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Good Ole' Days?

October 24th, 2010 at 09:45 pm

Every so often folks sit down and starting remembering the "Good Ole' Days". And, often, these days of memory weren't so good when they were being lived, but a hard scrabble way of life.

But for many, there were life lessons learned that proved useful later in life.

I've mentioned before my folks grew up during the depression. The struggles they lived through -- going hungry, patched clothes, and doing without shaped their lives and then shaped mine. I fear for having an empty pantry in case something bad might happen -- this fear was learned through their hard lives and passed down to me.

But, I also think this fear also has made me frugal in life as well as appreciative to what I have.

I admit I spend money. Sometimes I go wild and I feel guilty when I do it. But, fortunately I have the means to do this without having to do without things.

But, looking back, some of those things that were in place years ago really did save money and make sense. Old fashioned? Perhaps.

There a quote I often think about:

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
— Boyd K. Packer

If more people did this, perhaps we wouldn't have the money troubles in the economy.

Yesterday we took the train to Chicago and on the way home, chose to buy a sandwich and a bottle of water for our supper instead of buying the pricey meal in the dining car. After finishing the water, I put the bottle in my bag to bring home to recycle. It made me think of growing up when soft drinks were served in glass bottles. When you bought the soda, you paid a deposit and when you returned the empty bottle, you received your deposit back. Talk about recycling! You didn't have to check the bottom to see if the recycling place would take it! And I maintain that a soda doesn't taste as good nowdays in plastic container or aluminum can as it did in an ice cold bottle!

Plus, we had the entertainment of looking at the bottom of the bottle. My dad worked for Coca Cola bottling company and at the bottom of the bottle would be stamped the name of the city the bottle had originally been bottled at the first time it was used. It became a contest to see who had a bottle from the furtherst place.

Today I made what I call "Clean out your kitchen lasagna." I can't give measurements for anything. I had half a pound of sausage that I had cooked with onions and bell peppers. I had bits and pieces of different cheeses. I had a partial container of cream, a partial container of sour cream, milk, leftover lasagna noodles, and a few grape tomatoes. So, I thought a casserole could be this lasagna. I did open a small can of tomato sauce since I didn't have enough tomatoes, but the white sauce was thickedn with some butter and flour and it looked pretty good. It's sitting the fridge with two other casseroles we will be enjoying this week after I get off work.

Maybe we can define the "good" in the "Good Ole Days" as the good learning that took place.

So, what are some ways you are using it up, wearing it out, making it do, or doing without?

6 Responses to “Good Ole' Days?”

  1. Ima saver Says:
    1287960817

    Well, my dh says I dress like a bag lady when I am home. I spend very little on clothes. I just wear jeans and shirts til I wear them out.

  2. rob62521 Says:
    1288016313

    Ima, I see nothing wrong with that. Why ruin your good clothes when you are doing stuff around the house?

  3. campfrugal Says:
    1288095898

    There was a great show on the other night about homesteading and when the government was giving away free land and the depression. It talk about how people made it through; or didn't. It was quite interesting. They came with all the money they had (usually around $2000/$2500 - a yearly salary); and had to make it work. Amazing.

  4. Jerry Says:
    1288391266

    My wife was just remembering some shoes that she literally wore until they fell apart, and that made us happy. (Plus, they were really cute shoes, which helped a lot... aesthetics count at our house.) I would rather have some insurance of an item that I can use effectively for years and years than something disposable. It usually leads to more satisfaction, I find, and you kind of develop a relationship with that inanimate object. =) Oh, and that is a great Packer quote. Thanks for the reminder.
    Jerry

  5. Jerry Says:
    1288391476

    My wife was just remembering some shoes that she literally wore until they fell apart, and that made us happy. (Plus, they were really cute shoes, which helped a lot... aesthetics count at our house.) I would rather hav

  6. rob62521 Says:
    1288446978

    Unfortunately most of the stuff made now days is not made to last, but is disposable.

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