Against the Fashionable Use of Credit Cards

In the introductory chapter of Mrs. Child's book, she lays forth some principles that are underlying the whole creation of her novel. One such regards the careful and watchful use of finances. As a homemaker we are not only responsible for the governence of our home and its surroundings, but the funding of it. Whether given an allowance by the breadwinner to spend yourself or otherwise alloted, you are responsible fore the expenditures made in your family budget for your home. Your wise influence and frugal conduct can deeply influence your husbands perspective of your home be it in taste, style, costliness or homeliness.

"It is wise to keep an exact account of all you expend - even of a paper of pins. This answers two purposes; it makes you more careful in spending your money, and it enables your husband to judge precicely whether his family live within his income."

Do keep and EXACT account. No fudging, smudging or shifting should occur in your ledger. Now that a substantial amount of money changing is done by online banking and use of debit cards, credit cards, and checks, it is both easier and more difficult to be as careful with our money. Because electronic transfers or money are automatically recorded by the bank, you are saved the time of entering them into a ledger. However, without your conscious notation of monies spent they can be recognized by only the bank and you will forever spend beyond your means. It is wise practice to review finances on a very regular basis, at the very least weekly. In times when you are writing several bills, buying several new purchases, or taking trips it is necissary to be watchful of our accounts daily.

"No false pride, or foolish ambition to appear as well as others, should ever induce a person to live one cent beyond the income of which he is certain." Such pride or foolish ambition rears its pretty head in amazing deals, weekend sales, pressured on the spot door to door sales, or even in government stimulus packages. Regardless of the amount you portend to "save" by buying now, if you haven't the money to spend on the remaining price of the item at hand, you would be spending more than you have. Unfortunately, the fashionable way to save money is to "buy now, pay later." I ask, in what way are you saving? By accruing interest rates on credit cards? By binding yourself to a payment on something you may very soon find you do not need? By garunteeing yourself more return in the future to pay off the continual debt you will be plummetting yourself into by complying to the ridiculous sales pitches of the now?

Do not be decieved by the idea of "certain income." You may very will intend to receive your contracted salary or collect your project hourly wage, but until the money is in your possession, it is not certain. The money is particularly uncertain if you have already several fixed expenses that sustain your existence. A projected salary or income is useful only in the calculation of what savings can be made in order for future necessary purchases or in the obtaining of a modest home that will likewise sustain your family. For no other reason should you trick yourself into believing that an upcoming paycheck will supply the demands you are placing upon it in the moment. Save all that you have and do not spend what you don't.