Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-01-26
Economical Buying.


FIRST. The article should be fully
worth the amount asked for it. That
is, Intrinsic value should be such that,
rs prices average, you are getting the
full worth of your money. If an arti-
Gle for the table, it should be in good
condition to use, and Of good weight
or measure. If for personal or house,
keeping purposes, its quality should
be tie best 10 be obtained for the price.
Nothing is really worth having that is
half spoiled, or that Will not wear well
in proportion to its cost.
Second. The article should supply
a genuine need. The need may not
be immediate, but it should be both
possible and probable. Many persons
have a mania for buying what they
will never use, simply because they
see Il good article for sale at a tempt
ing price. Food, clothing, household
articles-all are recklessly accumu-
lated without regard to quantity, and
then either wasted, or laid by until
time of changing fashion renders them
almost, if not quite, worthless Es-
pecially in regard to that which is
purely ornamental, it is wisest to buy
only what you have an actual and i'm
mediate use for.
Third. The article should be suited
to the use that is to be made Of it, or
the place it is to occupy, and to the
surroundings of its owner Sirloin
steak is not suitable for soup meat, nor
French china for kitchen ware; neither
does elaborate trimming look we'll on
n cheap calico dress, nor brocade and
plush furniture over rag carpets.
These are extreme cases, but it is al
ways in bad taste, and bctrays both
ignorance and extravaganza to use an
expensive article for an unsuitable
purpose or one inferior to that for
which it was designed, or 70 associate
coarse and fine on inappropriate arti-
ees together. Instructive good taste,
or Il patient study of good examples
will save one from such errors.
Fourth. 1t is not economical to pay
very much more or less than the me-
dunn price for standard articles. For
instance, such materials as all wool
goods or pure linen, or good silk bring
a certain price in proportionto their
weight and iineness. But the eX-
tremes of either coarse or fine are not
uatailY economical. Exceptions may
be found to this rule, in the special
rates made by large firms, on some of
their best goods, during certain sea-
sons of the year, and in instances of
peculiar adaptation to some particu-
lar purpose, but the principle holds
good for all ordinary cases. Neither
is it economical for persons Of moder-
ate means to indulge in snowy ot eX-
pensive novelties that are likely soon
to 90 out of fashion, for if the material
is good, such articles will outwear
their usefulness, and if not, they will
become shabby before they have served
their time. As regards household sup
plies, while it is generally true that
1.-THE best is the cheapest yet there
are some important qualifications to
this rule that should be noted. 1t is
not economical to put expensive arti-
cles into the care of ignorant and un-
trained servants. If you cannot look
after such things yourself, it is better,
either to refrain from buying them, or
to secure a perfectly Trustworthy per-
son to handle them, for the losses
through ignorance and careless indif-
ference are painful to contemplate.
Strong, durable articles, not too heavy,
Or too elaborately constructed, are the
best kind for the average help to use,
and are always worth their cost.
Large quantities Of food should never
be given into unframed hands with
the expectation of saving thereby, for
the loss through poor management is
far more than the profit through buy
ing by wholesale.
TO sum up the whole matter, if you
wish to buy economically, carefully
consider and examine a purchase be-
fore making it; have a definite use in
view and buy nothing simply from inn
pulse. Mary tiger G0atrey, in Good
Housekeeping.