Frugal Upstate

Use what you have, get creative and save!

  • Home
  • Cooking
  • DIY
  • Gardening
  • Repairs/Mending
  • Contact
  • About
    • Disclaimer
You are here: Home / Front Page Slider / Make Do and Mend — The Great Depression Philosophy

Make Do and Mend — The Great Depression Philosophy

May 6, 2016 By Jenn @ Frugal Upstate 6 Comments

If you talk about frugality and saving money for any amount of time, you will eventually wind up talking about the Great Depression.  It has become an iconic sign of a generation of people who were thrust into frugality by dire necessity rather than by choice.

Many of the lessons they learned we would do well to listen to and emulate.  The philosophy at the time was very much one of making do with what you had since most everyone was broke and credit as we know it today didn’t exist.  There is a famous saying that sums it up:

Make Do and Mend Quote

While I might not save every piece of twine in case I need it later (although I may have a large number of washed out glass jars and empty coffee cans in the basement) I do like to keep this general Great Depression philosophy in mind as I live my life.

Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do. . . or do without.

The whole thing is just so counter to our consumer society isn’t it?  The culture today seems to insist we need to buy the newest model, and to say that once an item starts looking worn or outdated it should be replaced–even if it is perfectly serviceable.  Every problem seems to be solved through a purchase–frequently of shoddily made or one time use items.

Now I’m all for buying something if it’s really needed, and buying quality at that (since I prefer one purchase of a better made item over multiple purchases over time of low quality goods that need frequent replacement). . . but I feel that a person should really consider the purchase first, and make sure it honestly is needed and fits in with their family’s goals.

All this is to say I’m going back to my frugal blogging roots here on Frugal Upstate.  In the last few years I haven’t spent as much time talking about all the little frugal things I do–even thought I continue to live my life frugally (as well as incorporating more and more sustainability and preparedness).

I’m making a commitment to share more little stories of all the ways I use things up, keep using them till they are worn out, get creative to make something I already have keep working or work to solve a problem. . . or just how I skip something all together.  And just for fun, in each post I’ll use the graphic above–but highlighted to show which part of the quote I am acting on.  Like this:

Wear it Out

So I hope you enjoy my future posts on how we “Make Do & Mend” here at the Frugal Upstate Village Homestead.

Want to see all of them?  Here are all the Make Do and Mend articles!

Save

Save

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Share on Facebook Share
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Google Plus Share
Share on Pinterest Share
Share on LinkedIn Share
Share on Digg Share

No related posts.

Filed Under: Front Page Slider, Frugal Living

Tweet
« Meal Plan 5/3
How to Build a Raised Garden Bed ~ Crafterday! »

Comments

  1. Crystal says

    May 6, 2016 at 3:11 pm

    Sounds interesting. I agree that the tendency often is to run out and buy things… when maybe we don’t even need something.
    We butter bread and lay it in the skillet to toast after our eggs are cooked . Have not used a toaster in a long long time . I like toast made in the skillet better !

    Reply
  2. Maria says

    May 7, 2016 at 7:03 am

    I’ve been trying to live this way for years as we recover from debt from some surgeries In our family. Most of the time it’s hard, but sometimes it is surprising how well things work out and you’ve saved quite a bit of money. It gives you appreciation for things you took for granted.

    Reply
  3. Mary Stump says

    May 7, 2016 at 7:40 am

    Just found your blog. We share frugal views on how we should be living. Can’t wait to see your future installments.

    Reply
  4. Sandy says

    May 7, 2016 at 10:11 am

    Love to hear it. I look forward to reading them. We can all learn new things or be reminded of old things. And, since frugality and environmentalism overlap by about 90percent frugality is a doubly good thing.

    Reply
  5. Cheryl says

    May 7, 2016 at 3:26 pm

    Love it!! Looking forward to it!

    Reply
  6. Millennial Moola says

    June 15, 2016 at 10:03 am

    My grandfather made it through the Great Depression after his family lost their farm to the bank. When he passed we found a bunch of cash stuff in random places aroun the house and in his vehicle. Incredible what years of famine will do to someone’s psyche

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow us

About Frugal Upstate

About Frugal Upstate

I’m Jenn –an Upstate NY wife, mom, blogger and veteran. I talk very fast, read constantly, take on too much and make plenty of mistakes. I’m a real person, not perfection. I love to talk about the frugal lifestyle, “Village Homesteading”, living a more sustainable lifestyle and being prepared for all the curves life throws at you.

Search

Free Email Updates:

Contributor at the Homestead Bloggers Network

The Motherboard
Blogger Outreach Made Easy Quantcast
Blog PR Wire Blog Network
Frugal Upstate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Copyright © 2019 · Designed by Design Junky · Hosted by New Blog Hosting

Copyright © 2019