Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-20
,an COST OF MARRIED LIFE.
. Widow Gives some Facts About
the Cost of Living.

the cost Oh LiSiHS'
r..o,, ,la ys,o York Mail and Fspre.s.
II often hear young married men say
that It costs them no more 10 live than it
AID when they were SINGLE" remarked a
widow yesterday.
..Do YOU agree with then" ~
1.-two and two make four do not. l
h.va had some experience, and | have
discovered that it costs just twice as
mnch and frequently three times as much
,or man 10 support wife as to live SIN
nIa II does not make any difference how
Economical wife is, she cannot do away
Win the stern factthat 1t costs just twice
"a much for tive people to live as
one or course single men who are
;ndenendept and have plenty of
.nendug money invariably get rid of
GOOD daal per annum ANYWAY. A wife can
cove money for this class OF men, provided
she can keep him away from the clubs,
rnake him give up b unnecessary and
avDsnsjye bachelor habits, and put at
Ieast mart OF these supertluous eXpendi-
tnres Ilpon the household and her own
eyneuses. But il he does not follow this
course his expenses are doubled. A firm
and resOlute wife can save money To
husband who is making money; there
fore. il behoOves all men who are pros
nering to marry economical wives.
Take the case, though, of clerk on
salary of $50 a month. or $l5 per
week. what would he save by mar
ryingP Suppose he tries boarding; 1t will
cost him and vile $l2 per week; $40 at the
least calculation, whereas be only paid
$50 So for himself. See what small
margin he has for saving money after
marriage. He can't save penny. Wash
inc and other Incidental expenses will
q -
difference whether 1T is S. or So. Well, the
sSmargin would soon put Them In debt.
line remains saele he obtains board at
SO per week, pats So week for incidental
expenses and puts in the say
ipgs bank So per year. To d.
this be has to wear So and $40
suits of clothes, never go to the theatre,
unless once or twice month be goes in
the gallery at 25;. admission, and to live
close and economical lite. Suppose be
keeps house. He can rent small house
in the suburbs of Brooklyn for $40 month.
Take it for granted that the house is fur
nished by some cash he happens to have,
then ne has nothing to do but pay the rent,
buy food and fue and clothes for himself
and wife. Can le do il on that SIS
week? Not much; but he can come
nearer living this way than by boarding.
HIS food and fuel need not cost him over
S23 or S25 per moBth, leaving balance of
SIS for the hundred other little expenses
attached to running even a modest domes-
tic household. His expenses for car
fare, going aud coming from business.
foot up at the endpf the month. Possibly
he might be able to pull through three or
four months, but ldoubt it. The question,
tten, is how can aSl5a-week young man
marry and live happily aud not run be-
hind! He must be sensible aud marry
Sl0-a-week young woman, who, after she
mas married. must continue TO be in a
Sl0-a-week mood. They Will have to
board, of course, as both have to leave
home and work. At S12a week for both,
they Will have margin Of $3 to go upon
for incidental expenses. These are the
experimental aud actual facts about the
Sj5-a.week young man, and there is no
way to reduce his expenses; therefore it
is worse than folly for him TO marry up-
less he marries $l0-a-week young
woman. | have read articles In the Mail
and Express about cheap living, but
they sounded like the theories OF an i'm
practicable dreamer"