Typical Expenditure of Family of 5(Husband, wife and 3 children)

Income £1 13s. 6d.

    s d £ s d
Rent       8 6
Food          
  Bread 4 0      
  2 tins condensed milk   3      
  Potatoes 1 6      
  2 ½ lbs Butter 2 6      
  ½ Margarine   2      
  ½ lb Lard   4      
  1 lb Cheese   8      
  4 lbs Flour   7      
  4 lbs Sugar   9      
  1 lb Tea   8      
  ½ lb Currants   3      
  2 lb Pot of Jam   10 1/2      
  Cocoa   2      
  Salt   1      
  1 lb Bacon   10      
  1 lb Peas   2 1/2      
  Meat for Sunday 1 0      
          14 10
Other Household Expenditure        
  Coal & Coke 1 8 1/2      
  Light & Matches 1 0      
  2 lbs soap & Persil   7 1/2      
  Polishes   4 1/2   3 8 1/2
Insurances       1 3
Boot and Clothing Clubs       4 0
Doctor and Hospital         4
      1 12 9 1/2

 

Source The Geographical Magazine 1936

For those not familiar with the pre-decimal British coinage:-

there were 12 pence (d.) to the shilling and 20 shillings (s.) to the pound (£). 

To add to the complications each penny could be split into halfpennies (1/2 d.) and farthings (1/4 d.)





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