😉 Great Depression Ready TOGETHER-What Nana Does! 😉 Part 2

[@chickenmama4384]

My grandparents lived through the Great Depression. She saved everything and repurposed it all. She was an incredible woman thrifty never had much money. She always made a way never had debt. She lived until she was 99 years and 3 months old when she passed. She had a goal to live to 100. When she was passing one of her last words was I made it(meaning she made it to 100). I miss her dearly. She was my best friend we talked everyday.

[@jesusislord2457]

Franklin Graham said his Daddy made it to 100 since he was alive 9 months before he was born. I'm thankful you had the blessings of being with her. My paternal grandmother died on her 76th birthday and I miss her. ✌️💖🙏

[@amandaforeman2626]

My great grandmother was a adult during the depression, she was my role model and favorite human being ! I miss her so much , even after 21 years . She never wasted anything either , she was amazingly smart and quick witted :)

[@glorytogodhomestead3495]

Great video!

[@lindacaldwell6251]

Sounds like me. I have the same goal.

[@merryanneadair4451]

You were very blessed!!

[@Hecteacher]

This brought back a memory. Twenty five years ago when my son was in first grade I packed his lunch every day. One day when he came home I emptied his lunch box to find it stuffed full of zipper bags. His classmates saw him putting the bag from his sandwich back in his lunchbox and asked why. He told them his mom washed it and used it again. All of the kids passed their zipper bags to him. 😂 BTW, I still reuse zipper bags.

[@swithers00]

Awe, that's so cute. I'm glad they chose to support his efforts rather than to laugh at him like so many would. I reuse zip bags too.

[@Christina-ve2tv]

I’m so surprised and pleased to hear they were supportive! I, too, still save the zipper bags. 👍🏻 My son packs a lunch for work and knows to leave the empty baggies in his lunch bag.

[@Seoulmom60]

Yes! I got a little hanger with hanging clips at a yardsale free pile. It's great for hanging my bags to dry.

[@kyramcquary1879]

My son's friends give him the fruit they don't eat from their school lunches! He'll bring home 3-4 apples or pears sometimes and I turn them into a cobbler. (they haven't been bitten into or anything, kids just weren't going to eat them)

[@Trid2bnrml1]

I recycle my ziplock bags. First with food in the freezer, then the fridge, then the last use is putting used tea bags, peelings or other trash that stinks up your trash can. Keeps it neater and smelling better until you can dump it.

[@jackiemartin5441]

I’m almost 70 years old. My grand mother who was born in the 1880s lived with us. I shared her bedroom. She was born to parents who had just lived through the civil war. As a young. Adult she was with her second husband and 3 children. One of the children died in the Pacific theater in WW2 and her second husband died not too many years later. She lived with the oldest child for a while but then in the 50s she came to us. She and my mother kept everything. So it is needless to say so do I. I learned so much from her and my mother. Planting flowers in tin cans and saving jars. I have jars everywhere and a lot of them are full of stuff. If we as a nation could see the value of all the little things in the world, we would be so much better off.

[@esthersdaughterlong8149]

So true!

[@lourdespaz7890]

And so many things come in plastic battles, yeah save your glass jars ,I absolutely do.

[@nosheeple2751]

❤

[@AnitaClark-me1ss]

Love this series! Fold your butter wrappers in half and save them in the freezer to grease your pans. It’s the perfect amount and your hands stay clean. :)

[@stephenross4333]

That’s how my depression era raised mom greased her plans. Always use the foil from the butter wrapper. Thanks for reminding me of her 🙂

[@reneekeithley7653]

Great tip... thanks

[@sandybrenda3226]

I use my butter wrappers to place between hamburger patties when freezing them, They work great.

[@horticultureandhomes]

Yes!

[@nicieoquinn8699]

Omgoodness ❣️ that's a great idea!! Thank you so much for the idea!!

[@randybrown140]

My family were pioneer's, my parents were born in Dad-1906, Mom-1920, this has been our way of life. Didn't know we're preppers. Just living. 😊

[@kristanichols6215]

One of my aunts washed foil and plastic bags to use again.

[@janicew6222]

I'm old, my parents were young adults in the GD, we threw away nothing and every penny spent was accounted for or saved. I still have my mother's financial journal where she wrote every single cent she spent, be it a piece of penny candy, piece of meat or yard of cloth. They would say to us, watch your pennies if you want your dollars to grow. We are so wasteful now and truly irresponsible when it comes to our money. Keep getting the message out, some are listening!

[@maryfluellen8637]

😅😅

[@marciaabbott5370]

My dad always said to take care of the dimes and the dollars would take care of themselves.

[@katherynbrown]

my grandmother saved old wool coats, this was back in the 50s and 60s. She put all of the buttons in coffee cans, millions of them. She cut the coats into strips and made gigantic braided rugs.

[@stephanie_2189]

My Yaya did the same, only she quilted big, really heavy quilts.

[@nosheeple2751]

Great idea

[@alicerafferty9595]

I used to love looking through the button can and sorting buttons.

[@vpmema]

My mom did the same thing! I still have the attachment that she ma them with.

