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The Columbia University Libraries reserve the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of the copyright law. Author: Mosher, William E. Title: Quantity and cost budgets for clerical workers in... Place: New York Date: 1921 MASTER NEGATIVE # COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES PRESERVATION DIVISION BIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED - EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD Br ^5 Mosher, William E .•.Quantity and cost budgets for clerical workers in New York city, April, 1921 by William E.' Mosher... Hew York, 1921, >0 p. 23 cm« At head of title! • .."issued by the Bureau of municipal research no. 95. 1921". Jtmmm RESTRICTIONS ON USE: TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: :% ^ aA REDUCTION RATIO: : 12\[ IMAGE PLACEMENT: lA /ua] IB IIB DATE FILMED ■.^hJii INITIALS: K^ TRACKING # M^U Qlq/I FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES, BETHLEHEM, PA. (•> A^' ^^^ ^^7^ ^ 00 CJl 3 3 a- o > IS N CO 00 cn ^-< OOM o e- nPO 3 3 > o m Q."n (DO ^ o O cC/5 N X M •^ 15^ :V y* .a** A^' ^'V. ■V:! ^, .".'^i ^ ^, '<*'."^ '*V. <2 -?^ ^i^ >'^ '^^ >-^ o o 3 3 t cn O 3 3 \&> ^S^ .< & ^o .'^1 > ,«!>i fe^. a^ o o 3 3 S' ^ :o- '&> f* ^o f^ f^ fo i. fp ^^ K3 Cn O E"Bi?PI!|s|5|? rr IS I! 1^ ^^ i^ a 00 b ro bo In 1.0 mm 1.5 mm 2.0 mm ABCDEFGHUKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abccletghi|klmnopqrstuvw«y; 1 234567890 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghiiklmnopqrstuvwxyzl234567890 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 m H O O ■o m -D > C CO X TJ ^ 0>!-< OOM Atf JJ. . '...'■■ \.AJ J MUNICIPAL RESEARCH To promote the application of scientific principles to government Issued by the Bureau op Municipal Research No. AND 95 Training School for Public Service 1921 261 Broadwa3% New York QUANTITY AND COST BUDGETS FOR CLERICAL WORKERS IN NEW YORK CITY April, 1921 BY WILLIAM E. MOSHER This issue 25 cents ■mmsm^ "^^i^^^ir Prefatory Note The data used in the prepara^ tion of this study were collected largely by Miss E. M. Eppich, Miss Clara Trenckmann and Mr. Harold G. Schutt, students in the Training School for Public Service. Valuable assistance was rendered in the compilation of the material by Miss Eppich and Miss Enid Mack of Barnard College. I wish also to express my appreciation of the co-operation of the various organizations which made useful material accessible for the purpose of the survey, but especially to Mrs. I. W. Stacey, of the New York University, Coordinator, and Mrs. Blanche W. Welzmiller, Deputy CommissioneiT of the Bureau of Markets. W. E. MOSHER. 1 V3 MINIMUM QUANTITY AND COST BUDGETS FOR CLERICAL WORKERS IN NEW YORK CITY APRIL, 1921 INTRODUCTION Because of the importance that properly attaches to the cost of living in municipal salary standardization, the Bureau of Mu- nicipal Research of New York City has gathered data to show what it costs to maintain an American standard of life on a min- imum ''health and decency level" in New York City at the pres- ent time. Reference is made to the level upon which the great low-salaried group of clerical workers are accustomed or desire to live. This group includes both public employees and those en- gaged in commercial and banking enterprises. Since workers of this class usually live so little removed from the subsistence level and since their salaries respond so slowly to changes in the cost of living, it seems highly desirable that a basis be established which will make possible sound salary adjustments. It should also be recognized that this basis should be revised from time to time in keeping with changes in price levels. The ground work for the investigation, i. e., the determination of what quantities of commodities and services constitute the American standard of life on a minimum level of health and de- cency, is provided in reports published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Federal Department of Labor.* This organiza- tion based its conclusions as to quantities of articles primarily on material collected by its agents in a country- wide survey of ac- tual family budgets. These data were then supplemented by special investigations along certain specific lines. It is evidently only on the basis of such a broad study that tenable conclusions can be reached. The immediate purpose of the reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics was to guide the Joint Congressional Commission on the Reclassification of Salaries in determining the • For summaries see Monthly Labor Review, December, 1919, and January, 1920. More detailed treatment of the family budget is found In a special bulletin Issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in November, 1919. It is entitled: Tentative Quantity and Cost Budgret. Much pertinent information appears also in a later ar- ticle bearing the title: Minimum Quantity Budget Necessary to Maintain a Family of Five. This applies to the workingman's family and attempts to establish a standard of living on a health and decency level along the same general lines as for the clerical worker. This article appeared in the Monthly Labor Review in June, 1920. - w^P^SPBSPSSWiSI minimum wage for clerical employees in the federal departments in Washington. Since the standard of life maintained by those in minor clerical positions in Washington does not differ mate- rially from that maintained by similar workers employed both by the municipal government and by private commercial organi- zations in New York City, it was thought desirable to adopt this standard with minor changes in the investigation. Although the quantity budgets for a single man, a single wom- an and a typical family of five, have been before the public well over a year, there has been on the whole comparatively little criticism as to the fact that these budgets include the items neces- sary for maintaining an American standard of life on the mini- mum level of health and decency. Among the critics there have naturally been some who consider the standard as too high and others who contend that it is too low. It will be found that the former usually take exception to the final total cost, whereas the latter are likely to attack individual items as insufficient as to quantity or price. But according to the Bureau of Labor Sta- tistics the criticisms have not seemed of sufficient importance to call for changes in the published budgets. Incidentally it may be worth while to note that the method cf criticizing individual items is the rational one. Proper analysis of standard budgets re- quires that attention should be turned first to the articles and quantities specified, and then to the cost of the individual ar- ticles and services in order to determine whether due consideration has been given to quality, favorable purchasing conditions, etc. The totals may then be left to the adding machines. The desirability of fixing a point in the wage scale with refer- ence to a well-defined minimum standard of living — whether the total cost be accepted as the actual minimum wage or not — is obvious. Without a basis in fact differences of opinion as to ''what it costs to live'' cannot be settled with any degree of sat- isfaction, nor should so vital a matter be left to conjecture or general impression, particularly when so many people are in- clined to think of salaries in terms of pre-war dollars. Moreover, since the quantity and cost budgets are stated in terms of specified articles and services, the critic can determine independently whether the standard adopted is too high or too low, and can con- sequently decide at just what point in the wage scale the figure recommended shall be written in. The prices quoted being cur- rent, may also be checked and controlled without difficulty. Fin- ally, by using index numbers or by periodically repricing typical commodities included in the budgets, it will be possible to adjust ^ the total from time