Economy is a high, humane office, a sacrament, when its aim is great; when it is the prudence of simple tastes, when it is practiced for freedom, or love or devotion. Much of the economy we see in houses is of a base origin, and is best kept out of sight. Parched corn eaten to-day that I may have roast fowl for my dinner on Sunday, is a baseness, but parched corn and a house with one apartment, that I may be free of all perturbations, that I may be serene and docile to what the mind shall speak, and girt and road-ready for the lowest mission of knowledge or good will, is frugality for gods and heroes.
Like many other boys P. T. Barnum picked up pennies driving oxen for his father, but unlike many other boys he would invest these earnings in knick-knacks which he would sell to others on every holiday, thus increasing his pennies to dollars.
The eccentric John Randolph once sprang from his seat in the House of Representatives, and exclaimed in his piercing voice, "Mr. Speaker, I have found it." And then, in the stillness which followed this strange outburst, he added, "I have found the Philosopher's stone: it is Pay as you go."
Over a hundred years ago in France, all classes, the men as well as the women, study the economy of cookery and practice it; and there, as many travelers affirm, the people live at one-third the expense of Englishmen or Americans. There they know how to make savory messes out of remnants that others would throw away.
In many countries they cook no more for each day than is required for that day. With them the art ranks with the fine arts, and a great cook is as much honored and respected as a sculptor or a painter. The consequence is, as ex-Secretary McCullough thinks, an African village of 1000 inhabitants could be supported luxuriously on the waste of one of our large American hotels, and he believes that the entire population of France could be supported on the food which is literally wasted in the United States.
Professor Blot, who resided for some years in the United States, remarks, pathetically, that here, "where the markets rival the best markets of Europe, it is really a pity to live as many do live. There are thousands of families in moderately good circumstances who have never eaten a loaf of really good bread, nor tasted a well-cooked steak, nor sat down to a properly prepared meal."
There are many who think that economy consists in beer cans and cutting off two dollars from the Starbucks' bill, and doing all sorts of little, mean, dirty things. Economy is not meanness. The misfortune is also that this class of persons let their economy apply only in one direction. They fancy they are so wonderfully economical in saving a half-dollar, where they ought to spend two, that they think they can afford to squander in other directions. Like a man who bought a pizza for his family's dinner, and then hired a limo to take it home. I never knew a man to succeed by practicing this kind of economy.
True economy consists in always making your income exceed your spending. Wear your clothes a little longer, if necessary; put off buying that new flat screen LED 3-D. Enjoy eating healthy foods you prepare yourself. When she was alive and well even Rose Kennedy - the Matriarch of the famed Kennedy family - avoided eating out. She thought it too expensive!
So that under all circumstances, unless some unforeseen accident occurs, there will be a margin in favor of the income. Save a dollar here and a few there. Invest your savings - no matter how small and they can continue to grow - over time - into a substantial nest egg!
Its never too late to start saving your money! If you are under age 30 - start saving as early as you can. Resist the urge to spend everything you make.
Start saving your money now and you can amass a respectable fortune as you get on in years!
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