$avings $aturdays...Making More of Less

From the War Advertising Council 1943

 

On Monday, it was 61° at noon.  We were visiting a doctor out-of-town, so we were standing in line at the restaurant.  I commented to the lady in front of me that I didn’t expect to see a crowd there on a Monday, usually a light day for eating out.  She laughed and said she thought everyone was getting out because there was a freezing rain  advisory for Tuesday morning, and the rest of the week was going to be February cold, only in the twenties or less.  (The forecast was right!  It also snowed 4 inches on Thursday. )
I agreed, and said I thought I would get my shopping done on Monday too, while it was warm.  She replied that she was going to do that too, if she could afford it with much higher prices.  We talked about what was more expensive and in short supply…I mentioned plastic freezer bags which have doubled in price here recently and said I guess I would have to start rinsing them out and reusing them like Mom did.  

Next question…When did we stop doing those frugal things that we used to do when we first married? (Both of us are north of retirement age.)
She had the answer…”When we went to work!”  

I didn’t work the first few years I had a child but then went to work full-time when he was in school, as many other moms did who are our age.  We had less time at home and more money to spend…
We went through the “Jimmy Carter” era with sky-high (north of 18%) interest rates; and worked hard to get debt-free so we wouldn’t have to pay those rates.  Then retirees our age got hit with low interest rates which depleted our savings as we could no longer live on the interest.
We both are trying to think like Grandma again... "Use it up... Wear it out... Make it do... Or do without".
Sadly, it appears that our money isn’t ours anymore either; inflation is a tax on all of us.  We’re going to have to remember how to make “More of Less” again and actually practice those strategies.