It’s easy to point the finger at the newer generations who have no idea (at least the ones who were fortunate enough to not grow up in poverty), but it was because the generations that came before were so keen on giving their children what they never had that they forgot to give them what they did have (frugality, life skills, etc.).
When you read about someone's pawpaw and garbage, it reminded me of when I asked my Gram a similar question. She got married in 1927 and had 4 boys. I asked her what had the greatest impact on her life. I expected something like a washing machine and she said Mr. Birdseye, because frozen food enabled her to give her boys vegetables in the winter in NYC.
My grandmother would take bars of soap after they have gotten too small to use and she would put them in a mason jar full of water, after the bars have dissolved in the water you now have liquid soap that may be used for body wash in the shower or added to your bath water for bubble bath! that way your small bars of soap can be repurposed and not thrown away!
My grandma would moisten the sliver of soap and a new bar of soap and stick them together, forming one bar of soap. It looked odd, but there was no waste.
These are great tips and stories. The world would benefit if more of us lived and thought this way. Having a budget is one of the most of the important thing you need in life I'm 51 my husband 56 we are both retired with over $3 million in net worth and no debt. Currently living smart and frugal with our money. Conscious spending,Having a budget,Saving and lnvesting made it possible for us this early. Thanks to FIRE movement the taught us a lot
When I was a child a town in our county suffered a devastating flood. There was a fabric store there that was completely flooded out. My mother bought every muddy bolt of fabric they had . It literally was a truck load. My mother washed and air dried everything most of it multiple times. That's what she made our clothes out of for years. PS I loved government cheese!!!
I took to heart what you said about your concerns for the younger generations, which I share, and so I'm going to recommend your channel to my Facebook friends. I am lucky enough to have some wonderful young friends whom I cherish. I will tell them of your channel and I hope they find their way to you, because you have so much wisdom in your videos. And I appreciate the time and effort you put into making solid content that will benefit people and help them to make good changes in their lives. And of course you also help people like me who share your concern for fugality. We must all be good stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us. Thank you, Jennifer
I had forgotten about Mom doing this, but at the end of each "season" my Mom would take our clothes and literally take them apart, picking out each seam removing buttons, removing pockets, trim and zippers.. She'd put all of the fabric pieces in the laundry to wash and hang them to dry. Us kids were always amazed at how much "lint" and fibers were in the seams. She said it wore out the seams and caused the seam area to fray. She'd then make alterations if we'd outgrown them, she'd alter them to pass them up or down as needed. My sis had one "church" dress that had a plaid taffeta skirt. As she grew, the top would be replaced one time and and put back together as a dress. Then the skirt was removed, matching fabric added and it became just a skirt, that she wore with a sweater or blouse. NOTHING was ever wasted at our house. Nothing. Thanks for these great, smart memories. Great channel! Glad I found it.
Hello there I’m from the UK and a 70s child originally from Bangladesh. Most of my childhood was very poor but when I went to high school I had to wear my school uniform on a Saturday And would not Dare go out Incase my friends from school would see me But years later I found contentment after Discussing with my sister that there were so many Other first generation immigrants that were like us, still we were happy.
My dad grew up without indoor plumbing, so I was always told about using the Sears catalogue for toilet paper in the outhouse. Any worn out clothes or fabric scraps were used for handmade quilts that his mom and her friends would sit and sew together. His mom used to make him brown sugar sandwiches, which were nothing more than homemade bread, butter and a layer of brown sugar. Oatmeal was the main thing served as breakfast. So now, I keep Papa's memory alive with my young daughter by serving cooked oatmeal most mornings, and the occasional brown sugar sandwich as a treat.
Old tshirts are cut up for dusting and cleaning cloths. My clothes dryer died a few years ago and I never replaced it. My power bill dropped by $100 per bill. I dry my clothes on the washing line and on clothes stands in front of the big windows that let in the warm sun. I recently made pot holders out of an old towel and a pair of jeans. Cut the back pockets with some extra denim around it, then cut two layers of towel fabric the same size. Stitch together either on s sewing machine or by hand. Best pot holders I have ever had. And they also help when trying to open jars.
oh my gosh! i was trying to think of a way to knit or crotchet these items, the holes are always too big and my had always get burnt somewhere!!! thank you!
My grandmother used to knit bandages for soldiers! And my old and too small clothes were "handed down" to my little sister. Oh, and my other grandmother saved my mother's clothing and made patchwork quilts with them. Beautiful quilts and adorable prints from the 1920's and 30's. So sweet and each quilt square had a story.
My moms parents always used their good silverware daily. Once they were robbed but the silverware was left because it was just sitting in the drawer! Now my parents (78) use that same silverware today.
My daddy would always make his afternoon snack using head cheese cut in 4s with saltien crackers, a spoon of peanut butter and a spoon of miracle whip and my mom told me that a slice of bread with gravy of any kind was considered dessert. My adopted grandmother would save buttons off all the clothes and keep them in a jar we could take them out and she would tell us the stories of the clothes they came from, she also thought me to sew, cook have tea parties with nothing but water and butter cookies out under her old pine trees. Her flower garden was an old claw foot tub filled with rose moss because the land was needed for grazing and fields of wheat or whatever was in season. She had a chicken house that she used for drying peppers and such because she didn't have chickens anymore. I found out the hard way that dried peppers were hot because I wanted to decorate a mud pie with the pretty peppers and then wiped my eyes... lesson learned my eyes burned and swelled shut till she got them well washed. Mom made a point of making sure everyone turned out the lights when we left a room and I still can't stand to waste electricity in fact I spend most nights sitting in a dark house watching my phone instead of wasting lights. I also open doors and windows spring and fall to air out the house and save the a/c and heat for the days it's needed, just another way mom and grandmother saved on electricity. We always tried to fix and take care of what we had because "money doesn't grow on trees". I remember being in band and the clarinet I had broke at the joints, no matter that it was ancient, I wasn't getting a new one, so I took super glue and pieced it back together just so I could stay in band. My son and his wife and my grands throw away so many good things it drives me crazy and allowing the little boys to destroy their toys makes my eyes cross! The boys stay here a lot and they are learning that gma doesn't put up with that, they have inside and outside toys and everything is put away b4 need time or no stories lol. Mommy and daddy can't figure out why they behave better for me than them but I stick to my rules and we have fun together. I really enjoy watching your channel and thanks for the great ideas!
