Depression Era Frugality

[LizzieMaine]

And let's not forget the feminine equivalent of screws-stored-in-baby-food-jars: the stacks of cake tins packed solid full of buttons clipped off worn-out clothes. Every American woman born between 1900 and 1925 was required to have at least one of these tins, and preferably five or six, neatly stacked in the hall closet. At least half the buttons in any tin had to be clipped from worn out men's shirts or long underwear.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

My grans was in a tea tin....Those very cool Swee'touch'nee ones..that look like odd trunks.

and subsets of 'nicer' buttons were kept in the small glass prescription bottles, inside the tin.

We still have them.

 

[sixsexsix]

I lived with my grandparents for awhile and any buttons, shoelaces, and other random junk would end up in cookie tins. fftopic: Speaking of which, I would love to get those cookies again! Maybe someone can help me out? The tins were navy blue and it was an assortment of little cookies stacked inside paper cups. Does anyone recall these?

We also always kept fat in old tins, pretty much any old tin would do.

My grandfather told me during the depression he would put newspapers inside his jacket to help insulate him while outside in the harsh Canadian winters. He would also pile up socks on his hands as mittens.

Oh also! This is pretty amazing:
My boyfriends parents group up in Jamaican and his dad used to make shoes out of old tires and rope. Now THAT is poor.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I lived with my grandparents for awhile and any buttons, shoelaces, and other random junk would end up in cookie tins. fftopic: Speaking of which, I would love to get those cookies again! Maybe someone can help me out? The tins were navy blue and it was an assortment of little cookies stacked inside paper cups. Does anyone recall these?

sounds like the danish butter cookie to me...

http://www.discountofficeitems.com/...vt40635-office-products-5398.html?ref=froogle

http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do...-_-Shopping Comp-_-Datafeed-_-Office Supplies

 

[sixsexsix]

yes, thank you so much! i haven't eaten them in at least 10 years

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

The man said, "Don't tell your kids it's horse meat."

IT tastes like chicken....?

 

[Paisley]

Never tried it. I have eaten lamb's quarters, though. It's a weed that grows out West, and it's not bad. My father ate that, too, during the Depression.

Do nasturtiums grow in Arizona as prolifically as they do in California? You can eat those...as well as dandelions, raspberry leaves, pansies, daylilies and squash blossoms. Just stay away from the loco weed.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

The picture doesn't look too bad but don't think I could ever eat that. I could have gone my whole life without knowing what that was. I understand these things were necessity but yuck!

As my grandmother used to say, "Those who love sausage should never watch it being made."

 

[Josephine]

...the stacks of cake tins packed solid full of buttons clipped off worn-out clothes.

My family keeps ours in a cardboard cigar box.

 

[Lola Getz]

Oh my goodness, my mom still has her button tin and I save buttons too (and have never, I mean NEVER needed one.)

My husband's family still keeps the grease from meals. One time, before we were married, I was helping wash dishes and tried to throw out the funky grease. His grandmother let out this bloodcurdling scream and yelled, "She's trying to waste the grease!" I almost had a heart attack. You'd think I had tried to throw our cash or something.
My dad refuses to eat anything he had to eat during the Depression, like corn chowder, and he keeps ridiculous amounts of food stocked in the house. It's everywhere. You can barely hang your coat in the closet due to the canned goods in there.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

Never tried it. I have eaten lamb's quarters, though. It's a weed that grows out West, and it's not bad. My father ate that, too, during the Depression.

Do nasturtiums grow in Arizona as prolifically as they do in California?

I had a flower box 9' x 9' full of them.. from late September until about end of May when then sun fried them to a crisp. Then again, the sun here fries everything to a crisp. Cacti included.

I used to make nasturtium salad, with a smidge of balsamic and sesame oil.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

My dad refuses to eat anything he had to eat during the Depression, like corn chowder, and he keeps ridiculous amounts of food stocked in the house. It's everywhere. You can barely hang your coat in the closet due to the canned goods in there.

I thought my mother was the only one.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.tightwad.com/

Hey, all the threads or links we can use to save I say.
I have a homemade recipe for baby wipes if one need it.

 

[Story]

My husband's family still keeps the grease from meals. One time, before we were married, I was helping wash dishes and tried to throw out the funky grease. His grandmother let out this bloodcurdling scream and yelled, "She's trying to waste the grease!" I almost had a heart attack. You'd think I had tried to throw our cash or something..

lol
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Granny's making hand grenades in the basement, Lola.

 

[Foofoogal]

His grandmother let out this bloodcurdling scream and yelled, "She's trying to waste the grease!"

Hilarious. sounds like my mom.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

http://www.tightwad.com/

Hey, all the threads or links we can use to save I say.
I have a homemade recipe for baby wipes if one need it.

Oh my, Foofoogal. I went to this link and found a DIY candle from a soda can, an old sock and cooking oil.

"Oil & Cola Emergency Lamp.
What will you do thins winter when the lights go out? Hopefully you've got your emergency flashlight, radio, food and water supplies. If the power will be out for some time, however, you may want to know about this easy oil lamp. Great for camping too. The parts needed for this lamp can be found in virtually every household. An empty aluminum cola can, an old cotton sock, and about a tablespoon of cooking oil are all you need. [...]"

Sure...you aren't sitting in the dark...but you will be smelling toe-punk with Mazola.

 

[miss_elise]

i have a button tin....

 

[Foofoogal]

Sure...you aren't sitting in the dark...but you will be smelling toe-punk with Mazola.

lol lol I saw that too. I am so not mechanical though I would probably blow myself up. It only took about 2 tbs. of cooking oil though. I am sure in a pinch honey could do it. He can do anything remotely mechanical. If he sees it done once he can do it again. Amazing guy and he is mine.

 

[Fletch]

My paternal grandparents were white-collar college-educated folks, not terribly resourceful or good with their hands - grandpa only began raising chickens after the feds started rationing - but they definitely did prolong the depression well into the years of postwar prosperity with their tightwad mentality. Dad shot squirrels as a youngster, which were duly incorporated into stews. There was also - get this - a blanket hung at the foot of the stairwell in wintertime, to ensure that any heat from the coal-fired furnace stayed downstairs with the grownups. Dad even had to pay interest on his loan from grandpa to buy his first house.

I imagine many a family that couldn't make over or make do instead instituted draconian "management" moves that made life at home pretty oppressive.

 

[CharlesB]

My great grandfather was very well off and sold furs in Toronto to the still-rich