The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-01-31
LIVING ON $500 A YEAR.

been given to the matter of getting
the best possible results from a small
salary in the way of living. But OF
the many attempts, but little has
come. except that in matter of cook
ing more or less improvement has been
made in getting palatable and nour-
ishing dishes at very little cost. How
ever. a New York lady. Miss Kathe-
rine Bement Davis, says the Mime
apolis Times, has demonstrated that
family of six persons can live com
fortably on $500 year, and she claims
to have done so by practical expert
ment. The sum of $500 is taken as
the average income of a wOrkingman's
family, consisting of husband and
wife, and four children, all under 10
years old. The couple at marriage
are assumed TO have saved S4O0 OF
this 800 was put aside as provision
against accident and $500 to furnish
the house. A convenient house, with
living room, kitchen, and bath room
sum making a rent of Sl20 possible.
For the family clothing 800 was set
apart, for food 5000 and for fuel $50,
leaving $50 for miscellaneous expenses
Miss Bement believes that outside of
New York the rent allowance is Suffi-
cient fOr'the comfort of such family.
For $500 they purchased in the open
market and in small quantities durable
and tasteful furniture, including
linen, china and kitchen utensils,
amply sufficient for housekeeping
Careful investigation was made as to
the actual cost of clothing in laboring
mems families, and it was decided
that for healthful and decent gar
ments of durable materials, with
moderately careful mending and re-
making, using outgrown material for
the children, the following sums could
clothe the family for year: Man,
1921: woman, S27. 59;girl of ten years,
$1,000: boy of eight, Sl5.9S; girl of five,
1857; baby, 1898. That brought the
total to Sl02.SS-a trife above the esti-
mate.
The food question was more difficult
to determine, and trial was made for
month to show that for 5000 year,
or an average of 55 cents day, five
persons could be so well fed as to
satisfy their appetites by the quality
and variety of food and to keep them
in good health and good working con-
ditiOn; and also to see how closely
practice would verify the theory by
first preparing a series of bills Of fare
in accordance with scientific stand
ards of food economics, and then test
ing them by putting them in use with
real family. The result was on the
whole satisfactory. The fare had to
be changed somewhat to meet the
tastes of the family and the supplies
in the market More coffee and but
ter were used than was planned for,
but the cost came within the esti-
mate, and the family were satisfied
and in good health. An Aladdin oven
was used, and cheap cuts Of meat,
which are nutritive and palatable with
long, slow cooking, had prominent
place in the bill of fare. Such economy
was exercised that the waste consisted
almost entirely of the bones of meat
and potato parings.
So far the experiment was success.
1t showed that a sober family of
moderate intelligence could have COM
fort and some luxury on $500 a year.
More important STILL it was an object
lesson in domestic management. It
taught people how to use their income
to get the greatest benefit. 1t made
place for the reinements of life in
houses ofa class where they are some
times thought to be an extravaganza.
1t proved that a family could live and
not suffer on 800 year for clothing,
though whether reduction below
that figure would not carry economy
beyond the point of self respect is
doubtful, and less than S2O0.a year for
food would probably lead to improper
nourishment. Miss Bement thinks
that the results justify her expert
ment. But the next thing is to put
the knowledge into the best use. The
people who need it are not prepaid to
profit by it. Yet there is no doubt
that many families in Minneapolis
continues the Times, many of them
with more members than six, manage
to live on even less than $500 year.
Economical and healthtul prepare
tion of food is an art not too widely
practiced in families with far higher
average of income and intelligence
than the hypothetical one in question.
Simple as are the plans of living laid
down in Miss Dement'S report, they
require far too much foresight, taste
and self restraint to be practiced by
the average tenement dWeller or