The Washington critic., 1886-12-11
NOW TO DOUBLE ExFENs Es.
"A widows Advice to Poor Youu
Mon who Want to Get Married.

A widows Advice to Poor Young
Mon who Want to Get Married.
"I often hear young married men say
that IL costs them no more to live than
It did when they were SINGLE" re-
marked widow to the New York
Mail and Erpress.
"Do you agree with them ?"
''If two and two make four do not.
have had some experience and have
discovered that 1t costs twice as much
and frequently three times as much for
man to support wife as to live
single. 1t does not make any differ
ence how economical wife Is, she
cannot do away with the stern fact that
1t costs just twice as much for two
people to live as one. OF course single
men who are independent and have
plenty of spending money invariably
get rid of good deal per annum any
way. A wife can save money for this
class of men, provided she can keep
him away from the clubs. make him
give up his unnecessary and expensive
bachelor habits, and put at least a part
Of those superfiuous expenditures
upon the household and her own ex.
penscs. But If he does not follow this
course his expenses are doubled. A
firm and resolute wife can save money
to q husband who Is making money;
therefore 1t behooves all men who are
prospering to marry economical wives.
Take the case, though, of clerk on a
salary of $50 month, or $15 per week,
what would he save by marrying?
Suppose 'ries boarding; 1t will cost
him and viii. $12 per week, $40 at the
least calculation, whereas he only paid
Sc or $5 for himself. See what a small
margin he has for saving money after
marriage. He can't save penny.
Washing and other incidental expenses
will eat up the So or SO margin; 1t
makes no difference whether It is the
So or So. Well, the So margin
would soon put them in debt. If
he remains single he obtains board
at SO per week, pays SO a week
for incidental expenses, and puts
In the savings bank $72 per year. To
do this he has to wear So and $40 suits
of clothes, never 60 to the theatre,
unless once or twice month he goes in
the gallery at 25 cents admission, and
to live a close and economical life. Sup
pose he keeps house. He can rent a
small house In the suburbs of Brooklyn
for $50 month. Take it for granted
that the house is furnished by some
cash he happens to have, then he has
nothing to do but pay the rent buy
food and fuel and clothes for himself
and wife. Can he do 1t on that $15 q
week? Not much, but he can come
nearer living this way than by board.
ing. His food and fuel need not cost
him over $23 or $25 per month, leaving
balance of $40 for the hundred other
little expenses attached to running
even a modest domestic household.
His expenses for car fare, going
and coming from business, foot
up at the end of the month. Possibly
he might be able to pull through three
or four months, but doubt it. The
question then is how can $l5.a-week
young man marry and live happily and
not run behind? He must be sensible
and marry $40 a.week young woman,
who, after she has married, must con
tinue to be in $40 a-week mood.
They will have to board, of course, as
both have to leave home and work. AT
$12 a week for both, they will have a
margin of $13 to go upon for incidental
expenses. These are the experimental
and actual facts about the $15 week
young man, and there is no way to re.
duce his expenses, therefore 1t is worse
than folly for him to marry unless he
marries a $1O-a.week young woman.