[@tatanyc713]

They also use the wool for lamps wicks

[@sheriw53]

FYI on bacon grease. You can freeze it. Pour in ice cube trays and once frozen you can store in a Ziplock bag in the freezer.

[@esthersdaughterlong8149]

Great. Thank you. I was just going to look that part up.

[@joellewatkins5528]

Don't forget to save beef grease too. It doesn't have a smoky flavor, but will enrich things as well.

[@Grany4]

Lol I’ve got several freezer containers of bacon grease in the freezer 😅

[@tonyameadows9042]

I never thought about freezing it. Thank you.

[@greatgrandma8693]

I do the same also with left over broth too .

[@ritahunter3177]

I grew up in a female household. My mom, 2 sisters, myself, my great aunt and great grandmother. I learned a lot from them. I was the youngest so got to hear all the stories about buggies and growing up on the farm. Also my grandparents had a dairy farm and I had chores when I stayed with them. So glad I had that life with them. Great aunt lived to be 98 and grand mother was 105. Lived by herself until she was 100. Still have most of their kitchen stuff, cast iron, churns and crock's. Still use them. Treadle sewing machine I learned to sew on. Canning equipment and the All American canner they used. Lots of memories every time I can or cook.

[@horticultureandhomes]

Our family cast iron, crocks and rollin' pins were handed down too. Everyone was given a cornbread skillet when they married.

[@nosheeple2751]

I am also blessed to have gotten the treadle sewing machine it's an old Singer. Heard the story of a Traveling salesman that came to the mountains of Virginia down in the Haller and sold my great great grandmother this wonderful machine. My father in his last year's gently and lovingly refinished the exterior. I remember as a child playing underneath your niece and watching the petal As she my grandmother sowed barbecues and things for the church bazaar in her later years❤

[@bettyir4302]

@@nosheeple2751 I helped grandpa refinish great-grandma's Singer. So many attachments and still have the receipt.

[@Favorite-catNip]

Opposite. Had to fight for privacy in the bathroom.🙄🤣

[@ritahunter3177]

@@e.t.preppin7084 yep. No horses so cows pulled buggies. I used to ride to the next farm in one. It was fun.

[@joydavid8128]

Save buttons off of shirts you are going to throw away and thread them on a safety pin to keep the set together. Don't forget baby and child clothes too!

[@ValerieinSC]

That is a great tip! Valerie in SC

[@countryblends]

Great tip! Thanks!

[@tuesdaynickerson7885]

Great idea !

[@horticultureandhomes]

Yep, it saves ya from huntin for a set of matchin buttons when sewing.

[@billyreb9167]

My grandparents went thru the great depression. They saved just about everything. Big jars of buttons, some silver coins, bread ties, rubber bands, ink pens, photos, gift boxes, and on and on. I never quite understood until someone later on, shared the facts concerning the depression. I just thought it was something they did coming from a background and raised on farms. I so wish they were here today to provide the knowledge that is missing in today's world. I wished I had showed them the respect they deserved and learned, rather than thinking their ways were odd at a time when I was in my foolish youth. God Rest their Souls.

[@MargaretFinnell]

My Great great Aunt, Grandparents and parents ( they were children at the time) lived through the depression. The stories they told. I still use some of the jars my Grandmother used.

[@christilightsey640]

I save the plastic mayo and peanut butter jars for my husband to store nails, screws etc in his shop. I don't have to worry about him breaking them and getting cut and I get to keep the glass jars for myself, lol.

[@granitemoss1451]

Great idea!

[@angeleyedgirl36]

They are great for small amounts of leftovers too or liquids in lunchboxes.

[@heatherd7675]

I remember my grandmother saving class coffee jars to make pickle peppers. She always told me never to get rid of her coffee jars. Unfortunately, she has passed away, but I still have her glass coffee jars.

[@nosheeple2751]

❤

[@helen4652]

❤

[@sandyrobertson9198]

Love the ideas you gave us. My Daddy was born in 1913 & grew up on a farm. He use to save all the bar soap scraps in a jar & then when the jar was filled, he would cook them down & make new soap bars from the scraps. He also saved baby food jars, drilled holes in the metal lids & attached them on two sides of a squared piece of wood, hung the wood from a bracket in the garage near his workbench & filled the jars with assorted nuts, bolts & screws, so when he needed something it was easy to see & find. There is so much we can learn from the senior saints in our families.

[@Hecteacher]

I make Frankensoap from scraps too.

[@horticultureandhomes]

My dad did that too.

[@kmiller6002]

My dad did the same thing 😁🤗🙏 Kendra

[@nosheeple2751]

Great ideas thank you❤

[@tammydavenport8228]

​@nosheeple2751 my dad does the same and he's 80

[@crism4932]

My grandma kept all her wooden thread spools and we used them in place of Lincoln logs. She also let us decorate them with markers and strung them on twine or yarn for the Christmas tree. Grandpa kept every extra piece of wood and put little wooden boats together with a long piece of string for me and my brothers to float in the creek off the bridge on his farm. Great memories with them.

[@ms.royahrens8777]

Wow-I had forgotten about the spool chains!