to time to meet major fluctuations in prices, thus guaranteeing to employees of limited incomes a more or less constant standard of life. In passing, reference should be made to the word of warning expressed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics concerning the fact that precisely the amounts specified may not be necessary for maintaining life at the level described. In the first place, families are not of a uniform size; then, too, some housewives are gifted with the ability to economize in the food items, others on cloth- ing, and others in still different directions. A number of adjust- ments and adaptations are easily conceivable within and between the groups of expenditures compiled below. This applies as well to the budgets of the single man and woman. But it is clear that it is only on the basis of a definite and concrete norm that one can discuss to any purpose the standard of living. It has been the aim of the Bureau of Labor Statistics to provide this norm. On the other hand, the Bureau also warns of the specious argument that people do actually live on less than what is called for in these budgets. To such critics it replies that ''families may and do live, although underfed, underclothed, unhealthily housed, over- worked, especially the wife and mother, and deprived, particu- larly the children, of many things essential to the development of healthy and useful citizens.'* Three Quantity Budgets. On account of the differences in the ways of living and the re- sponsibilities involved, it was deemed advisable by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to establish three different budgets: one each for a single man and woman, and one for a typical family of hus- band, wife and three children. The level determined on is higher than the "poverty" or the "subsistence" level, as it was considered that workers of the class under consideration should be enabled to maintain life according to a minimum standard of health and comfort. This is described in the introduction of the report in the following paragraph: (The minimum of health and comfort level) — This represents a slightly higher level than that of subsistence, providing not only for the material needs of food, shelter, and bodily covering, but also for certain comforts, such as clothing sufficient for bodily comfort and to maintain the wearer's instinct of self-respect and decency, some in- surance against the more important misfortunes — aeath, disability and fire — good education for the children, some amusement, and some expenditures for self.development. Following established precedents, the budgets were prepared iilHSSi^STSBir "W^S^' Iii under the following subdivisions: food, clothing, housing, fuel and light, and miscellaneous. The last item includes such mat- ters as cleaning, upkeep of furniture and furnishings, recreation, health, etc. It has already been indicated that the standards as set up by the Bureau of Labor Statistics whether they be for food, cloth- ing or housing and other groups of items — were arrived at by considering the detailed schedules selected from a large number of budgets that were gathered in a country-wide study by the agents of the Bureau in 1918-19. Upwards of 30,000 such sched- ules were collected in the survey that covered over ninety dif- ferent localities scattered throughout the country. The families investigated were those of wage-earners or low-salaried workers, the majority of whom were earning less than $2,000 per year.* According to the report of the Bureau some 850 of these sched^- ules were used, for instance, as the basis of the standard quanti- ties set up for clothing; 280 schedules of families having three children under fifteen served as the basis for the food standard; 100 schedules for similar families were used in determining the standard quantities of furniture, both as to original cost and cost of replacement. For housing, board, room and certain other items that were nat- urally strongly influenced by local considerations, the survey de- manded supplementary investigation in Washington, D. C. In- formation gathered in a study of 600 wage-earning women living in Washington in 1916 and receiving less than $1,100 per year was also utilized in determining the quantity budget for the singl.* woman.** For information concerning life and fire insurance, re- ligious and labor organizations, sickness, recreation, carfare, etc., reference w^as made to the actual expenditures of 64 families of government workers in Washington for the two years closing De- cember 31, 1916, and July 31, 1919.*** The considerations that weighed with regard to other items, especially to those listed under Miscellaneous, appear in the course of the discussion of the budgets in the issues of the Monthly Labor Review already mentioned. In general it is urged that those interested in a critical con- sideration of the following budgets should refer to the detailed explanations! in the Review, since we have accepted the standards • See the following issues of the Monthly Labor Review: Augrust, September No- vember. December. 1919. and January. 1!>20. ••See Monthly Labor Revipw. Ootobor, 1917; April. 1918. ••• See Special Bulletin entitled Tentative Quantity and Cost Budget. Appendix D. there set forth and for that reason reduce explanatory comments to a minimum. Following the summaries of the three budgets are found the itemized lists of quantities and costs with accompanying remarks wherever these are called for. The prices were collected in Feb- ruary and March, 1921, for the most part in the two two-week pe- riods preceding and following March 1st. A — SUMMARY OP FAMILY BUDGET. I. Food ) 1655. as II.. Clothing: Husband (includes |6 cleaning and $3 misc.) 1110.12 Wife 134.43 Boy (11 yrs.) 93.52 Girl (5 yrs.) 63.02 Boy (2 yrs.) 38.96 440.05 III. Housing (light and fuel) ,. . 536.00 IV. Miscellaneous 632.15 ?2,263.55 B^^SUMMARY OP BUDGET FOR SINGLE MAN I. Food ', $359.75 IL Clothing 156.12 III. Room 260.00 IV. Miscellaneous 218.39 Total (not including savings) $994.26 V. Savings — 10 per cent, of total expenses 99.42 Total — including savings $1,093.68 C — SUMMARY OP BUDGET FOR SINGLE WOMAN I. Food $359.75 II. Clothing . .i 184.30 III. Room 260.00 IV. Miscellaneous 212.39 Total (not including savings) $1,016.44 V. Savings — 10 per cent, of total expenses 101^64 Total — including savings ^ $1,118.08 QUANTITIES AND COSTS A — Fa/mily Budget. I. — Food. The food prices are for February and March, 1921, except for such commodities as were out of season at that time. For these the average minimum prices charged during the appropriate sea- son of 1920 were secured. At least three prices were secured for each item, and in a large number of cases five prices figure in the average. The prices were compiled from the following sources: 7 "^^'^"^'^'^mmammm-^ '^'wm^mm^m'f^^mw vegetables, meat and fish from the Bureau of Markets*, dealers in the Washington and 59th Street Markets, Mr. Foy, Editor of the Daily Market Report, and for out of season vegetables, also from Henry Kelly and Sous (413 West 14th Street) ; dry groc- eries from the Atlantic and Pacific Stores (32 branches), and the Butler Stores (13 branches) ; eggs, milk and dairy products from the Borden Farm Products Company (25 branches or stores), the Sheffield Stores (133 branches), and certain of the sources cited above; bread and bakestuffs from the Cushman Stores (3 branches) and other sources already listed. The prices were checked in a number of '* corner groceries.** In the following table appears a condensed summary of the ave- rage annual quantity of food in pounds and the annual cost of the various groups of items. The quantity and cost of the individual items is found in Appendix A on page 28. The latter table served as the basis of the summary. Item Bepf and veal, fresh (1) Beef, suit (1) Pork, frosh (1) .'..".'.*.".'." Pork, salt, including smoked ham and bacon (1).. Mutton (1) Poultry (1) '.'.'.".".".'.".*.".'.'