Methods of Economy

The methods ofpracticing economy(实行节俭)are very simple. Spend less than you earn. That is the first rule. A portion should always be set apart for the future. The person who spends more than he earns, is a fool.

The next rule is to pay ready money, and never,on any account(无论如何), to run into debt.

The person who runs into debt isapt to(倾向于)get cheated; and if he runs into debt to any extent, he will himself be apt to get dishonest. "Who pays what he owes, enriches himself."

The next is, never to anticipate uncertain profits by expending them before they are secured. The profits may never come, and in that case you will have taken upon yourself a load of debt which you may never get rid of.

Another method of economy is, to keep a regular account of all that you earn, and of all that you expend. An orderly man will know beforehand what he requires, and will be provided with the necessary means for obtaining it. Thus his domestic budget will be balanced; and his expenditure kept within his income.

It is difficult to fix the precise limits of economy. Bacon says that if a man would live well within his income, he ought not to expend more than one half, and save the rest. This is perhaps too exacting; and Bacon himself did not follow his own advice. What proportion of one’s income should be expended on rent? That depends upon circumstances.

Wherever there is a large family, the more money that is put to one side and saved, the better. Economy is necessary to themoderately(适度地)rich, as well as to the comparatively poor man. Without economy, a man cannot be generous. He cannot take part in thecharitable(慷慨的，仁慈的)work of the world.

If he spends all that he earns, he can help nobody. He cannot properly educate his children, nor put them in the way of starting fairly in the business of life. Thousands of witnesses daily testify, that men even of the most moderate intelligence, can practice the virtue with success.

Men of all classes are, as yet, too little influenced by these considerations. They are apt to live beyond their incomes. To save money foravaricious(贪婪的)purposes is altogether different from saving it for economical purposes. The saving may be accomplished in the same manner-by wasting nothing, and saving everything. But here the comparison ends. The miser’s only pleasure is in saving. The prudent economist spends what he can afford for comfort and enjoyment, and saves a surplus for some future time. The avaricious person makes gold his idol, whereas thethrifty(节约的)person regards it as a useful instrument, and as a means of promoting his own happiness and the happiness of those who are dependent upon him. Themiser(守财奴，吝啬鬼)is never satisfied. Heamasses(积聚，积累)wealth that he can never consume, but leaves it to be squandered by others, probably byspendthrifts(挥霍无度的人); whereas the economist aims at securing a fair share of the world’s wealth and comfort, without any thought of amassing a fortune.

There is a dignity in the very effort to save with a worthy purpose, even though the attempt should not be crowned with eventual success. It produces a well regulated mind; it givesprudence(审慎)a triumph over extravagance3; it gives virtue the mastery over vice; it puts the passions under control; it drives away care; it secures comfort. Saved money, however little, will serve to dry up many a tear;will ward off many sorrows and heart burnings, which otherwise might prey upon us. Possessed of a little store of capital, a man walks with a lighter step-his heart beats more cheerily.

When interruption of work or adversity happens, he can meet them; he canrecline on(依赖，信赖)his capital, which will either break his fall, or prevent it altogether. Byprudential(谨慎的)economy, we can realize the dignity of man; life will be a blessing.