[@Vg426.]

I am enjoying this series! When you mention an item and I think "I do that", it feels like I'm on the right path!

[@melissaw.9583]

This brought back memories! When my father in law passed away we found cigar boxes and all these containers of bread ties, rubber bands, and lint. Coffee cans full of old nails, screw, anything you would need to fix something. They called him a hoarder but I knew why he did it and I snatched up those things. Precious memories ❤. I love this series and thank you for sharing ❤

[@kelleydufour3463]

My soon -to-be ex would get irritated when I saved plastic containers, jars, etc.. I feel validated Patara, thank you 😊 Now I can save whatever I see fit!!

[@barnrazedbyjesse6893]

My great grandfather who immigrated from France when he was two used scrap wood to build doll houses and furniture. He purchased a nickel worth of bologna every week eating eggs and bacon every morning frying a bologna sandwich every day for lunch. He lived to 100 on his farm. His daughter, my grandmother, sold Avon and saved sets of the red glassware, enough to give each of her five daughter in law's a dish set.

[@nosheeple2751]

❤beautiful

[@leedezern6862]

I loved those red glasses

[@mgb5170]

"Emigrate from" and immigrate to...I think you meant emigrated from France.

[@lavonnarosenbaum1720]

I inherited my grandmother's button jar. I continue to add to it. Thanks Patara.

[@shirley7137]

Same here, but mine are in a old tin.

[@barbaraleach2891]

Me too. Mine are also in an old tin.

[@ooohhitskaren63]

I got my mom's button bottle and her sewing box. Also have my grandma's sewing box. I also have my mom's Bible and my dad's Bible.

[@evelynkorjack2126]

i remember playing a little game with the buttons, who can more sets of alikes together.

[@Chelie-Jensen]

I did the same. Everything I can get my hands on sewing I get.

[@NoWhereSpecial-Homestead]

I learned at a very early age to keep everything... but then I realized that you dont need a warehouse of stuff/hoarding. dont get too cluttered. be organized and keep it simple...

[@KimmyGibson]

Absolutely.....it IS possible to get carried away especially if you can no longer keep it organized OR if you can no longer use a space/room in your home for its intended purpose!

[@terryhall2299]

Agreed!

[@Grany4]

My grandmother and my mother were both wonderful seamstress. They both taught me to never throw away a scrap of material and that you can always find a use for it. And thanks to them I have I have made some beautiful quilts for my grandchildren using all kinds of scrap material. And my three daughters love to look at some of the quilts and point out the material pieces that they notice that I used when they were children to make them jumpers and dresses with😊. My mother passed away four years ago, and my dad asked me to go through all of her sewing stuff to see if there was anything there that I would like to keep or use. Lol. Let me tell you I have more buttons, thread, elastic hooks, zippers, and many other sewing accessories to last me a lifetime, I think😂. Not including I got her sewing machine, so I have a back up now. And also a tote full of material. I have twin granddaughters age 2 years old and guess who is making them little jumpers this summer and rompers?!? This grandma of course😍. And I’m not having to spend a dime to do all of this.

[@nosheeple2751]

Beautiful story thanks for sharing Your family and grandchildren are very lucky to have you❤

[@joannebradley287]

I have tried to learn to use a sewing machine many times and have failed miserably each time. But I do know how to hand sew to mend things and can knit socks, sweaters, and hats!

[@flsandytoes4593]

​@@joannebradley287 Bless you, I can see but I can't mend worth a darn!! Even on a machine!

[@flsandytoes4593]

Sew

[@ashlipope5079]

My beautiful mother age 75 just passed from medical malpractice. She learned so much from her mama that died when she was 9, then her big sister. Canning, saving, reusing, sewing and more. I miss her so much. 😔

[@gaylewills1294]

I am so sorry for your loss. I pray your family gets justice.

[@kenziekayla8613]

So sorry for your loss.

[@horticultureandhomes]

Those treadle sewing machines were passed down the family. Sewing machine manufacturers use to make the electric machines so they could be used in the treadle cabinets.

[@justmecinnamon]

I am 64 and already do all these things. Thanks be to my Grandmother who rather 3 Sons through the depression. I also put banana peals ina jar and a few days later water my plants. They love it!

[@Christina-ve2tv]

I’ve been doing this too! Free plant food. 👍🏻

[@annetterose8948]

Roses love banana peels. We just throw them at the base of the bushes and cover with mulch.

[@fullofhope2222]

@@Christina-ve2tv I eat a lot of bananas - I didn't know about skins !! ty ty

[@terryhall2299]

I like your banana peel tip. I will do that on occasion also but I have also cut them up into 1 inch pieces and let them dry out and then put them in a blender to add to my compost. I don’t do the ends of the bananas, and I take off the labels if there are any.

[@user-ni6ev2nv8i]

My Grandmother was born in 1893 and I had great conversations with her. She worked part time for 10 cents an hour. I have her very old singer sewing machine full of buttons, buttons, buttons. She saved every bag that bread came in and every twist tie. I also save jars, material, thread,iron on patches. I have my grandmothers meat grinder and iron that you heat over a fire. I have kept it all.