. Other meat, including sausage, dried beef, etc. (i). Fish and other sea food (1) Ekxs . Milk, sweet and buttermilk (2) Crenm Milk condensed Butter and oleomargarine Choc.se Tea '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. Coffee and substitutes Sugar Molasses, including sirup and honey. Lard Flour '..'.'.'.'.'. Corn Meal Bread (3) '..'..'. Rice Cereals * Fruits, fresh ..'....'. Fruits, dried and canned Potatoes Other vegetables, fresh and dried. . . . Other vegetables, canned Other food (4) nl Total Ice Average Annual Quantity in Pounds Final Total. 225.8 10.1 38.2 45.5 31.2 27.0 52.8 67.9 102.1 1006.5 3.0 65.2 93.3 19.9 9.8 40.6 162.9 35.5 67.5 389.8 63.8 480.4 44.2 72.3 400.9 36.3 738.2 566.1 43.9 121.3 Annual Cost 2800.0(5) $85.58 1.71 9.55 14.75 6.85 11.60 24.26 19.30 40.84 68.94 1.59 9.78 50.06 7.84 3.52 12.28 14.66 10.29 14.23 26.37 4.46 48.97 3.97 7.90 34.60 7.89 21.46 38.91 3.81 32.31 S63S.55 16.80 $655.35 •The Bureau of Markets regulates prices In the thirteen push-cart markets throughout the city. Its records contain also the reports of prices secured by the Inspectors who make inquiries at other than push-cart markets. The reports and records of this Bureau were used in this survey. (1) Total meat and fish equivalent to 1.37 pounds per day. (2) Equivalent to 1.27 quarts of milk per day. (3) Equivalent to 1.38 pound loaves of bread per day. (4) Including crackers, cake, pies. Ice cream, candy, Jelly, oil, chocolate, peanut kutter, cocoa, nuts, gelatin, and canned soup, and macaroni, spaghetti, etc., corn- starch and tapioca. (5) 25 pounds daily for four months. 8 II. — Clothing. On account of the difficulty of standardizing the quantity of clothing to be worn by a family of five, it should be pointed out that the following budget can lay no claim to finality. The matter of home sewing alone can easily be the cause of readjust- ing the quantities specified. Although a considerable amount vi home sewing is expected, an increase or decrease might easily mean a better supplied or more restricted wardrobe for the me *■- bers of the family. Generally speaking, it is anticipated that the quantities adopted will make possible both a proper degree of comfort and warmth, but also that due regard will have been paid to outward appearance so that one may not be forced to sac- rifice his self-respect in associating with the people of his o/,n class. Because certain garments may last more than one year, pro- vision is made under the heading "Annual Replacement" for 1-2 or 1-3 of the cost of the given garment according to the probable necessity of having to replace it every two or three years. The prices listed below are the average prices charged in five of the large department stores, two of which are in the shopping center of Manhattan, one in the neighborhood of 50th Street, an- other in the uptown district, and the fifth in Brooklyn. Tliese stores were selected because they are quite generally patronized by people who must buy cautiously and as advantageously as p >s- sible. The shoppers were instructed to take advantage of current sale prices except where it was evident that some line of goods or individual articles were being closed out at abnormally low figures. With the exception of one store, the original data were collected by members of the School for Retail Selling of New York University, to whom we wish to express our appreciation at this point. The prices were then checked over, and in a num- ber of cases verified on subsequent investigation, by members of the Training School for Public Service of the Bureau of Mu- nicipal Research. I a., i-n. .. .a. -■■■'*Jli'^'4||||i^b|lifii|tiuitifVf '' ' ■«5*?'*'^p^?5WPW' -^mmme- •mmf^'m^^w^^m^-'mim^''' f!"PSW^ CLOTHING FOR MAN Hat. felt Hat, straw Suit, winter (wool) . Suit, summer (wool) Overcoat Raincoat Shirts, cotton Union suits, summer Union suits, winter (part wool) or Union suits, cotton (winter) Pajamas Socks, cotton Shoes, high Shoes, low . , Shoe repairing. Whole soles. Half soles, including heels Rubbers... . Gloves, kid Collars Ties Handkerchiefs Garters Belts Suspenders Umbrella Cleaning CLOTHING FOR MARRIED WOMAN Article Coat, wool (Better quality coat Suit, wool '..'.'.'.'."." Alterations .............!* Dress, wool serge Wash skirt .' ." ! ." .' .* ! ." ' ' ' or Separate wool skirt !...... Waidts, cotton material for (2H yds.).!...,! ! ! ! ! ! ! Waists, cotton, ready-made , ,[ Waist, dress '.'.'. Dresses, cotton, thin cotton material for (6 yds.) or Dresses, thin cotton, ready-made Apron, kitchen, gingham for (2 yds.) ! ! ! ! ! ^ Apron, kitchen, ready-made ! ! House dresses, gingham for (6 yds.) ! ! ! ! House dresses, gingham, ready-made ! ! ! Kimona, cotton crepe, plainly made Night gowns ' ' ' Petticoat, white muslin ! ! Petticoat, dark cotton !!!!!!!!!! Corset covers Brassieres !.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Corset (standard make) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Underwear, separate garments (summer).... ! ! ! " or Underwear, union suits (summer) Underwear, union suit, part wool (winter) Hat, summer Hat, winter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gloves, cotton Gloves, kid Uandkcrchiefs Umbrella, cotton !!!!!!!! Shoes, high «, ', * • oboes, low TJ L« Rubbers Stockmgs, cotton Stocking, wool Shoe repairing: New heels Whole soles !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cleaning and pressing !...!!!!!!!! Miscellaneous Unit Price $32.70 43.15 38.50 4.00 26.95 4.25 8.29 .55 2.14 7.11 .65 7.47 .16 .91 .34 3.13 Replacement Per Year Yearly Cost 1-3 1-3 1 1. 1 1, 1, Total. .93 .51 .64 .93 .05 .86 3.85 .75 .92 2.86 5.62 7.69 1.00 2.56 .15 2.20 7.76 6.77 1.00 .52 1.16 .38 1.89 3.20 H H h 3 3 H 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 8 2 1 S S 1 1 H 1 H 8 1-3 1 1 1 8 3 1 1 $10.90 •14.38 19.25 4.00 13.47 2.12 •2.07 4.14 •6.42 3.05 6.60 •14.94 .32 •.91 4.08 •6.26 .96 3.02 1.64 1.93 3.15 1.73 3.85 2.25 2.76 2.86 5.62 3.84 1.00 1.28 1.20 .76 7.76 6.77 1.00 4.16 1.14 1.89 3.20 5.00 $134.43 •Alternates, not included in total. CLOTHING FOR BOY, AGED 11 Article Caps or Hats Suit, wool Pants, separate, wool (winter) Pants, separate, wool and cotton (summer) Overcoat Sweater Overalls Shirts or blouses, cotton Summer underwear (union suits) Winter underwear (union suits) Pajamas or nightshirts Stockings Shoes, high • Shoes, low Rubbers Gloves or mittens Collars Ties Handkerchiefs Garters ' r5eit .•.•......>..• ........I Shoe repairing (whole soles) Miscellaneous Total. Unit Price $1. 2 11, 2. 1 12. 4 1 28 27 59 96 93 49 17 10 94 90 99 45 40 17 43 11 02 24 53 11 38 68 77 Replacement Per Year I 2 2 1 3 2 1 5 S 2 3 12 3 2 1 2 a 2 6 3 H 5 Yearly Cost $2.56 *4 . 54 11.59 5.92 3.96 6.24 2.08 1.10 4.70 2.70 3.98 2.90 4.80 15.81 8.86 1.11 1.84 .72 1.04 .66 .76 .34 8.85 1.00 $93.52 •Alternate, not included in total. CLOTHING FOR GIRL, AGED 6 Article Hat, summer Cap, winter or Hat, winter 6 dresses, cotton, gingham for (3H yds) voile for (2H yds) or 6 dresses, cotton, ready-made Dresses, wool, material for {l}i yds.) or Dresses, wool, ready-made Apron, gingham for (2 yds.) Coat Sweater Cotton petticoats: Muslin Outing flannel. . . Summer underwear: Shirts Drawers, muslin.. Underwaists Winter underwear: Shirts, wool Drawers, wool . . . Night dresses: Muslin Outing flannel . . . Stockings, cotton. , . Shoes, high Shoes, low Rubbers Mittens Handkerchiefs Garters Miscellaneous Replacement Unit Price Per Year $1.90 1 1.17 1 1.32 2/5 .30 .42 1.97 2.00 H 4 94 ^ .16 1 8.93 H 3.18 M .82 2 .75 1 .29 3 .38 1 .43 4 1.36 2 1.36 2 .98 1 .96 1 .42 12 4.05 3 4.26 3 .79 1 .74 1 .09 6 .37 2 Yearly Cost $1.90 1.17 •52 3.15 3.15 •11.82 1.25 •2.47 .32 4.46 1.59 1 64 .75 .87 .39 1.72 2 72 2.72 .98 .96 5.04 12.15 12.78 .79 .74 .54 .74 2 50 Total. $63.02 •Left out of total as alternates. 10 11 "f^m ..., U. ^ 'A '%,■ ^xTtTTr^rmiUMmr 'II CLOTHING FOR BOY, AGED 2 Article Hat, duck Cap, cloth ....". or Cap. knitted wool ..'.'.'.'.'. 3 dr«9se8 or cotton suits or rompers*. 