Credit Before Plastic

In the 40s and 50s the majority of people in my town used credit for most of their purchases. The different Store Owners would usually have a drawer, shelves or folder where they stored small ‘bill books’ each with a customers name on them. Every time a family member would buy something it would be written into the book. Some merchants would keep a running total so that people knew if they were overspending. At the end of the month when, those that had wage earning jobs got paid, they would go to the various places where they had purchased items, and pay the bill. Our town (as most outside of Edmonton) was a farming center, and I am not sure exactly how they would arrange to pay their bills. A farmer’s income depended on when they sold grain or livestock, and I am sure the Store Keepers would have to wait until a farmer had the cash coming in. It must have been difficult for the shop owners to ‘carry’ so many people for a month or more, and I am sure there must have been families who were never able to pay their accounts in full. I said in my intro to this Blog that I did not want my Great Grands (too late for my Grands) to do some of the idiotic things that I did. WELL – I will relate the story of my first cigar another time – but for now - My mother smoked a brand of cigarette called Dailey Mail, which along with Vogue were 1 cent cheaper per pack than all other brands. 28 cents vs. 29 cents. Often my mother would get me to pick up some items at the store including packs of cigarettes. This gave me the opportunity to replenish my ‘smokes’ when needed as I could just put them on the bill. I was around 12 years old (I know – I am not proud of it now) when my mother asked me – “Davie are you charging cigarettes on the bill?” I, of course, said NO – I don’t smoke (gulp). My mother replied “then what are these cigarettes on the bill for 28 cents?” I had not noticed that the month before my mother had switched brands to Players (a 29 cent brand)!!! Caught! – One of many times!