[@nosheeple2751]

So nice❤

[@terigerrish70]

I also keep glass jars. My new favorite is the Classico Spaghetti jars... they are actually Mason jars and are great for drinking iced tea, or whatever you enjoy. I’ve saved rubber bands from the produce and any plastic containers pre made food comes in. All reusable

[@granitemoss1451]

I save wax paper bags from cereal and such and use them later for freezing meat. I get a bunch of them then place them all a real freezer bag.

[@jacquelinegemmell612]

Classico spaghetti sauce jars can also be used for canning. The regular size jar lids and rings fit great.

[@Christina-ve2tv]

@@granitemoss1451 I save these too! I cut them into squares to use as dividers between homemade hamburger patties for the freezer.

[@mrsp4042]

@@jacquelinegemmell612 Yes. This is why I buy this brand. Win win

[@nosheeple2751]

Yes, spaghetti jars!

[@ValerieinSC]

It’s comforting to know that so many of us do many of these things and are literally made to thrive in these times. Keep it up, Patera. Valerie in SC

[@cynthiahansen691]

Good Morning! I was very close to my nana, Dorothy. She taught me to hang clothes on a line, ironing, mending, crochet, baking and I watched her stock her pantry with canning from her garden. We.wrote letters back and forth for more than 30 years. Miss her, but it is great to have you teach me more. Thank you. Hugs!

[@terrih495]

Same here! Oh, I so miss my 'penpal'...and she only lived 2 hours away!

[@nosheeple2751]

❤❤❤❤

[@debschwab4341]

My husband thought I was nuts about my jar saving UNTIL…. he saw what all I use them for. Most are used infusing herbs in oil and making herbal tinctures!

[@granitemoss1451]

I save empty vitamin bottles, which are often light-blocking, for dried herbs and weeds.

[@horticultureandhomes]

Save those glass jars. They are probably safer to use over plastics and not many jars are found in grocery stores these days.

[@brendasolomon9404]

I use the bag inside cereal boxes and use them to make bread crumbs with the rolling pin. The bags are realy durable and can take a beating.

[@janis6697]

I needed a large gallon glass jar. On line the jar alone was 13$. Ordered a gallon jar of pickles from Walmart. Just under 8$. Walla. I have my gallon jar.

[@Itsamantha111]

To use for?

[@MoonlightIntuitive]

I use eggshells to sprout seeds! I poke a hole in the bottom, put the starter soil, and I have saved and used the clear egg cartons as mini greenhouses!

[@cindiemounsey4166]

As a little girl I would see all the things my grandmother saved. She had a use for EVERYTHING! My momma always tells me I'm just like her, I repurpose everything. One man's trash is another mans treasure. I'm not a hoarder but I save everything.

[@kellybryan6476]

Seriously Love all these comments. So many great memories and things we still do today. Makes my heart happy and we need that kind of happiness in our hearts today

[@ninnymuggins5159]

I learned the Orange Peel Vinegar spray from the "Creative Explained" channel and I am doing it! I highly recommend his channel!! I also keep eggshells for soil, plastic containers for sprouting seeds, dryer lint and toilet paper rolls for firestarters, and rubber bands from green onions. I'm not the only weirdo! 😊 FINALLY hoarding is "cool." No more minimalists! 😅

[@Lambchop59]

My mom lived in depression...it awed me her saving tips. Inside skin of hard boiled egg can be a bandaid. I LOVE THIS Patara show more tips from Gram

[@nosheeple2751]

Wow

[@evelynkorjack2126]

i was at a family gathering (very large, all ages, toddlers) ...one guy just was not going to give up hanging out at the grill with abuelo (grandpa). of course he touched it and shrieked. abuela (grandma) didnt miss a beat...CIBOLLA! (onion), she cut it and had the mom hold it to the little guys finger. Instant relief (cool, wet and sterile) and three generations learned something, but mostly the little guy who steered clear of the grill without anyone telling him😉

[@milliechook7375]

@@evelynkorjack2126 Another way of soothing a burn on the hand is to place the affected part onto your earlobe. I don't know why, but it works. It soothes the pain immediately and not even a red mark is left.

[@sweetdweams]

That is awesome. Was there a way it was stored? Thanks.

[@dollyehnstrom2411]

Don’t forget to freeze the citrus peels after making the vinegar cleaning spray and use to run through the disposal to clean it too

[@misfit7610]

My grandma was the youngest of 13 children who lived through the Great depression. They all lived together with their parents (obviously) plus both sets of grandparents, 2 great grandparents and a couple of widowed aunts all under 1 roof and she said that was normal. All her aunt's and uncles and cousins lived pretty much next to each other. She said it didn't matter how small the house was because you were hardly ever in it except to eat and sleep which the girls all slept in one bed the boys shared 2 beds and so on. She said that they never went hungry because her daddy always had work because he could fix anything. The grandparents and older kids tended to all the gardens, animals and chores and the youngest ones did things like bring in water buckets, wood for the wood kitchen stove, cleaned and helped with food preparation. She said all the women would sit at night by lanterns and would pick apart any clothes that were in need of repairs and make new clothes out of them or make quilts for the cold months. The men would take apart the souls of shoes and cut rubber from an old tire to repair the shoes, even kept odd scraps of leather to fix the tops if need be. Men has their jobs and women had theirs and no one complained. She said this was all normal because everyone lived like that. That's why I wonder if most won't make it mentally because they don't have a Community/family to endure what's coming our way. Peace and prayers to all in this community!!

