"We Had Everything But Money" or "Wasn't the Great Depression Fabulous?"

It's intriguing that people who grew up during the Great Depression have so many fond memories of that time. Maybe it's only because their parents sheltered them from knowing just how hard things were. Or maybe they had the right attitude: pay attention to what you do have.

Things are tight now, too, and many people are out of work. Even if you are doing well, it's wise to put as much as possible aside for retirement. Remember, if you're under fifty, you will never see a Social Security check.

There are a few websites that offer advice about the satisfaction of "simple living," but that seems to be a rich person's hobby.

I'm not extravagant. I haven't had cable television or a land line for years and I've always been a fan of the public library, but I'd like to cut down even more. These are a few things I'm doing to be more frugal.

How to save money on utility bills:

1. Turn your hot water heater down below "warm." You'll have to turn it up a couple hours before you shower, but you'll save an amazing amount on both your water and natural gas bills.
2. Tolerate a slightly colder house. 
3. If you're struggling, showers are available at public sports facilities. (Make sure they are SAFE!) 
4. Many utility companies have discounted rates for people with low incomes. Some discounts are only nominal, others are quite helpful. 

How to save money on food and prevent waste:

1. Make soup. (This deserves its very own post.)
2. When you purchase fresh produce, shop at more expensive grocery stores. You'll get fresher produce that lasts much longer. (I was stunned to discover that produce does not have to go bad within twenty-four of arriving in my refrigerator. Bye-bye Walmart. Hello weird-organic-place. Just don't expect me to buy your nine dollar, save-the-planet, chocolate bar.)
3. Walk to the grocery store. If it takes two hours to get to the store and back, think of it as great exercise. Do you have something better to do with that time?
4. Go to your local food bank. (Food banks are the best advertisement for private charity over public charity: no fingerprinting, no requests for documents you've already submitted, and no public servant whining, "It's just not clear what you mean when your write that you've been living on your savings.")
5. If you're really struggling, most Salvation Army posts serve one meal a day. 

If you live in a region where you can garden, why not get outside and play in the dirt? If you live in an area with a very short growing season, then definitely enjoy the brief good weather by going outside to garden. Obviously, avoid investing in expensive equipment.

1. Old flower pots may be small, but if you have them, use them. 
2. Raised beds will require a few pieces of wood (or cinder blocks). In some areas you will need  old carpeting (placed face down) to protect the bed from burrowing rodents and either chicken wire (as protection from birds and other animals) or plastic covers (as protection from the cold). If you live somewhere very hot, research what plants thrive in heat and think about cheap ways to create adequate shade for them. 
3. Make a cheap compost bin. If you already have an electric drill, all you need to purchase is a dark garbage bin with a locking lid.

Cell phones and internet may be necessary expenses today; you decide. I relied on the public library for internet access for a year, but then purchased an internet service for my home. Thankfully, the $32 a month service I chose is far more reliable than the $99 service offered by the area's more popular provider. (It was originally a $37 per month "special offer." After six months, the provider notified me that the rate was going up and I called to cancel. The representative offered me a "bundled plan" that included a cell phone. I insisted she just cancel my current internet service. She renewed my plan-- at five dollars less than I had been paying.)

I've never researched the cost of land lines! If they are cheaper, I'll have to consider how important it is for people to reach me any time of the day.

Since I don't purchase a newspaper, the only coupons I see are the ones that arrive in my mailbox; they are for things I didn't know I needed. So I throw them out without looking at them-- I might be missing out on savings, but I'm probably just missing out on temptation.

I do compare store prices. When I told my pharmacist that a prescription was cheaper at another store,  he called to confirm and now I pay that store's price without having to go out of my way. After another prescription increased in cost, I asked the pharmacist why; he didn't know but he very kindly tracked down a discount and now I pay less than a quarter of what I had originally been paying. (Don't get your hopes up; there are no discounts for prescriptions that cost more than twelve dollars a day.)

Do fun things that don't cost money:

• Ask yourself, "What did I do when I was a kid?" If you're old enough to remember playing outdoors with just the things you found in the woods or at a construction site, try wandering around outside to see what interests you now. If you were playing video games when you were a kid, go outside and find out what you were missing.
• Enjoy your free time. If you always have the cleanest house in the neighborhood, start being a little irresponsible. Broaden your horizons even if that only means sitting on the front porch admiring your yard or listening to kids laughing in the park across the street.
• Volunteer. You probably won't meet someone who knows about a job (most volunteers are retirees), but you will meet nice people and you will remember that you can make a  difference—that’s a double morale boost. Just google "volunteer opportunities" and the name of your town. 
• If your friends will only meet you at a bar, restaurant, or movie theater, offer to pack a picnic for a lunch in the park or suggest a long walk "because it's great exercise."
• Some towns have free concerts during the summer. I've seen several excellent cover bands. How many people have learned to line dance while listening to the Rolling Stones?
• Own a digital camera? Take lots of pictures that you never have to print.

Being frugal goes against my grain and perhaps the grain of many people who grew up in the United States after World War II. If it's feasible for you, when you begin to pare down your expenses, keep an eye out for one unnecessary item or activity that you don't want  to give up. Then really savor and enjoy it!

For me, it's carbonated water: all the bubbly goodness of beer with none of the calories!