Comments on: Getting By During The Great Depression http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/ Our Family's Journey To Self Sufficiency Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:33:47 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ginny http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-15589 Ginny Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:34:28 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-15589 I truly enjoyed your blog and some of the comments were a surprise to me..I lived during the depression but never felt it like some, I was very young and didn't realize what was really happening! I was never hungry,and had warm clothes to wear...In those days we had "second hand stores", "Rag bags", and "wagon venders" Everyone used them so we never thought about it. A new item was at Christmas or Birthday's..wish I could tell my mom thanks..I had more than I realized. Ginny I truly enjoyed your blog and some of the comments were a surprise to me..I lived during the depression but never felt it like some, I was very young and didn’t realize what was really happening! I was never hungry,and had warm clothes to wear…In those days we had “second hand stores”, “Rag bags”, and “wagon venders” Everyone used them so we never thought about it.
A new item was at Christmas or Birthday’s..wish I could tell my mom thanks..I had more than I realized.
Ginny

]]> By: Ellen http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-11855 Ellen Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:51:09 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-11855 My grandmother told me that sometimes they ate mustard sandwiches too. My grandmother told me that sometimes they ate mustard sandwiches too.

]]> By: Laura http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-10247 Laura Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:23:08 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-10247 I knew I'd seen your $ (with line thru) somewhere, and although I have your blog in my favorites, couldn't remember where I'd seen it. This post about the depression, as well as the comments (the story about Oma is amazing) is really a challenge for us who have no idea what could happen. And still might possibly. I have been reading your posts about the difficulties you've experienced on your new homestead, and am thankful to glean from your modern day experiences. It is likely that our 'homestead' is not far off in the future, and I'm trying to learn what I can while still operating in our present situation. Many thanks- blessings on you and yours- Laura I knew I’d seen your $ (with line thru) somewhere, and although I have your blog in my favorites, couldn’t remember where I’d seen it.
This post about the depression, as well as the comments (the story about Oma is amazing) is really a challenge for us who have no idea what could happen. And still might possibly.
I have been reading your posts about the difficulties you’ve experienced on your new homestead, and am thankful to glean from your modern day experiences. It is likely that our ‘homestead’ is not far off in the future, and I’m trying to learn what I can while still operating in our present situation.
Many thanks- blessings on you and yours- Laura

]]> By: Tabatha http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-9567 Tabatha Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:40:00 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-9567 All I can say is WOW! I just started reading this blog and I've always been interested in how to save money and be frugal and the depression era. I'm 27 and totally self taught. I have taught myself how to cut corners and be thrifty. I have taught myself how to cook and manage my family on little money. Although, by some standards we live just below middle income, you would never know it by the vehicle we drive and the stuff that we have, yet we are never broke! Thank you so much for all these wonderful tips and I hope to read more!! :-) All my grandparents have passed away that lived the depression and I was all but too young to understand or even ask them anything. I wish I had been older. Thank you again for this wonderful blog! All I can say is WOW! I just started reading this blog and I’ve always been interested in how to save money and be frugal and the depression era. I’m 27 and totally self taught. I have taught myself how to cut corners and be thrifty. I have taught myself how to cook and manage my family on little money. Although, by some standards we live just below middle income, you would never know it by the vehicle we drive and the stuff that we have, yet we are never broke! Thank you so much for all these wonderful tips and I hope to read more!! :-) All my grandparents have passed away that lived the depression and I was all but too young to understand or even ask them anything. I wish I had been older. Thank you again for this wonderful blog!

