Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-10-22
The Science Of Saving.

II any who read these lines are conscious
that their pockets are made Of such mate
rials that whatever money is put into them
will burn hole until it gets out, | would
advise them, whenever they take the air, to
leave their money at home, or, better still,
TO keep an exact account of every penny
they spend. 1t is astonishing how foolish
small extravagances appear, when they have
to be put down in black and white, after the
temptation to indulge in them is over. And
they must be put down in detail, and not
conveniently classed together under the gen
eral heading of "sundries' The item "sun-
dries " is never admitted into well-kept
household accounts. No one who has not
tried it would believe what check it is
upon personal expenditure to keep a thorough
account of money spent, and not only a
check but help; for prices may be com
pared, aud thus lessons learned from expe-
rience. Generally speaking, whenever large
savings have been made, they have been
effected in little sums. Very few persons of
ordinary honesty deliberately set to work to
make large purchases which they cannot
afford, and yet numbers spend just as much
in the long run in little things that they
scarcely think worthy of notice. 1t is very
difficult to realize fully the value of small
sums. If the pennies and half-pennies that
| lie loose in the pockets were properly appre-
ciated, there would not be so much pecuni-
ary embarrassment in the world as there Is
"Many mickle makes muckle." This is
true of nothing more than half-pennies aud
pennies. These little savings, as a rule, must
be made in personal expenditure more than
in anything else. What is spent over the
household is generally needed, but the
l,,nt,
tie are not And when any saving is made
in this way, the money should be put aside
as saved, instead OF being mixed with the
spendng.fund and additions made to it
as frequently as possible. That will make
you understand as soon as anything what
small economies amount to. When money
is put aside 10 be saved, it should be
put in some place where it can not be
directly got at. cannot speak too highly
I OF the savings-bank for this purpose. The
very fact that little trouble aud for
mula has to be gone through with before
it can be obtained prevents it being spent
many time when it most certainly would
be if il were close at hand. | have said
that what was spent for the household was
generally necessary outlay; and yet there
are two or three ways in which money eau
he saved here that should like to mention
The first is by buying in large quantities
Of course the danger is when there is stock
of things to "run at as the servants say
they will be extravagantly used. All that
can say on this point is, that they must moi
be "run at" A proper quantity must b'
portioned out and the rest put away. IheI
it will be found that articles may b'
bought both cheaper and better in larg'
quantities than in small ones. Another wa,
to save expense is to pay for everything a
you get it. If you do this you will avoi'
overcharge, and will buy far less. If tn
money had to be paid at the moment, man,
an unnecessary purchase would be avoided
People who have limited incomes are thos
who can least afford 10 live on credit; ant
unfortunately they do it more than any oti
ers. One word of warning in reference :
SIN III economies. We continually read /
the newspapers of people who die in mser
aud poverty, who have perhaps received hel
from the parish; aud after their dealt
money is found which they have hidden i
all sorts of odd hooks aud corners. Wit
these unfortunates saving has become
mania; OF all manias think it is one of tn
most deplorable, for, after all. money
itself is absolutely worth nothing,-it
+, only valuable for what it can procure. If
= will only bring comforts and necessaries Il
:, those we love while We are able to work, au
. . secure independence for ourselves when "
=, cannot do so, it is worth small economic
!, forethought, hard work, energy, care an
y self-denial. But even gold is bought t.
y y dear when the desire for it is allowed
!, overpower every other feeling.
= MaQdzine.