The price of daily newspapers, French and English, is two cents and the Boston Sunday paper, which is extensively read, is seven cents.
A considerable proportion of the amount spent for sundries apparently goes to the support of the church. The city is about 80% Roman Catholic. There are a large number of Roman Catholic churches, 17 parochial elementary schools, a Roman Catholic academy and a Roman Catholic commercial school. These schools are maintained chiefly by the French and Irish. The French parochial schools require a payment of 50 cents per month per child and the child furnishes his own books. The Irish Roman Catholic schools on the other hand are supported through contributions to the church itself and tuition and books are free to any child in the parish. While of course public schools are provided in the city, about one-third of the children attend the parochial schools.
It is practically impossible to estimate the amount spent for each separate item in the sundries group, but in Table 4 is given an approximation of expenses in this division of the budget. Since expenditures for sundries vary widely as between different families, the total allowed may be spent in a large variety of ways. It is believed, however, that $5.10 per week, or $265.20 per year, for the minimum budget is sufficient; the more liberal allowance is $6.80 per week or $353.60 per year.
TABLE 4: AVERAGE COST OF SUNDRIES IN FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, OCTOBER, 1919
(National Industrial Conference Board)
| Item | Minimum standard | More liberal standard | ||
| Average weekly cost | Average yearly cost | Average weekly cost | Average yearly cost | |
| Carfare: | ||||
| To work | $ .30 | $ 15.60 | $ .30 | $ 15.60 |
| For shopping and recreation | .20 | 10.40 | .30 | 15.60 |
| Movies and other entertainments | .55 | 28.60 | 1.00 | 52.00 |
| Medical care | .60 | 31.20 | .65 | 33.80 |
| Insurance | .70 | 36.40 | .90 | 46.80 |
| Church and parochial schools | 1.00 | 52.00 | 1.40 | 72.80 |
| Candy, tobacco, etc. | .45 | 23.40 | .60 | 31.20 |
| Reading material | .20 | 10.40 | .25 | 13.00 |
| Household furnishings and supplies | 1.00 | 52.00 | 1.10 | 57.20 |
| Organizations | .10 | 5.20 | .30 | 15.60 |
| All sundries | $5.10 | $265.20 | $6.80 | $353.60 |
The complete budget. In Table 5 have been combined the figures given for the cost of a year's allowance of each of the separate items entering into the average family budget. From this it appears that at least $1,267.76 per year is necessary to maintain a family of five persons at an American standard of living in Fall River, Massachusetts, on the basis of prices prevailing in October, 1919. This would require an income of $24.38 per week the year round.
In order to maintain life at a somewhat more comfortable standard, through allowing for slightly more liberal expenditures, $1,573.90 per year will be necessary, or a steady income of $30.27 per week.