Where Does Your Housekeeping Money Go?
Housekeeping money to many men means the actual money required for food. Not very many husbands realize how many little expenses the housekeeping money has to take care of—little expenses that have nothing to do with food. Here are some and the Editor will be very glad if the readers will send in their own experiences in this line.
Most men smoke, and most men like to pocket a nice fresh box of matches when starting off for the day. Matches don't cost much to be sure but a fresh box each morning cuts quite a hole in the housekeeping money which is used to buy them.
Does your husband like to sit up late reading, playing chess, etc.? That sort of thing increases the light and coal bill quite a bit.
The pennies given for charity, church collections, etc., are also "extras."
Returning little courtesies—very often to "his" people—such as sending flowers, books, and occasional lunch or matinee, etc., etc., all make quite a hole in the housekeeping money.
The wear and tear of household utensils, linen, etc., means constant replenishment of one thing or another. A man may realize that his buggy or motor car has to have certain parts replaced once in a while but he is not apt to think of the pots and pans of the household side of things unless reminded.
It is a good plan to keep a few simple medicines at hand in case of sudden sickness, also a few bandages and the usual dressings required for accidents. Does your housekeeping money make provision for this?
Money for the education of the children is not generally included in the housekeeping money, but when the children get old enough to want to have their friends visit them it means little lunches, suppers, entertainments of various kinds, all of which cuts into the housekeeping money. As this is really the social side of their education it is only fair that extra provision should be made for it.