Foods and Household Management: A Textbook of the Household ArtsKinne, Helen
General
Foods and Household Management: A Textbook of the Household Arts
Kinne, Helen
Cooking; Food; Home economics
=Savings.=——Something should be saved yearly even if at first it is but
little. Small amounts put away regularly in a savings bank mount up to a
considerable sum at compound interest, for regular saving is the only kind
that counts. Life and sickness insurance are other forms of saving.
=Allowances.=——Each member of the family should have a personal allowance,
even though it is small. One mother gave each of her children five cents a
week, beginning at five years of age, and increasing a cent a week each
year, until they were old enough to be trusted with more. Even at this age
opposite characteristics showed themselves. One boy saved his allowance
until he had a quarter to spend at one time; another was in debt before
the end of the week. Each had a bank, and kept accounts, as well. It is
sometimes better for a child if he “earns” his allowances by performance
of such household duties as seem best adapted to promote his development.
=Suggested and typical budgets.=——In preparation for the division of one’s
income it is helpful to study the budgets of other families or
individuals. Mrs. Richards in her book on “The Cost of Living” gives a
theoretical division of incomes, which is shown in the accompanying table
headed Suggested Budgets. It is interesting to study this account and then
those of families who have worked out their problems (either with or
without the preparation of definite budgets in advance) as shown in the
table of Typical Budgets.
In New York City it has been estimated by those studying the problems of
the cost of living of to-day that it is impossible for the average family
of mother, father, and three children under 14 years to get food enough to
keep the body in good condition with clothing and shelter to meet the most
urgent demands of decency for less than $900. This amount in other
localities would probably buy more. This means that in New York City for
$900 a family of five can have a very bare existence, and that with $1000
this family can begin to maintain a decent standard of living unless there
is long sickness or other catastrophe. At $1200 a normal family standard
can be maintained so as to preserve health, and so that the family will
have opportunities to develop in a self-respecting manner. When one
considers that many families subsist on $500 or $600 a year, it is
necessarily under conditions of shelter and with limitations of food and
clothing, not conducive to the best development.
SUGGESTED BUDGETS[23]
Key:
F Food
R Rent
O Operating expenses, Wages, Fuel, Light, ETC.
C Clothes
H Higher Life, Books, Travel, Church, Charity, Savings, Insurance
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