- The Jones family's daughter and her husband try to live on a tight budget while Uncle Charlie plans to increase their income.
- 20th Century-Fox's first "Jones Family" series entry for 1938 was the six-reel LOVE ON A BUDGET. Back in their usual screen roles are Jed Prouty (Pa Jones), Spring Byington (Ma Jones) and Florence Roberts (Granny Jones), together with Shirley Deane as the Jones' eldest daughter Bonnie, and Deane's real-life husband Russell Gleason as Bonnie's screen hubby Herbert. This time, the Joneses are suckered in by the get-rich-quick schemes of ne'er-do-well Uncle Charlie (Alan Dinehart). Meanwhile, newlyweds Bonnie and Herbert try to make do on Herbert's parsimonious salary. Nearly ruined by Uncle Charlie's latest "brilliant" investment, Bonnie and Herbert are saved by one of those last-minute financial turnarounds so common to the Jones Family saga.
- Florist Herbert Thompson and his wife Bonnie, the daughter of mayor John Jones, arrive home from their honeymoon and move into a small cottage to begin their married life. Unfortunately the couple has spent most of their money on home improvements and have nothing left for furnishing the house properly. Herbert holds a number of government bonds, but he has no desire to cash them in despite Bonnie's arguments in favor of furnishings. Bonnie leaves in a huff, declaring that they will live in her parents' home until the cottage is furnished. Slick, yet gregarious Uncle Charlie shows up, seeking to "visit with the family" for an undetermined amount of time. Uncle Charlie tells Herbert that he has control of the games concession at the upcoming agricultural fair, and he offers to cut Herbert in on the deal and thereby alleviate his financial problems. Charlie has a huge shipment of prizes delivered to Herbert's flower shop C.O.D., which Herbert reluctantly pays for. Herbert makes a bid on the floral arrangements for the fair, but when Emery Fisher, in charge of the fair, finds out that Herbert is involved with Charlie, he refuses not only Herbert's bid, but promises that Charlie will not get the games concession. Herbert's worries increase, but Uncle Charlie plows on, convincing the lad to finance the show at an alternate location, the Crystal Palace. Charlie then works his magic on Bonnie, convincing her to furnish the new cottage on credit. Herbert has the furniture taken back, and Bonnie leaves for home once again. Uncle Charlie takes Herbert to a dance hall to relax him, and Herbert ends up dancing with Millie Brown, his assistant at the flower shop. On the way home, the frustrated Herbert throws a rock through the furniture store window, and he and Uncle Charlie end up in jail for the night. Uncle Charlie convinces Jones to condemn the current site of the fair, the Pioneer Hall, as a firetrap, forcing the fair to be held at the Crystal Palace, which Herbert has rented out. Fisher finds out about the whole deal and accuses Jones of nepotism. As it turns out, the Pioneer Hall is a firetrap. The boilers blow and a raging fire breaks out. Herbert mistakenly thinks that Bonnie is in the hall and rushes in to save her. He saves Fisher's daughter Betty instead, and Bonnie, hearing that Herbert is injured, forgives him. Fisher is grateful to Herbert, and now the fair must be held in the Crystal Palace. The newlyweds finally get new furniture for their cottage, and all is well for the couple.
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