'ginghain' (2 yds) 3 overalls, denim for (2 yds.) .. • • *" v- y^o Overcoat (corduroy) or Overcoat (woo!) Sweater .!...*....'.. Undershirts, summer.. .'....'....'. Drawers, muslin, summer ........'.* or Union suits, summer Undarwaists. summer Undershirts, winter ', Drawers, winter Nijht dresses, muslin .'.'..'. Night dressea. out in;? flamnel. . . Stockings and socks Stockings bocks Shoos, high Shoes, low (saadais) .........[ Mittens Garters ..........!.. Miscellaneous Unit Price Replacement Per Year t .71 .99 .99 .29 .34 4.64 8.48 3.62 .39 .41 .67 .50 1.22 1.11 .82 .90 Yearly Cost Total . •Alternates, not included, in total. .48 .40 3.92 2.11 .45 .3:j H 3 3 3 4 2 2 1 1 10 S .71 .99 •.99 1.74 2.04 2.32 •4.24 1.81 1.17 1 23 •2.01 2.00 2.44 2.22 .82 .90 2 2 1 2 2.40 2.00 7.84 4.22 .45 .66 1.00 $38.96 SUMMARY OF CLOTHING Husband . .|. . . Wife Boy (11 years) Girl (5 years) Boy (2 years) , Total Per Year. 1110.12 134.43 93.52 63.02 38.96 $440.05 in. —Housing, Fuel and Light. No part of the investigation caused more difficulty than the matter of average housing costs, even though the standard of four rooms with bath and running water was accepted as applicable to the conditions of the typical family of five in New York City Ordinarily, one would turn to the prices being charged for apart^ ments or houses of this type actually offered for rent at the present time. But in the absence of such data on account of the great dearth of houses in the city it became clear that only a most extensive survey, that would inevitably be time-consuming and costly, would supply the data necessary for determining sat- isfactory averages. It was, therefore, decided to seek the co-op- eration of several banks and one insurance company, employing large numbers of clerks, on the assumption that there would be many among this number who are maintaining a standard of life on a minimum level of health and decency. Through the 12 courtesy of the proper officials, the following organizations co- operated in securing the desirable data: the Chase National Bank, the Guaranty Trust Company, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and the National City Bank. As these organizations employ upwards of 13,000 workers, it was considered that the data supplied by a selected group of their employees would afford a sufficiently broad basis for sound conclusions as to the actual cost of rent and the related items to those whose income practically determines such a standard of life as we are analyzing. Since it was desirable to limit the distribution of questionaires to those who are maintaining a family and who are living in small and inexpensive apartments, consisting preferably of four rooms and a bath, it was agreed that the questionnaire forms should be distributed only among married clerical employees who receive not to exceed $2,500, including any bonus paid last year. On this basis, 590 replies to the questionnaire, giving information as to rent, fuel and light, and transportation, were returned. It was necessary on account of insufficient or apparently inax;- curate information to discard 234 questionnaires. The large num- ber of discards is due for the most part of the fact that there seemed to be unwillingness to give satisfactory informaton as to annual income. On the ground that those receiving more than $2,400 per year would be able to live on a higher level than the one under consideration, 146 other reports were also set aside. A further selection took place in that all schedules reporting one, two, seven or more rooms were eliminated. There were 17 fall- ing within this group. The final tabulation as listed below takes into account, there- fore, only the reports of those occupying three, four, five and six- room apartments, both heated and unheated, including 11 houses of four to six rooms which are classed with the ''cold water flats." So far as income is concerned, the tabulation includes only such schedules as report annual incomes up to $2,400.* Such a selec- tion on the basis of size of apartment and income resulted in the acceptance of 193 schedules. In spite of the fact that a four room apartment and bath nas been set as the minimum standard for a family of five that is con- . The following condensed table indicates the distribution of the 193 reports with respect to annual Income: Annual Salary. $ 832-$l,199 1,200- 1,499 1,600- 1.799 1,800- 2,100- 2,099 2,400 Total No. of Cases. 6 14 S6 74 «8 193 13 •;"*f'^^>S!*«^»M».'- Ni sistent mtb health and decency, analysis of the data shows that worker: 'Z Tf * " ""'^ '^''"'"°" '"' '~l-ed clerical cent 0? the L, J°°"' '""■*™'"*- ^'^ty-seven, or 29 per Sfi tf V '"""^"'' ""P*""' *°""^ '•*'«'°« '^''d bath, and 70, or 36 per cent., report five rooms and bath. For this reason the paid by the 193 clerical employees of the income group described c^^ntT"^' " '^^ ^'^" ''^ '''' *''"*'^'°^ ''^'"'- I^ t-kes into L count the average annual cost of the four and five room apartments but also of 30 three room and 36 six room apartments. AVERAGE ANNUAL RENTALS AND AVERAGE INCOMES Rental Average income of rentere 57 Four Room Apartnienta S456.14 1.880.63 70 Five Room Apartments $457.15 1.921.02 193 Three, Four, Five and oix Room Apartments $469.73 1.915.02 Since it may be assumed that so large a group of clerical em- ployees receiving, on an average, only $1,915.02 per year will pay no more than housing conditions in New York City demand the conclusion seems warranted that at least $450 will be required Of s: Id ^ZT''' ^ ^" ^°"^^^'^''' -'''' ''- -'''''-' Fuel and Light. As no minimum standard for these items has been worked out It IS necessary to accept the actual average expenditures of the families housed according to the minimum standards just de- scribed. We therefore parallel the data given above for the va- rious types of apartments. Although the fuel costs for the "cold water apartments" are much higher than for the heated ones" the two groups are averaged together on a weighted basis just as' they were with regard to rents. The following figures include not alone cost of heat and light, but also the expenditures for heat for cooking an d heating water for domestic purposes. 1921). being held an to the >»?« rite, of thi^ „'."""'? "/""'Off!' now (April, in the printing trade,. The Libor Bureau renoVt/STA"' '^J""' ""'' "">er workori •t five room, and bath In dw*lhns,^o^^,I?^"',!"^ ^' '"^ "X^'"'' average rental 106th street. Second Avenue, izl^th.-itreet and mLi.""""'."' """'" '>»"n' ""'<"> •"'"•l »' 1920. pp. 61-66. lime., Cf. Monthly Labor Review, February. ••There were 88 cold water nnartmo...* n t actual average coat for these Kr^nthl nnT*"? ^^ ^^ ^'^^^^'^ apartments. Th.. I1B2.30: In the heated It was iso.^i. " *^* unhealed apartments and houses was 14 rnmrn m The average annual cost of heat and light for four room apart- ments was $86.03; for the five room apartments, it was $112.81; and for the three, four, five and six room apartments, it was $102.67. On the basis of these averages, $86 is charged as the minimum annual cost for heat and light.* SUMMARY. : Annual Cost. Housing, fuel and light ' ^^-'^^ . IV. — Miscellaneous Expenses. Upkeep of House Furniture and Furnishings. For the purpose of this budget, it is assumed that the average family will have already provided itself with the more desirable articles of furniture at the beginning of married life, and that the amount to be charged under this heading would be due to up- keep and necessary replacements at the time of maximum ex- pense, i. e., when there are three children. Investigation proved that this cost might be computed on a percentage basis of the cost of a minimum of furniture and furnishings suitable for a family living in moderate circumstances. The upkeep cost was found to be about 6 per cent, of the replacement cost. In order to compute the amount to be charged the replacement cost of the whole list of house furnishings was secured at the five department stores previously described. This included a total of 138 different items. The number of articles under each item is prescribed in the Quantity Budget. Replacement Cost. Furniture (table, chair, bed, etc.) • • • .... ^^JJ-J^ Household utensils (such as wringers, brooms, dishes, etc.) . sz.di Household supplies (such as tablecloths, sheets, etc.) Hl'll Kitchen utensils ) ^^-^^ Total ?874.87 Six per cent, of the replacement cost as the annual cost of up. keep of furniture and furnishings $52.49 Cost of gas mantles, electric bulbs and a few other articles not to be estimated quantitatively 10.00 Total ) 562.49 Laundry Work. The prevailing rate per day for a cleaning or a washer woman ranges at the present time from $3.00 to $4.00, plus ten cents for car- •Airain this fl?ure is comparable to the average amount actually paid in the apartments selected by the Labor Bureau. Inc.. of New York City. According to their la«t report this was $83.60. 