I LOVE this! My Nanny (grandma) told me that her mom always grew a big garden and canned and preserved her food. They didn't go to the grocery store for most of their food, only things like flour, sugar, salt & coffee. She would save the seeds from tomatoes and plant them in coffee cans until she could plant them outside. I thought that was pretty smart so this year I started my tomato plants in dog food cans! LOL!
This video brought back so many memories of my grandma that was born back in the late teens to early twenties. She was very clean but, she was what they called a pack rat back then. Due to the fact she went through the great depression, she never threw anything away & kept everything in her garage that you & I would throw away today. I remember my first Christmas that I wanted to personally buy all the adults a gift. She took me to a place called Dixiemart. I was probably 5 years old & she helped me to buy a 3 pk of head scarves for $1 which women wore back then to control their beehive hairdo's on windy days. I gave each woman in my family one of those. She then helped me to buy a 3 pk of men's handkerchiefs & give one to each one the men for Christmas. I was so young but, I have never forgotten that to this day. I too remember the house that she lived in was built by her & my grandpa when they first got married since there was no such thing as mortgages back then. All the years they lived in that house, they still used what they called skeleton keys back then. I sure wish that I would have asked more questions when she was still alive but, I could probably write a book on just what I remember from back then.
I had a Pawpaw and Mawmaw . It embarrassed me while growing up in northern Ohio, where no one else seemed to use those titles. Now that I am older, I now see the sweetness of those names and wish that I could use them again. Plastic bags in boots and peanut butter and mayonaise sandwiches.
Some of these brought back memories. My parents were born in 1923 & 1925. Growing up we ate a lot of fried potatoes, beans & corn bread. Each item had a certain pan they had been getting cooked in for 30 years +. Part of the flavor, she said. Laundry always hung out to dry when possible. I still do that & my son & his family still do. Just something we all continued to do. My Mother mended anything & everything, once it couldn't be mended anymore they became cleaning rags. All jars were reused when she would make jam every year. We had plum & apricot trees. We usually had laying chickens for our eggs. Usually a small garden. My Mother always worked seasonally in agriculture, so their was a lot of friends & family trading different types of produce with each other.
Pinto beans, fried potatoes and cornbread. Still one of my favorites. I was born in the fifties. Sometimes my mom would scramble eggs and pour over the fried potatoes. So good. Looking back now, I know it was to probably stretch them to feed us 4 kids.
beans and rice were a staple n our house, and still is in my own home. the chickens are a godsend, not only do the roto till, but they plant a very nice garden from eating the plants with seeds and fertilizing them into the ground
Mom would plant trees using peat humus,potting soil and a can of Sprite. You put fertilizer at the bottom of a 2 and a half foot hole. Cover with potting soil and peat. Loosen roots of tree and pour sprite on them.place in hole and cover with peat and potting soil. Water for one year every day. We had trees all around our house.
We always knew where to pick wild berries. Those places are now mostly watershed areas and off limits. We also used to gather all kinds of nuts. I particularly remember butternut. Can't find them either. I was blessed with parents who grew up during the depression.
i remember picking wild berries and in the fall going down dirt roads picking wild apples, we turned the apples into many apple apple sauce. but as a kid i just thought it was a fun family outing
Yes, the expiration dates are suggestions... it usually does say “best by dates”... most times stuff including canned food doesn’t magically spoil, it’s a way company’s can track the food & sometimes they move the dates up more just to sell more products... I recommend checking anything out to make sure that it’s okay... 😃 I’m in my mid 30’s and we are taught to be very wasteful... 😳🤦♀️
I didn't know the tomato sandwich is a thing, we have it in our family, too. In post-WW II they used to stretch scrambled eggs with flour and water. I also know that people were frugal with water, e.g.reusing bathing water to scrub the floor afterwards. Or collecting rain water for the plants in the garden. I remember growing up with the "cat wash" instead of showering every day, i.e. cleaning only the smelly parts starting from the top and ending at the bottom with one basin of water. And then bathing or showering once a week or when the hair became dirty.
She taught me how to sew she could make anything and she didn’t have store bought patterns either she was amazing made quilts out of everything most people would have thrown out but they were beautiful we still have several in our family she had a peddle sewing machine it was awesome
I am keep coming back to your videos Jennifer, yes I recall as a child of some one saying that they would get half a loaf of bread and then you go to sit outside of the KFC and eat it enjoying the smell that emanating from the store 😜😂🏬😎💡. Yesterday I visited my cousin and he was cutting up the air freshener can to use the last bits to clean up and shine his mirror and window, and I was amazed that it works a while back I threw out a butternut that was going bad into my compost bucket and a week or two later I looked again and the seeds were sprouting so I put them in the garden and now I have a few butternut plants growing, I hope to harvest sometime. Same for mandarins citrus seeds just soak in water for a day or two then put them in a container of potting soil, moisten a little bit, cover with a plastic bag for a few weeks to create a greenhouse effect and you should have seedlings. I have successfully done this also for moringa seeds
This very good my mother and father lived through so much as did thier parents. One thing my mom did was make all of are clothing. She would put a big hem in the dresses and when we grew let the hem out. If there was a faded line she would add Rick rack over the top. Also she would patch and put embrodery designs to cover wholes and sometimes even stains.
