have, or will it
require further buying?" Thus a brown coat, no matter how cheap, is no
bargain if all your accessories are black.

Another important principle of good buying is: Be sure you know what you
want; then buy the best you can afford. The best is usually the cheapest
in the long run. It means fewer replacements, longer use, and better
appearance from the start. Analogous to wasting money on second-grade
goods is the purchase of imitations of articles you can't afford.

Don't buy things that require expensive upkeep. Washing is cheaper than
dry-cleaning, and if you have washable clothes and furnishings that can
be handled at home, you will not be stranded in a period when you have
to cut costs by doing the work yourself.

Buy from well-established merchants. Their reputation is valuable, to
you and to them alike. Avoid the fly-by-night shop and its vaunted
"bargains."

I have known brides who spent their meager food allowances on useless
trimmings. Such ignorance is inexcusable; no woman these days need go
without competent advice on food purchases. She has only to consult her
favorite magazine.

Most budgets allow something for the theatre, social affairs, weekends,
vacation, and travel for pleasure. The proportion of your income to be
spent on recreation is a matter about which we must not be dogmatic. You
must figure out what you want most. In the first place, recreation
requires the allotment of time and money to do things which you most
enjoy, and these will differ for every couple. We may easily
overemphasize the kind of recreation for which we pay money. It is true
that theatre tickets, phonograph records, and the like are expensive and
offer a passive form of entertainment, more appropriate for older
people. When you are young and trying to be happy on little money, it is
foolish to believe that you have to buy your fun. Whether or not you
have a good time depends not on how much money you spend but on whether
you and your husband are fundamentally good companions.

Have you the spirit of play and the ability to enjoy things together?
Then you have one of life's most precious gifts. Preserve it by
exercise. Wherever you live, there are inexpensive ways of getting into
the woods, picnicking together, walking, swimming, and enjoying all
sorts of outdoor sports at very little cost. Such recreation is good for
you physically, and great fun besides.

Many young couples spend so much emotional energy