15 ''''if'^^^mmmmmmym^imsmmimmm ,r fare aecordmg to the reports from the following agencies : two State EmplojTnent Bureaus situated «t 184 West 135th Street, and 112 West 45th Street, and also fr^.i the Universal Employment Bu- 7Z ^^ IT ^^"' ^'''''^' ^^ *^^ ^^''y l^niPloyment Agency (659 Sixth Avenue). Three doUars and sixty cents seems, there- tore, to be the average current rate per week. ear^^'i'm 20"°'^' '"'''*^""^ *"^' washing-1 day a week-per Cleaning Supplies and Services. Tile starred articles in the following list were priced at Liggetts ihis organization was selected because it has about fifty branches distributed throughout the city and also because it is generally patronized by purchasers of the class under consideration The fig- ures were checked further with prices charged in the large depart- ment stores and in a "corner drug store" (8th Avenue and l-Jth Street). Prices for the otlier articles, except barber services, were secured from the chain grocery stores referred to on page 8. Cleaning supplies and services Personal: Toilet soap, small bar Ivory .... Toothbrushes Toothpaste, tube or box. Comb, hard rubber .'. Hairbrush ..'..."..* Shoe polish, box Barber's services: Husband, hair cut Children, hair cut Household • Laundry soap, H-pound bar otarch, pound Cleanser, box , Unspecified cleaning supplies' a ndsVrVices, 'such as' borax ammonia, washing powder, bluing, insect powder, etc. . Total Unit Pricel guartity Per Year to. 07 .26 .25 .75 1.50 .15 .50 ..V) .10 .07^ .05 3.00 70 12 1 01 12 8 120 6 36 Cost 14 PO ].25 3.00 .75 .75 .90 6.00 4.00 12.00 1.80 n.co S3S.S0 Health. This item covers fees for physician, dentist and oculist for medicines and other remedies. The figure is based on the expen- ditures for this group of items of the sixty-four families of govern ment employees, previously referred to. As the customary fees for professional services of the type under consideration are about the same m Washington as they were in 1919, and as thev com pare with those now charged in New York, no change is' made m the estimate. Health, per year, $80.00. 16 Insurance, In the interest of self-protection and safety, it was considered that $5,000 should be the minimum amount of insurance to be carried by the head of a family of five. Figures were secured from the Metropolitan and Mutual Life Insurance Companies, two of the largest and most reputable of the old-line companies. As the premium charges did not vary greatly, the Metropolitan figures were adopted for our purpose. It appeared that the prem- ium per thousand for a man of thirty-five — the age generally used as a base in estimating average costs of insurance — was $24 per year. This is for a policy that pa^^s endowment at eighty- five, but to all practical intents and purposes it is a type of ''straight life" insurance, the cheapest insurance procurable and the form of insurance adopted in the standard budget. Insurance: (a) Life, $5,000 ordnary policy, yearly premium, $120.00. The standard rate for furniture insurance in New York City, as quoted by a representative of the New York Fire Exchange, is 50 cents per hundred for tenants of brick apartment houses when taking insurance for three years at a time. Assuming that the average value of the furniture for a family of the type under con- sideration is $1,000, the charge against this item would be $5 for three years, or $1.67 per year. Insurance: (b) Furniture, per year, $1.67. Carfare. Although it has been found that the average cost of transpor- tation as reported in the 193 selected cases is approximately 16 cents per day, only 10 cents is allowed in this budget for riding to and from work. The reason for this is that the extensive rami- fications of the subway system make it possible for one to reach even the outlying disticts for a single fare. Within this range con- siderable numbers of suitable apartments are located. Three hundred rides are provided for the wife and children. This makes possible three trips per week on the street car. It is assumed that the wife will have to use the car as often as this in the course of the week in connection with her marketing, shopping, etc. No provision is made for carfare for the children in going to and from school. Carfare, 900 rides, per year, $45.00. 17 I'll Recreation. This item includes transportation costs in going to the parks or the river, as weU as expenditures for the movie theater and other forms of amusement. No provision is made in this budget for vacation expenses. Recognizing the difficulty of setting a quantity standard for the item of recreation, the average amount actually spent by sixty-four families of government employees in Washington was adopted. Amusements and recreation, per year, $20.00. Reading. An allowance is made for a newspaper, daily and Sunday, but none for magazines, books, etc. As the usual price of the New York City daily is now 3 cents and 5 cents for the Sunday issue, these prices were taken as the basis for the above figure. Newspapers, per year, $11.99. Organizations. A contribution of 25 cents per week is included as a minimum amount for church and Sunday School and other organizations. Church and other organizations, per year, $13.00. Incidentals. This heading covers a considerable number of items such as moving expenses, burial expenses, stationery, postage, occasional telephoning, telegraphing, patriotic contributions and charity. Expenditures of this sort may easily exceed $1 per week, the amount specified in the quantity budget. Incidentals, per year, $52.00. SUMMARY. iT^i, * V M .. Annual Cost. upkeep of house, furniture and furnishings $6249 LAundry work **'* 1^720 Cleaning supplies and serTices 38 80 ?®aith •;;; ; ; ; ; ; * ; ; ; ; g^,;^,^ Insurance: lil ii*'® iV ■ 120.00 (b) Furniture 1^-7 Carfare: ^'^' Husband (600 rides) » on no Wife and children (300 rides) '.'.*.'.* .' .* * .' .* .* ." ' 1500 Amusements and recreation .| an'nn Newspapers 1 1 mm Organizations / |,^n Incidentals "'"" OiS.OO 1632.15 18 B — Budget Necessary to Maintain Single Man. Wherever it was found possible the budget for the single man and single woman is made to correspond to that for the married man and woman which has been considered in the foregoing sec- tion of the report. Where the items are taken over without change, the only comment made is the reference to the budget for the married man or woman. It will be found, however, that many items differ because the living conditions, the matter of cleaning and repairing clothing, expenses for amusement, carfare, etc., are likely to vary to a considerable extent. SUMMARY. 1 — Room 15 per week \ 2 — Board |.95 per day Other food, fruit, confectionery, etc., 25 cents per week 3 — Clothing — including repairing and cleaning 4 — Laundry — average of $1 per week 5 — Toilet supplies and services .' 6 — Health — medical charges, dentist, oculist 7 — Religious and other organizations — 10 cents per week.. 8 — Newspapers ] 9 — Books and magazines (No special allowance — see text) 1 0« — Carfare 600 rides to work at 5 cents ?30.00 144 additional rides i. 7. 