Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-06
CITY AND DISTRICT.
LIFE ON A SMALL SALARY.
People who Live ON 500 n Month. and
Row They Manage.

INTERESTING FIGURES IS TO WHAT 1T COSTS
70 EAT AND sLEEP-THE EXPERIENCE OF
PEOPLE WHO LIVE COMFORTABLY BY LIVING
ECoNoaICALIY-TH SCIENCE OF SAVING AND
How SOME ARE PROFICIENT IN 1T.
The problem of how TO live on small saary
Ia city presents itself to such large number of
people that it is question Of almost general in
terest. The difference between the actual cost
OF living in a city "a compared with the country
is, a rule. not comprehended by people until
wife is economical. and is skilltul about max
ing over clothes for herself and the family
they make the experiment. Incomes which are
sufficient for a generous living in the country
are found in the city to be hardly adequate to
meet the actual necessities of lite This is ac-
counted for in number OF ways. A lack of
economy. however. is quite generally assigned
as the prime cause. Here IN this city. where
such large number are living on small and
medium salaries. it is said that there is much
extravaganza and an abnormal high scale Of
living. Clerks are generally spoken of as i'm
prOvident and shiftless, and the failure to live
within incomes or to save money is attributed
to weakness and folly, and not to necessity.
STAR reporter recently made some in
quiries among government employees as to how
they lived and how much it cost them and
whether they were able TO save any money. The
answers were various as to the first two ques-
tiOns. but in regard to the latter it was found
that clerks above certain grade only had been
able to lay away portion of their earnings.
The limit at which it was possible for man to
support his family in respectable style seemed
to be about 500 per month and after the actual
expenses were deducted they said that there
was not much OF margin for clothing and in
cidentals.
THE EXPERIENCE OF A 81 600 CLERK.
One clerk said, II get $1,000 year and
ma 70 I.r
4 suppose that / spend about $1,000 for
living expenses for myself and family.
But l have to be careful and besides my
live in a house in good neiQhborhoOd. not
too far away, and while pay more rent save
in car fare, and then my children have good
associates My rent is $50 per month. / could
get a house for less, but in other particulars
think that would lose all that | would save.
Then l pay - per month for wood and coal.
buy the white ash Tor my furnace and coke for
nv range and the latter is a great saving.
Then | buy from the man whose coal lasts the
longest, and | generally in that way get good
weight get my butter from farmer in Vir-
GINA, and pay % cents per pound wholesale,
instead of 40 in the city in retail. Ny wife or
myself do the marketing. and we always pay
cash and run no bills. Whenever We see that a
merchant is selling some article at a lower
figure then the market price we go to that store
and lay In supply. BY buying for cash, and
down."
NO PARTIES OR THEATERS.
''Of course. continued the clerk. I'VE can't
give receptions and parties or entertain much
company. i send MY three children to the pub
lie school. and in the evenings they are gen.
orally occupied with their books. We rarely 90
TO the theater or to concerts. We could easily
put twice the amount of our monthly expendi-
ture in our mouths or our backs if we were
SO disposed Even with the best Intentions
and with skill in economiZing We can hardly
keep our necessary expenses within 800 per
month. Yet we live very quietly, and / suppose
many would think very poorly. In the event
of sickness, or any unusual contingency. of
course our expenses are increased, and on q
salary of 800 | " ould fall behind"
Now let Us count up the various items" said
the clerk pulling out pencil, and jOtting them
down. Il will give the figures as they average
for each month during theyear as follows:
House rent. $50 90
Wood. coal, 500