Evening star., 1928-04-01

A mixed group Of us was talking
about managing the high cost of liv-
ing on salary In these days. One OF
the men said that he expected every
month OF his life to be paying a GER
tain per cent of his earnings to local
furniture dealer. For the five
years of his married life he said he had
not missed a month. Some one IN the
party asked him what he bought, and
he replied that he had first bought the
necessary furniture for his home, and
after that was paid for, he purchased in
the same way phonograph. radio
set. e. vacuum cleaner, an electric re-
frigerator and as they were needed
cart, a crib and baby carriage.
Now that there is another baby
to be paid for" he continued, my
salary check is gone the day 1t ar
rives. am like the young father in
a picture in one of the magazines last
year. He is seen entering his house
and greeting his wife with the words.
I paid the doctor again today She
replies. 'Hurrah. one more payment and
the baby is ours. F."
Then he summed up his case as fol-
lows: 1--WE got to have car-my busi-
ness requires 1t. I've got to have a
home--my wife and children require It,.
I've got to make the housework as
easy as possible for my Wife-ny heart
requires it, We've got to wear clothes
the law requires 1t. We've got to eat
our bodies require It, We've got TO go
to the movies-keeping up with our
neighbors requires It, Can any one
tell me how to do differently"
Then and there the discussion turned
to the subject of what constituted
needs It was soon proved conclusively
that though a necessity for one person
may be a luxury for another, and vice
versa, 1t was also true that needs were
had by all, and to fulfill them meant,
for a family living on a salary, the
spending of 1t to the last dollar. How
ever, 1t seemed to the more practical
minded that the man here quoted prac-
ticed q pretty broad Interpretation of
the word needs Granted that furni-
ture is necessity. and to buy it on
the installment plan a necessity. still
he included in his list, articles Of real
value and usefulness. but at the same
time. articles that were not primary
needs.
Undoubtedly the family that is man.
aging best, and getting most for the
money spent is the one that sits down
and takes inventory each season of
what is actually needed and what will
be the best investment to fill each need
According to the size Of the monthly
wage or salary check. a small per cent
of 1t can be well used in paying for
goods bought on the installment plan
IL those things are actual needs. But
II Is all wrong to tie up as yet un-
earned money for anything that is not
entirely necessary for family's
comfort.
Of course, IL Is nice to own q phono.
graph. radio set. or an electric re-
frigerator. to name at random only q
few Of the dozens of things that make
the individual home q perfect cog In
the modern machinery of home furnish
ings. But where there Is not the ready
money to pay for these things their
acquisition should be postponed until
the money Is in hand. In other words
save the money first. putting aside a
set sum every month for the purchase
OF the desired extras. This way means
that the money has been earning in
terest, and also that when you are
ready TO use 1t the articles that yor
want can be bought at a cash price
For merchant, because of the extra
expense for him involved in his de-
ferred-payment plan for his customers
must add q small percentage TO the
cash price.
This method possesses another as
set. Suppose an unforeseen expense
arises during these months. Then here
is the money to take care of il. How
| many salaried families are ready tC
| meet the high cost OF unexpected i'll.
/ ness? And how many families. in spite
! of their certain knowledge of the ex.
| pense connected with a new baby. put
aside the money, month by month, tC
pay the bills?
Yes. ii is all right to buy on tht
inStallment plan when you have worked
| out and perfected as far as possible til;
| scheme of paying out of your monthly
| salary. but it is courting financial dis.
| aster to buy things this way just be-
| cause 1t can be done, and Just because
almost every day statesmen are coming
| TO your door trying to persuade you
OF its feasibility. Their carefully pre-
| pared line of talk Is hard to resist. but
don't forget that no one else knows
your own situation as well as YOU anC
your family do. So stick to your plan
when you've made one.
Should you find yourself with extra
money at the end of the year the things
you want to buy are always on the
market ready to be delivered to you.
Your own experience or perhaps that
OF your friends. will, or should con-