War Savings Week, 16-22 July

Advert in the Bedfordshire Times

Sunday 16th July: A campaign is launched for the National Savings Committee. The movement promotes cost-saving measures to fund-raise for government expenditure and calls upon citizens to limit consumption and form local associations out of patriotic duty:

“When you save you help our Sailors and Soldiers to win the war. When you spend on things you do not need you help the Germans, because when you spend you make other people work for you, and the work of everyone is wanted now to help our fighting men, or to produce necessaries, or to make goods for export.”

Citizens are advised to:

• Cut down on meat bills
• Reduce the amount of gas, coal and electricity used
• Cut down on parcel deliveries
•             Put in a regular order for newspapers, to reduce paper waste and labour
•       Avoid spending on luxury items

Citizens are encouraged to form local associations so they can lend their savings to the country by purchasing war savings certificates. These certificates earn interest over time. It is hoped that every church, office, shop, factory, school, village and club will start an association.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 14/07/1916