20 1 1 — Amusement, recreation, gifts 12 — Vacation (No special allowance — see text) 13^ — Educational purposes (No special allowance — see text) 14 — Other incidentals Per Year. 5260.00 75 346 13.00 156.12 52.00 15.00 32.00 5.20 11.99 15- Total (not including savings) -Savings — 10 per cent, of total expenses '37.20 39.00 26.00 $994.26 99.42 Total (including savings) $1,093.68 ITEMIZED DETAILS OF BUDGET Room. The information as to the price of acceptable rooms was se- cured from the Young Men's Christian Association, the Yonng Men's Hebrew Association, the Knights of Columbus and the "housing bureaus" of two of the largest concerns in the city era- ploying several thousand men. As these different organizations have branches in various parts of the city and since they have at i)resent hundreds of available rooms on their lists, it was assumed that their figures would serve as a satisfactory basis for estinir.t- ing the minimum room rent. 19 ii^mM Although a few rooms are being offered at as low a figure as ^4: per week, and a very large number at $6-$7 per week, it was found that a considerable number were avpilable for $5. This holds for The Bronx, for lower Manhattan, and especially for Brooklyn. This figure was, therefore, adopted as representing a common TniniTrmni rate. Boom — $5 per week — per year, $260.00. Board. Investigation proved pretty conclusively that the typical un- married clerk in New York City is accustomed to use the restau- rant for all three meals of the day rather than to have breakfast and dinner in the boarding house, as is customary in many locali- ties. This opinion was confirmed by those consulted in such or- ganizations as the Young Men's Christian Association and the Knights of Columbus. For this reason the average cost of each of the three daily meals was secured from five large organizations maintaining 122 chain restaurants, cafeterias or lunch counters throughout the city. According to the figures supplied by the management, these concerns are serving over 180,000 meals per day, distributed as follows : 28,487 breakfasts 96,000 lunches 57,754 suppers or dinners. As the average number of patrons was estimated for each meal by each organization as well as the average amount of the check, it was possible to compute weighted averages for each of the three meals and to adopt them as the average amount spent by the typical minor clerk.* ♦ For the purpose of throwing as much light as possible on the various factors en- tering into the budget so that the reader may come to Independent conclusions, it peemed desirable to refer to the present cost of a balanced daily ration that would supply the proper number of calories for the maintenance of health. Dr Frank C Gephart. formerly on the staff of the Russell Sage Institute of Pathology, and the author of a pioneer work on the caloric value of food (see Analysis and Cost of Ready-to-Serve Food, Chicago, 1915), kindly co-operated in this matter. He under- took to work out a balanced diet for the twenty-one meals of the week on the basis of the articles listed with caloric contents on the regular menus of one of the well- known chain restaurants. Menus of the same concern were used in the preparation of the original work published in 1915. Changes were necessarily made in the com- position of the meals suggested for the present report because there had been changes both In dishes served, in portions and prices. However, It was found pos- sible to hold in general to the standards discussed In the treatise just mentioned The twenty-one menus selected according to these standards, that is on the basis of balanced diet, caloric contents and inexpensiveness, are reproduced as Appendix B of this bulletin. The menus provide on the average about 2.200 calories per day and cost, according to the present scale of prices, 11.64 per day. The discrepancy between this figure and the amount adopted in our budget is the more marked when it is pointed out that the actual average daily checks, as reported by the chain of restaurants under consideration, run much lower than |1.64, and that these averages also figured In our compilation as described above. In spite of the discrepancy be- tween what the chemist-dietitian prescribes and what the average person eats, we did not feel Justified in increasing the amount of $.95 per day for food. It Is con- sidered that experience must finally form the basis of conclusions as to the cost of 1?.^' P"**cularly when averages can be set up on such an extensive scale as is outlined In our text. 20 In addition to the daily cost of meals an allowance of 25 cents per week is made for the purchase of fruit, candy, soda water or some such supplementary item of food. Breakfast — $.28 per day — per year ?102.20 Lunch — $.36 per day — per year 131.40 Dinner — $.31 per day — per year 113.15 Other food, fruit, confectionery, soda, etc. — 25 cents per week — per year 13.00 Total $359.75 Clothing. It is evident that the respectably appearing man will demand about the same quantity and quality of clothing whether married or not. Therefore, the total cost of the articles listed under cloth- ing in the married man's budget is adopted without change. But it is also clear that the unmarried man will have to make more replacements during any given year because of the absence of the timely stitch, and further that the charges for cleaning, pressing and laundry will probably be distinctly higher. The amount set aside for the latter item is accordingly increased for a single man from $6 to $40. This provides for pressing one suit per week, cleaning and pressing four suits a year, and 50 cents a month for repairs. Minimum rates for pressing are now 50 cents per suit in New York City. Prices for cleaning and pressing a man's suit were secured at the Barrett, Nephews Co. (19 shops), the Metropolitan Dye Works (8 shops), and two smaller concerns (51st Street and Lexington Avenue, and one on Greenwich Ave- nue). Since the prices ranged from $1.50 to $3, $2 was adopt- ed as a reasonable minimum. On the basis of the above figures, pressing one suit a week would cost $26; repairs at the rate of 50 cents per month would amount to $6, and cleaning and pressing four suits per year would cost $8. These figures total $40 a year. The miscellaneous item which covers minor matters such as shoe strings, watch repairs, and the like, is increased over the married man's budget from $3 to $15, or at the rate of $1 per month. This increase is to care for the replacements due to the lack of timely repair, mending, etc. Clothing — per year $101.12 Cleaning, pressing and repairing" — per year '. 40.00 Miscellaneous — per year 15.00 Total ! $156.12 21 ^"•^^Mftwcv ■•■^'"•-»'T?!?a>»;sl!l(*SIWPPW'i»WWPl>B«^^ '■9s4SfPfflr/' Laundry. A report secured at one of the branches of the Young Men's Christian Association covering 2,827 different laundry bills indi- cates that the young men rooming there spent 94 cents a week on the averagle during the course of three months. On the basis of this information, $1 per week is set aside as the minimum amount for laundry charges. Laundry~-$1 per week-— per year, $52.00. ToUet Supplies and Services, The figure found in the budget of the Bureau of Labor Statis- tics is unchanged on the ground that the prices for haircuts, tooth paste, tooth brushes, hand soap, combs, shoe polish and other such items are not materiallyl different in New York than they were in Washington in 1919. The larger part of this item is the total cost estimated for hair-cutting, i. e., $8.50. This provides for one hair- cut every three weeks at the average price of 50 cents. Toilet Supplies and Services— per year, $15.00. Health. As investigation showed that the usual fees charged by physi- cians, dentists and oculists are approximately the same in Wash- ington as in New York, and that there has been no material change in the former city over the fall of 1919, the amount is, therefore, adopted without change. Health— medical charges, dentist, oculist— per year, $32.00. Organizations. The lowest possible amount that can be contributed either to the church or other organization would seem to be at the rate of 10 cents per week. No provision is made in this budget for membership in a labor organization except under this general heading. According to all available information the typical clerk whether in the civil serv- ice or in commercial and banking establishments does not belong to labor organizations, as he does in Washington. Religious or other organization — per year, $5.20. 