Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1907-09-07

}, SATURDAY EVEl
wanted some day to own house and
it was towards that end that we be-
gan TO save. I know that living eX-
penses then were considerable cheap
er. In addition. we had no clothing
to buy that first year, both Of US hav-
ing a sufficient supply with the ex-
ceptlon of a few small articles.
we had no systematic way of saw
ing-that is like most young people,
We did not try t0 save certain sum
each month but we put by n dollar
here and there as we found we could.
We thought we were saving and we
We're on a small scale.
How They Managed
eve started housekeeping the
first year of our married life We
paid $12 rent for a small four-room-
ed house which l furnished comfort
ably yon savings / made before we
were married. That left me without
capital. We spent most of our even
ings at home-we had few acquaint-
ances in the city and we spent little
for entertainment. That was a small
item, but looking back / see where it
counted
Friends Cost Money.
Friends cost money to the man on
small salary. Not that we would
US but it all counts up. We like to
play cards. 1t is our only amuse-
ment and when we have few
friends in for a game the refresh
ments cost us so or 60 cents, light a
small sum and etc. Add this several
times a week to your expense ac-
count and you know what your
f,.fa fn Hn1 re
and cents. BY this | do not mean
TO say it offsets the pleasure of good
friends. Then when you go calling
in return, there is generally some
small expense bit of something to
brighten up your wife's dress. a new
tie for yourself-perhaps a new hat.
your shoes need shining or something
of that nature.
How They Dress.
I'VE do not dress extravagantly.
have a suit that l wear on state oc-
casions-Sunday, evenings and holi-
days. L have one good business suit
and when it is being mended, L have
combination coat and trousers and
other remnants of old suits which Il
can wear and stil appear neat ana
tidy. L press my own clothing.
1T costs more to dress my wife be-
comingly than it does myself. Not
that she wears better clothes than
do but women's clothing Is higher
and they require more clothing than
a man proportionately. At least we
found 1t so. Feminine attire requires
a number of fancy articles that cost
money"
His General Idea.
What does it cost You 10 live ac-
cording to a rough estimate ?" he
was asked. The reply was:
The greatest expense is food.
This approximates about one third
sixth of my income and, as you may
well be surprised, laundry costs al
most another sixth. These three
items consume two thirdesef my sal
airy. Clothing for the year takes an
other sixth and this leaves one sixth
left for the payment of SAP year
for insurance premiums, IS year
for lodge fees and all other expenses
and amusements and incidentals.
such are our expenses at present
though we do not live in the three
room cottage any more. We kept
house in an establishment of our own
only a little over a year, then we
stored our furniture and it is still in
storage. The reason we broke up
housekeeping was that my wife was
called to her home on account Of the
Illness of a member Of her family
and was compelled to stay away four
months. When she returned we
started to boarding. We secured a
room for $40 a month and got pretty
good table board for the two of US
for SO a week. Thus our actual eX-
penses for living was $50 a month.
Light Housekeeping.
After living i'm this manner for a
few months we found that as far as
M xnta
had just about as much as before,
which was little enough, but we grew
tired of boarding and tried another
scheme. We secured a room in a
house where we were permitted the
use of the kitchen for light cooking.
Here we paid SO a month for our
accommodations and had the extra
expense of fuel and table laundry.
We save on our food bill little, but
we live better and are more satisfied.
AS for saving any money that still
seems to be an impossbility. Occas-
ionally a few extra dollars accumu-
late and we begin to congratulate
ourselves that we will have a sur
plus at the end of the year. but such
a thing never happens for some
friend Of ours happens to get mar
ried at about that time and we must
buy wedding present, or some acct
dent takes place, or one of us takes
sick and the doctor takes the surplus
and little more besides which must
be paid later.
Not Saving Now.
LAS | said before we don't pretend
to be ecOnomically-m and in
this respect we resemble the great
majority Of wage earners. We would
like to save money, but we don't like
to worry about it, We know we could
lay by at least hundred dollars a
year If we eXerted ourselves, but we
don't exert. We move i'm the line Of
the least resistance and we try to be
happy without being mean. We have
friends who are situated financially
about as we are who save money and
they are hospitable people and all
that, but do you know that / cannot
enter the house of "A particular one Of
these friends without having the feel
ing that | am enCrOaching upon his
bank account. To know he is scrap
ing To save a certain amount every
year takes away my enjoyment Of his
entertainment.
ITO be honest ! do not know what
10 is actually costing Us to live except