There's Magic in Keeping 



Home Accounts 



By Nell Flatt Goodman 



tt^WyHEN my husband saw the 

 «/%/ figures on what the chickens 

 and eggs were bringing in, 

 he built me a new chicken house." 



"We cut our automobile expenses 

 from $106.99 in one year to $48.73 the 

 next. We decided that car expense was 

 too much so we reduced it." 



"Our automobile cost us 4.4c per 

 mile the six years we used it." 



These are some of the comments 

 Home Bureau women have made after 

 keeping records on household expenses. 



Last year, 685 Illinois women kept 

 records in accordance with a plan 

 recommended by the state home ex- 

 tension service. Another 445 homes en- 

 tered in Home Bureau projects defi- 

 nitely budgeted the family expendi- 

 tures. 



"I find it an interesting game," said 

 one budgeteer. "A game in which all 

 the family can enter." 



An increase of nearly 15 percent in 

 cash available for family spending and 

 saving in 1935 over 1934 was shown by 

 50 home account records. The average 

 amount of cash available was $1,257 

 in 1935 and $1,099 in 1934. This cash 

 was supplemented by $630 worth of 

 commodities and services furnished by 

 the farm in 1935 and $653 in 1934. 



For health, $75 was required in 1935 

 and $94 for education. This compares 

 with $56 for health and $71 for educa- 

 tion in 1934. Cash outlay for housing 

 was lower in 1935, probably because 

 much needed and postponed repairs 

 had been made in 1934. These figures 

 are expressed in dollars, since the pur- 

 chasing power of the dollar for all 

 commodities used for family mainte- 

 nance changed only from an index of 

 122 in 1934 to 124 in 1935. Food costs 

 increased about 9 percent while cloth- 

 ing and building materials for the 

 house dropped approximately an equal 

 amount. 



With more money on hand, however, 

 a smaller amount was put in savings 

 than in the leaner year of 1934. 



When questioned about this, Mrs. 

 Ruth C. Freeman, specialist in home 

 management, said, "We have a definite 

 feeling that budgeting is not merely 

 for savings, but rather for living. In- 

 dications are that while a substantial 



2fi 



r 



HOME ACCOUNT KEEPERS IN WARREN COUNTY. 



amount was set aside for savings in 

 1935, yet more money was spent than 

 previously on clothing, health and edu- 

 cation. Those ar« the things which con- 

 tribute to a well rounded life." 



In the account books, the total cash 

 expenditure is listed and then how it is 

 apportioned, into savings, purchased 

 food, shelter, clothing, auto, health, rec- 

 reation, education, church and gifts. 



From the reports of 231 farm fam- 

 ilies, with incomes varying from $500 

 to $2,500, automobile expenses led 

 among expenditures for auto, health. 



education, church, gifts and personal. 

 In incomes of $2,500 and over, the 

 greatest proportion was spent for edu- 

 cation. The group with incomes of 

 $2,000 to $2,499 allotted more for auto 

 expenditure than the higher income 

 group. 



One of the objectives emphasized in 

 this project is for the homemakers to 

 list their goals, then plan their budgets 

 and strive for these goals. The records 

 of this year show that many of these 

 goals have been attained. Among the 

 (Continued on page 27) 



Cash Expanses and Savings (Ave.) For SO Idantical Farm Familias !n 1934 and 1935. 



I: 



1. A. A. RECORD 



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