The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-01
Budget System IS House
hold Is Best Way Of Meet
ing Old H. G. Of 1.
KEEP WITHIN INCOME
Secret Of Prosperity Is Just
This: Spend Less Than
You Earn.

MOnuAy morning tnQDc SHIN euVct"
opes with the window fronts win start
sliding into your mail box announc:s;:,
to you and your inouisitive nelghbors
that such and such an amount il due
for last months supplies. and please
remit Mt your earliest convenience"
Along about Tuesday evening, father
will hcaye a sigh to the wanton
breexes and his diminished chcckbook
into tho drawer and will trudge hoIne-
ward with his hands deep in nrss PITY
pockets and his chin resting on his
coat lapels. The bank balance. upon
which he gased. with pride on March
81. will be only memory.
Over in England the government
employs what is known as the budget
system in managing its financial af-
fairs. DurfHg the month Of April Of
every year the British cabinet. through
the chancellor Of the excheQuer, pre-
sents for ]. the consideration Of the
house Of commons the annual budget
which comprises a report of disburse-
ments for the past year the present
status Of the treasury and an estimate
Of the expenditures necessary for thu
ensuing fiscal year. Not a shilling is
spent unnecessarily. In the congress
Of these United States the representa-
tive asks for an appropriation to be
used In building a new. post0fflcc for
his pet constituents or in dredging
Skunk creek for use as naval station,
and he usually gets it.
Extends TO Household.
No better contrast could be drain
between the right and wrong of house,
hold accounting. AS rule American
housewives are like the government,
without system in their financial af-
fairs. They endeavor to practice
economy but fall short Of their aim
through failing to ascertain wherein
they can practice economy most eco
nomically. The introduction Of the
budget SYSTEM in household. affairs is
the logical solution Of the problem.
On Thrift Day." celebrated by the
American Banking association here
recently. a prominent banker Of Mis-
soula was interviewed regarding sug-
gestions for thrift. Live within your
income and the savings will Take care
Of themselves" he said. In other
words. let your salary and not your
desires he the guide in making your
selections.
The hue and cry about the high cost
Of living increases with every year and
yet there has been no concentrated
effort made by the people of this coun-
try to guard against it. The house,
wife continues to order her supplies
on the spur OF the moment. and the
man OF the house replenishes his
change pocket with a cash" check
whenever he runs short. When the
bank reminds them that they have
overlrawn their account, they assume
a look of grieved establishment and
wonder where the money went to-
Stick 70 Income.
Live within your income. Adopt
the budget system. Not one out of
ten men have ever stopped to figure
out just what his salary will buy.
When he receives a raise. he does not
become prosperous, he merely moves
into a better house and increases his
standard Of living. He has no plan
Of life: he lives like the American
savage and then wonders why income
and expenses fail to jibe.
The proportionate expenses Of n
household are based on four economic
laws. called DR.. Engel's laws. from the
name of their discoverer. These
laws are applicable to all classes and
are the result Of years of study of
economic conditions. ,.s-. s.
The laws are:
L.: The proportion between expendi-
turc and nutriment grows in geometric
progression in adverse ratio to we'll
being: in other words. the higher tho
income. the smaller is the per cent of
cost OF subsistence.
. Clothing assumes and keeps a.
distinctly constant proportion in the
whole. =
3. Lodging, warming and lighting
have an invariable proportion, what
ever the income.
1. The more the income increases
the greater is the proportion Of the
different expenses which express the
degree of well-being.
In order to form the basis for thrift
the household account book should
show not only how much money had
been spent but also how it could be
spent to a better advantage. It must
show how much has been spent for
rent. how much for the different tyres
Of food. how much for housekeeping
expenses and furnishings and how
much has been used by the individual
members Of the family for carfare,
dress. amusements and incidentals. II
your rent Is too high. try to find a
place that more nearly fits your in.
come. II you are spending an undue
amount for one class Of food. such al