Frugality and the Modern World

While searching for information about saving money, I ran into this fun to read site outlining some of the creative things people did during WWII. 

https://learnincolor.com/frugality-how-to-from-the-greatest-generation.html

Samantha outlines 10 areas on"how to use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."

Save Paper

With my parents and grandparents being part of the Greatest Generation, this peaked my interest. I remember fondly some of the things my grandparents di that at the time in the 60's, I thought very old fashioned. 

For one thing, on my grandfather's roll top desk, he kept a stack of envelopes he used as note paper. He would carefully open all mail with a sharp letter opener, turn the written side over and stack it with the back side and viola -- a scratch pad. 

I do this now because of the huge amount of waste paper in my life. I noticed one day that most of my trash was paper -- used computer paper, envelopes and the like. Yeah, it could go into the recycle bin, but why not let it have a second life before that fatal action? 

It has been perfect for me while I am working remotely. At the office, we tend to grab a sticky note to scribble something down. This replaces those notes and in small way. helps the planet.

Use it up

According to the FDA:

"In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30–40 percent of the food supply. This figure, based on estimates from USDA’s Economic Research Service of 31 percent food loss at the retail and consumer levels, corresponded to approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food"

Wow - just wow. One of the things I learned from my grandparents was to save leftover veggies in the freezer, add to it from time to time. Once you have enough, make a pot of soup. It may just be a spoonful of carrots or green beans or peas, but it adds up. Even left over rice works -- pasta, not so much, it tends to disintegrate. 

My family loves my home made soup especially on a cold night. So during the summer when fresh vegetables are plentiful, I save the leftovers and store them and then months later when it is soup time just toss in pot. So easy and fast. 

Soap - another thing I do is save the slivers of soap that are too small for the bath and use for washing hands. 

This has come in very handy during the pandemic. 

Do Without

This is a good one for me. I am like so many other modern women who have more of everything than they need -- shoes, clothes, makeup, jewelry -- you get the picture.  

Last January I started a buy nothing new campaign. It has been over a year and I haven't felt much need to buy new with the exception of when I ran out -- makeup items, cleanser and moisturizer. I did recently buy some new Sandals? Tennis shoes? Whatever you call these things.

My previous casual tennis shoes had just worn slap out as we say down here. They lost all their support and were uncomfortable to wear. I didn't feel guilty at all buying these since I have been so frugal with shopping this year. And tried them on with a summer dress. I like the way they looked. 

It has actually been fun to not buy clothes and rediscover my closet. I have put together new combinations, revived older, but almost new items. Funny thing, there were some things I could not remember why I never wore them. 

Pat