Sample Stuff.com

Daily Free Samples By Mail, Coupons, & Freebies

  • Home
  • Text Alerts
  • Freebies
    • Free Samples of Jamberry Nails
    • Homemade Tire Shine and Other DIY Car Maintenance Tricks
    • Free Cookbooks by Mail from Conscious Cuisine
    • Homemade Tire Shine and Other DIY Car Maintenance Tricks
    • Car Care On The Cheap
    • Free Clif Bar Stickers
    • Scam Free Samples of Garnier Ultra
    • Free Dove Samples
    • Attention Moms To Be: FREE Prenatal Vitamins Samples (Organic) From Natures Plus!
  • Coupons
  • Sweepstakes
  • Deals and Sales
  • My Freebie Pics
  • Contact Us
  • Write For Us
  • How To
    • Homemade Tire Shine and Other DIY Car Maintenance Tricks
    • Car Care On The Cheap
    • How To Make A Homemade Scrapbook
    • How to Remove Wax from a Glass Votive
    • How to Remove Wax from a Glass Votive
    • The Medicinal Spud
    • Cheap Way To Clean Car Headlights
    • The Difference Between Needs And Wants
    • 5 Easy Way to Come Up With Some Extra Cash
You are here: Home / Savings Tips / Learning from Grandma: Recapturing Frugal Ways

Learning from Grandma: Recapturing Frugal Ways

February 27, 2011 By Tamara L. Morris

In today’s times of rising costs, higher taxes and lower wages, it’s a good idea to take a look at our grandparents for ideas on how to survive. My grandparents all grew up during the Great Depression and were teenagers during World War II. They knew how to survive and stretch their pennies to make things work.

These are the things I have learned from my grandparents and now put into practice in order to survive in today’s troubling times–using a saying that my grandparents practiced well: Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without. You’ve heard that before haven’t you?

Use It Up

The concept of using it up means to use items until they have no use left in them. Don’t replace something until what you currently have just doesn’t cut it anymore. If your television is just getting old but still works, don’t get a new one. If your pots and pans or dishes are still in good shape, don’t replace them just because you want new ones or are tired of what you have. Try to make your car last as long as possible before thinking about a new one.

Wear It Out

I try to wear my jeans until they are falling apart. This serves a dual purpose–I am able to save the cost of buying a new pair and I am truly getting my money’s worth out of the jeans I have. Apply this idea to everything–from nail polish to clothing to furniture.

Sure, who doesn’t love the idea of new furniture but unless your furniture is falling apart there is no need to buy new. You can buy slipcovers at a fraction of the cost of new furniture or throw decorative blankets or quilts over furniture to give it a new look.

Make It Do

Who wouldn’t love the luxury of buying an all new wardrobe or a brand new lawn mower or some other item? When you live frugally, you just don’t do it. You make it work–if that means mending a blouse or hemming pants that are too long but were a bargain at the thrift store or working with the older computer that you already have–do what you can to “make it do.”

Do Without

Prioritize your needs. What do you really, really need? Do you need a new microwave or will the one you have suffice? Do you really need a new vacuum cleaner or do you just want a new one? Force yourself to wait before buying a new item–say, one week or even as long as 30 days. If you still really want the item after waiting then go for it, if you’ve forgotten about it by then, you probably didn’t really need it anyway.

Take a look at your lifestyle and figure out what you can do without. Do you really need to eat out and catch a movie every weekend? How about a home cooked meal and a DVD rental instead. Do you need a brand new outfit for Easter?

Take a few pointers from Grandma and Grandpa and learn to live more frugally. In the long run you will appreciate their wisdom today–even if you didn’t when you were younger.

Filed Under: Savings Tips

Comments

  1. Cindie says

    March 5, 2011 at 3:54 pm

    This is how we live for the most part. Up until we wanted cell phones we didn’t even have loans but with out them or a credit card you have no credit rating. So so we got some cards. Did some shopping bought a house a few vehicles on credit. Now we just owe two years on the house ( after owning for five) and everything else is going to be paid off in about 2 months …. I am so re leaved now I can go back to no bills except the electric, phones, sewer water garbage and gas! I wish they would charge us by the garbage can for garbage cause with the recycling we do and feeding what we don’t eat to the dogs or composting we really generate very little garbage! Some times we go 3 weeks with out a full can full! Evidently we did a good job as an example for our girls because they are both about in the same shape. No we are not millionaires but we have what we need. Do mostly what we want and live a very frugal life. Can’t wait for retirement as I know we will be just fine!

