Embrace Granny’s Timeless Frugal Living Hacks for a Simpler Life

One of my prized possessions is a book of old family photos and mementos from the 1930’s and 40’s. How I feel about the stories and knowing the faces of the people I come from is a topic for another article. Today, I’m thinking more about how different life was and how much we’ve changed as a society.

One obvious difference is the relative prosperity we enjoy today compared to life back then. The average home in the US back in 1940 was 1,600 square feet and housed nearly 5 people in it. Today, the average new home is 2,500 square feet and has fewer than 3 people living in it.

Along with an increase in wealth has come a major shift in our values. For example, many of us don’t think twice about throwing something away and replacing it when it breaks. We’ve also become comfortable with instant gratification and short-term pleasures rather than delaying our enjoyment for something greater in the future.

This isn’t meant to be some old-man, curmudgeonly rant about everything being better in the good old days. Those days had their own problems, to be sure. I’m just saying that society has changed, and in some ways, it might be helpful to look back for inspiration.

A simpler, more frugal life could be just what you need to cultivate more meaning and satisfaction. In the rest of this article I’ll be sharing timeless frugal living tips from a bygone era. Consider adopting them for their primary value, rather than the fact that they happen to save you money along the way.

Cook at home and make it from scratch.

It’s hard to imagine today, but just 3 generations ago, with a few notable exceptions, most meals were being prepared at home with mostly whole ingredients. The convenience of pulling packaged foods off the shelf and even boxes of pre-prepared foods is a fairly new invention. While it’s great that we have this option, many of us now rely on it entirely. I think we’re missing out on a lot of satisfaction that comes from learning to cook more from scratch, while also keeping meals simple and avoiding the temptation to eat out too often.

Eat your leftovers.

I wish I could say I had perfectly frugal habits, but I don’t. One of the biggest areas for growth in my life is in not letting food go to waste. There’s something about me that finds eating leftovers boring and unappealing. I’m on a mission to change that, though. I want to see food as a gift from God and appreciate it for what it is rather than seeking to upgrade every possible experience in my life.

Hang your clothes to dry.

Another area I need to grow in is in my mindset towards chores. I think of them as something to get through as quickly as possible so I can get back to the things I want to do. And that’s a perfectly fine approach. But what if we approached chores with a different frame of mind altogether? Instead of trying to get them done as fast as possible, what if we looked for ways to make them more enjoyable so that they are a part of our best life, not an interruption of it. Along those lines, I think hanging laundry to dry could be a more leisurely approach that has the benefit of being frugal as well.

Keep your home cooler in the winter.

My grandparents used to keep their home pretty cold in the winter. I still remember going to bed at their house and piling on lots of blankets to stay warm. I never asked them to turn the heat on more, because there was something comfortable and cozy about the cold air and being surrounded by all those blankets. As an adult, I’ve tried to keep the heat lower in the winter, and there’s no doubt it saves you money on heating, but I also love that it challenges me to find enjoyment in the simple pleasures of warming up by pulling on a sweatshirt or wrapping up in a nice comfy blanket.

Drive modest, fuel efficient cars.

I’m in no position to tell others what they should drive, but one of the choices I’ve made along with my wife is to drive older, used cars in order to have more money to prioritize other things we value with more. Not only do these cars have lower monthly payments, but they are more likely to get better gas mileage, have cheaper insurance, and cost less to repair. Besides those many benefits, we find that driving an old car helps us to keep our pride in check. There’s something about pulling up to a friend or a store in a “nice” car that makes you feel good about yourself even if you didn’t actually do anything to earn it.

Use what you have instead of buying new.

I’m convinced that one of the reasons we love spending money is that it’s a way to solve problems and take control of our lives. When something breaks, or when we have a need around the house, we can simply buy something new to fix it. Or if an object in our life becomes slightly inconvenient, there’s probably a product on Amazon to make it easier. But one of the timeless lessons I’ve learned from “granny” is the pleasure of making do with what you have. It’s a kind of simple living minimalism that has you looking around and getting the most out of the things you already own.

Buy quality tools and repair things yourself.

Even though my family owned and operated a metal forge business, I didn’t learn the value of using my hands until much later in life. As a teenager and young man, I didn’t have an appreciation for building and fixing things, and so I didn’t have the curiosity to learn. Thankfully, I’ve found great pleasure from learning these things as an adult, but it’s a much slower process when you have so many other responsibilities pulling at you. Don’t wait! Every time you fix something yourself, it’s money you didn’t spend, and another tool and skill you have to your name.

Maintain your health by walking daily.

I’m still figuring out the best ways to stay healthy as I age. I used to play lots of sports, but the guys I played with all got older, had families, and we don’t play nearly as much. These days I have a gym membership, and I enjoy lifting weights, but I’m always on the lookout for more outdoor hobbies that will keep me active. But one thing I can say for sure, walking has been a great blessing in my life. When I’m tired or bored, there’s no quicker way to feel better than going on a walk and moving the blood around. Besides being a frugal way to stay fit, walking is good for your mental health and a great way to enjoy the beauty of the world around you.