Evening star., 1923-07-22

TINE problem of how llttle money
i girl supporting herself can live on
Is one of those hardy perenniais that
we always have with us for discus
sion when matters of larger moment
such as the world war have temper
arily subsidized. somehow nopo"S
ever seems to bother about how mueh
money a young man can save out OF
his annual allowance. OccaslonallS
the women's magazines bristle with
brilliant budget ideas for the brand
new bride. Everybody, however
seems to take a personal interest i'll
the smallest amount of funds that a
young girl in business can manage
TO live ON.
Probably the fundamental reason
for this could be traced back to the
old. old joke of the vaudeville stage
which has to do with very young
girl. sufficiently old father IN
smoking jacket and side whiskers.
and an inviting looking check-bo"k.
Women as a class have always been
accused cf being illogical and llaoie
to regard money and tht serious
business Of earning ones living IN
entirely too light and frivolous
manner. Although there are un,
doubtedly many Individual glr.S ano
women who do take this attltuue, one
surely finds as many young men
who do likewise. even more so than
their sisters.
The Y w. c. \. is responsible for
the latest discussion OF the modern
maid and the buSiness-like bnustt'
\ statement has been ANNOUNCED III
several New York papers I" the e1-
feet that nifty women. members "l
this association. are going To prnNt,
by a wears budget. that SO Il week l.
all business girl needs on ""t'" w
live comfortably. .;
This is u very nice idea. tne"EtH-
cally. and should provide much saps
faction tor the masculine ntaoa oi
many business concerns but us hsa1I
ticality as applied to the indIvidual
,rirI Is doubtful. Great emphasis III
his budget i laid on the spending "l
rhe major portion Of this money i"f
clothes only $40 i year il set aSlnr
fo,. self Improvement and only $40
for doctor. dentist and oculiSt. The
girl Uvin&o on such Ii budget - sup
posed never t" spend more IMAM ~
cents Il day for lunch. and I" pay htr
family $40 week 1or room an"
board.
Possibly such system Will work
ont for 4 girl living at home III the
metropolis of New York, where the
great number OF shop offers more
pDDOrTunltleS IOT DdI SdlliS III w Nh'N''
If. however. Il Washington business
girl sought to get clothes Such AS
are mentioned in this budget at the
same prices mentioned it IS vi
II she would be able to do SO. Shr
might be able to get articles for
these prices. but they would not Ne
of the grade that the average bust
ness girl of Washington insists on
having
Girls are very much alike all over
the world Many business girls in
WASHINGTON live-and live quite COM
iortably-on a salary of $50 a week.
hut each girl works out her own
particular financial problems in her
own way, and no two spend their
money in just the same way:
In the first place, local girls take
advantage of such useful 1ads as
Emitting or having an entire group
cut their trocks after one pattern
ar ready-made. If they can't knit |
themselves, some one else in the fam
lily or some friend who Just loves to
knit will make the garment for
hem. so that they may spend the sc
quoted on this list as the purchasing
price for one sweater, but instead, the
average Washington girl will have
TWO or three sweaters for that price.
Some girls in a local group have
even bought bargain length of ma
terial and split 1t among themselves
20 make simple frockS trimmed with
lace or ribbon purchased in the same
amiable community spirit.
Taking the average girl on r street
one might surmise that she spent the !
major portion Of her money on deco
rations or amusementS, such as ear
rings. necklaces. movies and sundaeS.
The dresses and sweaters, often the
port skirts, are simple and home
made The hats are usually of the
sports type. that are not expensive,
and most girls seem to buy one pair
of sandal shoes and wear them CON
stantIy until absolute necessity ma kes
them buy a new pair. The modern
girl is very hard on her shoes
Many of these budget makers would
be surprised if they could hear the
way some of these high school flap
pera scorn the ready made dress.
What. Pay seven to fifteen dol
lars for one of those wash dresses
that we could make for less than five.
Not much
silk dresses for winter True. nearly |
every girl has one really intricate aft
ernoon frock and wool dress, pur-
chased ready made; but many Of the
girls make their own evening dresses
as * x ::
On the whole, it would seem that
the real basic question is not how
small an amount of money a girl can
live on. but rather how much money
she actually is worth from a strictly
business point of view.
1t is an open secret that few wom-
en- get as much money for the same
grade of work as men do, even young
boys. ON the other hand il is true
that there are many girls who do lack
ambition and give as little in return
for their money as possible. This
trait. however. is as true of the mas
culine as of the feminine Of the Spe-
cies. However, it is not necessary to
go into this question at this time.
This is Il matter that cannot be set
tied so much by discussion as by ac-
tual, practical experience. 1t is up to
The girls individually to convince
those who direct their particular busi-
ness destinies what they are worth.
As for the budget system - one
might suggest that it is always nice
10 plan things. even though some
times it is rather disconCerting how
those plans will get kinks in them
and turn out. Mice and men aren't
the only things that have plans go
awry.