Get New Posts Via Email!

Freebies and Samples

Free Black Forest Organic Candy at Kroger & Affiliates

Free Black Forest Organic Candy at Kroger & Affiliates

Click here to get your freebie!

Free DSW Gift Card Giveaway with Quickly

Free DSW Gift Card Giveaway with Quickly

Click here to get your freebie!

Free Sample of Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover at Ulta

Free Sample of Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover at Ulta

Click here to get your freebie!

More Posts from this Category

Money Savings Tips

DIY Savings Tips | DIY Projects With Kids – Starry Night Lights

DIY Savings Tips | DIY Projects With Kids – Starry Night Lights

Are you looking for a simple buy awesome project to complete with your children? If so, you have to check out this DIY Starry Night Lights projector!

Extreme Coupon Clipping Tips For Any Busy Mom!

Extreme Coupon Clipping Tips For Any Busy Mom!

Extreme Coupon Clipping Tips ANY Busy Mom Could Use Busy moms often feel as though they don’t have enough time to invest in extreme coupon clipping and organizing! While it is true that extreme couponing can be a time-consuming process, it does not have to be! Here are a few quick tips for extreme coupon […]

Mothers Day Savings Tip | 3 MORE DIY Painted Flower Pots

Mothers Day Savings Tip | 3 MORE DIY Painted Flower Pots

  You Don’t Have to Be Mom-Of-The-Year to Make These Thumbprint Painted Flower Pots With Your Kids!! Mothers Day 2017 is just over 2 weeks away! Now is a great time to start thinking about the perfect gift for your mom. Or, perhaps you are going to be helping your grandchildren come up with a special gift […]

More Posts from this Category

Free Kindle Books

Free Kindle Ebooks | 13 FREE Kindle eBooks For Memorial Day

Free Kindle Ebooks | 13 FREE Kindle eBooks For Memorial Day

  Memorial Day weekend 2017 is just around the corner! Now is the perfect time to update your Kindle reading list with some awesome FREE books. Even MORE FREE Kindle eBooks PERFECT For Your Memorial Day Reading List Romance A Different Shade of Blue by Hildie McQueen (Romance / Westerns) Adventure Treasure Kills: Legends of Tsalagee […]

Freebies & Samples | FREE Amazon Kindle eBooks May 16 2017

Freebies & Samples | FREE Amazon Kindle eBooks May 16 2017

Is something very important missing from your life?? We know what it is… More books! If you own an Amazon Kindle, you can currently download these FREE books directly to your Kindle! FREE Amazon Kindle eBooks You’ll Want To Check Out for May 16 2017 Science Fiction Moon Wreck: Secrets of Ceres by Raymond L. Weil […]

Highly Rated FREE Amazon Kindle eBooks For May!

Highly Rated FREE Amazon Kindle eBooks For May!

You have to check out this list of FREE Amazon Kindle books that are currently available! These books are the best of the best when it comes to FREE Kindle books! Enjoy! Highly Rated, FREE Amazon Kindle eBooks For May Classics The Innocence of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton (Classics / Short Stories) William Shakespeare […]

More Posts from this Category

Categories

adult amazon deals baby bath beauty clothing contest cookbook coupons deals and sales discounts dvd expired food free apps freebies and free samples free kindle books games giveaway heads up health home instant win in store kids magazine miscellaneous movies music parents perfume personal care pets photos popular recipes reminders Savings Tips site swagbucks codes sweepstakes Sweepstakes and Contests target deals walmart deals womens

Recent Posts

  • Free U.S. Air Force Virtual Reality Viewer
  • Free Adult Swim Gift
  • Free Sample of Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover at Ulta

We're on Facebook!

friv

Copyright © 2019 samplestuff.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Sitemap · Contact