San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-13
By ELWOOD LLOYD

Just about a year ago a young
business woman came into my office
and smilingly displayed a wedding
ring. She was letting me in on a Sc
cret she had withheld from her bust.
ness associates for more than six
weeks. When l questioned her cou-
tinuing in the business world, she in.
formed me that she did not contem.
plate quitting business for some time,
as they felt the combined income was
necessary for a while.
When i asked her what she was
doing with the money--how the in
come was being budgetcd, | got the
information that the household and
operating expenses were being met
from the salary of the husband, while
her earnings went into the purchase
of the things she had always BEEN
wanting for herself but which she
could not afford when she had to meet
her own living costs.
FALSE ECONOMY. .-
At that time we sat down and had
quite a long and confidential chat
about the condition into which such c
plan would lead the young couple. 1t
was particularly pertinent because It
is a condition obtaining in many cases
since women have taken, and so splen-
didly filled, a place in the business
world. The wife continues on in her
work for a period, with the thought
that the combined earnings will make
for greater possibilities than would
obtain were they to limit the income
TO the one salary.
Usually these glorious plans are a
false economic base upon which to
build the family structure and if con.
tinued over n period of. time result in
the formation of exaggerated living
standards which fasten themselves
upon the young folks as habits that
are hard to overcome.
At the time / mentioned to the
young woman the case of another
young couple with whom / am well &C
quainted. They were both employed
in the same business institution. The
salary of the man was 500 per
month. The woman earned S1I5. For
more than a year they lived on
unit basis Of 1915 monthly income.
THE USUAL CRASH.
Then the inevitable happened. The
wife had to withdraw from the bust
ness world and assume the more i'm
portant position Of motherhood. 1t
was a terrible crash, because habits
brought into being by 1915 outlay
had TO be curbed TO fit a 5000 in
come. A very decided hardship was
inflicted upon the little family at the
very time when serenity should have
prevailed. Perhaps the family will
survive the strain it has suffered, but
the wrench has been so great much
time will be required.
Had the partnership started out
upon the only basis upon which 1t
could safely exist, conditions now
might have been much different. The
real operation unit of the family
the base Of assured income-was but
5000 per month. It would have been
quite easily possible for the young
people to have lived happily and COM
fortably on that amount-thousands
Of others are doing it.
ASSURED INCOME.
Considering the operation unit Of
the family as the assured income only
and building a budget upon such
basis-is the only safe way in which
the combined family income can be
utilized 10 its greatest efficiency.
Then, the additional earnings can be
considered in the light of surplus
entirely, and be utilized for the pur-
pose of providing a greater fund with
which TO meet emergencies, or as the
nucleus Of a fund FOR the purchase
Of home, or other means Of finan-
cial independence.
All Of these things the young mar
ried woman and j talked that day,
with the result that she in turn
talked them over with her husband.
They decided 10 operate upon the
basis of assured income. rather than
the false base Of the combined income.
Her earnings have since gone into an
emergency fund.
As l said, il is almost a year since
the young woman displayed the new
wedding ring. She is still working
industriously upon her job and her
earnings have increased, but she is
glad that the salary was early divert
ed 70 the creation of a surplus fund
4 change in business conditions last
year made it necessary for the hus-
band 10 find a new position. To
have taken the first work which Of
fered itself would have meant a step
backward in his case. AZ result
he was without employment, or earn
ings, for almost three months before
he found the right job into which he
could fit and utilize his abilities 20
the point Of greatest efficiency. The
reserve fund helped the young couple
meet this emergency without discom-
fort-and the wife is very happy be-
cause her earnings were the ones that
worry.