22 Redding, The standard rate for a daily newspaper is now three cents and for the Sunday edition five cents. This item amounts, therefore, to $11.99 per year. This expenditure is justified in the name of intelligent citizenship. It should also be noted that no provision is made for books and magazines. If the individual does not use the public library for this purpose, it is assumed that he will cur- tail expenditures for amusements, recreation and possibly for the daily newspaper itself for the sake of occasionally purchasing a book or magazine. Newspapers — per year, $11.99. Carfare, As in the case of the married man, only 10 cents per day is al- lowed for riding to and from work. Provision is made for 600 rides to and from the office and 144 rides per year for pleasure and other purposes. This is at the rate of six-round trips per month. Carfare — 744 rides — per year, $37.20. Recreation. This is computed on the basis of 75 cents per week as a reason- able minimum for a young man living alone in a boarding or room- ing house. It covers the cost of such amusements as moving pic- tures, excursions and games, both for himself and possibly for a lady companion. It also includes the cost of any gifts he may have occasion to make during the year. Amusements, recreation, gifts — per year, $39.00. Vacation and Education — No provision is made in the budget for these two items. Assuming that the typical clerk receives an- nual leave with full pay, it was considered that no special sum should be estimated for extra expenses under this heading. In view of the special educational courses offered free of charge in public institutions as well as in a number of large business concerns, no estimate was made for the item of education. The ambitious student attending night classes would also probably re- duce his expenses for amusements or incidentals, thus making pos- sible certain expenditures for educational purposes. Incidentals. This group includes a large number of items which, for the 23 .-jjfJA!*;"*,- 1' "• ^'t'^lSM WMWMM T;^vySiSl»-i^i«.,.i.Mfe*i^^ I in'jiihfiiiiXtifrfliail^il most part are either inexpensive or of only occasional occurence; such items, for instance, as stationery, stamps, note book, pocket book, occasional use of telephone and telegraph and tobacco. Fifty cents a week is considered a reasonable minimum allowance to cover this group of items. Other incidentals — per year, $26.00. Savings. The importance of some provision on the score of savings for a young man is generally recognized. This may take the form of a bank account, insurance, or property investment. Ten per cent, of all living expenses is set aside for this item. Savings — per year, $99.05. C — BUDGET NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN A SINGLE WOMAN. SUMMARY. Per Year. 1« — Room ^260.00 2 — Board — $.95 per day 346.75 Other food, fruit, confectionery, etc., 25 cents per week 13.00 3 — Clothing 184.30 4 — Laundry — average of $1.25 per week 65.00 5 — Toilet supplies ^ 10.00 6 — Health — medical charges, dentist, oculist 43.00 7 — 'Religious and other organizations — 10 cents per week. . 5.20 8' — Newspapers 11.99 9 — Books and magazines (No special allowancee — see text) 10 — Carfare 37.20 600 rides to work at 5 cents. | $30.00 144 additional rides 7.20 11 — Amusements and recreation 20.00 12 — Vacation (No special allowance — see text) 13 — Educational purposes (No special allowance — see text) ...... 14 — Other incidentals 20.00 Total (Not including savings) $1,016.44 15 — Savings — 10 per cent, of total expenses 101.64 Total (Including savings) $1,118.08 lists of these organizations. Rates were given both for single and for double rooms, i. e., for two in a room. As these rates did not vary at all except in one report, it is not necessary to make any distinction on this score. Although certain of the agencies reported a limited supply of rooms at $4 and others considered that the common minimum rate was $6 per week, there seemed to be a sufficient number of rooms in two or three sections of the city renting at $5 per week to warrant the adoption of this as a common minimum rate for the purpose of our investigation. Room — $5 per week — per year, $260.00. Food. As with the single man, the various people consulted were of the opinion that the average self-supporting young woman not living at home is accustomed to take all of her meals at restaurants or cafeterias or to cook in her own room rather than to have break- fasts, dinners and Sunday meals in a boarding house, and lunches in a cafeteria or restaurant. Moreover, according to the data collected the total expense for the latter arrangement would usu- ally exceed the cost of buying all three meals in a restaurant or lunch room at the figure noted below. Since figures as to cost of preparing breakfast and dinner in the rooms are not available to such an extent that any generalization could be made, this ar- rangement was also left out of account. The figures recommended in this budget is computed, therefore, on the assumption that the young women clerks ''eat around", as it is commonly expressed. The cost of food per day is determined on the same basis as for the single man. (Cf. the foregoing section). Food, per year, $346.75. ITEMIZED DETAILS OF BUDGET Room. Information concerning prevailing rates for rooms was secured from the branches of the Young Women's Christian Association — situated in various parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Newark — also from the Young Women's Hebrew Association and the Bu- reau of Boarding Houses. Over 6,700 rooms are on the approved 24 Clothing. On account of the difference in occupation, the clothing of the single woman who is engaged in clerical work will vary greatly from that of the woman whose life is spent largely at home. For this reason an entirely different list of items was proposed in the budget of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The cost of these items is determined by averaging the prices asked in the five department stores previously described. (See page 9.) 25 ^IW mmmmn mam f*p" Suit and alterations Coat Shirt waists, white Waist, dress Dress, one-piece, wool serge. Skirts, white wash Dress, afternoon or party. . . Rats. Shoes — low [[[[ Shoes — high i !!!.!!!!...!! ! Shoes — repairs (whole soles) .!.!.!.!!!!.,.!.!!. Shoes — heels Gloves .'....'.."..,*...' Stockings — cotton Stockings — silk .....'.'.'. Corset Nightgowns Petticoat, white muslin Corset covers ..."......',.. Union suits, year round wear Silk petticoat Handkerchiefs Kimona Umbrella i !!!!!!!.! ! Rubbers .!.!.!..!!..!!! Cleaning and pressing .'. . Miscellaneous expenses, to include ' hairpins*, ' hairnets, collars and cuffs, purse, veils, dress shields, sanitary supplies, watch repairs, etc Unit Price S43.00 42.65 2.34 8.53 27.45 4.15 27.95 6.64 7.86 8.36 1.89 .30 2.94 .51 1.62 3.85 1.84 1.77 1.36 .96 5.13 .16 1.93 3.94 1.02 3.20 Annual Replacement Total. H 1/3 5 1 H 2 1 1 1 4 1 8 1 1 2 1 4 5 1 10 >i 1 2 Annual Cost •21 .50 14 .21 11 .70 8 .53 13.72 8 .30 13 .97 13 28 7.8ft 8 36 1 89 1 20 2.94 4 08 1 62 3. 85 3. 