“The majority of housewives of today aren’t naturally inclined to be extravagant or careless.  It is rather that they lack the knowledge and experience of spending money, and spending it to the best advantage for themselves and their household needs.

“’Tis a compulsory law in England, I have heard, to allow a wife pin money, according to a man’s means.  ’Tis a most wise law.  To a loyal wife and mother it gives added force, dignity and usefulness to have a sufficient allowance and to be allowed unquestioningly to spend that money to her best ability.  Her husband, be he a working or professional man, would find it greatly to his advantage in the home as well as in his business and less of a drain on his bank account should he give his wife a suitable allowance and trust her to spend it according to her own intelligence and thrift.

“Child, many a man is violently prejudiced against giving a young wife money; many allow her to run up bills, to her hurt and to his, rather than have her, even in her household expenditure, independent of his supervision.  I sincerely hope, dear, that your intended, Ralph Jackson, will be superior to this male idiosyncrasy, to term it mildly, and allow you a stated sum monthly.  The home is the woman’s kingdom, and she should be allowed to think for it, to buy for it, and not to be cramped by lack of money to do as she thinks best for it.”

“But, Aunt Sarah, some housewives are so silly that husbands cannot really be blamed for withholding money from them and preventing them from frittering it away in useless extravagance.”

“Mary, wise wives should not suffer for those who are silly and extravagant.  I don’t like to be sarcastic, but with the majority of the men, silliness appeals to them more than common sense.  Men like to feel their superiority to us.  However, though inexperienced, Mary, you aren’t silly or extravagant, and Ralph could safely trust you with his money.  It makes a woman so self-respecting, puts her on her mettle, to have money to do as she pleases with, to be trusted, relied upon as a reasoning, responsible being.  A man, especially a young husband, makes a grave mistake when he looks upon his wife as only a toy to amuse him in his leisure moments and not as one to be trusted to aid him in his life work.  A trusted young housewife, with a reasonable and regular allowance at her command, be she ever so inexperienced, will soon plan to have wholesome, nutritious food at little cost, instead of not knowing until a half hour before meal time what she will serve.  She would save money and the family would be better nourished; nevertheless, I would impress it on the young housewife not to be too saving or practice too close economy, especially when buying milk and eggs, as there is nothing more nutritious or valuable.  A palatable macaroni and cheese; eggs or a combination of eggs and milk, are dishes which may be substituted occasionally, at less expense, for meat.  A pound of macaroni and cheese equals a pound of steak in food value.  Take time and trouble to see that all food be well cooked and served, both in an attractive and appetizing manner.  Buy the cheaper cuts of stewing meats, and by long, slow simmering, they will become sweet and tender and of equal nutritive value as higher priced sirloins and tenderloins.