torsdag 4 november 2010

Cost of Living in October, 1919

The Frugal Meal
Jozef Israels
Cost of Living in October, 1919

Food. To obtain the average cost of food, several budgets including articles sufficient for a week's supply for a family of man, wife and three children were used as a basis. From these were constructed food budgets designed to meet the requirements of a minimum standard and of one slightly above the minimum. Prices were collected from four of the large down-town stores, from branches of two different chain stores, one of them represented by 21 separate branches, and from various neighborhood grocery stores: one Polish, one Portuguese and two French. When there was more than one quality of an article the price used was the lowest consistent with what appeared to be good value. The quotations collected for each article were averaged and are given in Tables 1 and 2.

TABLE 1: MINIMUM FOOD BUDGET FOR A WEEK FOR A MAN, WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE, FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, OCTOBER, 1919

...
ITEM AND AMOUNT ........... COST OCTOBER 1919

..... Meat and Fish Fruit
2 lbs. flank ................ ............ .... $ .32
2 lbs. chuck ............... ................... .40
½ lb. bacon ............... ................... .21
1 lb. dried cod ................................ .20
1 can salmon ................................. .27
. Dairy Products Bread, Cereals, etc.
1 doz. eggs ..................................... .61
1 lb. butter .. ................................ . .66
½ lb. oleomargarine or lard .......... .18
1 lb. cheese .................................... .41
14 qts. milk .................................. 2.10
........... Vegetables
1½ pks. potatoes ........................... .77
3 lbs. carrots ............................ ..... .12
2 lbs. onions .................................. .13
3 lbs. cabbage ................................ .14
2 lbs. dried beans ................... ..... . .23
1 can tomatoes ............................... .15
...... Fruit
3 qts. apples ......................................27
3 oranges ......................................... .12
4 bananas ........................................ .15
½ lb. raisins .................................... .12
1 lb. prunes ...................................... .24
.. Bread, Cereals, etc.
12 lbs. bread ..................................... 1.28
2 lbs. flour ......................................... .16
1 lb. corn meal ................................... .07
1 lb. rice ............................................. .16
1 lb. macaroni ................................. .. .16
3 lbs. sugar .........................................33
3 lbs. rolled oats ................................ .21
1 pt. molasses . ............................... .. .12
... Tea, Coffee, etc.
¼ lb. tea ........................................ .. .15
½ lb. coffee .................................... . .23
½ lb. cocoa ....................................... .22
Condiments ...................................... .11
Total weekly cost ................. $11.00
.
From the food budget itemized in Table 1, which must be regarded as a minimum, it appears that the least that can be allowed for food for a man, wife and three children under fourteen years of age in Fall River in October, 1919, is $11 a week.

From "Fall River, Massachusetts, October, 1919, Research Report, Number 22, November, 1919" by National Industrial Conference Board

Isn't 3 lbs. sugar a week plenty for a family of five? I don't use much more in a year!

4 kommentarer:

  1. I'm sure our grandparents used far more sugar and salt in their diet than we do today. Except for jam sugar, I also buy less than 3lbs sugar in a year.
    Maureen

    SvaraRadera
  2. Maureen,
    Of course you had to use more sugar and salt before freezers became common. But just look at some recipes (especially American recipies) they still ask for insane amounts of sugar. I never use more than half of the sugar most recipes call for.
    Margaretha

    SvaraRadera
  3. Oh my gosh, I'm not going to tell you how much sugar our family uses in a year - eeeeeeekk! I wonder what the average wage was there in 1919?

    SvaraRadera
  4. Jodi,
    If you use recipes, I think the trick is to question them. Not even friends with a sweet tooth notice when I use less sugar in desserts, cakes and cookies.
    I find it a bit comic that there are tons of recipes with no fat or very little fat in them, and the same recipe has several cups of sugar in them. They are called light - and people believe they can eat twice as much as they normally do. As there were no calories in sugar, and as sugar was some kind of health food.
    I'm sure there are websites where you can find out about average wages for different jobs.
    Margaretha

    SvaraRadera