[@brooke3293]

My grandmother will be 90 this year..she saved everything as well! Even giftwrap if she could open the present w out ripping it. Great advice sister 👍

[@shannonlawson2219]

And the gift bows! I cringe when people throw away the bows. They're totally reusable!

[@JRCHomesteadTexas]

I remember coffee can foot stools. People saved their metal coffee cans then covered them with fabric to make a foot stool. I had flour sack dresses as a child. I try to buy food in glass jars before I buy them in plastic. Thanks Patara for the great info. Remember ya'll to Pray, Plan, Prep

[@nancybrewer8494]

I wish I had one of those stools! My grandmother used large juice cans like pineapple and tomato juice comes in. I do know how to make them, because I asked and she showed me when I was a teenager.

[@JRCHomesteadTexas]

@@nancybrewer8494 I was just on Pinterest checking out how to make one. People are using denim too.

[@sugarflumpairys]

My grandmother made me flour sack skirts. I loved them!

[@friedokra4645]

I also remember the "can stools." This video is a "walk down Memory Lane."

[@JRCHomesteadTexas]

@@friedokra4645 I'm trying to remember how to make thread spool toy that children held a string in both hands and it would spin 🤷‍♀️

[@promisejrhodes]

At my local ALDI they have 28 oz cans of Dakota’s Pride Maple and Cured Bacon Baked Beans for $1.85 and they’re good through February 2026.

[@angielay3313]

Patera has a baked beans with spam video and it looked delish.

[@promisejrhodes]

@@angielay3313 ooo yummy! Now I have to find that video. Lol.🙏🏼

[@lynny6754]

I don't purchase Aldi's baked beans anymore. The last 2 times I opened a can of Dakota Baked Beans they were 3/4 fluid and only enough beans for one person. Anyone else have this problem? If you are properly rotating, you may not have discovered this yet. Open a can and see.

[@missyb15]

@@angielay3313 it was yummy! i made it right after watching that video!

[@thereal270]

​@Lynn Y the van camps are same way.

[@kathleenkopp7997]

My mother was born in 1923, she was one of 10 siblings. As a child of a mother who went through the depression she taught me how to reuse items, she saved jars, plastics, rubber bands, and reused foil.

[@astone3871]

My dad was born in the same year, he was youngest of 11.

[@Trish....]

My Mama used to wash her tin foil, too, & later on ziploc bags!

[@janetforster2484]

My Mom was born in 1918 the oldest of 10. Living through the great depression she believed that everything has a purpose

[@Granefran]

My mom was born in 1924. I just thought everyone lived like we did until I went home with friends in college. I'm really glad Mom was thrifty and saved things and passed it on to me.

[@vonniemerriam974]

Ah yes....foil too!

[@deannemckee5081]

I have very fond memories of my PaPaw sitting on the porch and straightening nails! He was a carpenter, and he’d pull nails out of lumber and straighten them. He didn’t use jars, he used Folgers Coffee Cans (the big ones). Bent nails in one, when it was full, or he had time, he would sit on the porch (wearing his. Big Mac overalls) and straighten nails and put them in a different coffee can.

[@lindamyers953]

Save and use the candle jars. Clean them out well and they mostly come with tight fitting lids and some are pretty decorative! They can be used for storing all sorts of things- food included! Some are pretty enough to use as vases! I find all kinds of uses for them😎

[@marymartin5792]

Or making new candles, I do this!

[@DesertDweller74]

Better yet, buy wax and wicks and refill them yourself.

[@kerrynwright]

Excellent reminders! I'm a buttonaholic & love collecting buttons of all shapes, colours & sizes!! Don't forget that eggshells are a great free source of calcium for our bodies too! I wash them, put them in the freezer in a bag, boil them, bake them, grind them, save them in a pickle jar & sprinkle them into a smoothie each day! Now that I'm in my 60s it's a great source of calcium, especially as I'm dairy intolerant. 🥰 Blessings from South Australia💕🐨

[@friedokra4645]

After cleaning & drying the eggshells, I blend them in an old blender under they are powder. Seems to dissolve quicker in compost & in the garden.

[@friedokra4645]

After cleaning & drying the eggshells, I blend them in an old blender under they are powder. Seems to dissolve quicker in compost & in the garden.

[@cookingprincess327]

I am 73 years old and going back to work. It is a young person’s game out there and need to be creative to get employed. Thank the heavens above I am resourceful and have prepped food for tough times til I get my job moving forward. Don’t know what is ahead but be ready folks. Save those butter wrappers.

