Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1907-09-11
He DOES NOT STINT
BUT STILL SAVES
Has No Bad Habits. However. and
No Steady Girl" at This Time.
viii Double Income
Before He
WedS.

In order to determine what 1t costs
the average unmarried working man
of steady habits to live, a Citizen re-
porter interviewed a young mechanic
who is steadily employed in this city.
This young mechanic, whom we
will call Bill, at the present time is
making just SO a day, which is below
the average wage of skilled mechanics
in this city as bricklayers get Sc a
day, plasterers $3.50 a day, carpen-
ters, S4 a day, paper hangers and
house painters 1915 and so on. When
questioned as to his expenses Bill
was already prepared to give an item
lied account of his expenditures, hav-
ing just gone over his accounts by
reason of the interest he took in The
Citizens series of articles on the cost
of living. Bill is an electric lineman
and earns SO a day.
S915 Per Year.
If Bill works every working day in
the year he earns 1915, but few me-
chanics get in a full years work and
last year Bill was laid off sixteen
days. Seven of these days were holi-
days, Thanksgiving, Christmas New
Year, Washington's Birthday, Mem
orial day, Fourth of July and Labor
Day, and this meant a deduction of
$4S from his yearly income for me-
chanics are not paid for one hour
In which they do not work. Accord
ing to Bill's figures, he had surplus
for the year of just $113, but this
does not represent all his savings for
ne pays premiums amounting to $64
a year on two endowment insurance
policies, which is an investment
which will yield him considerably
more than he put into it at the ex-
piration of the twenty year term.
His Expenses.
When asked for an account of his
daily Rill Ohiaptpd and said
he never figured his expenses by the
day, but could give a pretty fair es-
innate of a weeks expense. Though
he is paid by the month he is one of
the sort who always has money in his
pocket and pays cash for everything
he buys. In the first place he pays $5
a week for board in a private board
ing house and $3.50 for a room in
another place. Laundry costs him
on an average of so cents week,
cigars, So cents chewing tobacco 20
cents, smoking tobacco, 20 cents,
lodge fees, 10 cents, labor union fees
S5 cents, insurance $3.50; clothing
S135 and incidentals 50. When asked
what he included in the item Incl
dentals, he said. car fare, tickets to
ball games, shows, occasional drinks
and "other things"
Good Average.
This year Bill has taken no vaca-
ton except the days he had to lay off,
neither has it been necessary for him
to spend one cent on doctors fees.
He is a man who believes i'm enjoy
ing life i'm a modest way, but says he
has no use for the guy who slops
over" Taking 1t all in all he is per-
haps as good an average example of
the steady young working man as
could be found. He likes to wear
good clothes when not working and
enjoys the ball games and theaters.
1t so happens at the present time he
has no STEADY" girl or his expense
account might have a different story
to tell.
The working outfit of a lineman
consists of a pair of pliers, which
cost $2.25; connectors, $1.50; screw
driver, so cents; safety strap, $3.50;
belt, $3.50. climbing hooks SO. Four
suits Of overalls, costing 80 a suit.
are used a year as the work is , eXI
ceptionally hard on clothing. Bill
during the last year spent nothing
for tools as he already was provided
with his outfit
His Clothing.
Bill says he can keep looking re-
specta ble-his usual appearance
amply bears out this statement-by
getting two new suits of clothes a
year, one a summer suit for which
he spends in the neighborhood of
SIS and a winter suit for which he
paws about S24. Being Of average
which fits and is good looking and
comfortable Two new suits of
heavy underwear, which cost him 81
suit and three suits Of summer un-
derwear, costing a dollar suit, to-
gether with garments already on
hand. do him the year. He usually
buys three or four neckties year
and six new pairs Of socks at 25
cents a pair are sufficient for his
needs. This year he bought two
hats. a soft felt for 81 and a straw
for $3.50. Bill shaves himself, and
thus saves quite an item, but he gets
a hair cut about once a month. In
an his average weekly expense is
S145O. $3.50 Of this goes for board
and room; $2.2O for insurance, lodge
and labor union fees and the re-
mainder for all other expenses and
incidentals. This is not extravagant
living. but when asked why he did
not marry. Bin almost tainted.
When Hell Marry.
"If I was making just double what
/ am now earning l might think the
matter over. but nOw-nOt for mine.
ia Ike mighty wen To sit opposite
nice white apron every evening at
supper but the LADY is "a luxury /
In. 4