5 Tips on How to Save Money from the Depression Era

depression eraI’m always up for learning new money-saving tips. A lot of people complain about how hard it is to make money and save money, but you have to remember that people years ago had it a lot worse than we do now. I talked with someone from the depression era and that’s when people would literally try to save every single penny they had. Some of these tips can be really hard to apply in today’s world, but it can be done or at least give you an idea on how you can save as much money as possible while doing it in a practical and sensible way. Also, a lot of these tips will benefit the environment, as well.

I was talking with someone from the depression era and I asked them what tips they would give people in today’s world that want to save money. Below, you’ll find some of the best tips I was given.

#1. Make Your Own Bread at Home

Back in the depression era, there weren’t a whole lot of convenient options, especially if you wanted to save some cash. Therefore, most households would make their own bread from scratch. It was very rare that someone would actually go out and spend money on bread.

#2. Find Free Ways to Entertain Yourself

Today, you can easily spend a ton of money on entertainment. It can be fun to go out to the movies or you could go to the arcade, but in the depression era, you learned how to entertain yourself. Consider going out for a hike, going to a library that maybe offers free movies and popcorn. There are tons of free ways you can keep yourself entertained.

#3. Learn how to Sew and Patch Clothes

This may sound crazy, but most people during the great depression didn’t have any more than two outfits. Some people only had one. Therefore, instead of throwing out clothes, they had to learn how to sew and patch holes in clothing. If you don’t even know how to sew, you could always take some sewing classes, which will eventually pay for themselves.

#4. Start a Garden

Most people during the great depression, even when they didn’t own much land or any at all, would still find ways to grow their own food. Starting your own garden can save you a ton of money and you’ll also be able to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables.

#5. Be a Good Neighbor

I am a very firm believer in karma. Treat people the way you would like to be treated. Therefore, I help my neighbors out whenever I can and this was something that a ton of people did during the great depression. People realized that they had to work together in order to survive, because they couldn’t afford services. For instance, your neighbor may need assistance, because they have a leaky roof. If you’re good with a nail and a hammer, you could go over and help them as much as you could, because hiring a roofing company would be out of the question for them, as it would be too expensive.