I used to buy flour in 25 pounds , they came in cloth. they were beautiful ,I too had to dig through the sacks to find two with the same design . I have made my own bread for over 50 years , also cakes etc , I saved money
i get giant plastic ones, the holiday ones with the felt backing, and make "walls" with them. they're like 99 cents after that particular holiday, also I've used them as temp wall paper just tacked the, up with tacks and when i was tired of that pattern i replaced them and used them for other things. they work great for this since they're plastic and can be wiped easily
One of the many great ones is the one for the waterproof apron. I look everytime I go out shopping for a waterproof apron and I haven't found one.. until now:) I can make my own, thanks to your commenter. Please tell her thank you so very much. The aprons do not make any sense, the splatters go right through the material making it useless:) I love the content you put out. It's right up my alley:)
I am so happy that I was able to share her comment to give you an idea for something that you have been looking for to solve a problem. That makes me so happy! ❤
I am so glad I found your channel. My grandparents lived through the depression. I still have several of their pieces of China and crystal. It is meaningful and beautiful .
My parents both lived through WW2 in The Netherlands and did almost all the things you mention in this video (and your other 2 also actually). My mom had to unstitch her dad's suit and turn it inside out and re-stitch it since the inside was not faded. All the sisters had to knit to make socks for the family as well and it was common practice to unravel sweaters to re-use the yarn.
My Oma was a child in the Netherlands during WW2 and they lived off daffodil bulbs for a while. Then one night my Great Oma made a delicious stew for them. It was the same night their cat disappeared and they never saw it again. I think of this story so often and how grateful I am to have never lived through such hardship.
I have and use! my mother’s cast iron skillets and what she called her bean pot, also cast iron. I inherited my mother- in- law’s Corning Ware square bowls (with the blue cornflower on it) also used on a daily basis. My m-I-l also taught me how to take a dress pattern and alter it into a brand new pattern! Newspaper was used to make the the new pattern. And forget that layout suggested on the pattern instructions; use your own layout to save material!
My grandma use to make us our back pack saw our socks very little food but a lot of tortillas to make our food last cause not enough food to go around..I would no charge a bit of it, we use to save the cups where the candles came in for drinking water 💧..
There's a song that goes "Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?" It's a cute song and I guess more people may have been doing that very thing!
I didn't know my grandparents well so I didn't get any first hand knowledge of any depression tips. I do love to watch Clara on RUclips. I practice things that I would think they did back then. My favorite phrase is the use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
Hanging clothes out in the winter helps them dry faster, once frozen you shake the ice off and they dry faster in front of a fire. Think of instant coffee, it is freeze dried.
I used to pack my son's lunch for work and I would make him two sandwiches and put them into one bread bag instead of using Ziploc sandwich bags all the time.
When we were first married and didn’t have much we got furniture from my mom and grandmother. We got an old chair with the springs and straw showing. We had it stained and reupholstered . It was always my mom’s favorite chair to sit in when she came over and 48 years later it is in perfect shape and my favorite reading chair. We also got a camel backed couch from my grandmother. We got it reupholstered years ago and it’s still great so we are going to reupholster it again. My daughter says when we want to get rid of it she wants it. They don’t make furniture like they used to and it has wonderful memories.
My gosh this was fun to listen to! My mom used to save her gum on the headboard also. We still laugh about it. She didn't grow up in the depression, but there were 8 kids in my family and she did a whole lot of sacrificing❤
Loved this Jennifer. I am 70, and the oldest of six kids. I was the shopper since my mom didn't drive. I took either the toboggan or the wagon to do the weekly shopping. Bought eggs from the man down the alley and had to wait while he candled each egg. Once I went to the butcher and won a draw they were having. I was so proud to come with a basket of meat, which was a real luxury. At that time we lived in a garage/shed semi-divided with a half wall, with no running water and an outhouse. This was common in those early days.
This was a trip down memory lane!! 90% of it described the way I was raised in rural Iowa in the 50's and 60's. Speaking of washing machines, I'll never forget how excited our whole family was when Mom got her new Double Tub Dexter! And we never ever thought of ourselves as anything but normal.
I love this. My mom’s favorite was a toasted tomato sandwich. When we had no lunchmeat my dad would have me make him cheese and jelly sandwiches for work.
Just have to share this story about bartering....both my brothers and I were born in the 50's before we had health care like we do now here in Canada. I asked my Dad once how much the hospital births cost, especially since one of my brothers was a birth with complications and a long stay in hospital. My parents owned a marina, and apparently the Dr got a free new fishing boat each time!
My grandma was a depression baby born in 1942. I swear that woman saved EVERYTHING. If it could be re used, she always saved it. The grossest ones for me was cutting mold off cheese or scrapping mold off butter and using the rest lol. My favorite was that she made all my uncles halloweens costumes and then she made mine and my brothers until her arthritis got too bad.
i'm 47, my grandparents were born in like the 20's never really saw frugal from them we lived far apart. but mom and dad did things like making the rags from clothes, which i still do, i remember being little and going to thrift shops, we would buy the ugliest various garments with beads or even beaded jewelry, and take the little seed beads off and separate them into colors. BOY! mom knew how to keep us busy lol!, also anything leather. we would make moccasins and our own jewelry out of the beads and leather . we saved, glass jars and my grandma always called margarine oleo so we saved oleo containers, yes still guilty!! lol, and i still do too, the glass jars from instant coffee? are about the size of quart mason jars and they have screw top lids. i use them for drinking out of , storing food, reheating food, and soooooo much more. your idea of bed linens for cloth, i use pillow cases, open them up on the seam and at the top edge where the hole opened, its still sewed, easy to put a dowel rod into. our scrap food that gets moldy like breads, it goes to the chickens, which by the way are EXCELLENT rototillers. my dad would take moldy cheese and wipe it off with apple cider vinegar. mom taught herself how to crotchet and knit so we would have a big Christmas, by the way this isn't very practical now cause its chic to do crafts. i still have a little blue donkey got when i was 5 she did for Christmas. and yes! stretch the food, that's how casseroles and such got invented, have tons more that i practice that was handed down through the generations. funny story, my dad, he's 78, was born a preemie, he brings out a prescription paper a few days ago and said, hey they had to prescribe us a refrigerator so i could have fresh milk. any way this vid and the others i have seen yes i subscribed, have my wheels turning! Thank you!
