"The Kansas City Post" (Missouri) Friday, November 4, 1910 DRAW on YOUR BUMP of INGENUITY YOU CAN KEEP a FAMILY on $9 a WEEK Mrs. Kitty S. CLEM Tells How She Ran House- hold Comfortably and Economically and Saved Money Out of Husband's Meager Salary. "How can you do it, Mr. CLEM?" was a question asked by "The Post" earlier in the week in connection with the letter of Charles D. CLEM of Chanute, Kas., in which he told how he and his family lived well and saved money on $10 a week. Well, here is the way the CLEMs do it, as told by Mrs. CLEM, to whose ingenuity is due much of the success of the CLEM household. The CLEM family consists of husband, wife, two children, a boy and girl aged 6 and 7 years, and the family dog. Mr. CLEM, who was once a school teacher, but had to give up teaching on account of failing health, is a clerk drawing a salary of $10 a week. A few years ago the family lived in Denver, where their income was $9.50 a week. From that income, according to Mr. CLEM, the family had its living, paid a $50 doctor bill, bought two and one-half acres of land near Chanute at $100 an acre. They bought railroad tickets, paid the freight bills on 2,000 pounds of household goods and moved to Chanute. Since coming to Chanute Mr. CLEM has bought a small house, moved it onto his two and one-half acre tract, and has lately built a comfortable bungalow on the land. Their home is comfortably furnished, they have a library of 150 volumes of the best standard books, and have a happy home. Here is the story of how the CLEMs lived for one week: by Mrs. Kitty S. CLEM, Chanute, Kas.: I have read articles in certain magazines on how to live economically and lay the foundation of a fortune, but not once have I seen a recipe that would fit my case. They were all intended for those whose salaries were from $800 to $1,000 a year. I often wondered if those writers ever dreamed of there being a submerged mass of humanity who received less than those amounts, yet lived quite happily in their little world. I was then looking for a recipe that would fit my case and through which I could learn how to be happy though poor. But finding none, I resolved to "Let down my bucket where I was" and make the best of my environments. It has been a pleasant undertaking, though at times I have been forced to draw heavily on my bump of ingenuity in order to make ends meet. Among my old papers I find some lists of groceries, prepared while living in Denver, to fit a $9 per week salary. There employees receive their pay on Monday. For that reason I would do my shopping on Tuesday. I seldom traded at the large stores in the high rent districts, but at smaller ones, where I could buy just as good groceries and for less money. I bought the following list of groceries for the week: potatoes, 20 cents tea, 5 cents prunes, 10 cents cheese, 5 cents cabbage, 5 cents navy beans, 15 cents salmon, 10 cents lard, 15 cents sugar, 25 cents nutmeg, 5 cents tomatoes (3 cans) 25 cents butter, 25 cents cornmeal, 10 cents coffee, 10 cents old onions, 5 cents sweet potatoes, 15 cents broken rice, 10 cents oatmeal, 10 cents corn (2 cans) 20 cents evaporated apples, 10 cents green apples, 10 cents ham hock, 25 cents odds and ends, 15 cents beef stew, 15 cents cookies, 15 cents Total $3.35 On Saturday: bananas, 10 cents steak, 15 cents milk for week, 21 cents Total for week, $3.81 The odds and ends mentioned consisted of ends of smoked salt meat, ends of dried beef, etc., which accumulate from day to day. This meat is clean and wholesome, but practically a waste to the butcher and 15 cents buys enough for the week. The cookies were bought at the factory and consisted of all kinds, but being slightly broken or a little brown for trade, were sold very cheaply, 15 cents getting almost a small flour sack full. All of our bread and pastries were made at home. The following is the week's "bill of fare": TUESDAY Luncheon -- ham sandwiches, cream potatoes, stewed prunes, cookies Dinner -- bean soup, croutons, tomatoes, escalloped potatoes (left from lunch), beef stew, cornbread, butter roll, sauce. WEDNESDAY Breakfast -- oatmeal, milk, hash (from stew), beans (left from soup), gems, coffee Luncheon -- mashed potatoes, light bread, prune pie, tea Dinner -- beef loaf (made from stew), creamed onions, baked sweet potatoes, rice pudding, cookies THURSDAY Breakfast -- oatmeal, mile, fried sweet potatoes (left from dinner), creamed dried beef, coffee, biscuits Luncheon -- bacon, corn, rice pudding (left from dinner), cake Dinner -- ham, corn fritters (made from corn left from luncheon), stewed tomatoes, corn bread, apple sauce, cookies FRIDAY Breakfast -- oatmeal, milk, bacon fried mush (made previous night, set to cool), pan cakes, sugar syrup Luncheon -- chipped beef, rice, tea, cookies Dinner -- ham, mashed potatoes, cold slaw, hot light rolls, apple pie, cheese SATURDAY Breakfast -- oatmeal, milk , salt pork, potato croquettes (left from dinner), gems, coffee Luncheon -- creamed sweet potatoes, gems (warmed over), tea, sally long Dinner -- clear tomato soup, croutons, creamed potatoes, baked beans, light bread, charlotte russe SUNDAY Breakfast -- bananas, milk, creamed dried beef on toast, beans (left over), coffee Dinner -- stuffed beef, steak, corn, escalloped tomatoes (left from soup), corn bread, lemon sherbet cake MONDAY Breakfast -- oatmeal, milk, bacon, fried potatoes, gems, coffee Luncheon -- baked sweet potatoes, salmon, light bread Dinner -- escalloped salmon (left from lunch), baked beans, sliced onions with vinegar, corn bread, apple pie TUESDAY Breakfast -- oatmeal, milk, cream dried beef on toast, pan cakes, coffee Such things as flour, extracts, baking powder, etc., I had in the house. The green apples were used as fruit for breakfast during the week. The cake mentioned I baked on Saturday and with my cookies it lasted several days. I place it with an apple in a closed tin box. For my cake, and we enjoy it, I use one egg and if fortunate to get fresh buttermilk, instead of sweet milk, it is much improved. I generally keep a few hens, just what the scraps will feed. I also keep a can for meat dripping to be used for frying potatoes, etc. For my sherbet I use extract instead of lemons. My ice was obtained by selling four eggs. Mrs. Kitty S. CLEM Chanute, Kas. ====================================================== (I have no connection with this family but I'd appreciate knowing if you found this posting helpful.) johnobrien@kc.rr.com ======================================================