Bummie was the first person I knew that recycled. I think she just got used to it during the Great Depression and the war (rationing) that followed. She believed "Waste Not, Want Not" was a good discipline to live by. She kept string and rubber bands and twisty-ties. Paper bags from the grocery store were folded neatly and stashed between the refrigerator and wall. There was a jar on the back porch that she kept for random nails and screws that she'd find while digging around in the flower garden or on walks. Wrapping paper was saved. Cards were saved [and later made into decorative garbage cans like the one she kept in her bedroom].
The bottom drawer of the cabinet to the right of her kitchen sink held clean, folded pieces aluminum foil to be re-used when needed and empty bread bags. Cans were rinsed out and their tops and bottoms removed before the can was stepped on to flatten. Then the top and bottoms of the can were slid inside and stacked together with the other cans. Vegetable scraps went in one pile; meat scraps in another. She didn't use a lot of pre-made mixes, so although she had company once or twice a week her weekly garbage was one small paper-bag size bag. Paper was set aside to be burned in the furnace on cold nights.
I also remember that she paid cash for everything she bought. If there was something she wanted, she set a little bit aside every payday until she had enough to buy it outright. Think of all the interest you would save if you did the same.
Proving yet again that there is more than one way to save. Turn the light off when you leave a room. Turn the faucet off when you're finished with it. Logical things like that.
Gran saved by watching the grocery sales for staples. She clipped [and used] coupons. Another was by canning. She also knew how to stretch a pound of hamburg enough to feed six (or more) people so they would all feel that they had enough to eat when they leave our table. Our 'cheap BBQ sauce' tastes as good as the stuff you buy in the store. [Ketchup, a spoon of mustard and lots of brown sugar - try it sometime.] We learned how to make inexpensive meals from her. Not necessarily healthy, but definitely edible. She also made a lot of our clothes. Dresses, shirts, sweaters and the like. Amazing how much less expensive it can be.
Seems like we were always trying to get through the winter when we were growing up. Wrapping up in blankets at "The Big House" while curled up in the living room on that old, ugly green sofa. Marveling at the ice patterns on the window in the sewing room. Peeking at the pressure-cooker full of home-made vegetable soup sitting on the old radio out on the back porch. Taking turns literally sitting on or standing next to the gas heater. Throwing our clothes on top of the heater before putting them on so we could have a few extra seconds of heat. Avoiding the creosote that randomly dripped from the exhaust pipe.
Even later in life when we have money we still have a tendency to 'stock up' so we don't run out and go hungry. We fill our cupboards with staples like flour, sugar, rice, pasta and spices. Vegetables are enjoyed fresh from the garden in season and surplus is canned or frozen to take us through the winter.
Two important lessons/advice from our family to yours:
- Live within your means.
- Save every penny you possibly can because you never know when you're going to need it.
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