Another thing our family did, was we were pretty much friends with the neighborhood, with kids of various sizes, they had a clothing swap each year, suzie cant wear this now but i bet jill can, we would go to school and say HEY that's MY shirt all the time lol. there is no sense of community any more, no one groups together to can or sew or weed the gardens, everything is fast paced, disposable and ME ME ME!
We weren't poor, that I know of, my parents are just frugal:) I'm 46 and I remember my brother, sister and I would stick our gum inside the refrigerator door and save it for the next day. I've even mentioned to my daughter and grandson to do the same...what am I thinking? We only went to the grocery store on Sundays. My mother would let us pick out one bag of chips each and a two liter drink and when that was gone we didn't get anymore until the following Sunday:) and sandwiches were made from whatever was left in the house, hot dog buns, hamburger buns or the hills that were still left in the loaf of bread. My husband wouldn't dare make a sandwich out of anything other than sandwich bread (what he calls it.) My parents just taught their children how to (MAKE DO.) ..
My uncle who was born in Greece told me one day to mix some flour with my scrambled eggs. That is what fhey would do back in fhe old country to make the meal last in their bellies and he was right. When I did that it would last for a long time in my belly. It would make like a thick cake and if would taste really good as well....😊😊😊
I like this kind of videos but i find it funny that many of the frugal tips are part of the normal way of living in my country. For example having a dryer is an exception and i first heard of it like 5 years ago ( i am 23 )
I have learn to use everything I own if we save it for a better times they may not be one and you don’t get to create one Live is short and enjoy what we can always with caution and with in your limits..🤗
My grandma is 93 and to this day she still cuts the legs off of worn out panty hose and will use different parts of the panty hose to put on her head to hold her curlers in tact and reduce frizz while she sleeps at night. She also would use my grandpa's underwear that was beyond repair to clean with!
My mom saves all old clothes for scrap buttons and zippers too as well as fabric. Jeans have holes? She has scrap Jean material for it. I repair clothes until they’re just beyond repair
I do the same thing with my clothes. I call my at home clothes "Data clothes," after my beloved cat Data. I didnt care if he shedded on them or picked them. Although he is laying on God's lap, I still call them my "Data clothes." 🐱
It’s easy to point the finger at the newer generations who have no idea (at least the ones who were fortunate enough to not grow up in poverty), but it was because the generations that came before were so keen on giving their children what they never had that they forgot to give them what they did have (frugality, life skills, etc.).
I grew up with my grandmother's favorite sayings. One of them was, "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do. Or do without."
When you read about someone's pawpaw and garbage, it reminded me of when I asked my Gram a similar question. She got married in 1927 and had 4 boys. I asked her what had the greatest impact on her life. I expected something like a washing machine and she said Mr. Birdseye, because frozen food enabled her to give her boys vegetables in the winter in NYC.
My grandmother would take bars of soap after they have gotten too small to use and she would put them in a mason jar full of water, after the bars have dissolved in the water you now have liquid soap that may be used for body wash in the shower or added to your bath water for bubble bath! that way your small bars of soap can be repurposed and not thrown away!
i was taught to do this as well or throw the tiny ends in a sock and put it n your washing machine
I do this, too!
My grandma would moisten the sliver of soap and a new bar of soap and stick them together, forming one bar of soap. It looked odd, but there was no waste.
These are great tips and stories. The world would benefit if more of us lived and thought this way.
Having a budget is one of the most of the important thing you need in life
I'm 51 my husband 56 we are both retired with over $3 million in net worth and no debt. Currently living smart and frugal with our money. Conscious spending,Having a budget,Saving and lnvesting made it possible for us this early. Thanks to FIRE movement the taught us a lot
Great job with your husband,I bet you're living your best life right now
I'm 39 and my parents introduced me to a lot of things
I'm a young mom, I'm really glad to hear your story it inspires me. What is FIRE movement please?
Nadia it is financial independence retire early ❤
Annabelle thank you for sharing your success story and that budgeting is a large part of reaching your goals! 🤗
When I was a child a town in our county suffered a devastating flood. There was a fabric store there that was completely flooded out. My mother bought every muddy bolt of fabric they had . It literally was a truck load. My mother washed and air dried everything most of it multiple times. That's what she made our clothes out of for years. PS I loved government cheese!!!
I took to heart what you said about your concerns for the younger generations, which I share, and so I'm going to recommend your channel to my Facebook friends. I am lucky enough to have some wonderful young friends whom I cherish. I will tell them of your channel and I hope they find their way to you, because you have so much wisdom in your videos. And I appreciate the time and effort you put into making solid content that will benefit people and help them to make good changes in their lives. And of course you also help people like me who share your concern for fugality. We must all be good stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us. Thank you, Jennifer
Thank you so much! Hugs to you 🤗
I had forgotten about Mom doing this, but at the end of each "season" my Mom would take our clothes and literally take them apart, picking out each seam removing buttons, removing pockets, trim and zippers.. She'd put all of the fabric pieces in the laundry to wash and hang them to dry. Us kids were always amazed at how much "lint" and fibers were in the seams. She said it wore out the seams and caused the seam area to fray. She'd then make alterations if we'd outgrown them, she'd alter them to pass them up or down as needed. My sis had one "church" dress that had a plaid taffeta skirt. As she grew, the top would be replaced one time and and put back together as a dress. Then the skirt was removed, matching fabric added and it became just a skirt, that she wore with a sweater or blouse. NOTHING was ever wasted at our house. Nothing. Thanks for these great, smart memories. Great channel! Glad I found it.
