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I've known quite a few people who went through the GD, just like my parents did. In terms of today, they were extremely frugal, but the truth also is that there wasn't the vast amount of toys and entertainment that people have today. No cable, No TV, smart Phones or internet. They had few clothes and they didn't travel much. She said her dad had a car but walked to work, so they pretty much only drove the car on Sunday to church. They walked to the local grocery store and the kids walked to school. So in today's terms, they just lived a minimalist lifestyle. Entertainment was the radio or card games, or visiting family.
The strangest money saving thing I heard from the GD is what they did for little girls clothes. The farmers purchased chicken feed that came in cotton sacks, that were decorated with pretty patterns. When the sacks were empty, the mothers could cut them up and turn them into chicken sack dresses for the little girls. Now that's being thrifty.
I also just remember that my mom said that they had a local man that went around and collected old rags, that were about to be thrown out. What he did with them, she didn't know, but recycling rags is something you just don't hear about.
I don't know if my grandmother made clothing, but it's not too hard to make an apron. Aprons were important. Washing clothing was quite a chore and everything had to be ironed. Your clothes wear out faster, too. That's not good.
I don't know if my grandmother made clothing, but it's not too hard to make an apron. Aprons were important. Washing clothing was quite a chore and everything had to be ironed. Your clothes wear out faster, too. That's not good.
I remember watching my Grandmother using "manual irons"? whatever to call them, the kind you heat on the stove, not plugin. She had the rhythm down pat, several different sizes, how long to leave each on the stove for which type fabric, she had a mean set of arm muscles! "Plug in" irons were available then I'm not that old but she said why pay the electric? She combined ironing with cooking, baking, etc There's multi-tasking!
I don't know if my grandmother made clothing, but it's not too hard to make an apron. Aprons were important. Washing clothing was quite a chore and everything had to be ironed. Your clothes wear out faster, too. That's not good.
My dad lacked a winter coat and wrapped up in a horse blanket to walk to school. Uphill both ways
The horseblanket story is true, I learned that from other family members, he was ashamed of that story. He would hide it under a tree before going in to the school. Oh, BTW, he graduated salutatorian of his HS class, back in the Depression. What lesson did he bring from that? Never give up, you can do anything you set your mind to doing!
Today's kids think everything is supposed to be handed to them, or they just give up....I think the Depression produced the Greatest Generation because back then it was do-or-die. Now its give up before you start....get on some government program that makes up for what life didn't hand you.
Last edited by MaryleeII; 11-13-2015 at 04:33 PM..
I remember watching my Grandmother using "manual irons"? whatever to call them, the kind you heat on the stove, not plugin. She had the rhythm down pat, several different sizes, how long to leave each on the stove for which type fabric, she had a mean set of arm muscles! "Plug in" irons were available then I'm not that old but she said why pay the electric? She combined ironing with cooking, baking, etc There's multi-tasking!
My grandmother had a drop side toaster and a wringer washer. She wasn't supposed to have a washing machine in her apartment, but the old wringer could be filled from the tub faucet. She had an electric iron. I'm sure someone bought it for her because she wouldn't have spent the money for something that fancy.
My grandmother had a drop side toaster and a wringer washer. She wasn't supposed to have a washing machine in her apartment, but the old wringer could be filled from the tub faucet. She had an electric iron. I'm sure someone bought it for her because she wouldn't have spent the money for something that fancy.
My dad lacked a winter coat and wrapped up in a horse blanket to walk to school. Uphill both ways
The horseblanket story is true, I learned that from other family members, he was ashamed of that story. He would hide it under a tree before going in to the school. Oh, BTW, he graduated salutatorian of his HS class, back in the Depression. What lesson did he bring from that? Never give up, you can do anything you set your mind to doing!
I enjoyed the link about the flour sacks. I never knew that they came in prints and that people made clothing out of them. I still have an old quilt that my grandmother made and one side is white flour sacks with the name of the flour company on them. The other side is made from patches from her kids' clothing.
I remember my great aunt, when she saw the quilt, stated that the green squares where from one of her old dresses. (She would have been a child before the Depression.)
I enjoyed the link about the flour sacks. I never knew that they came in prints and that people made clothing out of them. I still have an old quilt that my grandmother made and one side is white flour sacks with the name of the flour company on them. The other side is made from patches from her kids' clothing.
I remember my great aunt, when she saw the quilt, stated that the green squares where from one of her old dresses. (She would have been a child before the Depression.)
There are some things which money can't buy, and the quilts and such are some of them. Finally, finally one of my nieces is having a baby in January. I'm giving her the things that my mother knit for my baby. Grandmother-in-law crocheted a lovely crib blanket which I'll give to her, too. I hope she at least likes them.
She always looked good, and she smelled nice, too.
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