The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-08-06
The Household Income

THE old way OF doing out money
to the housewife day by day with
no definite plan for spending the
years income is not only unbusiness-
like, but, in a way, unethical and
trouble producing. Much dissatisfac- !
ton arises from this plan," says
Dean Florence Harrison of the home
economies department at the State
College of Washington in a recent
radiOcast from X F A E, on "The
Household Income"
"The question, What did you do
with that twenty-five cents 1 gave
you last week. is supposed to be
a joke, but it is not for the woman
who must ask for every cent she
spends to buy food or the family
| clothing.
"Sonie wome. prefer to have an
allowance, for then they can count
a month ahead and plan accordingly.
Even this method does not provide
for the seasonal demands for clothig.
fuel and food supplies. If this al
lowance is given in actual money, it
necessitates close accounting from
day to day, and time spent in the
actual handling of money.
"The charge system is another plan
which does not allow for looking at
the yearly expenditure in its proper
relation. The only business-li like plan
is for the husband and wife to have
a joint bank account and a plan for
tn yearly expenditures mace BY
both and carried out in absolute
trust. In this partnership there
should be no advantage taken on
either side. The business of the
family will be carried out by a def
mite plan for expendjt ~ accura.:
records of income enl expenses a5
they occur, and a checking up Ct Cx-
penses so that impr" leTncnts may he
made.
" This plan should result in better
housekeeping, improve financial or
g~anizatiOn and certainly give more
personal satisfaction in a cooperative
business worthy of ones bas- thought
and efforts.
Children who perform useful scr
vices about the home add to the fam
ily's real income. If the child learns
to dress himself, pick up his clothing
and toys and put them in their
places, he is RELEASING the mothers
time and strength for other ser
vices, and thus contributes to the
family income.
"The family income is the sum
total of money earned and services
of the entire family combined. II
is a cooperative affair, so plans fol
! spending it must be cooperative. The
whole problem Of expenditure mus
be studied out by the wife and hus
band together, and a method de-
cided on that will be agreeable tt
both.
"The money value Of the house
' wife's work and management in tn
home is often equal to the none.
u received by the husband for his EN-
y ployment. She should feel her sci
/ equal to her husband in the supper
. of the home. If women would est
I mate their worth in this way ther
l would be fewer women feeling tina
81 they must be wage-earners to b.
economically independent and pre-
e serve their personal dignity. TIL
farm woman certainly contributes a
y much to the family living by he
- unpaid homework as her husband re
ceives in money representing the va
81 ue of his labor on the farm.
Z CDR. John B. Andrews, in his ne,
- book on Economics of the House
hold estimates the value of tn
housewives labors as follows: ]
- you hired a housekeeper she woul
- receive $50 a month, board room an
laundry. At this rate, q housewi1
adds $1,000 a year by her serviC
without taking into consideration he
management and contribution. Wi:
management increases satisfaction
the home which is difficult to mea.
ure in dollars and cents.
Concluded next week.