THE Author, emboldened by a Banking expe- rience of over forty years, offers this little work to the public in the hope that, elementary though it be, it may prove acceptable to many persons of both sexes. The work has been prepared chiefly for the use of women, a vast proportion of whom are brought up in utter ignorance of money matters in the simplest form, though otherwise they may be highly accomplished. The subject, it must be allowed, is not a fasci- nating one, but there are periods in th

MONEY is the medium by which we may acquire from others, who are willing to part with them, such things as we may desire. The price of an article is the value set upon it by the possessor, as represented by an expressed sum in money. The price of some things are arbitrarily fixed by law or custom, such as stamps, professional fees, duties, &c. The standard of value in this country is gold, and it is as against gold, represented by coins of different denominations, that the value of all c

THE manner in which Miss Smith had left her money on what is termed a current account at the Bank is convenient to herself and profitable to the Blankshire Bank, for they have the use of it free, paying nothing for that use in the way of interest. She will have other money coming to her in the shape of rents, and the interest on money invested, as represented in those documents in the tin box - all which money can be handed over to the Bank in the same way that the £500 was. There is, however, n

GOING back to the parcel of securities which Miss Smith received from her lawyer, we will presume that they represent safe investments of various kinds. It will be prudent, however, to ask her banker to examine them to see if any, in his judgment, might be sold with advantage (either on account of doubtful character or ex- ceptionally high price), and the money invested elsewhere. This business the bank will transact for her; and in the matter of investment, in addition to using her own common s

THE safest of all investments are those repre- sented by the National Debt of this country, but the rate of interest or annual income derivable therefrom is small. The debt is nominally divided into three parts:- The Funded Debt, the Unfunded Debt, Terminable Annuities. The Funded Debt (1) is permanent; it is repre- sented by Consols yielding interest at the rate of 2 1/2 per cent. per annum, or £2 10s. a year for every £100 of stock. The Government is not under obligation to redeem the principa

THE Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, under the authority of Parlia- ment, grant annuities either on single lives, or on two lives and the life of the survivor, or on the joint continuance of two lives, such annui- ties to commence immediately. In the case of single lives, the annuity may be made to com- mence at a future period, and the consideration for it may be paid by the purchaser annually in sums of money not less than £5, but in case of default in keeping up the annua

THESE are loans raised by boroughs and coun- ties, and other authorities in this country, for local purposes, upon the security of the rates or other assured income. Before the money is borrowed the consent of the Local Government Board is necessary to make the loan legal, and evidence is required that the resources of the borrowers are ample to meet their obligations. On most of these stocks the rate of interest is 3 per cent., though there are some few at 3 1/2 per cent. The principal is redee

THE Stock Exchange is a market for the sale and purchase of all kinds of securities. The buildings, wherein business is transacted, occupy a triangular plot of ground near the Bank of England, and comprise the Hall where the various markets are held, and other rooms and offices for the use of the numerous officials. There are 2,500 members, and the management is vested in a Committee selected from their number. Admission to membership is open to any person not engaged in another business, and wh

LADIES do not take advantage of the system of life insurance to the extent one would expect, seeing the benefits it is capable of conferring upon themselves and their belongings; and as their indifference is no doubt, in many cases, owing to a want of knowledge of the subject, a chapter thereon may be useful. Life insurance is an admirable system, devised, in all its ramifications, to provide against loss or damage through the various contingencies to which human nature is subject. A simple life

THE main object of a Building Society is to aid a man to become proprietor of his own dwelling. This can be accomplished by means of the society in two different ways:- 1, by depositing with the society periodical money savings until, with the interest allowed, enough has been accumu- lated to buy a house; 2, by borrowing from the society a sufficient sum to purchase a house and repaying the loan, with interest, by instal- ments spread over a term of years. A person desiring to become a deposito

THIS institution offers a most admirable, con- venient, and secure depository for the savings of the industrial classes and of others. Its value to the thrifty and timid investor is incalculable, for here he may rest satisfied that he has abso- lute security, and the system is so hedged about with safeguards that it is difficult to discover any means by which loss can be sustained. The interest allowed is not high, but reasonable enough when the perfect security and the facili- ties offered are

Example. — If a purchaser gives £88 for £100 6% stock, he will find that the rate of interest on the sum invested is £6 16s. 6d., being the amount in the column headed 6%, opposite to 88 in the first column. ——————————————————————————————————— |Price| | | | | | | | | per | 3 | 4 | 4 1/2 | 5 | 5 1/2 | 6 | 7 | |£100.| pr. ct.| pr. ct.| pr. ct.| pr. ct.| pr. ct.| pr. ct.| pr. ct.| |——-|————|————|————|————|————|————|————| | £ | £ s. d.| £ s. d.| £ s. d.| £ s. d.| £ s. d.| £ s. d.| £ s. d.| | 125 | 2

(Sending Money by Post.)                                 Address___________________                                    Date___________________     The Manager,          Blankshire Bank.     Sir,        Please place the amount of the enclosed cheques and     notes to the credit of my account and acknowledge receipt     to                                  Yours faithfully                                           JANE SMITH.        Cheque £20 0 0        Notes £45 0 0               ———-