Hello there I’m from the UK and a 70s child originally from Bangladesh. Most of my childhood was very poor but when I went to high school I had to wear my school uniform on a Saturday And would not Dare go out Incase my friends from school would see me But years later I found contentment after Discussing with my sister that there were so many Other first generation immigrants that were like us, still we were happy.
My dad grew up without indoor plumbing, so I was always told about using the Sears catalogue for toilet paper in the outhouse. Any worn out clothes or fabric scraps were used for handmade quilts that his mom and her friends would sit and sew together. His mom used to make him brown sugar sandwiches, which were nothing more than homemade bread, butter and a layer of brown sugar. Oatmeal was the main thing served as breakfast. So now, I keep Papa's memory alive with my young daughter by serving cooked oatmeal most mornings, and the occasional brown sugar sandwich as a treat.
my parents did cinnamon sugar sandwiches
Same . We had to hang up our school clothes and put on play clothes.also,didn’t get new clothes until school started I’m 61
Bread bag boot liners, you better believe it!
i remember refusing this as a kid cause me feet sweat anyway and got wet, however it was warm sweat and not frozen exposed sock sweat
Old tshirts are cut up for dusting and cleaning cloths. My clothes dryer died a few years ago and I never replaced it. My power bill dropped by $100 per bill. I dry my clothes on the washing line and on clothes stands in front of the big windows that let in the warm sun. I recently made pot holders out of an old towel and a pair of jeans. Cut the back pockets with some extra denim around it, then cut two layers of towel fabric the same size. Stitch together either on s sewing machine or by hand. Best pot holders I have ever had. And they also help when trying to open jars.
oh my gosh! i was trying to think of a way to knit or crotchet these items, the holes are always too big and my had always get burnt somewhere!!! thank you!
My grandmother used to knit bandages for soldiers! And my old and too small clothes were "handed down" to my little sister. Oh, and my other grandmother saved my mother's clothing and made patchwork quilts with them. Beautiful quilts and adorable prints from the 1920's and 30's. So sweet and each quilt square had a story.
Elizabeth, that put a smile on my face! Seems like sweet memories from your mom and grandmother ❤
My moms parents always used their good silverware daily. Once they were robbed but the silverware was left because it was just sitting in the drawer! Now my parents (78) use that same silverware today.
I love that Elizabeth!
My daddy would always make his afternoon snack using head cheese cut in 4s with saltien crackers, a spoon of peanut butter and a spoon of miracle whip and my mom told me that a slice of bread with gravy of any kind was considered dessert. My adopted grandmother would save buttons off all the clothes and keep them in a jar we could take them out and she would tell us the stories of the clothes they came from, she also thought me to sew, cook have tea parties with nothing but water and butter cookies out under her old pine trees. Her flower garden was an old claw foot tub filled with rose moss because the land was needed for grazing and fields of wheat or whatever was in season. She had a chicken house that she used for drying peppers and such because she didn't have chickens anymore. I found out the hard way that dried peppers were hot because I wanted to decorate a mud pie with the pretty peppers and then wiped my eyes... lesson learned my eyes burned and swelled shut till she got them well washed. Mom made a point of making sure everyone turned out the lights when we left a room and I still can't stand to waste electricity in fact I spend most nights sitting in a dark house watching my phone instead of wasting lights. I also open doors and windows spring and fall to air out the house and save the a/c and heat for the days it's needed, just another way mom and grandmother saved on electricity. We always tried to fix and take care of what we had because "money doesn't grow on trees". I remember being in band and the clarinet I had broke at the joints, no matter that it was ancient, I wasn't getting a new one, so I took super glue and pieced it back together just so I could stay in band. My son and his wife and my grands throw away so many good things it drives me crazy and allowing the little boys to destroy their toys makes my eyes cross! The boys stay here a lot and they are learning that gma doesn't put up with that, they have inside and outside toys and everything is put away b4 need time or no stories lol. Mommy and daddy can't figure out why they behave better for me than them but I stick to my rules and we have fun together.
I really enjoy watching your channel and thanks for the great ideas!
That was wonderful. Thank you. I’m also glad you make your grandchildren take care of their things. Waste annoys me as well!
Many many many of those suggestions sound familiar ....... Im 52 and my grandparents and parents introduced me to a lot of those things
I LOVE this! My Nanny (grandma) told me that her mom always grew a big garden and canned and preserved her food. They didn't go to the grocery store for most of their food, only things like flour, sugar, salt & coffee. She would save the seeds from tomatoes and plant them in coffee cans until she could plant them outside. I thought that was pretty smart so this year I started my tomato plants in dog food cans! LOL!
This video brought back so many memories of my grandma that was born back in the late teens to early twenties. She was very clean but, she was what they called a pack rat back then. Due to the fact she went through the great depression, she never threw anything away & kept everything in her garage that you & I would throw away today. I remember my first Christmas that I wanted to personally buy all the adults a gift. She took me to a place called Dixiemart. I was probably 5 years old & she helped me to buy a 3 pk of head scarves for $1 which women wore back then to control their beehive hairdo's on windy days. I gave each woman in my family one of those. She then helped me to buy a 3 pk of men's handkerchiefs & give one to each one the men for Christmas. I was so young but, I have never forgotten that to this day. I too remember the house that she lived in was built by her & my grandpa when they first got married since there was no such thing as mortgages back then. All the years they lived in that house, they still used what they called skeleton keys back then. I sure wish that I would have asked more questions when she was still alive but, I could probably write a book on just what I remember from back then.
I had a Pawpaw and Mawmaw . It embarrassed me while growing up in northern Ohio, where no one else seemed to use those titles. Now that I am older, I now see the sweetness of those names and wish that I could use them again. Plastic bags in boots and peanut butter and mayonaise sandwiches.
omg! people think im crazy and weird, but i LOVE peanut butter and mayo but it cant be mircale whip
I was raised by my grandmother and had a strong bond with my great grandmother. To this day, I still do many of the things i learned as a child.
