New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-09
TEN DOLLARS A WEEK.
SOMETHING FOR PEOPLE OF SMALL
INCOMES.

A PRACTICAL TALK ABOUT UNCONSIDEREL
EXPENSES.
The question OF the cost OF an attractive and
satisfactory family table Is that Is always In
teresting There is little doubt that large pro-
portion OF the money spent furnishing food IN
this country IL wasted There are many house
keepers otherwise intelligent women, who could
not tell II asked the weekly amount OF butter
coffee other supplies needed for their tables Too
many families order their supplies through
grocers book, in accordance with the demands Of
the kitchenmaid. When the inevitable reckoning
day the size OF the grocers and butchers
bills admonshes them that many little makes a
mlckle"
The exacting hours Of business render II i'm
possible for the breadwnner Of the family to at
tend to the family marketing as he did In the good
old times" This is generally added to the
of the house mother, who Is not always ex-
acting enough 10 deal with the shrewd purveyers
Of food She frequently finds It impossible to leave
the house regularly to attend 70 marketing. The
general Of family living has gradually doubled
since the fashion began Of dealing with the con-
venient grocers and butchers boys, who come to
the door solicit orders This increase In cost has
| been achieved chiefly through increase IN the
use OF small Injuries. too small in themselves TO be
considered worthy OF notice but 50 large in their
! aggregate to utterly overshadow the essential
! expenses Of the table.
/ In considering what those expenses ought to be
the question is not OF how little healthy person
can exist on but what should be the lowest cost OF
attractive table when the meals well
cooked and served and such vii, be salts
factory to a person OF some refinement OF taste
La bette mango mails chaume repai" The salts
| of a different
sense of being fed
As 1t always costs considerably more proportion
ately TO provide for two persons. four adults
are taken as the number to be provided for as a
family II is easy increase the recipes. but It is
not always easy TO divide them. BY the fig
given 1t will be clearly seen that Il requires
strict economy to provide attractive table at
the medium price taken, so week but II e equal
ly certain that this can be accomplished with care
The general table expenses, which vary little day
by day and usually supplied by weekly or
monthly quantities. will b. seen by the figures
given 10 amount fully one-third all the other
expanees These are the small expenses that are
seldom counted In the elaborate menus, including
game courses which offered TO fatter the hopes
OF people OF small Incomes The ever-recurring in
evl,ab.e everyday expenses of the table which must
always be incurred clearly preclude any very
F.@"',",e MENU ' "' ' ,"s.... ,.. 80, Cents.
SiX rolls a dozen home lie muiins or 49,
rsbie butter average price Sc ............. ii
one quart Of milk for luncheon tea. AMI break ~
Half a glass OF condensed milk for coffee at
dinner and breakfast. .....;..:. .o9a
Coffee C35c a pound for dinner and breakfast. %
Tea for luncheon G5c pound)...'....'''''.'' as
Vinegar salt and pepper. ...................... 0l
a
To these expenses must be added potatoes for two
meals Where potatoes purchased at 81 to 81 80
"a barre. they will average about two cents a day
This estimate may large. but the figures are
taken from the unt-book OF a careful house
keeper which showed that a barrel OF potatoes
lasted nire weeks for the family Of four adults We
now have forty-ninc cents OF inevitable daily ex-
penditure 10 be subtracted first. This makes 50 10
weekly TO be subtracted from $40, leaving IS 81.
which for the purpose OF avoiding fractions. will
consider SOS We have not counted the cost OF
ice In summer which can be provided three times
week at thirty cents
From 81 s. or "a cents daily must provide the
variety OF the three meals \ careful considera-
ton OF these figures will convince any one that only
with the greatest care can satisfactory table be
assured at this price. Yet II the waste - food is
reduced TO the smallest figure and the cook Is ex
pert It Is a possible thing and a. this is figure
within which great many educated people must
limit their table expenses, it is worth the trouble
II seems desirable that the dinner should be con-
siierably more expensive than the other two
the materials already allowed in the general ex-
penditures I, should be spent about follows:
Cents
SOUP &C. 40 TO ,b somce Zoe To- 3c S2%
one vegetable besides potatoes. &c. to loc'' o-,,
Green salad. french dressing ................. o5
Dessert bread. coffee Sc. to lOc, average. o''s
In cases where a roast or pair Of chickens may
he purchased they will double the cost of the meat
course AMI must last for two days to keep the
balance straight II the price OF any OF the courses
Is exceeded one day it must be brought back to the
proper balance by a cheaper service the next day
IL f. not a good plan. however, to do this. and II
continued it will not result as satlsfactorily as
when uniform table is maintained. 1t VIII not, ot
c, urse be possible to always maintain the cost al
the highest figure and live within the limit given.
When a dessert or any course IS served at the
highest figure one day 1t must or BE sefSeq al aIo
the balance
All the courses. from soup to dessert can be fur
nlshed at the prices named. and variety Of
recipes at the cost given 10 form part OF these
papers The reader will find recipes FOR dishes
which shall be delicious as well as inexpensive.
How the remaining sum of "a cents is to be spent
on breakfast and luncheon Is shown In the follow
ing menus:
Cents.
Coffee. with condensed milk ALREADY provided
i1T roeoi Or so,nc cereal %
Stewed apples preserved pears (home-made) or
Biscuit, rolls, mullins cakes ALREADY pro-
vided fo) -
IL
LUNCHEON
Cents.
s Sthsr mpss or ess
Fruit or a OH
\ potato ealad. other cheap salad made OF
leftover vegetables and meat................ .03a
Tea, bread
II
Special attention will be devoted In these papers
TO the amount OF time taken in the preparation OF
these meals, the time Of a housekeeper with one