]]> By: Kootenay Annie http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-6040 Kootenay Annie Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:13:05 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-6040 Yes, there are many things our parents did to stretch a dollar. My Dad and his brother's and Sister didn't wear shoes in the summer at all. They put cardboard on the inside of their shoes when they wore through to make them last a little longer. They also polished them to keep them looking and wearing better, and they got new soles and heels when they needed them, not new shoes. Shoes were passed down in the family as were other items of clothing, and clothes were patched. You had a good set of clothes, and work clothes, your good clothes became you work clothes when your work clothes wore out ( and in the depression you just might not get any good clothes). Collars and cuffs on shirts, dresses, and blouses were turned, so the good side was out, the worn side was patched. Pockets were put on to cover a patch and to make the garment more usable. Aprons were used to protect the clothing underneath. Sweaters that wore out were taken apart and the wool re-worked into other knitted items. People took pride in how well they could make a patch, and how neat it looked. Coats and other items of better clothing were taken apart when they wore out and turned and made into a new coat for a child. A man's suit would be reworked and made into a ladies suit ( especially for a smaller woman) or a young boy. Mothers trained their children to the toilet much younger, even little babies would be held over a pottie after they ate ( or at a time they usually went to the bathroom) so that they didn't wet or dirty so many diapers. ( after the second world war there was a large shortage of all baby items for a couple of years, that diapers were very hard to come by, disposable diapers were unheard of!). Up north, the Eatons catalogue was used as toilet paper, so was soap and water and a rag! you washed your own rag out after you used it so it was ready for next time!!. That brings me to water. If you didn't have running water you had to haul it from a well, pump or creek, you didn't waste it either, that used water went to the garden to help grow your vegetables! laundry water often was used to wash the floor. There were many, many ways to save not just money, but time and supplies as well. People got together to make their own entertainment, there just wasn't tv, computers, disc players and on and on. Pot lucks were "dinner out", socials. I remember a church putting on a Seniors afternoon, and they served raisin bread, thinlly sliced, and just a scrape of butter on it, and tea ( I just don't remember coffee at theses events at all although it probably was, but my Grandma and Mom were tea drinkers.) I remember Mom saying for some of the Seniors that might be all they ate that day. ( we went home to soup for supper, cause my Dad was working!). Mom helped serve at the Church Seniors days, and Grandma visited many friends and had such a good time with them, her highlight of the week. I played with other kids under the table and no one got mad at us, there were allways kids to play with, and we just played, we didn't have toys, we played all sorts of invented games, I spy, tag ( it the space was big enough and we could be away from the adults) hide and seek, we just had fun. I don't remember any fights, If someone acted up their Mom or Grandma took them out and Lord help them, they actually got a spanking on the bum, or taken home and put to bed. Their parents weren't mean, they were parents and commanded respect, as did the teachers, and preachers. Well, I'm going on too much. I miss those days very much, they were good days. I remember Mom saying she had 11 cents till pay day. She went to the corner store and bought some yeast and made bread, and buns and then rolled some bread dough out thin and put on some hamberger mixture she cooked up with onions, and veggies, then put it on the bread dough rolled it up and cooked it like cinnamon rolls. She made a gravey out of the hamberger mixtrue residue and poured it over the buns, served with mashed potatoes that was our supper and it was good. I remember Dad saying it was really good and could we have that again another day! Mom was just beaming with pride. This is memorable because my Grandma was a good cook, but my Mother wasn't. Grandma lived with us and I never thought anything about it, everyone had their Grandparents living with them , sometimes their Aunts and Uncles too, but ours all live 1/2 a continent away. And that's another