I so remember wonder bread wrappers sticking out of everybody's boots in elementary school. Thanks for the memories 😊.
All of these memories of survival should be in one big book for all of us to learn and never forget. 😉 how can someone make this happen?
That's a great idea! I have no idea how to make that happen.
Yes, use your "good stuff" daily. Everyday is special.
Lori I think that I am going to use my wedding dishes tonight! You are so right that every day is a special day ❤
Some of these brought back memories. My parents were born in 1923 & 1925. Growing up we ate a lot of fried potatoes, beans & corn bread. Each item had a certain pan they had been getting cooked in for 30 years +. Part of the flavor, she said. Laundry always hung out to dry when possible. I still do that & my son & his family still do. Just something we all continued to do. My Mother mended anything & everything, once it couldn't be mended anymore they became cleaning rags. All jars were reused when she would make jam every year. We had plum & apricot trees. We usually had laying chickens for our eggs. Usually a small garden. My Mother always worked seasonally in agriculture, so their was a lot of friends & family trading different types of produce with each other.
Pinto beans, fried potatoes and cornbread. Still one of my favorites. I was born in the fifties. Sometimes my mom would scramble eggs and pour over the fried potatoes. So good. Looking back now, I know it was to probably stretch them to feed us 4 kids.
beans and rice were a staple n our house, and still is in my own home. the chickens are a godsend, not only do the roto till, but they plant a very nice garden from eating the plants with seeds and fertilizing them into the ground
Mom would plant trees using peat humus,potting soil and a can of Sprite. You put fertilizer at the bottom of a 2 and a half foot hole. Cover with potting soil and peat. Loosen roots of tree and pour sprite on them.place in hole and cover with peat and potting soil. Water for one year every day. We had trees all around our house.
We always knew where to pick wild berries. Those places are now mostly watershed areas and off limits. We also used to gather all kinds of nuts. I particularly remember butternut. Can't find them either. I was blessed with parents who grew up during the depression.
i remember picking wild berries and in the fall going down dirt roads picking wild apples, we turned the apples into many apple apple sauce. but as a kid i just thought it was a fun family outing
Yes, the expiration dates are suggestions... it usually does say “best by dates”... most times stuff including canned food doesn’t magically spoil, it’s a way company’s can track the food & sometimes they move the dates up more just to sell more products... I recommend checking anything out to make sure that it’s okay... 😃 I’m in my mid 30’s and we are taught to be very wasteful... 😳🤦♀️
I use my wedding china + crystal drinkware every day. It's meant to be used. I'd rather use it and enjoy it every day than the cheap stuff.
My granny made our play clothes from flour sacks and feed sacks they were so pretty and cotton and cool and lasted
I didn't know the tomato sandwich is a thing, we have it in our family, too.
In post-WW II they used to stretch scrambled eggs with flour and water.
I also know that people were frugal with water, e.g.reusing bathing water to scrub the floor afterwards. Or collecting rain water for the plants in the garden.
I remember growing up with the "cat wash" instead of showering every day, i.e. cleaning only the smelly parts starting from the top and ending at the bottom with one basin of water. And then bathing or showering once a week or when the hair became dirty.
She taught me how to sew she could make anything and she didn’t have store bought patterns either she was amazing made quilts out of everything most people would have thrown out but they were beautiful we still have several in our family she had a peddle sewing machine it was awesome
My grandmother used newspaper on the floor to dry after mopping and to wash rhe windows
I am keep coming back to your videos Jennifer, yes I recall as a child of some one saying that they would get half a loaf of bread and then you go to sit outside of the KFC and eat it enjoying the smell that emanating from the store 😜😂🏬😎💡. Yesterday I visited my cousin and he was cutting up the air freshener can to use the last bits to clean up and shine his mirror and window, and I was amazed that it works a while back I threw out a butternut that was going bad into my compost bucket and a week or two later I looked again and the seeds were sprouting so I put them in the garden and now I have a few butternut plants growing, I hope to harvest sometime. Same for mandarins citrus seeds just soak in water for a day or two then put them in a container of potting soil, moisten a little bit, cover with a plastic bag for a few weeks to create a greenhouse effect and you should have seedlings. I have successfully done this also for moringa seeds
Tomato sandwiches-----LOVE THEM--have to be good, ripened on the vine summer tomatoes--not hot house.
This very good my mother and father lived through so much as did thier parents. One thing my mom did was make all of are clothing. She would put a big hem in the dresses and when we grew let the hem out. If there was a faded line she would add Rick rack over the top. Also she would patch and put embrodery designs to cover wholes and sometimes even stains.
I used to buy flour in 25 pounds , they came in cloth. they were beautiful ,I too had to dig through the sacks to find two with the same design . I have made my own bread for over 50 years , also cakes etc , I saved money
I have found tablecloths on clearance before and made curtains out of them! They turned out wonderful!
i get giant plastic ones, the holiday ones with the felt backing, and make "walls" with them. they're like 99 cents after that particular holiday, also I've used them as temp wall paper just tacked the, up with tacks and when i was tired of that pattern i replaced them and used them for other things. they work great for this since they're plastic and can be wiped easily
Cloth is cloth 👍
One of the many great ones is the one for the waterproof apron. I look everytime I go out shopping for a waterproof apron and I haven't found one.. until now:) I can make my own, thanks to your commenter. Please tell her thank you so very much. The aprons do not make any sense, the splatters go right through the material making it useless:) I love the content you put out. It's right up my alley:)
I am so happy that I was able to share her comment to give you an idea for something that you have been looking for to solve a problem. That makes me so happy! ❤
another thing you could do with the apron idea s if you sew, use those after holiday table cloths and sew them into aprons
I am so glad I found your channel. My grandparents lived through the depression. I still have several of their pieces of China and crystal. It is meaningful and beautiful .
