Live like it is 1937

[mom-from-missouri]

We have a volunteer at the center who is in her mid 90's, sharp as a tack, and by all appearences looks and acts 65. She says its do to hard work and clean living. She likes to go over struggling families budgets to squeeze out every last penny that she can.
She first has them list every cent earned, saved, and found, as well as write down every bit spent. Also, they have to staple every receipt into the book on the page they listed that expense on. They do this for a month.

Then, she reviews it with them.

Yesterday she had an interesting one. She told the young couple, they needed to live like it was 1937. She photocopied their receipts, then started to highlight items she felt they could do away with--basically those not around in 1937.

She commented we live in too disposable of a world.

She crossed off:
disposable razors
disposable diapers
baby powder
cable tv
net flex
disposable baby bibs
laundry soap
new belt for the clothes dryer
many many food items
paper plates
styro cups
car wax
music cd
package of buttons
2 books
koolaide

She and her 97 year old husband are going to work with the couple several times a week and teach them to garden, sharpen and use a razor, make and use diapers, make baby powder from corn starch and more.

It will be interesting to see how this young couple follows along, living like it was 1937. I'll keep you all posted

[creditcardfree]

Very cool idea. I guess I would have to cross of the internet. Boo. Keep us updated!

[NetSkyBlue]

I'm sure this is much easier with some kind of support system (your elderly lady). I imagine if most people tried to do it on their own, they'd have tons of negative feedback from parents and peers. It's great to have someone encouraging you and celebrating your successes.

[bjl584]

That's an interesting concept. My Grandfather used to tell me stories about growing up. Going to the outhouse outback to go to the bathroom. Going to the chicken pen to get eggs. Milking the cow. Going to the local theater to see a picture show, with sound if you were lucky. It certainly was a different world. A much more frugal world where people were much more self sufficient than they are today.

[BuckyBadger]

I have to say -- I don't really agree with some of those, but if they are into it, I suppose that's what's important.

[bjl584]

I have to say -- I don't really agree with some of those, but if they are into it, I suppose that's what's important.

The one thing that does stick out is the belt for the clothes dryer. I suppose you could hang your clothes out on the line to dry them, but what do you do in the winter. I would argue that having a functioning clothes dryer is more of a necessity than it is a luxury.

[mom-from-missouri]

The one thing that does stick out is the belt for the clothes dryer. I suppose you could hang your clothes out on the line to dry them, but what do you do in the winter. I would argue that having a functioning clothes dryer is more of a necessity than it is a luxury.

This family is/was very very close to becoming homeless. In situations that bad, a home is more important than a dryer belt. Interesting enough, the day before they came in with their budget, someone donated 2 clothes posts and line to the center to pass on to someone in need. And clothes can also be hung in the basement to dry during winter or on rainy days. They were doing laundry at a friends, and bringing it home to dry.

The family already had their water turned off, and no propane in their tank (for heat, but heat isn't needed now). Since they had no water, that is why they were getting the paper plates and such. The water was turned off for $60 past due. One month of cable and netflicks and diapers would of caught them back up on the water bill. Electric was about to come off as well, but we have paid on that and made an arrangement with the electric co.

We also caught up their mortgage that they were behind on as well, which is only $400 a month. The man was laid off for 6 months and is now back to work. They will pay the center back for the mortgage-they signed an agreement with us. They already had a letter that if it wasn't paid by April 15 it would go to auction.

They had never been taught to save. Rather sad, but at least they asked for help before they were already on the street.

[disneysteve]

This is where The Tightwad Gazette is a great resource. Although a lot of her suggestions and methods are relatively extreme by today's standards, they do work. You won't starve or freeze or die of deprivation and you will definitely save money.

bjl584 - A dryer is a necessity? Really? People lived for many, many years without them. What do you do in the winter? Hang your clothes inside. My wife doesn't put most of her or DD's clothes in the dryer. She hangs them up inside year-round (she has allergies so hanging outside isn't an option - doesn't want her clothes covered with pollen). Years ago when we were more frugal, we hung almost everything. I might just toss stuff in the dryer after it was dry to soften them up a bit but otherwise, we hung them. We have two laundry lines in our basement, 2 drying racks for socks, underwear, etc., and jeans and pants get hung over the chairs in one room that we don't really use regularly. We do dry my shirts and pants because otherwise they are a wrinkled mess and ironing takes too much time but if we couldn't afford the dryer, we'd hang those too.

[bjl584]

bjl584 - A dryer is a necessity? Really?

To a certain extent, yes, I do think it's a necessity. If you don't have a large space to hang clothes or a large back yard, then you will need a dryer.

But, I was thinking more in terms of saving money. You can buy a dryer belt for $20 and put it on yourself. I'm going to go ahead and assume that the family in this story don't have the ability to do that and would have to pay a repair man to do it for them. That may cost several hundred dollars. In that case, leave the dryer broke and figure out a way to air dry your clothes.

[MonkeyMama]

I don't understand why you need a large space to dry clothes. I invested in a drying rack when I was 18 and didn't have a dryer. (We had a washer, but no dryer). I lived in a very small space. I still hang dry most my clothes, to this day. (They last longer). Towels/jeans I generally just throw in the dryer, but strikes me as no biggie to live without. The energy savings could be pretty decent for anyone that on the edge (plus one less appliance to maintain).

I am pretty lazy, but I guess having not had a dryer, I just don't find it a big deal. In fact, I prefer to hangg dry most things. I have never had a clothesline (keep thinking we should get one).

[bjl584]

I have never had a clothesline (keep thinking we should get one)

My Grandma used to have a clothes line outside. Air drying outside made everything stiff as a board and feel like sandpaper. Maybe she was doing something wrong, but I used to dread having to use a towel after showering there.

[BuckyBadger]

She crossed off:
disposable razors
disposable diapers
baby powder
cable tv
net flex
baby bibs
laundry soap
new belt for the clothes dryer
many many food items
paper plates
styro cups
car wax
music cd
package of buttons
2 books
koolaide

I'm assuming the buttons were to repair clothing that they already owned. I'm pretty sure they had buttons in 1937. Are they supposed to scavenge buttons off of other clothing?

They'll need a lot of room to hang stuff dry since they're going to need to wash diapers now. And they'll have to buy the cloth diapers. And how will they wash them without laundry soap?

A lot of those suggestions seem like common sense. But I feel like some of them are penny wise, pound foolish.

[BuckyBadger]

My Grandma used to have a clothes line outside. Air drying outside made everything stiff as a board and feel like sandpaper. Maybe she was doing something wrong, but I used to dread having to use a towel after showering there.

Whenever I've hung stuff to dry it always end up crunchy.

Certainly no one would tell them to go out and PURCHASE a dryer, but a $20 repair to a dryer they already own? Seems reasonable to me.

[bjl584]

Another one that I see on there is car wax. I wax my car twice a year. It helps protect the paint, and I consider it part of the maintence on my vehicle. I bought a jar of car wax 3 years ago for $7. It's still more than half full. Cutting out car wax virtually does nothing to your overall budget.

[bjl584]

Whenever I've hung stuff to dry it always end up crunchy.

Certainly no one would tell them to go out and PURCHASE a dryer, but a $20 repair to a dryer they already own? Seems reasonable to me.

That was my first thought. I've changed dryer belts. It's inexpensive and not that hard. But, a lot of people don't have the tools or ability to do a job like that. In a case of a family that is about to be homeless and would have to pay a repair man several hundred dollars to fix their dryer, then by all means, leave it broke and hang your clothes up to dry.