Redditors Share 30-Plus Frugal Tips Borrowed From Depression-Era Parents and Grandparents
Updated
Updated · Upworthy · May 26
Redditors Share 30-Plus Frugal Tips Borrowed From Depression-Era Parents and Grandparents
3 articles · Updated · Upworthy · May 26
Reddit users traded inherited money-saving habits after one poster asked which lessons from parents and grandparents still work today.
Depression- and wartime-era advice dominated the thread: reuse foil and jars, save scraps for stock, stretch leftovers, and avoid grocery trips until the fridge and freezer are nearly empty.
Other tips focused on spending discipline—compare unit prices, judge purchases by hours of work, pay bills on time, avoid debt, and save $5 to $10 first.
Utility and household habits also resurfaced, including line-drying clothes, repairing items, delaying heat until about 45 degrees, and driving gently to cut fuel use and wear.
The updated article argues those habits endure because they treat food, money, and household goods as limited resources rather than disposable conveniences.
If everyone adopted Depression-era frugality, could our modern consumer economy survive?
Does embracing a historical scarcity mindset to save money risk our modern mental well-being?
As Tom Hanks’ new WWII series premieres, will Depression-era skills become the next major lifestyle trend?