I read that inflation is supposed to be 35% this year and more of an increase coming next year. What does that mean? To me, it says that I'[d better get into a Depression Mindset.
How can someone get into the mindset of a time that is long gone as well as most of the folks who lived it?
I remember my parents, in-laws and grandparent talking about how things were, how people survived back then. Times were tight, but most folks still gardened, still had a few animals, and were used to not having all kinds of modern conveniences. The web is full of stories and helpful hints as well, so we should be able to get into the mindset. I do know that Depression Era folks were the original recyclers! The term "use it up, make do, go without" were the words that many lived by.
I believe that a garden and preserving as much of your own food is one key to survival during a Depression. Other ways is to find folks who have what you want and find out what they want and perhaps trade or barter. I also suggest that you make a list of everything you spend money on and sit down with the family and go through the list to find ways to save money. Do you need 250 channels on the tv? Do you need the fancy phone plan? Is a new outfit for anyone really in the budget if food and heating costs are going up 35%?
Are you still able to feed and keep your family warm? That's great, but be prepared for cut backs. Those cutbacks might also mean that family members can't make ends meet and might need a place to live. It might mean that soon, you have to choose between heating and eating, or know folks that will. What if YOU are the one who looses a job? Can you make it on unemployment? If not, it's time to reduce, reuse and do without before it's too late. A little bit of prethought here can really help!
Go through your cupboards and menus (yes, even if you don't really make a firm menu, you still have a rough one in your head). Can you start making substitutions in ingredients? Can you eliminate items that you can do without? We eliminated fresh salads from our menu except during the summer when I can grow them myself. We also eliminated fresh fruit out of season and use home canned that I made myself. We have increased the garden and have purchased the proccessing equipment we need.
I challenge you all to find something in your budget and menu you can change!
5 comments:
Interesting post! I think more people need to think this way. Although I catch myself getting swayed by the "I need it now!" thinking, I try to keep the "depression" thinking most of the time.
I agree, the "I need it now" way of thinking is a habit we have all gotten into. I think my next post will be on this. Thanks for the idea!
Great post! And definitely something we all need to be working on a lot more.
Most of the time we do very well, but there's that occasion when we lose our senses and allow ourselves to be swept along with the rest of the consumer culture. What helps us is that we don't have a television, we don't subscribe to any magazines, and our girls are homeschooled ;).
I love the "use up, make do, do without" philosophy ;).
Agreed, lots of traps in the modern world. My mom would tell stories from when she was a kid, and we grew up with her way of stocking up goods, which I think came out of the Depression era too. Altho' I now use less paper than she does, so she's re-thinking that :D We use cloth towels for most things that need drying/cleaning up; paper towels are mostly for messes that we can't deal with having to put in the washer. So, maybe 1 roll/year?
Someday I want a little greenhouse, even if it's unheated -- you could start plants earlier, and have salad further into the winter too.
Heather G
Even an unheated greenhouse would be good! We are hoping to put one up next spring (though too late for real help) but we also have hoops I put over a couple of beds and can put plastic over that and grow a bit earlier.
Great work on the paper towels! I can get no where near that. However, you all are giving me some great ideas!
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