20 Money-Saving Tips From the Great Depression We Can Use Today

Cassandra Smet
by Cassandra Smet

I want to cover money-saving tips from the Great Depression because they're crucial for a frugal lifestyle. I think there's something so beautiful about what that era taught people, such as using everything and being mindful of spending and waste. I want to go over 20 tips from the Great Depression.

1. Making your cleaning products

This is something that I do. I make homemade cleaners, test homemade cleaners, and find different recipes instead of just mixing different cleaners from the store.


2. Grow a herb garden

We've had small container herb gardens out on the deck in the past, but I will also use a dehydrator once we grow all of our herbs this year so I can use them throughout the year.


3. Use a dab

This means using enough lotion, shampoo, and shaving cream and not having a ton of excess you don't need. Use what you need to wash your hands or brush your teeth instead of wasting products.


4. Learn basic sewing

This is something that I did while we were stationed out at Fort Drum. I took a class and learned basic sewing, a skill that has so much value. There are also YouTube videos that teach you how to sew.

Growing your own food

5. Grow a garden

A garden is one way to become self-sufficient when it comes to food. We are expanding the garden this year and trying to grow and preserve more. You'll have a great start, even if it's just container gardening. 


6. Learn how to make the most of produce

Making the most of your product is important. You ensure you're using or preserving it by freezing, drying, or canning it. Learn new recipes that use what you have.


7. Buy the whole chicken

I can feed my family for three days from a whole chicken. Plus, I will be able to make bone broth from chicken bones and feed my family one or two more times. 

Buying meat with bones in

8. Buy the bones

Buy your meat with the bones in it. I read that any chef will tell you that the bone in the cut of meat always tastes better. It's harder to dry out, which is true. You can often use the bones in soups for an additional meal.


9. Be mindful of your electric use

I feel like I'm constantly running throughout the house throughout the day, shutting off lights. Electric bills are high, so any way that you can cut your electric use can save you money.


10. Be mindful of your water usage

Turn the water off when you're brushing your teeth. You don't need to leave it running the whole time. Saving water saves you money.


11. Pay cash

We paid cash for all of our big kitchen appliances. We didn't put them on credit, even if it meant hand-washing dishes to wait for a sale on a dishwasher.


When I go into a store for something that is a necessity, I take just the cash I need. I am not tempted to buy anything else because I had a limited amount of money.  


12. Learn canning

Learn how to preserve your fresh fruit and vegetables. Learning canning will avoid waste and allow you to stock up your pantry. 


13. Save the scraps

Many people use scrap bones to make bone broth. Instead of using whole carrots and whole onions that you will strain out of the bone broth, use scraps. Save onion peels, onion tops, carrot tops, and carrot peels, and freeze the scraps for making beef or vegetable stock.  


14. Learn how to upcycle furniture

People are learning how to flip furniture as a side hustle and also learning how to give an old piece of furniture a facelift and make it look pretty again instead of throwing it away


15. Make your own gifts

You can make dolls for kids and candles or make homemade bath and beauty products. There are tons of tutorials online for a gift for every person in your life.


16. Use natural remedies 

We have excellent health insurance, so we get checked out at the doctor's office to play it safe if we're sick. Along with that is a co-pay. Lately, we have used natural remedies alongside modern medicine to save on doctor visits for minor issues.


17. DIY

Don't pay someone else to do things if you are capable of it doing it yourself

Money-saving tips from the Great Depression

We've done many house projects over the last three or four years we've lived in our home. We put in all the flooring ourselves. We did all the painting and landscaping. We've only paid for driveway paving because that's something that we were not capable of doing ourselves. 


18. Don't spend blindly

One way I cut out impulse buys is I don't go into stores. Unfortunately, spending money online is too convenient, so I took out all my credit and debit card information from online stores. Now it is much more inconvenient to buy things online because I have to get the card and type in all the card information every time. 


19. Use everything up

Use every last drop of shampoo, or squeeze out the last toothpaste. Don't buy something new unless the old one is used up or worn out. It's tempting to keep up with others and get new things because somebody else did. It's wasteful and keeps you from getting the things you want.


20. Buy re-usable products instead of disposable

Napkins, cups, plates, paper towels, and so on are expensive one-use items. Buying products that last for multiple uses will save you money over time.


Money-saving tips from the Great Depression

Saving money in the Depression era never went out of style. Frugal living is a way of life for many people, so using money-saving tips from the Great Depression can help you live a frugal lifestyle. What frugal living tips do you have that save you money? Share in the comments below.

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 2 comments
  • Rachel Quihuis Rachel Quihuis on May 21, 2023

    Your ideas are great, if everyone would do most of this, I am sure we would live

    more happily .

  • Kj peterson Kj peterson on May 22, 2023

    Saving money can be like a game! To save time and money on coffee, try putting a teaspoon of instant coffee in your coffee maker basket and perk it with 6 cups of water. Easy! And no grounds!

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