Thrift means careful management, especially of money. A thrifty man is one who does not spend too much, and wisely saves all he can. And it is good to remember that the word `thrift’ is connected with the word `thrive,’ for `to thrive’ means to be successful and prosperous. Thrift makes a man thrive.

 Only a few people have so much money that they can spend as much as they like. Many are so poor that they find it hard to live at all; and most have only small incomes, and so have to be careful how they spend their money. If they are careless, they will spend too much on things that do not matter, and then they have not enough left to buy the things they really need to keep themselves and their families alive, in good health, and in comfort. Then they start borrowing from friends or money –lenders, and their trouble beings. For debt is a curse, and leads to much unhappiness, and sometimes to ruin and disgrace. A man who is always in debt ashamed top meet his fellow; he is always worried and unhappy; he soon loses his friends and is looked down upon and avoided as a failure.

 So we must learn thrift, if we would be happy and respected. And thrift means method in spending money. If we have a small income, we should at the beginning of the month, when we get our pay, plan out carefully how it is to be spent.

 We must first buy the things we must have, like food, fuel, clothes, shelter, for the month, and set aside certain fixed sums for these things, and spend no more on them. If when then we have any money left, we should set aside some of its as savings for old age, and put it in a bank or the post-office. If there is anything left after that, we may spend it on other things, that are not really necessary, but which are nice to have. But if we cannot find any money for such pleasures, we must go without them. If we do all this regular, we shall be thrift people.