My parents both lived through WW2 in The Netherlands and did almost all the things you mention in this video (and your other 2 also actually). My mom had to unstitch her dad's suit and turn it inside out and re-stitch it since the inside was not faded. All the sisters had to knit to make socks for the family as well and it was common practice to unravel sweaters to re-use the yarn.
My Oma was a child in the Netherlands during WW2 and they lived off daffodil bulbs for a while. Then one night my Great Oma made a delicious stew for them. It was the same night their cat disappeared and they never saw it again. I think of this story so often and how grateful I am to have never lived through such hardship.
One idea is to use the fancy stuff on Sundays. And it makes the day even more special
I like that idea ... thank you!!!
I m also from Pennsylvania, and also had the frozen Jeans but would put ours on a drying rack by our wood stove to dry.
I have and use! my mother’s cast iron skillets and what she called her bean pot, also cast iron. I inherited my mother- in- law’s Corning Ware square bowls (with the blue cornflower on it) also used on a daily basis. My m-I-l also taught me how to take a dress pattern and alter it into a brand new pattern! Newspaper was used to make the the new pattern. And forget that layout suggested on the pattern instructions; use your own layout to save material!
we used old clothes as patterns
My grandma use to make us our back pack saw our socks very little food but a lot of tortillas to make our food last cause not enough food to go around..I would no charge a bit of it, we use to save the cups where the candles came in for drinking water 💧..
There's a song that goes "Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?" It's a cute song and I guess more people may have been doing that very thing!
I was thinking about that song also. I grew up in the fifties so I did stick my gum on the top of the dresser to chew the next day.
i grew up in the 80's and i remember little ceramic dishes that were for this
I have and use my mother’s cast iron skillets and her bean pot (cast iron). I inherited my mother-in-law’s Corning Ware which I also use!
Just wanted to say, old Corning ware should not be used as has high levels of toxins, I read an article. Maybe google it
That’s great!
I didn't know my grandparents well so I didn't get any first hand knowledge of any depression tips. I do love to watch Clara on RUclips. I practice things that I would think they did back then. My favorite phrase is the use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
Hanging clothes out in the winter helps them dry faster, once frozen you shake the ice off and they dry faster in front of a fire. Think of instant coffee, it is freeze dried.
my sister and i dry outside all year round
These were great stories and tips 👍😊 The world and definitely the environment would benefit if more of us thought and lived this way.
I used to pack my son's lunch for work and I would make him two sandwiches and put them into one bread bag instead of using Ziploc sandwich bags all the time.
I wash and reuse ziplock bags. I reuse most things. That's the way I grew up. Tina
Loved this one, we need more!
When we were first married and didn’t have much we got furniture from my mom and grandmother. We got an old chair with the springs and straw showing. We had it stained and reupholstered . It was always my mom’s favorite chair to sit in when she came over and 48 years later it is in perfect shape and my favorite reading chair. We also got a camel backed couch from my grandmother. We got it reupholstered years ago and it’s still great so we are going to reupholster it again. My daughter says when we want to get rid of it she wants it. They don’t make furniture like they used to and it has wonderful memories.
I love the content of these videos. A lot of these frugal tips.
IRemember my grandparents doing. Keep doing these frugal tips❤️
This was so much fun and brought back so many memories. I hope you will do it again!
Thank you Jennifer! I am a newish subscriber (2 weeks). I have watched your daily. I absolutely LOVE your content!!
Welcome Beth-Ann!
My gosh this was fun to listen to! My mom used to save her gum on the headboard also. We still laugh about it. She didn't grow up in the depression, but there were 8 kids in my family and she did a whole lot of sacrificing❤
Loved this Jennifer. I am 70, and the oldest of six kids. I was the shopper since my mom didn't drive. I took either the toboggan or the wagon to do the weekly shopping. Bought eggs from the man down the alley and had to wait while he candled each egg. Once I went to the butcher and won a draw they were having. I was so proud to come with a basket of meat, which was a real luxury. At that time we lived in a garage/shed semi-divided with a half wall, with no running water and an outhouse. This was common in those early days.
What did it mean to candle each egg?
@@cherylT321 A candle was used to see inside the egg to see if it was fertilized. There may be a new chick growing inside.
@@shirleylangton7967 I was thinking it was something like that. Thank you for letting me know for sure!
Awe, my mom always made our curtains from sheets!
We were so poor growing up that we never had carpets to sweep the dirt under so we swept it under the neighbors carpet!
This was a trip down memory lane!! 90% of it described the way I was raised in rural Iowa in the 50's and 60's. Speaking of washing machines, I'll never forget how excited our whole family was when Mom got her new Double Tub Dexter! And we never ever thought of ourselves as anything but normal.
Thank you Cheryl! ❤
I love this. My mom’s favorite was a toasted tomato sandwich. When we had no lunchmeat my dad would have me make him cheese and jelly sandwiches for work.
Great video.!!! Very useful information. Brought back lots of memories :)
Just have to share this story about bartering....both my brothers and I were born in the 50's before we had health care like we do now here in Canada. I asked my Dad once how much the hospital births cost, especially since one of my brothers was a birth with complications and a long stay in hospital. My parents owned a marina, and apparently the Dr got a free
new fishing boat each time!
I love your videos! I need the CC, though. The last couple I've seen didn't have closed captioning. 😢
My grandma was a depression baby born in 1942. I swear that woman saved EVERYTHING. If it could be re used, she always saved it.
The grossest ones for me was cutting mold off cheese or scrapping mold off butter and using the rest lol.
My favorite was that she made all my uncles halloweens costumes and then she made mine and my brothers until her arthritis got too bad.
I have seen overcharges on grocery receipts often. At least twice a month if not more frequently! Even at $1-5 dollar per error it adds up!
