Want to save money and pay off debt? Try living like your grandparents.
7 things I learned from grandma about frugal living
I was one of those lucky kids whose grandparents were always present in my life. My brothers and IĀ visitedĀ them at least once a week, and weĀ oftenĀ spent the night.Ā Little did I know at the time,Ā my childhood brain wasĀ soaking upĀ subtle messages about money thatĀ Iād benefit from later in life.
There were many mornings at Grandmaās house when I awoke to birds singing from the trees near the open bedroom window. It was a peaceful awakening, unlike the jarring buzzers and alarms that jolt me from sleep as an adult.
One such morning, I padded barefoot down the hallway into the kitchen, where myĀ grandmaĀ was preparing bowls of oatmeal for me and my two brothers. OurĀ mealĀ came from a big cardboard canister, notĀ expensiveĀ single-portion packets.Ā I thought nothing of the price of oatmeal that day, havingĀ no idea that theĀ grain she mixed with butter,Ā milk and sugar for my breakfast cost next to nothing.
Itās probably the feeling of safety, security, and love I felt that morning that keeps the memory so vividĀ decades later. However, the oatmeal lesson wasnāt completely lost on me, either. When moneyās tight, oatmeal isĀ stillĀ oneĀ of my go-toĀ foodsĀ for breakfast.
Maybe you learnedĀ someĀ frugal living tipsĀ from your own grandparents. But evenĀ if your grandma was a hard-drinking gambler who declared bankruptcy,Ā you can still benefit from myĀ grandmotherāsĀ wisdom.
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1. BeansĀ go a long, long way
My grandma, who grew up poor in the South andĀ had to useĀ food ration couponsĀ during World War II, knew how to make foodĀ stretch. SheĀ always had a big pot of bean soup and cornbread on hand, whichĀ canĀ get you through a lean week without sacrificing protein.Ā With every batch, dish out portions to freezeĀ for later.
2. ScanĀ theĀ weekly groceryĀ ads
Grandma was always on the lookout for a good sale.Ā Thatās whyĀ she perused theĀ daily newspaperās food sectionĀ on a regular basis.Ā I do the same thing now,Ā saving at least $20 a weekĀ on my grocery bill withĀ meat and produce salesĀ andĀ coupons.
Not everyone reads the newspaper now. To save money on your groceries, check out Debt.com's coupon section.Ā
3. Earn cash with a side hustle
My grandma had aĀ side hustle before side hustles were cool. My grandfather worked, but Grandma tacked babysitting fliers up on grocery store and laundromat bulletin boards for some cash of her own. Over the years, she saved babysitting money for holiday presents, pricey appliances, vacations and anything else she needed.
4. Check out the clearance rack
Grandma worked hard for that babysitting money, and she knew it would go a lot further if she waited until clothing or other items went on sale. Now that trait is ingrained in both me and my mom, who bought me one of my favorite shirts for $1Ā off the clearanceĀ tableĀ at a department store.
5. Find out whatās in that junky-looking store
Grandma loved toĀ shopĀ atĀ a little storeĀ that soldĀ unclaimed freight, aĀ bunch of stuff thatĀ got rejectedĀ or lostĀ and spilledĀ intoĀ the aisles ofĀ aĀ mom-and-popĀ placeĀ on the sketchy side of town.Ā YouĀ can findĀ householdĀ itemsĀ like toiletries, appliances, toysĀ and even foodĀ forĀ slashedĀ pricesĀ at little out-of-the-way places.
6. Grow your own veggies
Maybe itās the SouthernĀ roots,Ā butĀ both sets ofĀ grandparentsĀ had gardensĀ where they grew green beans, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, strawberries, you name it. ThenĀ GrandmaĀ would can and freezeĀ muchĀ of it forĀ future use. Do I do all that? No. But IĀ doĀ have two cherry tomato plantsĀ that I bought on sale at Loweās this spring,Ā thrivingĀ on my patioĀ this summerĀ to help save money on salads.
7. Weekly meal prepĀ is smart
My grandparents' refrigeratorĀ wasĀ consistentlyĀ crammedĀ with food.Ā I could always grab a piece of chicken,Ā a bit of salad or coleslaw, a boiled egg or even just a slice of lunch meat.Ā Taking time toĀ prepare a weekās worth ofĀ food to have on hand keeps you fromĀ spendingĀ money on fast food and take-out meals when you donāt have time to cook.Ā Meal prep also reducesĀ food waste.
CallĀ herĀ what you will,Ā Grandma, Nana,Ā GrammyĀ orĀ Mamaw,Ā the elder that spoiled youĀ knowsĀ a thing or two aboutĀ stretching a dollar.Ā So, get your vintage on and shop like Grandma.Ā Just donāt hold up theĀ cashierāsĀ lineĀ byĀ writingĀ a check.
This article by Deb Hipp was originally published on Debt.com.Ā
Hi, this is Deb Hipp, and I write about all kinds of ways to stretch a dollar. Check out my column, 7 Things I Learned From Grandma About Frugal Living.
My grandmother grew up poor. So she gave me a wealth of good advice ā much of it about money. Here are a few tips:
- Eat beans. Theyāre cheap, tasty, and a healthy source of protein.
- Read a newspaper. Actually read the ads, specifically, the grocery offers ā I save $20 a week that way.
- Clear out the clearance rack. Sure, most of it is junk but score a deal on anything thatās not.
I learned many more lessons from grandma. Read about them at Debt.com
Published by Debt.com, LLC
