The Lean Dog of Despair Never Follows a Man with a Bank Account

I like the part about “Capital: 50,000, Surplus $15,000.” Guess that was some pre-FDIC thing…These ads are fun!

That doesn’t look like any dog I’ve ever seen! Looks more like a demon. Oh, and the horseshoe dude spelled “prepared” wrong. We’ve come a long way since 1911!

Interesting ads! I love looking at old National Geographics just for the ads!

My family had very little in the way of luxury items, or anything not needed. They did start each child with their own bank account.
My parents only carried a loan on the house. They would buy a house fix it up with us living there and then sell. Several of the early homes they also rented out rooms. One house the kids bunked in the dining room. By the time I reached high school they owned our home free and clear. Though we had little we always helped our neighbors. Cleaning for the elderly, helping out with construction labor.
With 5 children we had a vegetable garden, surplus vegetables were sold to neighbors. First money was put away for next years seeds and canning supplies, then the rest was divided between the kids for the town homecoming, this usually amounted to $5 each. I worked the various stands at the fair and banked my share from the garden. The Monday after the fair I would walk to the bank and deposit my savings. Our parents encouraged us to save money.
Later I was old enough to baby sit. I had developed a good habit. I banked 50% or more of what I earned into the bank. I wanted to continue my education.
I was lucky in attending a state school where they rented the textbooks. My savings covered the cost of the books and I earned enough for tuition, room and board off campus.
After I got out of the military, I had the option of auto deposit. First I earmarked $50 to go into savings another $120 went to my car payment (I did not like odd numbers so paid $9 a month more than required paying off my car early). My rent was not more than 30% of my income. My first credit card I got at 25 and I still pay it off every month. I use it as a checking account. I made more money that year than my father did. I could not imagine how he raised 5 children on his income.
I was taught borrowing money for anything other than a house or car was obscene. New clothes were a treat not a necessity.
Now we were never millionaires, not ever middle class, but we were far richer in that we were taught to earn our own way, respect our neighbors, save for a rainy day, and share our labor by volunteering, Although not wealthy by dollar standards we were definitely wealthy in the way we felt about ourselves.

That lean dog has a similar persona to the “wolf at the door” I’d say. Marketing through fear. It’s still used.

Re: the blacksmith ad, my SIL is a farrier (basically, a blacksmith who just focuses on horseshoeing, not making utensils, etc.). Like the old time blacksmith who also did woodworking, I’d say modern day farriers often do other jobs on the side as well. In her case, it’s barn management (taking care of people’s horses while they are on vacation and such).

Some of those old ads still make the rounds via email. They are very telling as far as how much as really changed in the last 100 years.

Shirley

I’ve recently been putting ads from old Harper’s Montly Magazine up on Flicker. My favorite is “Don’t be a Clam” I don’t know what it means, but love how random it is.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29257526@N07/

Love those old ads! Looks like you and James Lileks (http://lileks.com/bleat/) have a similar nostalgia in that way.

That dog is scary especially with four shadows, one in each direction. How the heck does that happen?

That said it is a graet sentiment and I am sorry I did not see this ad as a younger man and take it to heart, my finances would be in much better shape.

If you like vintage American pop culture related to thriving, we could try and publish the entire text (or at least the highlights) of The Pleasant Art of Money-Catching (1730), a work sold by, among others, Benjamin Franklin. I have a copy missing the first few pages, which I bet could be found somewhere.