Lessons Learned From the Depression

**joyb** · 08-19-2008, 03:09 PM

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content...V.html?sid=101

**freyadog** · 08-19-2008, 03:28 PM

Interesting article. thank you.

**joyb** · 08-19-2008, 03:40 PM

Nanagail, I remember that story. And a good little story it was.

**frugalbabe** · 08-19-2008, 04:06 PM

I remember listening to stories from my grandma on what life was like during those years and in my naive young mind thinking she was terribly out of touch and glad I would never have to live like that. Now as a mom and wife I strive to develop these skills - and I wish she was here to give me more lessons and advice. If only I had listened better....

**daughter of pearl** · 08-19-2008, 05:16 PM

My dad who lived through both the depression and WW2 in Britain does the following frugal things:

-saves the red wax from babybell cheese to make into emergency candles or to use to seal seams in shoes
-fixes everything when it breaks and does not get rid of anything while it still has any usefulness left, ie. his stove is 45 years old, two burners still work and oven sometimes works
-never adds sugar to anything (taught by years of rationing that it isn't necessary)
-does not own a dishwasher and until my mom needed it for health reasons, did not have airconditioning...now that mom is gone, he barely uses it
-darns socks and patches clothing

He does these things not because he has to, but because he was taught as a young person that things are valuable and hard to come by, and we should make them last!

Proud daughter,
Janet
PS - Would buy him a new stove but he won't have it!

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 08-19-2008, 05:30 PM

Such resourcefulness! I need to get back to a more efficient lifestyle...I've been sliding lately in a few areas.

That was a neat article to read!

**Momof3girls** · 08-19-2008, 05:46 PM

What a great article! Thank you!

**AmyBoz** · 08-19-2008, 06:40 PM

Thank you for this article! I really enjoyed it!

**Marie78** · 08-19-2008, 09:20 PM

That was a great article. Thank you

**heartofmine** · 08-19-2008, 09:34 PM

Well I agree with all of it except for the combining 2 families into 1 house. Been there done that. Pray I never have to do that again.

**peanut** · 08-19-2008, 11:25 PM

The ideas reminded me a lot of my early childhood years in my grandmother's house. She ran a pretty tight ship. The goal was education for everyone. My dad left 6 of us kids and Mom with Gram while he went into the bush to work, and later, to university for a Masters degree. It was tough slogging. I remember our toys, for all six kids, fit in one small apple box. Other than that, we each had our own blankie. That was it. We never felt poor though. There was too much to do in the country! And there were always books. We loved reading the same stories over and over again. And we had books from Mom's and Dad's childhood that we read too. And the Sears catalog was a bonanza! We couldn't wait for the new one to come so we could cut the old one up and make 'landscapes' and pretend.

Jean

**Laura2** · 08-20-2008, 01:17 AM

Thanks for sharing this article. Being frugal isn't just about saving money, it is also about using everything as long as possible and reducing waste.

**ironmaiden** · 08-20-2008, 09:32 AM

A friend was telling me yesterday that her mother was born during the depression in Italy. The mother of the baby sent her sister to register the baby but to say that the baby was born the day before so the family could get an extra ration of butter.

**nvmommyx6** · 08-20-2008, 09:51 AM

Thank you, this was an awesome read!
I was born and raised in the bush in Alaska, these things are not uncommon to me! I have always been a frugal freak and will always be as well!
I leaned into my grandmothers conversations as much as I could and I am proud and smarter for that reason! I pick my Mothers brain every chance I get, we can and grow fruits and veggies together, we make soaps and are prepared together and I learn and learn the more we are together! I still (and always will) live in the sticks, I refuse to ever go back to the city unless I am goin with my Mom to fill the big suburban up with food and supplies! I truly believe living out here is the REAL "civilization"!!!

**hawkgirl** · 08-20-2008, 10:06 AM

I just read a fascinating cookbook called "Grandma's Wartime Kitchen" about how women cooked for their families during rationing. It's great for the frugal recipes and tips, but also for the history lesson - that's a part of our national heritage that I don't think we recall often enough.