Evening journal., 1906-12-01
HOW TO MAKE
BOTH ENDS MEET
Advancing Prices Make Shop
ping Hard Problem For
IiOuSeEeeperS

The problem Of living economically is
one that is taxing the brain of the VIII
mingt5n housekeeper A few years ago
our thrifty housewives thought that they
had living expenses down TO fine point,
but now It is question Of how 70 make
both ends meet If IL were an advance in
feed alone, then they might wrestle with
it, but there are clothing and household
necessities as we'll. Several years ago a
housekeeper could go TO market with s.
and buy supplies 10 last over Sunday,
but she finds that So would furnish very
inferior supplies now. Meats have ad-
vanced, and while a nice Thanksgiving
turkey could be gotten for Is cents a
pound few years ago. there are few now
for less than 2S cents pound. phis al
most puts the turkey out of reach OF the
person in moderate circumstances, unless
they economize in some other way, and
the question is. Where can they econo-
Inize2
There was a time when she might have
economical by having bacon and eggs the
day before, but bacon has risen from u
cents to 20 cents a pound, and eggs are
now selling for 45 cents a dozen, and Will
soar stll higher before Christmas, when
the housekeeper starts TO lay in her sup
plies for fruit cake Butter has and Is
advancing, too, and II the family is fond
of hot bread they have to be satisfied with
a thin spread"
It is the same way when the house
keeper visits the grocer. Here she finds
that some things have risen almost be-
yond reason. Flour has advanced, so
have potatoes, dried fruits and many of
the canned goods. She may still indulge
in her cup OF tea or coffee three times a
day. as there has been very little change
in the prices Of these.
Having figured over the problem or
| food there is still the servant question to
I be wrestled with. The hired girl would
/ not have dared to scoff 1t an offer OF s. $50
"a week few years ago. and she consid-
cred herself well paid 1T 50 a week Now
! she asserts her independence, and de-
nands a salary far beyond the means Of
many. She questions the housekeeper to
see II she can consider ;he position How
many are there in the family? only Mr..
and Mrs. Blank What time do they have
breakfast, and do they have much COM
] UanA VIII tlt ht AlAOWEu thNi 0uut tl
and Thursday afternoon on? Wen, she
was good cook, and could furnish ref
I erences and would do the cooking for
$3.50. provided she had nothing ese TO do.
The obliging grl who could make de-
llcious bread. cook a steak TO a turn also
clean house and bring up a basket %
snowy white clothes on Tuesday mornir 8
which she had laundered has disappeared,
and in her place we have the servant who
demands 81 a week, and very often S.
They are either cook or housegirl; they
very seldom combine the two now.
After settling with the market man, the
grocery man and the cook, the house
keepers pocketbook is low and she has
stin the problem Of providing clothes
Gotten and wooden goods have both ad-
vanced in price. and a shirt manufac
turer says that shirts which cost him s.
a dozen a few years ago he cannot get fol
less than 50. Inferior materials cost more
to-day than they did few years back
and the housekeeper has hard time tS
make both ends meet when Il comes t.
clothing
There Is so much TO get at prices tina
are so beyond her means. Ready-madN
garments have advanced, and so hav'
the materials. so it is with pencil an'
paper that the woman sits down witt
and Fuckers her brow while she tries q
? figure which will be more economical NJ
4 matter whether for herself husband q
= children, the things have advanced yea
? by year, and the housekeeper finds it al
most more than she can do 10 make boil
{ fe all frQfnU
no more coming in.