[@kmac5836]

My great gran who lived through the Great Depression saved all the buttons, old clothing for rags, jars, and more. I save every glass jar to repurpose to store my dried beans, pasta, and rice in (with oxygen absorbers). I also save all veggie scraps for the chickens or for a broth to make later. I love saving bread ties and rubberbands that are on vegetables and other foodstuffs. Every little bit helps.

[@horticultureandhomes]

Amen!

[@dianacarter3212]

My grandmother was born in 1912. And I can remember her saving chicken liver containers and rubber bands and twisty ties. I just remembered her button container was a green margarine bowl with little daisies on it!

[@tacotripper9456]

My grandparents, both born in 1918, did these things. Bacon grease was kept in a huge Folgers can; aluminum foil and plasric bags were always reused. Grandma kept flats of canned vegetables under our beds. Loving these prepare together videos, and it's true, cool whip containers are fancy. Button jars are not only practical but also very pretty.

[@heatherj3385]

Yes! Glass jars....I save them all. They make such a wonderful mouse proof dry storage, left over containers, they are so useful.

[@ninamarietripodi6733]

Lol this was a great video. I was born in 68 and my family is nothing like yours. I have always kept glass jars, saved bread ties, using peels. I must be an old soul or maybe I was gifted this “knowing” for my family ❤

[@progressisperfection]

I love finding stuff at yard sales! Containers of buttons, screws... and it's usually a great price. If you're on a budget, think about going out this summer and hunting down some garage/tag/yard sales! You never know what you're going to find.

[@bettyir4302]

I bought all the kids' clothing, toys, books, furniture from yard sales.

[@desire4liberation]

I have my buttons saved in jars one for small ones, one for medium, one for large and one for decorative :))

[@kmac5836]

Loving this new series!! ❤

[@jobellecollie7139]

I was reared by Depression Era Grandparents and Parents. Frugal was a word rich folks used, we aspired to be frugal! We never wasted anything!

[@Epona52]

Use bacon grease to saute chopped onions; once they are lightly browned and tender, add greens . . . turnip greens, collards, kale, spinach, chopped cabbage . . . continue to cook until greens are wilted. Add back chopped bacon if desired for a very tasty side dish!

[@Angie-jg4nz]

I think my grand daughter is a Great Depression old soul. She saves everything, toilet paper rolls and all, to use for something else. We dig stuff out of her room all the time. She’s had this quirk for years and she’s only 10. I recognize it because I have had the same thing. I think some of these ideas must pass down through the dna, even if you weren’t around your grand parents much.

[@sharonemmett5996]

I absolutely agree about it being in your DNA. I’ve lived like this since I was a young bride. I think a lot of it was inherited from my grandma and Nanny. But I’ve done it my whole life. It is a lot of extra work as I wash all the containers and jars. And keeping everything organized takes time and effort too! Others have said, “you would think you grew up in the Great Depression “. Lol 😂

[@loisyoung4662]

Buying food in glass jars is getting harder to find. I buy food with glass jars first. I was just rounding up random screws and thought, I've got to get a container for them lol

[@missydouglas3818]

I love going back and watching the older videos!

[@homemadehappy6956]

I get so overwhelmed feeling like I'll never know enough.

[@pattypeterson6791]

I grew up a military brat. Since we were constantly moving we didn't save anything! So, some of this is very new to me. My hubby saves almost everything! Being in construction, he's got containers of all kinds of small things. He screws the jar lid to the under side of a cabinet in the garage, then puts nails or whatever in the jar and screws it on the lid. So there's a line of jars under the cabinet but not taking up "counter" space.

[@LisaMyEclecticLife]

One of my favorite things I got of my grandmother's was her button jar. I love buttons and buy them at thrift stores and garage sales. Lol, my grandma had a lot of cool whip containers. She used them to put leftovers in the frig. It was quite a disappointment as a child to open the tub and it had veggies inside instead of cool whip. Great memories. Blessings.

[@nosheeple2751]

😅😊

[@michellegoodwin8258]

I inherited my grandmother’s button can too. It’s one of my most prized possessions 😊

[@backdoor5993]

I use the empty toilet paper cardboard as electrical cord holders for electric hand tools (i.e., Dremel). Roll up the cord and shove it in the cardboard. Keeps my cords neat and out of the way.

[@priscillabohn4575]

My mom gave hubby and me a compliment saying we reminded her of her grandparents. We live simply and re purpose. They raised her during the great depression

[@alindalt2897]

Hello from Utah! I was raised by Great Depression parents and grandparents! I love these series. Thank you.

[@lourdespaz7890]

LOVE LOVE UTAHLIVED THERE FOR MANY YEARS MOVED TO CA. TO TAKE CARE OM MY PARENTS, I WISH I WERE BACK HOME. Utah I LOVE YOU.😊😊😊

[@sharonshick30]

Patera, This is a comment about a different video that you did around 9 days ago. I just want you to know that your videos are NOT a waste of time. This afternoon, I got 3 bottles started with my homemade vanilla. Thanks for the instructions and advice.

