Evening star., 1941-07-17
By PAUL GESNER and JOHN
RECKIEY

/
The Stars Special News Service.
NEW YORK, July 17.-Theres a
question in many minds today:
In a cycle of rising prices, should
hobbies and amusements be main
| tanned?
We put this question to three
commercial bankers well-qualif1ed
at giving sound financial advice.
The three also are well qualified to
speak on hobbies and amusements.
! All have hobbies and amusements of
their own.
Said banker No. /: II like to play
golf l play twice a week. 1t costs
me money. But I like to play golf.
If my salary was cut to $25 week,
I'd move out Of my home. maybe,
and take a furnished room some
where, but every week Id save dol
lar or two out of my salary to pay
the green fee on some public links.
I'd keep on playing golf.'
Fishing Fan Speaks.
Said banker No. 2. II like fresh
water fishing. 1t is an inexpensive
pastime If I had hobbies that were
taking dollars that needed for rent
and food, and a rise in the cost of
living made me scrimp, I'd reduce
expenses all along the line. But I'd
keep on fishing A hobby doesn't
have to be expensive to be fun. Some
day I'm going to try clay modelling.
That's not expensive, and I'll bet its
entertaining and relaxing"
Banker No. 3 called in his secre-
tary. scratched his head, then die
tated few words to the secretary.
She typed the words on sheet of
paper. He edited what she had
transcribed, then said: Here. Read
this. 1t is what I think about hob
bies and amusements when living
costs are going up
Here is what he wrote:
Don't deny yourself and your
family its quota of relaxation and
fun. Maintain present interest In
photography. fishing, golf, motoring,
hiking. theater. or whatever COM
bination OF pastimes you like. Put
hobby and amusement spending,
however, on a rough budget basis to
see exactly what costs are each
month. Try not to exceed present
hobby and amusement outlay. Later,
if rising living costs demand, reduce
the number of hobbies or replace
expensive ones with inexpensive
ones"
Installment Pinch Possible.
Here are some other suggestions
on living costs:
Installment buying: A rise IN
living costs pares the purchasing
power of each dollar in the pay
envelope. If substantial portion
of these dollars have been ear
marked for payments Of goods con-
tracted for on the installment plan,
and daily living expenses 60 up, the
fixed income man faces a tight
squeeze until he has completed his
time payments.
Avoid Overwhelming of INSTALL
ment purchases of goods such as
automobiles, refrigerators, pianos.
furniture, radios and allied items.
If you are pushing along on a fixed
income. This is the advice of an
important executive of department
store selling goods to people on
time payment basis.
The last thing in the world we
want to do is saddle anybody with
installment payments that create
financial hardship" he said.
IF your is fixed income" he
added, make it fast and hard
rule that no greater amount of your
future income shall be earmarked
for installment payments than the
sum at present, no matter whether
large or small-if meeting present
time payments Is difficult"
Pockets Dribble Dollars.
Accounting: Another important
step in taking the sting out of rising
living costs is to conserve dollars
by damming up pocket leaks.
A study of pocket outgo often re-
veals nickels, dimes, quarters and
half dollars slipping through the
fingers for street peddlers' novelties,
Office bets, S o'clock drinks, pinball |
games, juke box music, unnecessary
telephone calls and taxicab fares.
Keep track of all pocket spending
for one week, itemiZe outgo Of every