Cunning on inventions: how our grandmothers saved

In the life of my grandmother there were several difficult trials: the famine of the 30s, the Great Patriotic War, the lack of money in the post-war years. Therefore, even in the most prosperous years, she never threw away bread and ran her household economically. By the way, this was done in many families. We recall the most effective rules of frugality.

A loaf cannot be put into the trash can just because it is stale. Stale bread makes good croutons (dip in a mixture of milk and eggs, fry in butter and sprinkle with sugar or cheese), croutons and breading mixture for cutlets or fish. Kvass is made on stale rye bread. So that yeast baked goods do not spoil in hot seasons, they are stored in a cool place, for example, in the refrigerator. And if it grows stale, then you can “refresh” the bread by putting it on the battery – however, a life hack only for winter time.

Before going to the market, my grandmother made a list with products and a rough estimate with a little backlog. Therefore, there were no temptations to buy something unnecessary. Now you can add modern life hacks to this rule: follow promotions and discounts in stores. There are even special smartphone apps for this. Sometimes it turns out to save twice, only you need to check the expiration date of the products.

Prepare semi-finished products yourself

We never bought dumplings and dumplings in the store. This inexpensive and simple dish was prepared on weekends, when a large family gathered at the same table – first to make dumplings, then eat together. Half a day was devoted to this occupation, but the frozen preparations were “fed” for several months. For dumplings, minced meat was meat or fish. For dumplings, the filling was chosen seasonal: in summer, berries, in winter – potatoes, sauerkraut, cottage cheese, beans, mushrooms. There is also a list of products that are well stored in the freezer and help out when there is no time to cook: stuffed cabbage rolls, cutlets, liver pancakes, stuffed peppers, cheese cakes.

In the restaurant, of course, it turns out solemnly and “culturally”, as my grandmother would say. But at home it is more sincere and familiar. It is troublesome to stand at the stove for a day, but there is confidence in the quality of the products. Dishes for the feast are selected proven and loved by the household. And then for two more days you can eat up the leftovers from the festive table. It was customary for many people of that generation to celebrate the holidays at home, cheerfully, but without unnecessary spending – “not rushing.”

There should be a strategic supply of flour, sugar, salt, cereals, pasta, etc. at home. In the pantry, on the shelves, there are even rows of cans with all kinds of preservation, including canned fish and a box of green peas. Firstly, bulk products are cheaper, and secondly, everything you need is always at hand. In an apartment with a modest area you will not arrange a warehouse, but you can calculate your expenses and make supplies for at least a couple of months.

Buy fruits and vegetables at the wholesale market

My grandmother had a vegetable garden. Therefore, in the summer, self-grown tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and cabbage were served to the table. Berries and fruits were also available in the garden. Dried fruits were dried from apples, pears, plums and cherries under the natural warmth of the July sun – in the winter they were cooked with compotes and made filling for pies. And in the fall, during the harvest season, they bought cheap vegetables for canning, salted cucumbers, tomatoes, made salads. In those days, residents were invited to harvest in horticultural farms, instead of a reward, they could bring home nuts, grapes, potatoes, apples, carrots, watermelons and melons. This was a good help: the grapes were dried and kept until May, jam was made from watermelons, cabbage and green tomatoes were salted in barrels. Previously, there were no freezers for storing mixtures of vegetables, berries or herbs, but now this also helps to save the family budget and is convenient to use.

You don’t need to be a seamstress to hem pants for your husband or child, sew on buttons, change the zipper. Otherwise, you will have to fork out at the atelier. People of the old school not only possessed these simple skills, but, skillfully reworking, gave new life to things. They lengthened children’s clothes, altered them, decorated them with lace, etc. Almost everyone knew how to knit hats, scarves and socks. They even knew how to make indoor slippers with felt soles. Money was not spent on potholders, kitchen towels and tablecloths, because the hostesses sewed all these things themselves, buying a piece of fabric, or altering an old thing – for an apron, for example.

The second life of old textiles

Used bed linen, T-shirts, soft knitwear or cotton on the farm will come in handy for rags. It is necessary to cut off coarse thick seams, small parts, leaving an even canvas. So you do not have to spend money on purchased sets of cleaning napkins. And they also made rugs from unnecessary things: the fabric was cut into long strips, which were crocheted into a round rug for the floor or chairs. Or even weaved rugs from such ribbons with our hands – a rustic style, by the way, is still in vogue.

Home replacement for purchased sweets

If a schoolboy is growing up in your family, then you know how much money is spent on sweets, gum, lollipops, effervescent caramels and other sweets. Previously, there was no such assortment in stores, but grandmothers did not particularly spoil their grandchildren with sweets, preferring to treat them with natural berries, jam, homemade cockerels on sticks and marshmallows. It is useful and the savings are visible.

Grandmother hated throwing away food, she knew how to process everything in time and give out a new dish. For example, there are noodles or pasta cooked for garnish. On the second day, they already look unappetizing, but if you add a couple of eggs, cottage cheese, sprinkle with cheese and bake, you get an independent hearty breakfast dish. Or potatoes in their skins are good hot – with butter and green dill. The next day, from the remaining potatoes, eggs and sausage, you can figure out a simple salad, or you can peel the potatoes and fry in vegetable oil, sprinkled with fragrant seasoning. Leftover cheese and sausage fillings for an omelet or pizza. The noodle chicken was filled with giblets, potatoes, and herbs. Two dishes came out at once – soup for the first and meat filling for the second. If butter lay stale, it was reheated, and then added to baked goods, lush pancakes were made from sour milk, etc.

Now it is again relevant – to take home food with you to school or work. Our grandmothers did this too, even on a long journey they themselves prepared provisions: they boiled eggs, made sandwiches and poured tea into a thermos. And boiled chicken in foil has already become a railway meme. Now at any gas station there are fast food cafes with burgers and sausages in a bun. This is very convenient, but there will be extra costs. And if you need to save money, then you will have to give up catering.

Natural “chemistry” is cheaper

Now we start cleaning the house, armed to the teeth with bottles, aerosols, products and solutions. And before, our grandmothers had ammonia, laundry soap, soda and vinegar in their home arsenal. And perfectly cleaned. The glasses shine after a solution of vinegar and newspapers (they wiped the windows dry with them), the bath was cleaned with soda, the tea leaves helped to brighten the colors of the carpets. Even the remnants were not thrown away: they served as crayons for cutting fabric parts or became liquid soap – they were collected in a jar and filled with water.

Left the room – turn off the light. We replace ordinary bulbs with energy-saving ones. Another good habit is to go to bed early and get up early, and not sit up until the morning at the TV or computer.