Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-03-02
Educating Housewives In Economic
cal Shopping.

COLUMN. Oxford Democrat. South Parias me
Educating Housewives In Economi-
cal Shopping.
Don't be afraid of the storekeeper,
see that you get what You pay for.
Don't let him weigh the tray, twine or
paper, it's against the law.
Don't accept put-up package unless
the weight 10 plainly labeled.
Don't be mystified with figures on the
scale, learn to read them.
Don't forget to weigh everything al
ter you get IL home.
Don't let q fancy package fsscinate
You, look more to the oontents.
60 to the store yourself; and don't be
too proud to carry your bundles home.
Don't mistake cheapness for economy,
buy good goods every time.
Don't ask for a quarters worth, state
the exact quantity. -.
Don't depend entirely on the looks OF
the shop, style doesn't always mean
good goods.
Don't buy in small quantities, save
money by buying more than enough for
to-day.
Don't forget that 1t profits to pay cash
-bookkeepers cost money.
Don't let the butcher keep the bones
and trimmings Of the meat, you've paid
for them.
Don't telephone or send the children,
20 to the store yourself.
Why the high cost of living9-an old,
trite, but eyer-new, ever-present ques-
ton.
Perhaps the food barons are at fault;
maybe we can lay little blame on the
war-but the great trouble lies with the
housewife and the small dealer-maiuly
the housewife.
Thus reasoned the Milwaukee city
market bureau. The average Milwau-
kee housewife is ignorant, foolish, care
less, neglectful and extravagaut; many
storekeepers are tricky, careless and dis
honest.
what's the remedy2 Educate the
housewife! So they issued circulars
with some fifty suggestions from which
the above "Don'ts'' are taken.
Moreover, the department commission
ere proved the case against the house
wives and the grocer. They established
city market where produce, vegetables
and staples were sold, often at prices
less than half Of those charged by the
grocer. They proved that the average
Milwaukee housewife-over 100, 600 pat
ronized the city market-may be cheat
ed, over charged, robbed and otherwise
"buncoed''- to the profit Of the deal.
or.
Not that the storekeeper is all in the
wrong. Far from 1.-THE housewife is
culpable, argued these municipal cut
the cost-of- living apostles. Many q
housewife buys a "dime's WORTH Of
something or other; has it charged"
and scent" They forget that book
keepers cost money; that delivery wag-
ons are expensive-all Of which must be
paid for by the consumer. So they tried
to educate the woman to 60 to the store
herself, to make her purchases, pay cash
and if possible, carry the provisions
home herself. That is, unless she or
ders enough to make it worth while"
for the grocer to charge and deliver.
Again, Mrs. Housewife orders only the
finest, fauciest put-up packages. She
will pick out package of some staple,
the cover Of which Is beautifully tinted
and decorated, merely because 1t looks
fine-not thinking that all this, too, costs
money to the consumer.
Or she will order because goods are
cheap-never stopping to see If they are
good-apd so loses by the transaction.
Hence this advice-''Don't mistake
cheapness for economy; buy good
goods!"
Some are too lazy, too Indifferent, too
busy or too iuconsiderate, to 60 to the
store themselves-they send the maid,
the children or use the telephone-all of
which mean loss to the family pocket,
book. So the city heads offered this
wise admOnition.
"Don't be lazy; don't be indifferent;
don't send the children-go to the store
yourself; buy what you want; see that
the goods and prices are right, and don't
be too proud to carry the bundle home
YOURSELF"
Another suggestion deals with meat.
buying!
"In buying meat, don't 60 in and ask
the dealer for a quarters worth" "Se-
lee, your piece of meat first; then ask
the price per pound; say how many
pounds you want; see that you get cor
rect weight; compute the figures your
self and see that your change is correct. ="
Many a penny ia lost to the consumer by
negleotiDg this simple precaution-and
the pennies count up fast while shop.
ping.
"You are entitled to all the meat you
buy: fat, gristle, bone and trimmings.
The fat can be rendered, the bone and
trimmings will make soup-don't let the
butcher throw these into the scrap box,
only to remove and sell them over again
when you are gone. They belong to
you, and you should have them.
"This circular Ia not issued to affect
the honest dealer, but you owe 1t to
yourself and your fair .and-square dealer
to observe ordinary care in buying"