[@appalachiashomesteadwithpatara]

You are most welcome! 🧡

[@futurefolk9919]

My grandma was born in 1904. Oh how I wish she was here so I could pick her brain! She re-used her tea bags, she re-used tin foil, you weren't allowed to tear wrapping paper. You just popped the tape so it could be used again. I have a cook book she obviously used from 1939 which she saved numerous newspaper clippings about meal prep and stretching your dollar. She did save rubber bands. It was her thing. True story- after she passed my mother went to her safety deposit box... Wait for it... The ONLY thing in it was a rubber band! Oh how we laughed🤣🤣🤣. Thank you for that Patera 💞🤗

[@kenziekayla8613]

Chewing gum packs have a neat plastic container. In my car I keep nail clippers, tweezers and bandaids in.

[@tonilc68]

Good morning, everyone! Thank you, Patara, for all your advice and tips. My Granny and Great Aunt have been gone for many years, but I remember a lot of their advice and things they saved to use later and how they preserved and /or prepare foods. They lived thru the Great Depression. Thank God I had them in my life when I was young.

[@heathercook9998]

You just gave me an idea for the plastic berry and tomato containers! I sprout seed in the Jars and stacks for use on salads and in sandwiches. Those containers are perfect for storing my sprouts in the fridge. Thank you!!

[@karenhowk1455]

My parents were depression era too. I cant tell you how many butter tubs, pepto caps and paper bags they had. They would wash and re-use plastic silverware. This made me a "throw it away person", but since 2020, I have changed sooooo much and don't want to get rid of anything now!

[@shivanismith]

Along with your buttons, it’s always good to have extra thread, needles of different weights and a solid pair of fabric scissors. Old curtains, table cloths and bedsheets are also good to have around

[@missysmith9854]

A funny story - my great great aunt Edna saved every thing. I loved to visit with her, she had such nice family stories to tell. She had been a legal secretary, and never married, she also wrote everything in shorthand. When she died I helped clean out her house. We found a big jar full of strings labeled - string to short to save?

[@idahogardengirl942]

Lol

[@susanl4219]

Zip baggies are washed and saved, butter containers are washed, saved and utilized for storage or as seed starting pots. Jars are saved for reuse as well. Old clothing is used as car wash rags and the like. Good advice! ❤️

[@wandaf6322]

Hello Patara! My Grandma passed on her save nearly everything to me as well. She was 15 in 1929 basically raising her twin (he was full time farming and going to school) and 3 and 5 year old brothers. Their mom died in 1927. My Grandpa was 26, married (to another woman) with 3 children 6 and under. They lived their entire lives since that time as if it was still happening. They saved all precious metals, elastic, string of any kind, car parts, tires, fabric from old clothes, buttons, zippers, newspaper, plastic jugs, glass jars, wood, nuts n bolts, and nails. I finally got my husband to save his banana peels from his lunch at work. He has a couple others giving him theirs 😂

[@sherrikarlstedt6442]

We may not be able to get plastic storage bags, containers etc. from China so it's great to repurpose. Glass is the best against rodents and any humidity problems. I bought a vaccum chamber that can seal various sized jars from Etsy and is great for repurposing spaghetti sauce jars etc.

[@marcypetty3375]

Lol, I inherited my mom's buttons, she inherited from my grandmother. Never thought i would need them, but may.

[@kenziekayla8613]

So so soothing to feel them and enjoy the sensory appeal for adults and kids alike!

[@suzannehetmer2394]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge learned from your grandmothers. I grew up hearing from my grandmother the stories of her grandmother living in the south during the civil war. My grandfather (her husband) was born in 1881 and came to Texas in a covered wagon. I never knew him but have the written family history and cassette recordings my grandmother made telling these wonderful stories of their families and how they survived during the post-civil war era and again during the depression.

[@ronnawatts7779]

I save all my coffee and tea grounds for my garden as well as several of the things you mentioned.. my granny was 96 when she died.. she was born in 1905.. she never wasted anything and we lived next door on a farm, so I learned so much from her! Good information Patara! 😊

[@tracilynn6675]

My daughter works at Starbucks and they save coffee grounds, bag them up for people to use in their gardens and they’re free.

[@robertandrobinmilliken5105]

I use coffee grounds to keep sinks clear also. Used coffee grounds drags any sludge out that could be building up in your kitchen sinks…

[@jackieroberts6316]

Years ago I read in the Mother Earth News (before it was trendy) to sew buttons on coats with fine dental floss since it was so strong.

[@joyful_tanya]

I use it hand sewing denim too.

[@alwaysbeprepared6323]

Thanks for doing what you do. You are appreciated.

[@lynngliottone2812]

Been saving all the little doodads for years. I save the dog hair from my dryer, put it in outside branches for the birds to nest with. They LOVE it!

[@LynnDavisHathaway]

My husband and I both grew up in East Tennessee. Neither of our families had a lot, but they did a lot of these things that you’re talking about. I really appreciate you doing this series because it brings back memories and also reminds me not to throw things away. My husband is 81 and I am 78. I used to laugh at my husband for saving his leftover pieces of soap. Heck, he saves everything lol. But now I understand. Thank you for all you do. It’s much appreciated! 🩵

[@tammywhite9229]

I commented this on katz cradle and got frugal tip of the day. My 92 yr old mom wore pantyhose everyday. When she got a run in one leg she cut off just the leg that ran and when she had two pair with one leg she layered the pantyhose.

