PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMY.

Southland Times, Issue 19546, 9 May 1925, Page 23

PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMY.

THE LITTLE THINGS COUNT (By Molly Watson.) Housekeeping is by no means an easy accomplishment. Years of practice do not always succeed in making for perfection, so what a task it means to the inexperienced one who has only previously been used to managing a dress account! One scorns to be told to keep within one’s income, but whatever this income may be it can always be dealt with in two ways, either by being' ill-managed or well-man-aged. EXTRAVAGANCES. x Perhaps the best guilding principle is “A needless thing is dear at a penriy.” It is the small daily and tiny extravagances which are likely to pass unnpticed and which amount to the big sum at the end of the week. Whenever possible «do the shopping yourself, others, however trustworthy, are not inclined to be so interested in making a bargain as you are when spending your own money. The order will be placed for bread and milk, as in these items it is more convenient to pay weekly, or monthly, but longer credit is to be avoided; for larger items paying ready money is a wiser plan than it at first appears. You will find that though the prices paid with ready money may be exactly the same as if the bill were allowed to run on, there is an important difference. Maybe you buy a few extra things, with the idea of its being well to have them in the house, and meantime that bill is mounting up. The housewife must keep an eagle eye on all those pennies spent in this way. GENEROUS CREDIT. What is the good of starting a series of bills with shoe-shop, the baker’s, the grocer’s and then resting content that all is well, on their generous promises of future credit. It is a terrible shock when the bills come in to find how much has been expended. It may be difficult to keep a careful record of these outstanding expenses, but unless such a record is kept and checked with the incoming bills, it is impossible to trace any overcharge. A ready-money purchaser can, at times obtain discounts on various commodities, especially if they are bought in quantities. Of course anything of a perishable character cannot be bought in this way. When you begin to keep accounts, and plan your spending in advance, it will not be long before your experience the thrill of knowing your housekeeping is truly successful, and that your are actually saving money.