item, you wrote letters, you didn't pick up a phone ( you probably didn't even have one) and phone someone. Yes, there are many things our parents did to stretch a dollar. My Dad and his brother’s and Sister didn’t wear shoes in the summer at all. They put cardboard on the inside of their shoes when they wore through to make them last a little longer. They also polished them to keep them looking and wearing better, and they got new soles and heels when they needed them, not new shoes. Shoes were passed down in the family as were other items of clothing, and clothes were patched. You had a good set of clothes, and work clothes, your good clothes became you work clothes when your work clothes wore out ( and in the depression you just might not get any good clothes). Collars and cuffs on shirts, dresses, and blouses were turned, so the good side was out, the worn side was patched. Pockets were put on to cover a patch and to make the garment more usable. Aprons were used to protect the clothing underneath. Sweaters that wore out were taken apart and the wool re-worked into other knitted items. People took pride in how well they could make a patch, and how neat it looked. Coats and other items of better clothing were taken apart when they wore out and turned and made into a new coat for a child. A man’s suit would be reworked and made into a ladies suit ( especially for a smaller woman) or a young boy.
Mothers trained their children to the toilet much younger, even little babies would be held over a pottie after they ate ( or at a time they usually went to the bathroom) so that they didn’t wet or dirty so many diapers. ( after the second world war there was a large shortage of all baby items for a couple of years, that diapers were very hard to come by, disposable diapers were unheard of!).
Up north, the Eatons catalogue was used as toilet paper, so was soap and water and a rag! you washed your own rag out after you used it so it was ready for next time!!.
That brings me to water. If you didn’t have running water you had to haul it from a well, pump or creek, you didn’t waste it either, that used water went to the garden to help grow your vegetables! laundry water often was used to wash the floor.
There were many, many ways to save not just money, but time and supplies as well. People got together to make their own entertainment, there just wasn’t tv, computers, disc players and on and on. Pot lucks were “dinner out”, socials. I remember a church putting on a Seniors afternoon, and they served raisin bread, thinlly sliced, and just a scrape of butter on it, and tea ( I just don’t remember coffee at theses events at all although it probably was, but my Grandma and Mom were tea drinkers.) I remember Mom saying for some of the Seniors that might be all they ate that day. ( we went home to soup for supper, cause my Dad was working!). Mom helped serve at the Church Seniors days, and Grandma visited many friends and had such a good time with them, her highlight of the week. I played with other kids under the table and no one got mad at us, there were allways kids to play with, and we just played, we didn’t have toys, we played all sorts of invented games, I spy, tag ( it the space was big enough and we could be away from the adults) hide and seek, we just had fun. I don’t remember any fights, If someone acted up their Mom or Grandma took them out and Lord help them, they actually got a spanking on the bum, or taken home and put to bed. Their parents weren’t mean, they were parents and commanded respect, as did the teachers, and preachers.
Well, I’m going on too much. I miss those days very much, they were good days. I remember Mom saying she had 11 cents till pay day. She went to the corner store and bought some yeast and made bread, and buns and then rolled some bread dough out thin and put on some hamberger mixture she cooked up with onions, and veggies, then put it on the bread dough rolled it up and cooked it like cinnamon rolls. She made a gravey out of the hamberger mixtrue residue and poured it over the buns, served with mashed potatoes that was our supper and it was good. I remember Dad saying it was really good and could we have that again another day! Mom was just beaming with pride. This is memorable because my Grandma was a good cook, but my Mother wasn’t. Grandma lived with us and I never thought anything about it, everyone had their Grandparents living with them , sometimes their Aunts and Uncles too, but ours all live 1/2 a continent away. And that’s another item, you wrote letters, you didn’t pick up a phone ( you probably didn’t even have one) and phone someone.

