The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-24
Frederic Haskin's Letter
The Cost of Matrin,ony.

: II is interesting 10 note that
while the women required a larger
weekly income than the men. both
sexes distributed their incomes
practically on the same basis. Ths
only great differences are in food
and clothing, the women spending
more on adornment and the men
4, more on food.
'It is natural that girls should
have ambitions which men cannot
be expected 10 share" explained a
member OF the committee which
sent out the QUESTIONABLE, "aud
that they should set the expenses
of a comfortable marriage some
what higher The labor and priva-
tions of bringing up a family on =
small salary fall more on ths wife
than on the husband He earns the
salary, but she has to make il
stretch, often magieaIly, to cover
the cost of groceries and clothes
and household comforts Then. too.
we must remember that abstractiy
and as a matter of principle, wo-
men are e1travagant When a gen
eral question on the financial basis
women, the men tend TO answer it
by a figure slightly lower than that
on which they themselves would be
willing to marry, and the women by
a somewhat higher one"
All Believe in Saving.
Both men and women showed a
gratifying sense of thrift in deClar-l
ing saving funds absolutely essen
tial to the comfort of matTimony.
The wisdom of such a fund to meet
unforeseen emergencies Of sickness.
accident and unexpected loss OF
employment is only too seldom
realized.
Men, the QUESTIONABLE replies re-
vealed, place a higher value on TINS
wisdom than do women. While
per cent of the girls were willing
to marry a man who had no money
in bank, only 3 per cent Of the
men would consider such risk.
Yet the amount required by both
sexes is rather Iower than might
be desired. In most cases il was
fixed at $500, while Is per cent of
the number replying thought 5000
would be enough. Those who went
above $500 usually jumped swift
Iy to 81 900, while q third group
containing many more men than
women, declared they would not
marry with less than 81 800 in bank.
Every answer placed great empa-
asis on the Importance of setting
aside for savings at least 10 per
cent of the income. Evidently eX-
Oh nF
budgeters the difficulties enCOuL-
tered in performing this task regU-
larly, for elaborate schemes were
advanced for doing il. One man,
for example, said that he intended
to pay all of his household bills by
check the first of the month, and
that the first check he drew would
be for 10 per cent of his salary ID
be deposited hastily in the savings
bank
On the subject of savings, though,
economic experts disagree. Some
bold that disaster swiftly overtakes
those who do not regularly save
their ten per cent, while others as
sert that when young people mar
~ on a small income it is q mis-
lake to try to save too much IN
cash. 1t would be far better in
most cases, the latter believe, 10
put this money into insurance or
house furnishings or some Othlr
permanent investment. Some saw
ings banks distributing standard
budgets for the benefit of their pat
rons, list investments, life insuT-
ance and household furniture IN
der the weekly savings item
This is largely a matter to be
decided by personal taste. In fact,
the entire budget is something
which must be worked out to salt
the individual, there being few
standard budgets which can be
used without at least minor alter
atoms The important thing is %
have some kind of budget. Every
body should have budget, but i.
Is especially necessary TO matTl-
mony, where so much depends upon
wise and careful finance.