When in doubt, shop like your grandparents...

**MRAHoffman** · 06-10-2009, 06:03 PM

This is cute (not to mention SO true

http://cheapskate.blogs.time.com/200...-grandparents/

Take care and God bless.

**LeeCee** · 06-10-2009, 06:13 PM

this is so true and it really is amazing what people think are necessities today.

**Gibs** · 06-10-2009, 06:27 PM

Thanks for posting this

**rowdy35** · 06-10-2009, 06:32 PM

yes, i agree. My grandparents NEVER and I mean NEVER went out to dinner unless they were out of town !! No one starved though !

**frugalwarrior** · 06-10-2009, 06:36 PM

Actually, no one needs ten pair of shoes, or 1000 square foot per person IMHO. We have 2200 for 4 and thats too much. My parents never had 1000 for the four of us and no bsmt. The more you have,the more you have to fix.

**Sassyclass** · 06-10-2009, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by frugalwarrior

Actually, no one needs ten pair of shoes, or 1000 square foot per person IMHO. We have 2200 for 4 and thats too much. My parents never had 1000 for the four of us and no bsmt. The more you have,the more you have to fix.

Oh believe me I need it. I'm highly claustrophobic.

I don't do well when I feel crowded. My elbows tend to start flying around, but I do agree about the shoes, and eating out. The cars depend on where you live and work. Back then women stayed home so one car was enough.

Cat

**cab54** · 06-11-2009, 11:37 AM

Being in my 50's, I can remember sooooo many stories about the depression. These people were not complaining (they seemed to actually like the way the depression made them stronger--and more frugal), but stories about how little there was and how they made it last. What things were 'like' compared EVEN to the 50's and 60's when I was growing up.

My grandparents were a lot like this article. They got married in the late 20's. They spent their first few married years (with small children) in the depression. My grandmothers could both make a penny stretch till it screamed. And they bought almost nothing for themselves. Even when times were good. They made sooo many things.

I remember reading a letter from 1937 that my grandma wrote my grandpa while he was away at work (he was a bricklayer) in Minnesota. She wrote that she received a few heads of cabbage from her stepdad (the only dad she knew, her dad died before she was born) from the old farm homestead, and she had put them in crocks and made sauerkraut (she was German).

She didn't waste anything! I remember her watching me like a hawk when I helped her peel potatoes for dinner....making sure I wasn't taking off too much potato w/ the peel. LOL! But she was kind most of the time.

**strezzed** · 06-11-2009, 12:31 PM

Great article and great perspective.

**imagine** · 06-11-2009, 01:43 PM

There is no way I could shop like my grandparents I could not afford it. LOL

I'm sure my grandparents were frugal although I would call them more financial savvy. By the time I came around they were quite well off.

I do wish they were still alive so I could ask them about the depression.

**heartofmine** · 06-11-2009, 04:50 PM

Well since we're shopping like our grandparents I guess dh will be getting a couple of rolls of Lifesavers for Christmas. Its the ONLY present my grandfather ever bought for my grandmother for Christmas. LOL

**Shelli_wnj** · 06-12-2009, 11:16 AM

Very true article. My mom said my grandmother was the most frugal person ever! It was take what you want, but eat what you take! Our eyes were NEVER bigger than our stomachs at her house

She always had plenty, I think it's because she never wasted.

**Kitchenbunny** · 06-12-2009, 11:33 AM

A nice way to put things into perspective. Thanks for posting it - I'll remember it when I'm tempted by things!

**tracyq** · 06-15-2009, 12:37 PM

This makes me smile, and remember my grandma and grandpa.

There's a series of great depression cooking videos on YouTube called, Great Depression Cooking with Clara http://www.greatdepressioncooking.co...g/Welcome.html http://www.youtube.com/user/DepressionCooking

I LOVED watching her cook, and it made me think a LOT about those depression era times (and the Waltons episodes I watched), and what's happening now in our country. It truly puts perspective on life.

We are a one income family (well, one full time and one part time job for my husband). We have 5 full grown people (two parents, and three teens) living in about 1,000 square feet! It can be done. We also have one car. I drive hubby to work at 6:30 am, and then son to work at 9am (he'll have his own car eventually, he's got his permit). I pick them both up at 4:30 and 5pm. We work it out.

I am learning gradually how to be more and more frugal, and loving the simplicity of it all!

**frugalnana** · 06-16-2009, 04:16 PM

I like reading stuff about the depression it sometimes keeps me in check of what I need and sometimes my wants. My mom said she can remember when she was about 7 and she had to carry 50lb bag of potatoes home after school and that had to last a month with 9 kids and how they ate macaroni with mustard because that's all they had. My father said the same thing (a family of 16 )and if you were the last to get home you didn't get much. My grandmother baked and cooked everything.
My father said before walking 12 miles to church she would put a roast in the oven and let it cook and by the time they got back home it was done.
I look around and I see people I know that have lost their jobs and have had a car repo'd or lost a home and I feel bad, because of what they are going through now and it could have been prevented with careful planning of what they could truly afford. Now jobs are scarce and I wonder if they will make it.