

The East is the nearest rival on £2.50.

In total, households in the West Midlands spend on average of £375.60 a week on general living.

The biggest single expense, apart from housing, is the cost of running a car, with West Midland families spending £54.10 a week on transport.

High spending on transport is in line with the national picture. The exceptions are those fun-loving people of the North-east and Wales, where families spend more on recreation and culture.

That area of expense comes second in the West Midlands, ahead of food and soft drinks which account for £41.40 a week per household.

Household bills, excluding mortgages and council tax, are the next biggest bill, costing £32.30 a week.

Bottom of the pile are education and health, a situation replicated nationally and reflecting the fact that those services are provided free by the state.

A detailed breakdown of what households are spending is illuminating.

It shows despite wanting to make their homes look nice and a female emphasis on fine underwear, people are not so concerned about their own appearance in the West Midlands.

West Midlanders also appear to have little time for play, spending less on hobbies, toys and games than any other part of the country along with Yorkshire.

It seems they much prefer to sit in front of a television set or computer, spending a relatively high £5.60 a week on TV, video and computers.

Despite the region's restaurant renaissance, West Midlanders are still relatively reluctant to dine out.

Spending on restaurant and cafe meals is less per home than almost anywhere in the country, apart from the North-east and Wales.

And despite the reinvention of night-time entertainment focused around Birmingham's Broad Street, people appear to spend relatively little in bars and pubs.

We like a take-away though - the region forks out an above average £3.70 a week on take-away meals.

At the end of the day, however, West Midlanders seem to like where they live.

When it comes to holidays abroad, families spend less than everyone else, apart from those in the North-east and Northern Ireland.