IF you see overcharges on your receipt at Walmart, take it and the item back into the store they'll reimburse you and let you keep your item
We did the bread bag over sock thing to keep feet dry. Lots of good tips. Reminded me of my mom who recently passed
I am so sorry for your loss! I am sending you a hug 🤗❤
You are such an endearing soul you make me smile😊
Debbie, thank you so much! Hugs 🤗
My grandmother would warm my clothes in the oven in the mornings rather than turn on the furnace when she woke me in the mornings
Oh once my dads mom told us a blimp flew over a field they were planting one day and they were terrified lol they just knew they were being invaded
Loved this episode! Brought back such great memories of my own grandparents! I love tomato sandwiches as well!!
Thank you Lori!🤗❤
i'm 47, my grandparents were born in like the 20's never really saw frugal from them we lived far apart. but mom and dad did things like making the rags from clothes, which i still do, i remember being little and going to thrift shops, we would buy the ugliest various garments with beads or even beaded jewelry, and take the little seed beads off and separate them into colors. BOY! mom knew how to keep us busy lol!, also anything leather. we would make moccasins and our own jewelry out of the beads and leather . we saved, glass jars and my grandma always called margarine oleo so we saved oleo containers, yes still guilty!! lol, and i still do too, the glass jars from instant coffee? are about the size of quart mason jars and they have screw top lids. i use them for drinking out of , storing food, reheating food, and soooooo much more. your idea of bed linens for cloth, i use pillow cases, open them up on the seam and at the top edge where the hole opened, its still sewed, easy to put a dowel rod into. our scrap food that gets moldy like breads, it goes to the chickens, which by the way are EXCELLENT rototillers. my dad would take moldy cheese and wipe it off with apple cider vinegar. mom taught herself how to crotchet and knit so we would have a big Christmas, by the way this isn't very practical now cause its chic to do crafts. i still have a little blue donkey got when i was 5 she did for Christmas. and yes! stretch the food, that's how casseroles and such got invented, have tons more that i practice that was handed down through the generations. funny story, my dad, he's 78, was born a preemie, he brings out a prescription paper a few days ago and said, hey they had to prescribe us a refrigerator so i could have fresh milk. any way this vid and the others i have seen yes i subscribed, have my wheels turning! Thank you!
Another thing our family did, was we were pretty much friends with the neighborhood, with kids of various sizes, they had a clothing swap each year, suzie cant wear this now but i bet jill can, we would go to school and say HEY that's MY shirt all the time lol. there is no sense of community any more, no one groups together to can or sew or weed the gardens, everything is fast paced, disposable and ME ME ME!
Thressa thank you for watching and taking the time to share your story! 🤗
@@THEJENNIFERCOOK thank you for having this channel
Lol....the zipper and button thing - I actually do that now🤣
I still have a couple of pillowcases and a quilt my mom made ❤
I really enjoy your channel/ a genuine inspiration & enlightening & encouraging 💕 thank you!
We weren't poor, that I know of, my parents are just frugal:) I'm 46 and I remember my brother, sister and I would stick our gum inside the refrigerator door and save it for the next day. I've even mentioned to my daughter and grandson to do the same...what am I thinking? We only went to the grocery store on Sundays. My mother would let us pick out one bag of chips each and a two liter drink and when that was gone we didn't get anymore until the following Sunday:) and sandwiches were made from whatever was left in the house, hot dog buns, hamburger buns or the hills that were still left in the loaf of bread. My husband wouldn't dare make a sandwich out of anything other than sandwich bread (what he calls it.) My parents just taught their children how to (MAKE DO.)
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Loved it!
I absolutely enjoyed that
Number 1! We have literally just got rid of our 'everyday' wine glasses because why don't we just use the fancy Italian crystal instead 😄
Amy I love it!
Those were amazing. 💚👶
Brought me good memories thank you 🙃🙃🙃
We use grape nuts in our meatloaf. We use the store brand instead of the brand name.
My uncle who was born in Greece told me one day to mix some flour with my scrambled eggs. That is what fhey would do back in fhe old country to make the meal last in their bellies and he was right. When I did that it would last for a long time in my belly. It would make like a thick cake and if would taste really good as well....😊😊😊
I cracked up when you said “Who Moved My Cheese”! I had to read that book at my work years ago! Lol 😂 I enjoyed this video! Makes me so nostalgic 💕
🤣🤣🤣
Mornings with Granny is a RUclips channel. I Love her!
Mornings With Granny is a RUclips channel. I love to watch her videos!
My mom and dad both saying they used an old Sears catalog in the outhouse.
I like this kind of videos but i find it funny that many of the frugal tips are part of the normal way of living in my country. For example having a dryer is an exception and i first heard of it like 5 years ago ( i am 23 )
I love using my mom's and grandma's cast iron!
I have learn to use everything I own if we save it for a better times they may not be one and you don’t get to create one
Live is short and enjoy what we can always with caution and with in your limits..🤗
Loved this!
Wow great tips but there are alot of them i do on a regular basis to stretch a dollar.
My grandma is 93 and to this day she still cuts the legs off of worn out panty hose and will use different parts of the panty hose to put on her head to hold her curlers in tact and reduce frizz while she sleeps at night. She also would use my grandpa's underwear that was beyond repair to clean with!
My mom is 94 and still uses pantyhose to strain grease into the jar.and uses jars for vase's
i was taught to use panty hoes and a mason jar for a pour over coffee system
My mom saves all old clothes for scrap buttons and zippers too as well as fabric. Jeans have holes? She has scrap Jean material for it. I repair clothes until they’re just beyond repair
i learned this from my parents too
My sister's curtains were ripped up. I made new ones for her by hand. Tina
LOL "No not the baby!" Still laughing.
🤣🤣🤣
Do you know what that thing was about putting a roast of beef in your front window as a sign of wealth ? I barely remember it as a child .🦋
My grandma used to save the sardines cans to make bread in them..
I do the same thing with my clothes. I call my at home clothes "Data clothes," after my beloved cat Data. I didnt care if he shedded on them or picked them. Although he is laying on God's lap, I still call them my "Data clothes." 🐱