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| Christmas dinner - The Great Depression |
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| The Great Depression, Alabama - circa 1935 |
This is all I need. This is all my family needs. We need food and water. That's a given. Without it we're dead. Clothing to protect our bodies from the elements, in summer or winter and shelter to further protect us. These are our needs. Anything else really is a want and should be only purchased, budget permitting. This is how I now live my life.
Don't get me wrong. There's nothing I love more than the delights of an antipasto platter and the temptations of an Italian delicatessen. Just like the siren's song, this is one of my downfalls and this stuff ain't cheap. I guess it's all in moderation though. I stick to my grocery budget but sometimes buy one or two of an ingredient I really like. I cook everything else from scratch so usually only purchase basic pantry ingredients, fruit and vegetables in season and basic cleaning and personal hygiene items.
Clothes for everyone are basic. I don't think I've purchased any clothes for my son since he was born (other than school uniforms) because I've been fortunate enough to get hand-me-downs from friends. Same with my daughter. I've picked up some beautiful 'girly' dresses for her from second hand shops and second hand clothes for myself (other than underwear etc). We only have the basics. Gone are the days when I tell myself that I need an orange top, for example. I guess I try to stay abreast of fashions and styles but try to manage well within my budget and only having what we really need.
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| Our house a couple of years ago (same house now, just more weeds) |
Gone are the days when I feel the need to fill my house with matching towels, bed linens, furnishings, matching crockery and cutlery (even though I do have that sort of stuff) but I don't follow interior design trends. That's not where I want to spend my money. I don't feel it's necessary. All too often some people get caught up in catalogues and junk mail brochures, thinking that they might need some of those home decorator items from Target. Yeah sure. Maybe you do. Maybe that's where you like to spend your money. But to have a balance, be on top of your finances and be able to provide your family the basic necessities of life, this is an area of spending that you might be able to cut back on.
With Valentine's Day next week, Easter next and every other occasion just around the corner, try to avoid the dollar stores. These are just a money pit, designed to convince you of all the things you need. I know I've gone in there for say a pillow protector and came out with more 'stuff' than I needed and less money in my purse. I avoid these shops like the plague. Try to make things from recycled items around the house before you think you need to buy up big on Valentine's themed paper plates or Easter egg hunt baskets.
Keeping in mind your basic needs, that is food, clothing and shelter, this will help you avoid temptation and help save for other areas of your budget that might be lacking. Since having my family, I returned to thinking the way my Nanna would've lived. She survived the depression with 3 young children, albeit not as harsh as those photos above but on the land as a dairy farmer's wife nonetheless. I'm filling my book of life with pages from hers.
This post is part of domesblissity's THRiVING - Thrifty Living feature.
Hi Anne!
ReplyDeleteThere's dairy farming in my family as well. My dad grew up milking, working in the barns and the creamery and peddling milk every morning before school. He taught us the value of a dollar and the importance of earning it.
Although hubby and I haven't always been as frugal as we'd have liked, (it's no picnic raising kids in this label obsessed world we live in) we're pretty conscious of what we need vs. what we want and try to stick to a reasonable budget.
Great post! I love the photos! :~)
My parents lived through the Great Depression and I've heard many many stories. They ran a sheep ranch and my dad would tell me how he'd get the vegetable trimmings from grocery stores to feed them. They had nothing but my dad worked hard and eventually had his own business (in the 50's). I feel I was very BLESSED as my parents wanted their children to have more than they did especially an education as my father did not get past the 8th grade. It chokes me up thinking about it all.
ReplyDeleteMy husband just came into the room and saw that tears were streaming down my face and asked what was wrong. I read him your blog post and he saw the pictures. He asked me how old you were and I told him. He said "Well she seems pretty wise to me." And I said you are.
Thanks for your beautiful post Anne.
Love you my friend,
Nann
I think that as a society we are caught up in stuff. I like the food clothing shelter idea - the essence of what we need to survive.
ReplyDeleteI think your house is lovely. Yours and mine both are palaces compared to many. it's good to keep that perspective when the green-eyed-monster comes around. Thanks for the reminder. It's comforting to be reminded that others have these feelings to.
ReplyDeleteYour home is gorgeous. Pftt to the swimming pool. Too much work and you miss out on going to the beach or public swimming pool where you get to mix with the masses!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with everything you have said. I am not as good as you though! xx
Wonderful pics. Poverty to some means only one tv and one car. When I was teaching the kids would ask if I had
ReplyDeleteseen a certain cable tv show. When I said no, that I didn't have cable, they asked if I was poor!
I think our parents felt it was important to pay their bills and feed their families without asking for help, than buying computers and cell phones.
Standards sure have changed.
Great tips Anne! My grandma live on a farm during the great depression and she said they were already so poor that the depression didn't make any difference to them. They were always frugal and lived off the land.
ReplyDeleteI love this post and only just a few short years ago did I come to many of the same conclusions you have, so I may have not reached yet but most yes. Thanks for posting this, it is a great read!
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