Surviving the Great Depression of the 1930's. A Guide... for no particular reason...

[Luminous]

Ross is a good place to shop for shoes and underwear, as the prices are substantially less for brand names (and they even sometimes have wide shoes).

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Goodwill, too, if people don't know that.

 

[ceecee]

Can't believe I forgot about Frankie and Struggle Meals.

Struggle Meals

The struggle is real, but it doesn't mean your food has to suffer. Chef Frankie Celenza (@frankiecooks) shows you how to make delicious meals for under $2 a plate. Subscribe to share cost-saving tips, recipe ideas and inspiration around how to get creative in the kitchen and beyond! Browse...

www.youtube.com

He does rely on a "packet drawer". So save the fast food and takeout packets in the fridge, not a drawer.

 

[FemMecha]

I plan to learn more about this to improve low income food nutrition. I grew up with food insecurity with a single mom who worked so we didn’t garden or can, but I want to learn especially as I grow older.

Our food basics for low income included:
Beans a rice (plain)
Powdered milk
Potatoes
Lentils - which she cooked into a loaf.
Oatmeal for breakfast and cooked as patties sometimes.
And then opportunistic food like left over popcorn after school events and my mom once came across cheap bulk canned peaches. We knew a family that waited by the grocery dumpster to grab the discarded bakery and produce on the day/time they were thrown out.

We didn’t always have fruit and vegetables so that is a health strain. She had a handful of go to recipes so ingredients were kept simple instead of a complex number of small specialized ingredients.

 

[FemMecha]

If I can manage to buy a little house I want to add a sunroom for growing a few things year round for salad.

I also bought a years worth of long term storage food. Fwiw Mormons tend to have five year supplies in case of problems. I’m not Mormon, but I think it’s smart to have it be a way of life but be sure the contents can successfully store. The stuff I bought is actually a cheaper way to eat. 25lbs of rice for $40 is a good deal, so it’s a win win.

I also bought a three-tier stainless steal water distiller for $100 and consider having a Culligan water plan someday with a stock of 10 five gallon jugs that I gradually replace over two years (along their expiration guidelines).

Having a wood stove and some solar, even if it’s just the portable camping type seems like a good idea.

 

[ceecee]

Goodwill, too, if people don't know that.

One issue with Goodwill is that the prices have risen significantly. This is due to people not having $$ and using thrifting as an option. Which raises the prices. Rinse, repeat.

Looking for better options is key. Habitat for humanity Restores are amazing (they are also often on Facebook) for appliances, furniture, home improvement stuff (my son redid his kitchen with Restore cupboards and countertops - they were brand new from Lowes). Also human societies often have thrift stores plus churches or Kiwanis. Another thing is estate sales. You can find ones in your area at estatesales.org

 

[FemMecha]

^Habitat for Humanity Restore is a great resource in place of Home Depot/Lowes.

I have heard Goodwill has raised prices, but it's still pretty cheap where I live where they have over three big stores and are probably 30% of all thrift stores. It's my Walmart/Target substitute. Lots of stuff is $6 there in my city.