Release date is 2026-02-17

Tim Miller and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

How to save money by J. George Frederick is a personal finance guide written in the early 20th century. It outlines practical ways to form disciplined saving habits, manage household budgets, and invest safely, with an emphasis on security, steady growth, and the power of compound interest.

The book begins by arguing that thrift is a learned, disciplined habit, then shows how to anchor saving to strong motives like family, home, and independence. It cites sobering life-outcome data to stress why most people must save consistently, and it recommends training children early with allowances, goals, and record-keeping. A core section teaches budget control using six categories (Shelter, Food, Clothing, Operating, Savings, Advancement) and offers sample allocations for different households. On investing, it advises starting with savings accounts and government bonds, then carefully adding high-grade bonds and selected preferred or common stocks—ideally bought on installments and diversified—while avoiding speculation and chasing high yields. It explains mortgage and “baby” bonds, simple tests for judging bonds, typical interest-rate ranges, and the math of compounding. The author also compares savings-bank types (especially mutual savings banks) and describes structured plans—installment shares and income shares—that reward steady deposits. Further chapters frame insurance (straight life and endowment with disability benefits) as both protection and a savings engine, highlight employer-based thrift through payroll saving and stock-purchase plans, outline group insurance as low-friction protection, and close by urging readers to view their earning power as capital, aim to save at least a tenth of income, and let time and compound interest secure old age. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: Girard: Haldeman-Julius Company, 1926