Source 51 Number Up $600 $1000 Up $600 $1000 Up of to to to to to to to Date Families $600 $1000 $2000 $600 $1000 $2000 $600 265 $600 $1000 Up $600 $1000 Up to to to to to to $1000 $2000 $600 $1000 $2000 $600 $600 $1000 Up to to to $1000 $2000 $600 $600 $1000 to to $1000 $2000 42 35 17 20 20 133 14 16 6 7 6 13 17 23 100 100 100 Railroad Wage Comm. 1915 U.S. Shipping Board (Pac.Coast Study) 24 100 100 100 Chapin (N.Y.) 1907 391 44 44 45 26 21 20 127 14 15 6 5 4 12 16 16 100 100 100 These ratios were used in arriving at the combined per cents of increases for all items of family expenditures, from January 1, 1916 to January 1, 1918 as given in Part I. See also Table 4 of Part II. The ratios for specified incomes under $600 were taken from the U. S. Bureau of Labor report of 1901, adjusted to bring up to date. These %s as adjusted were Family budgets giving incomes and expenses in detail for the calendar years 1915 and 1917 were secured by the Commission through newspaper editors in selected cities in different parts of the country. The results furnished fresh data on the proportion of expenditures for each main item of the family budget, and also threw some light on the relation of expenses to income in 1915 compared with 1917. Appendix C shows the form of questionaire used. Table 3 gives a brief summary of the results and Chart No. 1 illustrates the relation of expenses to income. These results must be used with caution, since they are at best nothing more than a composite of careful guesses, as very families keep trustworthy records. The "Annual Income" shown for the different territories and income groups must not be accepted as showing a differential in wage scales. The variation is purely accidental due to the varying size (income) of families selected by the editors. The amount of "Surpluses" and "Deficits" should be interpreted as tendencies rather than precise amounts or relationships. Table 4 shows the percent distribution of total expenses by objects of expenditure. These ratios are generally consistent with other budgetary experience (See Table 2 of Part I). Table 5 gives the percent increase in the total income and total expenses reported for 1915 and 1917. For all of the 265 budgets combined the increase in income was 10% for the smaller income group and 14% for the larger, compared with 27% increase in expenses for each group. The increase for expenses is not as large as the known increases in relative prices for the various items that enter into the family budget (see Table 1, Part I), and a comparison of the two gives some indication of the economies and substitutions practiced. Table 6 is a detailed summary of the absolute figures shown by the 265 budgets with the computed ratios and averages. Income Group No. 1 Comprises families with incomes up to $1,000. d Deficit from $1,000 to $2,000 CHART NO. 1. PERCENT EXPENSES ARE OF INCOME. 265 FAMILY BUDGETS COLLECTED BY R.R COMMISSION. (The ratios under 100 indicate a surplus; those over 100 a deficit) ANNUAL YEAR 1.C.C. Territory INCOME AVERAGE 80 90 100 Group 1- Incomes up to $1000 110 120 119 1915 1917 3-1-18 W.A.H. Key TABLE 4. PER CENT DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL EXPENSES --OF 265 FAMILY BUDGETS COLLECTED BY R. R. WAGE COMMISSION. Rent I.C.C. TERRI Food Total TORY Year 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 Income Group No. 1 Comprises families with Incomes up to $1000 |