[@galatians2twenty]

I used to do that, too, and I was in my 30s! The only problem was that if I was in a hurry and trying to get to work, I occasionally ended up wearing two different colors! But it sure came in handy. I've lived in the tropics for years now and no longer have that problem! Haha!

[@tammywhite9229]

@@galatians2twenty 😂 well I’ve worn two different color shoes so I get it.

[@dawnjerger847]

Used medicine bottles are great for saving seeds too!

[@maryames164]

I save elastic if it is not to worn.If someone offers you older spools of thread put them in a plastic bag or tub and store in your freezer it will put moisture in the thread. If you sew prepare now with hand sewing needles and machine sewing needles. Don't throw out scrap fabric you can use them in future for the garden for tying up.

[@jilldalier5396]

My husband and I use spent cartons of milk to make ice for things like keeping fish cold till cleaned the next day, groceries cold till get home, etc. Also, we reuse the brine from our pickle jars and add other veggies like asparagus (thin stalks), or anything we want to do a quick pickle on. No waste

[@jeas4980]

I turn my Ziploc bags inside out and wash them. I use my milk jugs everywhere (on lettuces, for scoops, as containers for gardening, I hang them on the fence with new strawberry runners, storage for bulk seeds... a dozen cantaloupe make A LOT of seeds!, rice, beans, birdseed, etc.) I don't throw away hardly anything... but it's not "hoarding".. it's organized, it's used or useful. Trimmed grape vines become trellising for cucumbers. Old sheets are row covers.

[@MispelledOnPurpose]

I like your grapevine idea.

[@victoriabecraft6166]

I rarely ever have to use my dryer. I have my regular clothesline and I also have a retractable clothesline in my greenhouse. I try to aim for sunny days to do my laundry. In the winter, they dry nicely in the greenhouse, so I am covered all year long.

[@christiner9398]

Lids from peanut butter fit well on mason jars for storage.

[@charlayneknapp42]

Bacon grease is an essential oil 😜

[@garyc.foster1132]

I buy Great Value cold cuts that come in square plastic lidded containers. I use them for freezing vegetables and fruits in 2 cup quantities. I also save my yogurt containers for seed starting. They are sturdy enough for several seasons. My button collection outgrew the small jar I was using and has graduated to a larger plastic nut jar. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

[@Lynn11663]

Reminds me of my grandparents. My grandma was a young bride of 21 in the early '30's. She saved everything she could. My grandpa was a mechanic and truck driver. He couldn't afford a lot of the tools he needed, so he used his German Ingenuity to modify or make what he needed. Oh, buttons.....I have them and inherited enough to re button a family.

[@karenminor4541]

I'm a few days late listening to this. My mom passed away on September & I've got lots of buttons & safety pins. Mom saved peanut butter jars & frosting containers. I'm really enjoying this series. Thank you for all you do!

[@karenminor4541]

I opened another one of mom's boxes of stuff. She saved sewing machine parts, pieces of jeans for patching & pieces of elastic.

[@keithandsmarie4358]

My D@d used baby food jars to store individual screws, nuts, bolts, small nails etc. He nailed the covers to a 4x4 beam attached to the ceiling. The 4x4 actually turned so you could use all 4 sides. Neat... Also, saving bread ties...both metal and plastic and plastic grocery sacks for small trash cans in the bathroom.

[@dragonslayer7587]

My early life, until about 16 was living on a remote farm my grandpa bought back in the late 1800's in the Adirondacks. Not only did we save everything, but if we were out in the truck, and someone was throwing something away, he grabbed it! Everything! Thankfully, we had out buildings... I remember he grabbed an old rusty bike, and when my chain broke on my bike, he was able to use parts from the old one. For those who live in Apartments or small homes, keeping everything along with the long term food storage, I can imagine is hard... I've gotten great bins at thrift stores that stack well... I can hide them in the back of the closet. I do have to keep a list of what's back there though, because I forget!

[@vickeywilkerson7851]

Thank you so much for all your hard work you put in these videos!! I'm really enjoying this series. GREAT CHANNEL AND A WONDERFUL FAMILY.

[@Sophia-gu4me]

This year, we've been repurposing cardboard boxes to use as containers for growing vegetables outside. They are working great for the potato plants, so the beans and squash are going in some next. We'll see how it goes ☺

[@opheliaflful]

I literally try to keep everything, containers, rubberbands, twist-ties.... Like someday I may need to McGuyver something! Truly possible :) kinda like the Professor making a radio out of coconuts on Gilligan's Island lol.

[@SunnySydeUp]

Every time i use up a milk jug or plastic juice bottle, I wash it and fill it with water. I keep it by the door, and in the morning I take it out to water my quail and backyard chickens. I have a stash of full cartons out there,because I don’t have a water source out there yet. In summer I poke holes in them and use them as drip waterers for my garden. In January, I cut them in half, put potting soil in them and use them as winter sowing containers. Then I finally throw them away after planting out the seedlings, and the process starts again.