The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-01-18
HOUSEHOLD
BUDGETTING
The One Way to Pre-
vent the Advent of
the Wolf of Debt
BY LOrettO C. Lynch,
lAstruetSr War Tine Cookery In the
MY. EveniAE High School for
wOmeh.


wOneA.
A the New Year progresses and
ysu lock back over last years
- housekespinE-you are not
cutie satisfied, are you? You realize.
IL you are an up-to-dats woman,
that there is room for Improvement.
Perhaps you don't know how to 20
ut It.
Business men 20 through much
drudEery to keep accounts. They
register the amount spent for every
thing necessary to the carrying on
of their business. BY careful scru-
tiny Of these accounts, the manager
is able to profit the second year by
the experience Of the FIRST year.
The housewife should be willing
70 give 4 little time to the keeping
OF accounts in order to profit by her
experience. And. no better time to
begin is there than this year when
every item Is so high and the need
for economy so great.
Do you know just how much
money came into the household
treasury last year? Many women.
who are really honest, win mentally
answer. 81 do not" Y
The great majority OF the people
Of our country work for definite
wages and yet II II from these that
the loan sharks" have grown rich.
And why? Almost always because
they do not budget their expenses
and then resolutely live within
them.
A very wealthy young man told
me quite recently that he would
be almost afraid to select his wife
from among the great army OF
working girls. He went on TO say
that they were the most extrava-
giant Of any class OF girls. His sis
ter was always used to an in
come, however small, and she was
taught to live within it and she
dId.N
Yet my Gtenographer boosted to
me that abe spent seventy-five per
cent OF her salary last week for a
pair OF GhoA which TO me seemed
fit for a star in the Roof Garden
Frolic," he concluded.
1 am a firm believer In insurance
An insurance which provides at
least the wages of the worker when
i'll and q sum sufficient to tide the
family over q period of mourning
seems to me q good investment
Benevolent societies which provide
medical attention. and brother1y
love during misfortune seem wor-
thy of consideration right at the
beginning.
OF course, no one budget will suit
avery family, but the one which
follows 10 the ideal for a yearly in
come between $1,000 and $4,000. il
10 for . family Of four adults or
two adults and three children.
Food-35 per cent.
Rent-3O per cent, more or less.
Operating EKpenSes-IS per cent.
more or less.
Clothes-l6 per cent.
Books, pleasure. church charity,
rs per cent for all Savings, insur-
Hnce. -..--
The smaller the income the great
sr will be the percentage that must
be expended for food. The larger
the income the smaller the per
centage expended for food
When rent includes csrfare TO
and from the place of employment,
as high az twenty-five per cent will
be needed in cities
But where can you get rent for
that percentage in my city" l al
most hear some one sneer.
Indeed. don't know Just where.
but IL I started out to md a place
am sure I would"
Operating expenses include wages
TO helpers, fuel. light and so on.
Sometimes Il is wiser TO pay a
larger rent. which includes some,
at least. Of the operating expenses
Do you know how much the
Thade-up white dresses and Summer
underwear cost last year? II you
don't you will not be able TO de
eide whether II IL more profitable
10 attend the January white sale
and purchase material, lace and SO
on. and make these things yourself.
or whether Il is Just as profitable
10 buy them made up any old time
anywhere"
II you can put but one dollar
month into savings. remember
that. after all. regular savings are
the only kind that count. Small
amounts put away regularly mount
up to q considerable sum at COM
pound interest.
The stores show many simple de-
vices for keeping household ac-
counts. Even an ordinary blank
book ruled with spaces for the va
rious headings repeated for each
month or week will prove mex
pensivs and will serve the purpose