68 1.77 5.44 4.80 5.13 1.60 .48 1.97 1.02 6.40 15.00 $184.30 Lau7idry, The Washington budget sets the sum of $1.25 per week as the minimum average amount for laundry purposes. It is assumed that the work will be done by a washerwoman. Inquiry goes to show that this same figure would cover the cost of a minimum quantity of laundry in New York City at prices usually charged by washerwomen. Laundry $1.25 per week per year, $65.00. Toilet Supplies. The amount of $10.00 will doubtless appear very moderate when it is considered that the item includes such supplies as the follow- ing: tooth brushes, tooth paste, toilet soap, shampoo soap, hair brush, comb, shoe polish, talcum powder, face powder, toilet water, etc. This is taken without change from the Washington budget. Toilet Supplies— per year, $10.00. tures of the wage-earning women receiving $800-1,100 per year, whose annual budgets were collected by the Washington Bureau of Labor Statistics in 1916. The average proved to be approximate- ly $32. On account of the increased fees in 1919, 33 1-2 per cent, was added to this amount. In view of the fact that the current standard prices for medical and similar services are about the same in Washington as in New York today, $43 seemed a reason- able estimate for the item of health in this budget. Health— per year, $43.00. Religious and other organizations— per year. 55.20 Newspapers — per year ' v7*«>n Carfare — 744 rides — per year *'•''" Vacation and education ; • • • • • • • •••'*>' '«' '^cro// ' * (For the above four items see discussion in Single Man s Budget) Recreation This figure is less than the one recommended for the single man because it is assumed that certain expenses for entertainment will be met by young men friends. The amount of $20 would make possible some simple form of amusement once a week throughout the year. Amusements and recreation — per year, $20.00. IncidentdHs. For items included, see the single man's budget. The basis of this estimate was the average amount spent by wage-earning wom- en whose budgets were collected in Washington in 1916. The average expenditure for this group beginning with those receiving $600 per year was $15. On account of the increased cost of most of these items, the amount was increased by 33 1-3 per cent, for the single woman's budget. Other incidentals— per year, $20.00. Savings. For a discussion of this item, see Single Man's Budget. Savings— per year, $102.00. Health. The amount of $43.00 is allowed to cover the cost of medicine and expenditures for the professional services of the physician, oculist and dentist. The basis for this figure is the actual expendi- 26 27 APPENDIX A ITEMIZED DETAILS OF QUANTITIES AND COSTS OF FOOD FOR THE FAMILY BUDGET Item. Meat. Beef, fresh, steak roast stew side Beef, salt, corned dried Veal, fresh, cutlet roast stew Pork, fresh, chops roast ■alt, bacon ham and shoulder side, dry pickled Mutton, chops , roast , stew side Poultry, hens turkey Sausage Liver Kidney Brains Pigs feet Veal loaf Rabbit Canned, potted beef... . pork Cooked meat, ham tongue bologna corned beef Average annual 9uan- tity of food, in pounds. 430.3 74. S 62.7 46.6 19.5 10.1 .6 21.9 '38.2 19 .3 17.5 6.9 1.8 7.3 11 Average cost per pound 12 23 3 16 9 1 Fish Fish, fresh salt canned salmon.. canned tuna. . . . Oysters Crabs Clams Dairy products. Milk, whole condensed, evaporated. Buttermilk Cream Ice cream Butter Cheese, American. cottage. .. Cream.... Lard... Eggs. . . Cereals. Flour, wheat. rye Graham. 6.6 .2 .2 8.3 .5 } 9.5 67.9 41.0 4.5 10.0 1.6 5.3 I 5.5 1.182.8 930.9 65.2 75.6 3.0 7.9 80.3 13.6 > 6.3 36.7 102.1 1.152.2 332.2 11.7 45.9 $ .35 .37 .45 .38 .29 .17 .29 .41 .29 .22 .29 .25 .37 .29 An- nual cost per item. $154.30 27.67 28.21 17.70 5.65 1.71 .17 6.35 9.55 .25 .31 .23 .16 .16 .39 .69 .26 .35 .18 .36 .08 .35 .27 .40 .40 .83 1.40 .40 .93 .27 7.14 5.07 2.09 .45 2.26 2.65 2.03 OlM 9.12 2.48 4.21 3.32 .23 Item. Corn meal Hominy or grits.. Cream of Wheat. Corn flakes Rolled oats Puffed rice Bread, wheat rye Graham.. Rolls Crackers Cake Pies Macaroni Spaghetti Noodles Rice , Starch group. 2.27 .08 .08 6.88 .25 .25 .17 .61 .45 .57 .11 .07 .15 .05 .63 .44 .57 .35 .15 .83 .19 .40 .09 .06 .12 .11 6.32 19.39 10.25 1.12 1.70 .81 2.38 3.13 137.39 65.16 9.78 3.78 1.69 .^.47 45.77 4.76 3.08 6.97 40.84 107.14 19.93 1.40 5.04 Cornstarch. Tapioca. . . . Sugar group. Sugar Corn sirup. Molasses... Honey Candy Fresh fruits. Apples Peaches Bananas Lemons Oranges Grapes Berries Canteloupe Watermelon Pears and others. Fruits, dried. Apples Prunes Raisins, currants. Peaches Apricots Fruits, canned. Peaches Pineapple Berries Jelly Fruit butters. Average annual quan- tity of food, in pounds Vegetables, fresh. Potatoes, white, sweet. Cabbage Spinach Peas 63.8 12.1 7.1 4.4 57.6 1.1 456.6 21.5 2.3 22.0 17.8 16.1 4.2 32.6 44.2 5.9 4.3 1.6 208.1 162.9 35.5 9.7 400.9 204.1 27.7 36.5 9.7 29.7 13.8 18.4 10.1 15.1 35.8 30.1 1.2 14.8 11.1 1.4 1.6| 16.0 3.0 1.5 1.7 9.8 1.200.0 738.2 47.9 76.9 24.3 11.4 Average cost per pound. ; .07 .08 .14 .20 .07 .51 .09 .10 .10 .24 .22 .34 .27 .15 .15 .18 .09 .10 .10 .11 .13 .09 .08 .13 .66 .32 .08 .07 .07 .20 .04 .06 .14 .12 .07 .02 .10 .22 .20 .16 .32 .26 .35 .24 .12 .18 .20 .31 .30 .04 .03 .05 .03 .11 .20 An- nual cost per item. $ 4.46 .96 .99 .88 4.60 .56 41.09 2.15 .23 5.60 3.91 5.13 1.13 5.21 3.97 .62 .43 .19 28.05 14. 6« 10.29 3.10 34.69 14.28 1.98 7.30 39 2.07 1.93 2.20 .71 .30 3.58 6.92 .24 ,22 56 36 50 3.01 .36 .27 .34 2.04 66.05 21.40 2.40 2.30 2.07 2.28 Item. Beans, string. Tomatoes Onions Corn Lettuce Celery Beets Carrots Turnips Sauerkraut. . . Asparagus.. .. Cauliflower. . . Parsnips Peppers Kale Average annual quan- tity of food, in pounds. Average cost per poimd. Vegetables, dried. Beans, navy. Peas Beans, lima. Vegetables, canned Beans, baked. Peas Corn Tomatoes Asparagus. . . . Beans, string. Vegetable oil. 37, 87. 73.6 35.8 10 6.8 24.1 35.5 23 4 2 An- nual cost per item. 20.8 44.3 24.1 5.4 14.8 43.9 5.2 10.1 9.3 18.0 .3 1.0 17, .14 .10 .03 .04 .09 .12 .04 .03 .02 .08 .20 .06 .04 .11 .07 .09 .09 .10 .11 .08 .08 .12 .08 .07 .18 .13 .21 5.22 8.73 2.42 1.43 .92 .81 .96 1.42 .69 .36 .44 1.45 Item. Nut margarine Cottonseed oil Olive oil, Mazola. Crisco ". Average annual quan- tity of food, ill pounds. Miscellaneous veg- etable food 4.32 2.16 .64 1.62 3.81 .42 1.21 .74 1.26 .05 .13 4.74 Chocolate Peanut butter. Cocoa Nuts Mixed fats. Oleo Lard compound. Miscellaneous items Tea Coffee Coffee substitute. . . Gelatin Canned soup Miscellaneous food. Ice. Total. Average cost per pound. $ 3.9 [ 6.5 7.1 11.9 1.2 4.7 6.3 .7 26.3 13.0 13.3 56.7 9.8 39.6 1.0 .9 5.0 .4 •2,800.0 An- nual cost per item. .28 .32 .29 .24 .40 .45 .43 .37 .35 .25 .19 .31 .36 .30 .40 1.33 .17 .006 $ 1.09 1.95 1.70 4.76 .54 2.02 1.96 .24 6.81 4.29 2.52 17.84 3.52 11.88 .40 1.19 .85 16.80 $655.35 •25 pounds daily for 4 months, approximately June to September, inclusive. 28 29 ^mmm^^mm^i mmm^imimm ■^i«*?feiifcife*»ii^- :'a«aati« mrM.vm'-:^.wmift»>':ifi0^i^^: APPENDIX B r«n,.;7l® following menus provide a balanced ration for one week. They contain the requisite number of calories to maintain health and were chosen with thrpuipo^e of reducmg costs to the utmost. The menus were selected by Dr. Frank cSart th^Zt ^/^''' ^""^ ?^l* ^* R«?~i^.^- Bureau of Municipal Research 261 Broadway, New York Established January, 1006 — Incorporated, May, 1907 To promote efficient and economical municipal government; to promote the adoption of scientific methods of accounting and of reporting the details of municipal business, with a view to facilitating the work of public offi- cials; to secure constructive publicity in matters pertaining to municipal problems; to collect, to classify, to analyze, to correlate, to interpret and to publish facts as to the administration of municipal government. (Ar- ticles of Incorporation.) TRiUiSTEEJS R. FULTON CUTTING, Chairman VICTOR MORAWETZ, Vice-Chairman RICHARD S. CHILDS, Treasurer HiENRY BRUERE FREDERICK A. CLEVELAND MRS. E. H. HARRIMAN SAM A. LEWISOHN SAMUEL MoCUNE LINDSAY JOHN T. PRATT WILLIAM A. PIRIBNDERGAST MORTIMER L. SCHIFF EDWIN R. A SELIGMAN ALBERT SHAW LUTHER GUUCK, Secretary ADMINISTRATION RAYMOND )BL FOSDIUK, Counsel J ' " '» ffi.»3 y»a&-' . '^. • " '"?-.•>*•' ^■^^' *^'te:- 1 .v*. ..,#. MoBhar t^^s :'i )H5/7 0/1// HAY 1 9 1994 ^ ^ ^ ^^ i •■i\ mi m END OF TITLE