62 BULLETIN 1466, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
In addition to the number and ages of children per family, some 
attention may need to be given to the desires and demands of the 
family as affected by schooling, social participation, and other experi- 
ences. In addition to formal schooling obtained by the parents, con- 
tinued education of the parents and general education of the chil- 
dren can not well be ignored. 
The amount of leisure time for fullest use of the goods which are 
to be provided, the goods of a more intangible nature especially, 
can not be overlooked. The expenditure of money for goods calls 
for sufficient amounts of time to use these goods efficiently and 
effectively. 
Next, consideration will need to be given to the particular level of 
living which the family income will afford. Some additional sugges- 
tions as to this may be obtained from the tabulation by the total 
value of all goods used, Table 7. It will be recalled that the level of 
living is not defined by the value of goods only. The distribution of 
this value among the different groups of goods merits as much if not 
more consideration than merely " dollars worth " of goods used. 
In general, the higher level of living possible on a larger income 
means a lower proportion of goods devoted to the more material 
needs, to food especially. 
The question of the amount of income for family living purposes 
hinges on a number of factors pertaining to both the home and the 
farm business. Farm ownership, freedom from indebtedness, ra- 
tional enlargement of the farm business for proper efficiency in 
production, are goals which can not be ignored if a well-balanced, 
wholesome standard of living is to be enjoyed in the more mature 
years, as well as at present. After all, the economic goods of family 
living may need to be limited for the present to very little, if any, 
more income than was available during the past year. If so, the 
problem becomes one of trying to improve the standard of living on 
the same amount of funds as of last year or the years preceding last 
3^ear. 
The attempt to improve the family living on the same amount of 
money that has been available before will help the family to make 
the dollars go further than formerly. This does not imply that 
more money could not be used advantageously in many cases. It 
does mean, however, an effort to raise the proportions of the total - 
family living for clothing and for life and health insurance and to 
provide for a little savings and a reserve fund for improvement of 
the house or for unexpected future needs through more efficient uses 
of foods, operation goods, and personal goods. It means undoubtedly 
giving more careful attention to quantities and qualities to be ob- 
tained with the money available. 
Again, the attempt to improve the family living on the same 
amount of money will call for careful consideration and study of 
the family's income to see whether less money will suffice in con- 
nection with farm expenses, thereby leaving more money for family 
living. If farm operation expenses can not be reduced, the problem 
becomes one of increasing the family's income in some other way, 
which problem is outside the scope of this bulletin. 
But, whatever the money available, the art of getting better values 
for each dollar spent merits first consideration. The ability to get 
