Evening star., 1949-02-10
Readers Clearing House
FOOD BUDGETS;
FRINGED VESTS?

FOOD BUDGETS:
FRINGED VESTS?
(From Mrs. w. r. B., Washing
7 cannot resist a comment on
the food budget discussion, since
for several years I have found it
matter of interest. in the face
of rising prices, to keep a compar-
ative account of what we have
spent for family of four. think
it would surprise many families
to check up on actual expendi-
lures. After all. it is largely mat
ter of valuations in stressing what
is important. To me, $100 month
for food is unreasonable and un-
necessary. We do not feel that we
particularly economic on eating.
and invite friends to dinner when
ever we please. We do not budget
our expenditures, but I try to keep
within a general average. some
weeks are considerably more, some
less. Our average weekly bill for
the past two years has been slight
ly over SIG, which was higher than
the previous years. This includes
all milk and such occasional items
as ice cream, ETC., from other
stores, as well as such household
supplies as every one buys along
with the groceries. My husband
buys his lunch at the Office, but
aside from milk at school, this
usually includes also the boys
lunches.
Of course a prime requisite in
keeping food costs down is to do
your own marketing, preferably
about twice a week. If you go
oftener, you are more likely to be
tempted to get more than you
really need. To do this efficiently,
a grocery list is important, to an
ticipate staples that are getting
low as we'll as current needs. Also,
I find it helpful to watch the pa
pers for specials in different stores.
Also, some chain stores are habit
ually higher or lower on certain
items. The important thing is to
shop as wisely as you can and then
make the most of what you buy
Watching women stocking up
heavily at meat counters, often
wonder how much Of their pur-
chases is destined for the garbage
can. With housekeeping maga-
zines full of suggestions in the
combination and seasoning of
food, there is an endless field for
experimentation, which grows
more fascinating with experience.
In the final analysis, cooking is a
challenge to individual ingenuity.
am convinced that it is this
blending of inventiveness with
thrift which has made such note
worthy cooks of the French. 1t is
not necessarily the women who
spend the most on food who set
the best tables.
And a question: With the prev
alent craze for cowboy attire. I
have made some of the bolero
vests with a fringe trim. They
look pretty when new, but the
only fringes I have been able to
contrive soon fray. Has any one
a suggestion for a suitable mate
rial that will resist fraying, and
at the same time be washable?
Prune filling: In pan, combine
jar or can G2 cup) strained
prunes, 2 tablespoons granulated
sugar, l teaspoon lemon juice, "a
teaspoon cinnamon. Simmer, STIR
ring, until thick enough to mound
when dropped from spoon.
For Mrs. F. T. G., re candle wax
on linen: The September issue of
Good Housekeeping carries a very
excellent article entitled How to
Remove Stains" Under the head
ing of candle wax. it says: Wash
able fabrics (White): With dull
blade, scrape off as much wax as
possible. Then sponge with clean
ing fluid. If wax color remains,
use an appropriate bleach to each
quart of water and soak Is min
utes. Wash in warm suds. and
rinse three times. For white silk
and wool, l cupful of denatured
alcohol and 2 cupfuls of water.
Soak IS minutes and then wash
in warm suds, rinse twice.
For Mrs. ID. A. p, re turpentine
stain: Here are Good Housekeep-
ing's suggestions: Removing paint
is not easy, and sometimes hard
ened paint is impossible to re-
move. Oil base paints and var
nish are more difficult to treat
successfully than quick-drying OIL
emulsion paints.
Washable fabrics (any color:
With a dull blade. scrape off as
much paint or varnish as pos
sible. Rub vaseline into stain to
soften it. Then soak in turpentine
(highly refned until stain has
softened. Rub occasionally. Then
wash in warm suds. Rinse"
If this doesn't work, try rub
bing a securing powder and water
paste mixture on the stains. Do
it firmly but not too hard between
your fingers. My little girl got
hold of a brush which had alumi-
mum paint. This left gray stains
on a delicate pink batiste dress
she was wearing. I tried every
thing and finally resorted to US
ing the securing powder which
worked as an abrasive but did not
damage the material.