]]> By: Denise http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-5871 Denise Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:45:26 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-5871 I grew up having to help my dad roll newspaper logs to burn during winter. I still do it today with my kids to heat the wood stove. We don't get the newspaper so we collect the neighborhood's papers and take them home and roll them into log sizes to burn along with wood to conserve. I just use a broom handle and feed sheet after sheet until it is the right size then use two strips of masking tape to seal it. I have seen newspaper log rollers from the 1930's and earlier on ebay but have never tried those. I grew up having to help my dad roll newspaper logs to burn during winter. I still do it today with my kids to heat the wood stove. We don’t get the newspaper so we collect the neighborhood’s papers and take them home and roll them into log sizes to burn along with wood to conserve. I just use a broom handle and feed sheet after sheet until it is the right size then use two strips of masking tape to seal it. I have seen newspaper log rollers from the 1930’s and earlier on ebay but have never tried those.

]]> By: Debbie in PA http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-923 Debbie in PA Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:33:10 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-923 Still looking for my "depression era" stuff, but I just read something I wanted to share. The Jan/Feb issue of AARP had an interview of the late Studs Terkel (love his name) entitled "Hope Dies Last". In the interview, he recounts his own experiences during the Great Depression. He talks about how some people couldn't cope, while others with greater woes could. The interview ends with this: <strong>"The lessons of the Great Depression? Don't blame yourself. Turn to others. Take part in the community. The big boys are not that bright." (meaning that those in charge don't necessarily have all the answers) "Hope dies last--'La esperenza meure ultima' Without hope, you can't make it. And so long as we have that hope. we'll be okay. Once you become active helping others, you feel alive. You don't feel 'It's my fault'. You become a different person. And others are changed,too." Still looking for my “depression era” stuff, but I just read something I wanted to share. The Jan/Feb issue of AARP had an interview of the late Studs Terkel (love his name) entitled “Hope Dies Last”. In the interview, he recounts his own experiences during the Great Depression. He talks about how some people couldn’t cope, while others with greater woes could.

The interview ends with this:

“The lessons of the Great Depression? Don’t blame yourself. Turn to others. Take part in the community. The big boys are not that bright.” (meaning that those in charge don’t necessarily have all the answers)

“Hope dies last–’La esperenza meure ultima’ Without hope, you can’t make it. And so long as we have that hope. we’ll be okay. Once you become active helping others, you feel alive. You don’t feel ‘It’s my fault’. You become a different person. And others are changed,too.”

]]> By: Siska http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-912 Siska Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:08:52 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-912 Hi Kendra! There's a great book I highly recommend for girls and grownups alike.:) It's called Kitt Kiddridge from the American Girl. There is a movie out on this you can rent but you'd miss out on so much if you don't read it instead. My dad is from Holland. He was born under Nazi occupation while Opa (dutch for grandpa) was away to the labor camps in Germany. Oma had to make do with out a lot! She even had to do without her husband! She used potato peelings for bread and became very close to neighbors so they could take care of each other. Most of all she had to come to rely upon the Lord for all her needs; temporarily and spiritually. Of course, she said she cried many a nights to just let out the bad feelings so that she could make room for good ones. There wasn't much to eat, but she said that she would go out when she could to see how others were doing as that would help to take away the pang of hunger from her and her babies. A favorite family story about her goes like this; She was pregnant with twins (including my dad)when the nazi's came and took away Opa. She was left alone with just her young son and 2 unborn babies. A few weeks later, she started labor. There was a curfew restriction and restriction on how far they were allowed to travel. It was night and the neighbors knew nothing about delivering a baby. They feared she would have to deliever on her own and without help. She decided that she was not going to allow others decide her and her babies' fates. She left her young son with the neighbors and walked the 5 miles to the nearest hospital. She had the look in her face that no one dared try to stop her or interject with her. LOL Can you just imagine what that look must've been? :) She got to the hospital and almost immediately, delivered twins. She stayed for a day and decided she had enough. She got dressed and went to pick up her babies. She was told that she could take the one but the other had to stay behind. The hospital promised they would call her when the other baby was ready to be picked up. So, she went home and took care of the new baby. She still worried about her other one though. After 3 days, and no phone call, she decided a trip to the hospital was in order. She again left her young son and new baby with the neighbors and went to the hospital. She arrived and went immediately to the pediactric ward. To her shock and dismay, there was a whole floor of babies there dying from starvation of food and attention. She asked the nurse why they were not being feed and cared for. The nurse replied that the Nazis had said they were enemies and therefore were not given food. Oma found her son emancipated and at death's door. She said that you could see right through his skin. Oma was horrified! She picked up her son as only a mother could. She told the nurse that she was going to take her baby home. A nearby Nazi soldier intervened and told her that if she attempted to take her baby home they would shoot her. Oma squared up her shoulders and told this Nazi,"Watch me!" She shoved the soldier aside and walked right out the door. That baby was my dad. Obviously he lived and thanks to a woman of courage and faith. :) Siska Hi Kendra!

There’s a great book I highly recommend for girls and grownups alike.:) It’s called Kitt Kiddridge from the American Girl. There is a movie out on this you can rent but you’d miss out on so much if you don’t read it instead.

