Water must be provided; this may have to be brought from a stand pipe or there may be a tap in the house. Money should be spent on a clean water supply as this is necessary for the health of the family, for many purposes. A clean rainwater tank is reliable source of water for a country family.
Every house needs repairs from time to time and this should be allowed for in calculating the budget, to provide for the necessary materials and labour and also ensure that the house is safe for the family to live in.
Fuel has also to be bought and this will vary with the family and the kind of house. Electricity can be cheaper than other forms of fuel if it is used with care. Buying candles, matches, paraffin spirit for lighting lamps and primus stoves, charcoal for irons or stoves, gas for cooking and lighting can all amount to more than an electricity bill. Where wood is plentiful it can be gathered, but cooking by this traditional method is very time-consuming for a modern family.
There may be rates or house rents, or a special rent for the land, to be paid regularly and allowance must be made for this.
The furnishing of the house is important, and the initial buying, repair, and maintenance of the furniture and furnishings of the house are a constant expenditure, especially with a growing family. For example, pots and pans and sheets wear out and need renewing from time to time.
Cleaning materials are needed for the house: dusters, polish, soap. Insecticides might also be required.
Living in The House
Food is perhaps the biggest outlay if families live in towns and have no means of growing their own. Normally, however, plenty of food from the garden will provide a good diet for the family. The staples like plantain, millet, sweet potato, cassava, maize, and sorghum can be grown; green vegetables and fruit add variety and Vitamin C to the diet and are necessary for all. Protein or body-building foods must also be provided: peas, beans, groundnuts, eggs, chickens, goat-meat, milk (either from cows or goats), and mutton. Everyone should be able to use a hoe and a spade however highly educated they are. Knowledge of cooking, baking bread, making good packed meals, and preserving food through pickling, drying and making sauces, jam, etc., all helps to vary the diet and make the family income go further. Allowance should be made for good seeds as this is important to keep the garden going. Running the house properly by keeping it clean and the compound clear, can help to build up the compost heap and so produce better food by preventing the soil from becoming worn out and putting back humus into the land.
Clothing, or the material for making it, has to be bought. Clothes, however, will last much longer if they are washed properly and regularly and not allowed to get too dirty, and also if they are mended in time. Children should be taught to mend their clothes, (this is more important than doing embroidery) and to take a pride in keeping their school uniforms smart. Making clothes, too, saves a great deal of money, and simple clothes for children and small babies are made quickly on a sewing machine–a necessity for every thrifty family. Children should be taught to be tidy, and should be given a place of their own where they can keep their things. Simple hangers can be made from sticks and stings, and clothes can be hung up properly to keep their shape. Doing the family wash weekly does save time, fuel, water, and soap.
Providing For The Future of the Family
Education of the children is the best provision for the future, and is much more use to them than giving them money. With knowledge they can enjoy a fuller life and will be able to look after themselves later on–this is especially important for girls.
Family Insurance is important to wise families. Most good insurance companies will give advise about insuring against various disasters–accidents, theft to the house and property, injury to servants while in employment. All cars have to be properly insured by law and other motor vehicles too. Education policies are also available.
