I recently have been spending more time with my grandma. Besides the great company, I have also learned a few “old-time” ways of saving around the house. She grew up during the Depression so she has a very different mindset than my own (mid-twenties). When I started applying some of her methods (along with ones I’ve picked up on my own) I’ve been able to cut down on costs that were actually really quite easy and simple to put into effect.
Here are some of those “old-time” ways of saving I picked up from her…
Use your local resources
We’ve all have gotten into this habit of going out of our way to find the best deals. The problem is that the $50 you may be saving on a new item may only actually come to be $20 (or less) after you figure gas and transit time. Plus, what if you could have done without? Now you’re spending money on things you really didn’t need.
The people growing up during the Depression did a great deal to save money. Mainly, they hunkered down and worked around their local resources, so you went to the local farmers market, you bartered, you found work around the neighborhood, and took care of each other.
Sure, sometimes there are particular items that may come at a premium depending on your location and the culture, but for the most part the local offering is going to be greatly cheaper especially since you could barter with the individual (because they may be someone you know or within your extended network).