My dad is from Holland. He was born under Nazi occupation while Opa (dutch for grandpa) was away to the labor camps in Germany. Oma had to make do with out a lot! She even had to do without her husband! She used potato peelings for bread and became very close to neighbors so they could take care of each other. Most of all she had to come to rely upon the Lord for all her needs; temporarily and spiritually. Of course, she said she cried many a nights to just let out the bad feelings so that she could make room for good ones. There wasn’t much to eat, but she said that she would go out when she could to see how others were doing as that would help to take away the pang of hunger from her and her babies.
A favorite family story about her goes like this;
She was pregnant with twins (including my dad)when the nazi’s came and took away Opa. She was left alone with just her young son and 2 unborn babies.
A few weeks later, she started labor. There was a curfew restriction and restriction on how far they were allowed to travel. It was night and the neighbors knew nothing about delivering a baby. They feared she would have to deliever on her own and without help. She decided that she was not going to allow others decide her and her babies’ fates. She left her young son with the neighbors and walked the 5 miles to the nearest hospital. She had the look in her face that no one dared try to stop her or interject with her. LOL Can you just imagine what that look must’ve been? :)

She got to the hospital and almost immediately, delivered twins. She stayed for a day and decided she had enough. She got dressed and went to pick up her babies. She was told that she could take the one but the other had to stay behind. The hospital promised they would call her when the other baby was ready to be picked up.

So, she went home and took care of the new baby. She still worried about her other one though. After 3 days, and no phone call, she decided a trip to the hospital was in order. She again left her young son and new baby with the neighbors and went to the hospital.

She arrived and went immediately to the pediactric ward. To her shock and dismay, there was a whole floor of babies there dying from starvation of food and attention. She asked the nurse why they were not being feed and cared for. The nurse replied that the Nazis had said they were enemies and therefore were not given food. Oma found her son emancipated and at death’s door. She said that you could see right through his skin. Oma was horrified! She picked up her son as only a mother could. She told the nurse that she was going to take her baby home. A nearby Nazi soldier intervened and told her that if she attempted to take her baby home they would shoot her. Oma squared up her shoulders and told this Nazi,”Watch me!” She shoved the soldier aside and walked right out the door. That baby was my dad. Obviously he lived and thanks to a woman of courage and faith. :)

Siska

]]> By: Ohhollyf http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-882 Ohhollyf Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:13:21 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-882 Kendra, I luv this subject as well, i kinda like the newspaper idea. My great-grandma would save all her lunch-sized bags in a draw, it was so neat and tidy. she lived through the depression, but didn't talk about it......although she would be the first family member to buy me whatever new trend was out, Jordache jeans, Nike shoes, etc.. Then she would sew me toys, a baby banket for my doll, a life sized Raggy Ann, and she knit a babydoll puppet also. She would always have a slice of bread in her cookie tins, to keep them fresh. And she was wonderful ! Kendra, I luv this subject as well,
i kinda like the newspaper idea.
My great-grandma would save all her lunch-sized bags in a draw, it was so neat and tidy. she lived through the depression, but didn’t talk about it……although she would be the first family member to buy me whatever new trend was out, Jordache jeans, Nike shoes, etc..
Then she would sew me toys, a baby banket for my doll, a life sized Raggy Ann, and she knit a babydoll puppet also.
She would always have a slice of bread in her cookie tins, to keep them fresh.
And she was wonderful !

]]> By: Lanna http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/04/getting-by-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-679 Lanna Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:39:04 +0000 http://newlifeonahomestead.com/?p=922#comment-679 I'd love to know what books you've been able to find... my local library system seems to be a bit low on depression-era books and info (and I don't think my 3 kids would sit still long enough for me to play bingo at the senior center to try and wheedle stories/advice out of folks). I’d love to know what books you’ve been able to find… my local library system seems to be a bit low on depression-era books and info (and I don’t think my 3 kids would sit still long enough for me to play bingo at the senior center to try and wheedle stories/advice out of folks).

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