The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-01
B|G CONTRAST IN
 COST OF LIVING How One Man Saves Money in
 Birmingham MAKES BUT S840 A YEAR Another Man Making $2ooo Per Year Is Constantly Filling Up Debts by Living Beyond His
 Income.
MAKES BUT S84O A YEAR
BY WALTER HARPER.


 ''The question of supporting a family does not depend so much on the amount of salary a man makes as on the tastes and ideals of that man and the family that he is trying to support" remarked R Birmingham observer last night he called my attention to an auto speeding down Twentieth street bearing fashion ably dressed young man and woman.
 "They are a young married couple, added my friend, indicating the disappear ing auto and it's occupants by jerk of his thumb over his shoulder.
 He gets two thousand dollars 8 year salary. With that he is making bare living, as I heard him express it to friend few days ago. I know lots of things that are going on in this town and one of those things is the fact that that young man is in debt and even owes for the clothes that he and his wife are splurging. They are living at three or four thousand dollar rate on two thou sand dollar salary
 "A tony house in a fashionable quar- fer is absolutely essential to a decent living for them. The auto you see them
 
 of the necessities of life, as is box party at the theatre every week, to say nothing Of the other things that are classed as luxuries by the man with three times his income
 But this young man is only a sample of hundreds of others in Birmingham. Some of the one thousand dollar men must live at the rate of two thousand dollars a year or they are not living at all. He is always looking for a raise in salary and must have it or he is ruined. The two thousand dollar establishment with accessories is just as essential to his istence and happiness as meat and bread to the honest working man.
 ''The question of keeping a family on small salary in Birmingham is one of the livest issues here and one that thou sands of men are debating.
 But hold, here comes a man with his wife and baby. I happen to know them and they are an example of sane and self respecting class you will find in this city. l happen to know this mans method of living. His salary is less than a thousand dollars a year and he and his family are hsnpier and more contented than the cA be you saw in the automobile. As
 see, they are walking. They are dI q loubt on their way now to the theatre. < oteykAonly indulge in this luxury about 14ncel week and l dare say enjoy it more yEhaIh the other couple with their box and friebds.
 This man owns his own home in nevk suburb-paid for it out of his less than thousand dollar salary. He has plenty to feat, and as you see they are comfort ably clothed. Besides that they have snEg little pile in the bank over there. True, the pile is a small one, but it is laIrger than that possessed by the two thousand dollar in the automobile who could not pay thirty cents in the dol Jar of all he owes tonight"
 You wonder how Mir Small Salary does this? I will tell you. He is an honest man and has an honest wife. They are simple, it is true, but no man say that simplicity does not bring happi- ness. They get as much real good out of life as the other couple referred to and are thousand times happier in the se- curity of clear conscience and an honest plenty. The truth is they revel in luxuries that the other couple can never dream of having.
 'They have love and happy child that brings them more sunshine and gladness than all the tapestries and social glamour of a false position.
 Tn their simplicity they desired a home that they could call their own
  H4 by years of hard work and careful finan- ciering. But even the sacrifices they made brought real pleasure. for they were re- warded in the dreams of a model home and family security. The pleasure re- ceived in this way was sweeter to them than the boasted luxuries claimed by the man who meets his frowning creditors on the streets every day.
 Now they have their home. It is beautiful home. The happy wife has the deed in her trunk. They have health and plenty to eat and wear. What else would you want out of life? What else is there to attain?
 "But you want to know how they have done all this. l happen to know This couple keeps careful account of all the money paid out and here is the result of totals as shown by the good little wife: she lis cousin of mine and she took pride in showing me the figures: