My granny raised four kids pretty much on her own back during the depression because my grandpa was working the oil fields of Texas for weeks at a time. She could make biscuits and gravy from flour, water and lard if she had lard sometimes she had to make do with just flour and water Once in a while, they might have a little milk and potatoes. She knew a lot of recipes with very minimal ingredients. Flour milk, potatoes, lard and eggs. And that was when they were doing good. People really need to appreciate the blessings that we have living in this country. Never never take it for granted.
@sweetpea69874 ай бұрын
I watched my grandma take apart old clothes and iron the fabric, put a new pattern on them and make a new dress or shirt from the fabric. She also made quilts from the old clothes.
@amycecil96894 ай бұрын
Im a grandma and i do that, plus take and save buttons and zippers from old clothes. So much is thrown away in this country
@cynthiayork56894 ай бұрын
Canning is stress release for me to have more control over what I eat . It may not be cost effective for a long time , but it helps me get closer to my garden and learn about growing.
@karenkuehn63924 ай бұрын
They bought paraffin wax in blocks back then. It was melted down and poured on top of jellies and jams. When it was removed, it was washed and saved to be reused over and over again. I remember watching my Grandmother use it for her jellies. It was actually quite cost effective.
@suredeydo4 ай бұрын
I think it's more about the healthier option than the need to be frugal. Gain and Tide and etc have some seriously damaging toxic chemicals in them. Cans of food from the store have an internal plastic lining that is hazardous to our health.Yes, buying clothes may be cheaper but they are made in sweat shops and also have toxic crap like polyester in them. Also raising ones own chickens may not be dirt cheap but it healthier. We can apply this to lots of things. It's about self sufficiency and not being poisoned.
@carolavant37784 ай бұрын
You definitely get it. I wish so many other did, too.
@mimi1o84 ай бұрын
Absolutely right
@PrepperPrincess4 ай бұрын
You can’t be self sufficient. Did you grow the crops that made the material to make your own clothes? Did you buy chicken feed or grow it yourself? Do you produce your own electricity, water and sewer? Self sufficiency does NOT exist in America no matter what. You would have to be part of a tribe in the Amazon or something to be self sufficient
@heatherregimbal45524 ай бұрын
I think people are just trying to regain whatever control they can back into their lives. Our main resource being history and the ways of our grandparents. But this is a whole new batch of chaos, we are on our own. One can only hope we can adapt and learn new tricks to survive. Most of us won't make it😅..
@stephenseaborn38444 ай бұрын
Correct, you cannot be 100% self sufficient, but this does not negate sound principles of self reliance. An infant has zero self reliance, an eight-year old much more, etc. Having skills, equipment, etc. now may mean the difference between suffering versus thriving in the future. Also, recognizing we will never be 100% self sufficient highlights the importance of community.
@vln2223 ай бұрын
As a canner myself I would partially agree. If you are starting out new yes the initial investment can be expensive if pressure canning. I have been canning for several years now and I mostly can meats so it saves us quite a bit of money and time in the long run. I purchase 25 pounds of meat at a time when it's on sale or clearance. I can everything from chicken, roast, hamburger, lamb and corn beef. Why this works for us is I don't need to cook the meat when we are ready to eat it. It's simply open the can and add the rice or noodles with the sauce. As far as water bath canning that is simply boiling water over jars. I get jars and the lids from yard and estate sells or the thrift stores. Just picked up 10 packs of lids for $2, that will be enough for well over 2 years for us. I have an apple tree and can applesauce each year that will last us over a year. The entire process takes about 2 hrs. Pressure canning does take me a day however we are still eating what I canned in 2022 which means the cost was at the 2022 prices not 2024.
@sangkim10354 ай бұрын
I think you are missing the historical context. When the war started, everything was rationed as all the resources were used for war. If you can't get laundry detergent, you have to make it. It is about self sufficiency, not about money.
@lisamielke26074 ай бұрын
Amen
@tinyshamrocks21724 ай бұрын
Exactly
@amycecil96894 ай бұрын
I understand your viewpoint, but i have to laugh cause i have all these "hobbies". 😅 These are heritage skills that should not be lost, plus it's fun 🎉
@bettinak.44 ай бұрын
On the canning part: it's just American thinking you have to buy all those supplies. In Hungary we don't pay for those things, we get jars and stuff for free and even if you buy them, you can use them over and over again. And traditional canning doesni't require any pectin or preservetives. If someone has a garden, after one year it's free because you use your own seeds. The only downside is the time aspect, but it's worth it because it's much healthier.
@janetstonerook45524 ай бұрын
I'm an American and we people living out in the country can and freeze much of our food. I agree it is much healthier and tasty and less expensive that what you buy at the grocery store. Our mentality is much different than people in big urban areas.
@carollyntАй бұрын
Most people can with sugar and salt. It is not healthier than fresh. It’s more about self-sufficiency.
@bettinak.4Ай бұрын
@@carollynt of course fresh is healthier, everyone agrees with that. What I meant is that store bought canned food (and most of the fresh ones too) is treated with pesticides and canned with preservetives.
@razsbags4 ай бұрын
Using a slow cooker crockpot to make preserves - don’t need to stand there watching the pot on a stove. Love sewing - learnt from my mother. Grow grain for the chickens & feed scraps. Plant a food forest & not much work. Love being able to walk out the back door & get fresh eggs & talk to the chooks.
@carolynl45534 ай бұрын
For me, canning my own food is more about organic and knowing how it was grown than cost savings. I grow from last year's seeds and make my own compost. But I also invest in new long term gardening supplies like metal garden stakes. I don't cost as much as other hobby farmers but I still spend more than at Walmart. And that is alright. Less gmo is great and less chance for ulcers in my digestive system.
@janicew62224 ай бұрын
1 jug of white vinegar, box of soda, container of ammonia & borax, you won't need anything else for ANY of your cleaning, rodent or insect control. All of them together won't cost much more than a bottle of windex and will last a lot longer. Two chickens will survive on your leftovers, can't think of anything they won't eat (if it is hard, boil in water first such as carrots etc.) and they give you enough eggs for all your eating/cooking needs. It isn't just about cheaper it is about having something if stores aren't available. You make excellent points for singles but I'm an old widow and can tell you, canning, gardening and having chickens does save me money. One thing is for sure, a jar of my canned beans sure tastes a lot better than dollar general beans lol. Blessings!
@luvslyfe13 ай бұрын
DE (diatomaceous earth) is also inexpensive for insect control. I poof it around the outside foundation of my house before buggy monsoon season starts to roll around. It kills bugs with exoskeletons and is harmless to the environment. Food grade DE is also useful for treating intestinal parasites.
@shmataboro86344 ай бұрын
For those who dont know how to sew, yeah its cheaper to buy a $3 shirt at Wally World. But it won't be a decent quality fabric, won't hold up well, and you're limited to whatever style theyre currently pushing. Plus youre supporting the sweat shop industry. For me and my friends it's home sewing for the win! Better quality fabrics, personal style, and clothes that last for years rather than weeks.
@dianeharbottle20444 ай бұрын
Growing your own food, canning and freezing is definitely healthier than processed frozen or cans of food with preservatives. This is the best way if possible. There were six of us as kids growing up eating everything from the garden and fruit trees. Only the meat was from the store. We just lost our first brother at 91, other brother just turned 89, sisters 86, 83, 79 and 77. All healthy. I believe t was from our diet growing up.
@KM-vq4wg4 ай бұрын
Agree!
@fourdayhomestead28394 ай бұрын
Re-doing the math, canning can be cheaper. I bought supplies used, new lids & do 1 canner load 3x week in the evening after work. Planning ahead & doing something else profitable while the canner does it's thing.
@isabelkassan52444 ай бұрын
My mum and dad and their primary families survived the Great Depression! My dad was put off and could not get a job for five years! They put the unmarried ones off! My mum and dad married as soon as it was over! Grew beautiful fruit and vegetables and kept chooks! I have never missed a meal in my life! The shared and shared advice! After the depression my dad worked at his job for 45 ? Years diligently and gratefully know in how fortunate their lives were! He brought me up with the same values! They wasted nothing! Often not impressed with recycling of clothes! Learned from mum! Aussie Lady have had a great life
@janicew62224 ай бұрын
My parents went thru the great depression too, Daddy was 21 when it hit in 1929, it changed him forever and we kids benefited from their experiences. It will be far worse if it happens again, because most don't know how to be self-reliant. No one is truly self-sufficient, but we can be self-reliant, not waiting on the government to save us. I had a dress made from a seed sack. Blessings!
@ReginaDailey4 ай бұрын
One thing we forget about the Great Depression is we still had a large number of folks living on small family farms.
@bc4yt4 ай бұрын
A lot of jars like pickle and jam jars can actually be reused for canning purposes, multiple times. A lot of these practices will come back when the depression hits and a lot of people have nothing else to do.
@mekon19714 ай бұрын
4 chickens - we just feed them scraps and it's practically free eggs. Get 3-4 eggs/day.
@wrenjacobs93924 ай бұрын
That's a great return; any specific breed?
@mekon19714 ай бұрын
@@wrenjacobs9392 Golden Comet
@cynthiagreen92234 ай бұрын
I think you just don't appreciate homesteading, its about quality and isn't cheap, but worth it in my humble opinion
@jessicabulloch53023 ай бұрын
I am a mom to 8 and I have had to live a very frugal life and cooking from scratch, growing vegies , mending items instead of throwing them away and running out to walmart to buy more, has definitely saved me a lot of money. Also canning tools are not that expensive if you buy them used . I think depression era ways still can work today.❤
@jericson11094 ай бұрын
Knowing how to do dressmaking from scratch isn't a huge savings...but knowing how to do minor repairs and alterations definitely is.
@valerier43084 ай бұрын
These days, fabric is not cheap, and a spool of thread is $2 or $3. Then there are the pattern, the zipper, trim, buttons, etc.!
@jericson11094 ай бұрын
@@valerier4308 Sewing is like many crafts...you can let it cost a huge amount if you lack judgement about what's too much, or you can pay attention and get a lot done for very little money.
@jonlouis25824 ай бұрын
Amen to that.
@IrishQT074 ай бұрын
@@valerier4308 agree. But watch for estate sales. You can sometimes get sewing notions that way for cheap or free. There are also many community sites that offer discounted or free items. There are sites that have free patterns and tutorials on how to create your own patterns. Lots of free options or low cost options out there. 😊
@betsyr47244 ай бұрын
We have a community aid consignment shop close, and they have great clothes on the cheap. Thanks much.
@everythingbearausphreak73704 ай бұрын
I think canning your own food is better yes it’s a larger investment but in a grid down situation you can store and replenish supply’s and from your own garden you know exactly what your getting 👌👍
@kenyonbissett35124 ай бұрын
You also don’t take part in the mining or recycling process for cans, trash in the landfill, gas to go to grocery store, the cost of building, maintaining and employing staff at a large grocery store. There are always unintended consequences and impacts from mining that are bad for people and nature. What you do in your garden is sustainable if you practice no till, organic garden.
@vln2223 ай бұрын
I agree and my canned food tastes so much better.
@MissRed-AKgirl4 ай бұрын
Canning meats, meals and veggies is wonderful. Once you have cases of jars the cost is pretty nominal. Lids don't cost alot IMHO and the goods that I can tastes far better than any store bought in cans. Just my 2¢
@SewingBoxDesigns4 ай бұрын
Plus the local thrift store will have the equipment piled up at certain times of year, as the weaklings give up. 😂
@mightymommom5888Ай бұрын
I enjoy canning. I researched canning. The Amish water bath can everything. They reuse jars, lids and rings. I started reusing lids. Everything has been fine.
@tinyshamrocks21724 ай бұрын
My sewing machine has saved me BUNDLES .. especially after losing weight and taking my clothes in!! Otherwise I’d have to buy a whole new wardrobe! And dont even get Me started with repairs to clothing.. saved me tons my whole life
@isabelkassan52444 ай бұрын
My mother bought their first second hand car with money she made crocheting beautiful bed jackets! I used to unwind and pile up skeins of wool as my part of the project!
@intuitivegina4 ай бұрын
This is so true I've been sewing since I was 12 or 13 years old and there was a time that that was a very cheap way to have a lot of clothing. When I was a pastor's wife I made my own suits very affordable. Fabric is so expensive now. So what do I do I still sew but I take clothing that are actually hand me downs people that give me clothing and I remake them into something that fits me. So there is still a cheap way to sew and save money. Even some of the sheets that are made of cotton can make a nice set of overalls or a skirt or whatever so there is a way of getting free material and remaking this material into clothing. But otherwise it's too expensive to sew. Thank you for telling it like it is
@intuitivegina4 ай бұрын
@@lovechangesus wow I love flowy pants. They sound wonderful
@denisedurham93854 ай бұрын
Canning is actually not a hobby. I make food how I can eat it without all the chemicals. Also most of what I can is discounted. It is $2 for a can of chili (14oz) and I can make it for $0.50c for 16oz. Your not a canner so you wouldn't understand the importance of it.
@LH-yc5vy4 ай бұрын
I think you missed some of her message on canning.
@SewingBoxDesigns4 ай бұрын
And you can can or 'pot' almost everything. Just look at the grocery store shelves and find the recipe on line. 😁 Home made marmalade is wonderful medicine when you're sick. I swear the French born lady who gave us jars of her gorgeous marmalade saved my life.
@1971_happylifedog4 ай бұрын
That’s also why I can and make everything from scratch.
@stephenseaborn38444 ай бұрын
We make DRY powdered laundry soap from three ingredients. Borax, washing soda, laundry bar soap.
@paulamcleod12274 ай бұрын
I love your calculations! I did enjoy sewing back in the day when I made my daughters adorable matching dresses! Hubby won't eat premade lasagna. I make it from scratch and invite lots of friends for dinner! I ask them to bring salad, wine, and garlic bread. Winner winner lasagna dinner!
@erindixon28774 ай бұрын
I sew for a number of reasons: skin allergies, fit issues, limited clothing access due to living in the middle of nowhere, and because I like doing it. However, I rarely buy fabric from a fabric store. I thrift it or buy it from fabric warehouses online when they have sales. Just recently, I bought some vintage sheet sets that were in excellent condition for my daughter for $2.25 a set to make some retro dresses/skirts she wants to make but can’t afford to buy from the specialty plus size websites.
@ohmcintyre20674 ай бұрын
Hi, PP! I absolutely agree about the laundry soap - costs way too much to make it. On the other matters, one big thing that changed since the 1930s is the extent to which everyday items were reusable. Almost any glass jar could be a canning jar and lids and rings were handled carefully and reused. Bulk goods like flour came in fabric sacks which became little girls’ dresses and when those wore out they became patchwork quilts. Today everything is “use once and throw away”. I try to find at least one second use for everything that comes into my house.
@lynnehopwood8344 ай бұрын
Thank you for keeping us all inspired. Maybe I have already mentioned my former neighbor who grew up in the Great Depression. He told me that his family didn’t know there was a depression going on. He is gone now and I often think about what he said. He did what he could with what he had.
@tomj5284 ай бұрын
I agree on almost everything except with how inexpensive it is to cook from scratch at home vs pre-made convenience foods. While all of the other things are currently "hobbies" during times of war and depression they were necessary and may become so again. Like you, I weight the value of the labors to do so and would rather stock up on store bought canned goods, buy potatoes, eggs and even laundry detergent when they all go on sale. I wouldn't give up the made from scratch cooking for anything though as it's so incredibly inexpensive and delicious. Incidentally I can make a lasagna far less expensive than $25, it'll taste a lot better and have far less salt and chemicals. Cheers!
@berniceanderson5394 ай бұрын
30 years of gardening at my current home and i have never bought fertizer, but i compost everything and put it back in the garden. I can ( and often have) buy a 50 cent - $2.99 tomato plant, dig a small hole anywhere in the yard and end up with at least $30 of tomatoes from the1 plant.Same woth any type of squash.... Dig a small hole in your yard and put a seed or a $1 plant in there and you'll get about $20 worth of squash.. you"ll likely have to move vines to mow around it unless you stick a fencing or cage around it to have the vines climb. Only have to water on real dry summers. This year i have not had to water yet and currently am getting an ice cream pail full of strawberries daily and about a quart of sugar snap peas daily. Just recently froze rhubarb and asparagus. Soon I will be picking raspberries and green beans after that. ....and many more fruits and vegetables to follow. I freeze fruits and vegetables way more than canning. Doing the math, i am saving lots and lots of money yearly. Plus, I am eating healthy foods without herbicides or pesticides on them. Some things are simple like tomatoes and squash and some things take more work. But i dont count the value of time involved it as i enjoy it and the work itself keeps me healthier.
@berniceanderson5394 ай бұрын
I'll add that I am lucky here in Mnnesota to have nice black soil and no need to build raised beds. Berries are not available around here to acavenge and are very expensive in the store. I expect i will be picking about $20-$30 worth of raspberries soon daily for a couple of weeks. ( I have found some raspberries to scavenge around here but they are wild raspberries so they are super small and they are along a trail that gets spayed with weed killer twice each summer. I'd rather pick my own chemical free ones.)
@berniceanderson5394 ай бұрын
I got my strawberry plants 30 years ago from my dad's patch. No cost. Today, and for the past 20 years, my patch has grown enough that I will give away a few dozen plants to someone who wants them( yearly , if I find someone who wants them). Rhubarb plant produces way more than I need. I started that from some my neighbor dug up for me from hers about 6 years ago. I can now do the for others. Basically zero work to grow rhubarb and it makes less lawn to mow.
@luvslyfe13 ай бұрын
@@berniceanderson539You have a wonderful garden! I struggle here in AZ with 4 months of triple digits temps, kills so much of what I try to grow. I am able to grow peppers, some herbs, and I have orange trees, a tangelo tree, and a mandarinquat tree. I’ve only been here a few years, so it will take time. I’m unable to have chickens because of horrible HOA. I hate HOA’s, but when I bought this house in 2021, inventory was almost nonexistent. Would love to move more rural to do what you do.
@keg106094 ай бұрын
Sewing is important to know tho. I saved 30 dollars by sewing my own button and fixing a hole around my junk area for my work pants. Most of my coworkers just buy new. And then when my boss gave us a discount on some pants I took the deal and got me one for 15 dollars.
@queenofthemachines31504 ай бұрын
I've been mending and replacing zippers for cash on the side for several years. I think it depends on where you are what skills/equipment is needed and pays off earlier than later.
@marynadewet4634Ай бұрын
I still make my own clothes, some of it. Items you don't find in the shops. I like to make my own light informal summer dresses and tops. But materials are very synthetic these days, and expensive. I am very proud of my needle work, crocheting and knitting skills (though I never was a house wife). It is a wonderful hobby, can save you money (or not), and add quality to your life. Just the way we grew up in the 60's and 70's in South Africa. Women of all colours, ages and races still love to crochet here in SA, even sometimes the very young. ❤❤❤
@rainydaywoman89974 ай бұрын
I’m 66 years old, I was raised on a small farm. People’s concept of money was so different then.
@amydecker62074 ай бұрын
I a canning with jars my grandmother used 70 years ago. Considering the cost of new lids and a single 49 cent cost of a packet of seeds, I can put away 30 quarts of green beans for $3.89. Thirty cans of storr brand green beans would cost $15.00.
@happymack66054 ай бұрын
And considering the poison that’s in/on the store bought veggies, health wise, it’s way cheaper to can your own
@cindyvoorhies78754 ай бұрын
I’ve been canning for 30 years and use my Moms and Aunts canning stuff . I mainly do it because I can control what goes into my jars . To many preservatives in store bought stuff
@aileenrose16514 ай бұрын
I think one thing that your not factoring in, is that women during the depression didnt got out andbuy specialty items or even usually new items. When they made clothes, it was often from feedsacks (which were sold in printed cotton bags) or they were made over from hand me downs in the wrong size or even made over to hide worn spots or holes etc... They didn't have access to thrift stores. We may not always either, so having those skills are wise jic. You can buy fabrics and notions very cheaply at estate sales, yard sales and thrift stores etc... or if you put the word out, many people would be happy to gift them to you. Flat sheets are a dime a dozen because the fitted sheet wears out first. There is a lot of fabric in them. You can also use many of these same ideas for canning- check thrifts, estate sales etc... for used jars. And these items can be used Over and over again. You can also share equip with friends. And they make great gifts to request for birthdays etc.... Look into european canning and amish canning for ideas on doing things more cheaply. Basically, you have to look for cheaper alternatives. They made jams without pectin. Youcan too. They didn't buy special salts for pickling etc... If you used the same principles that they did, your costs versusbenefits might come out quite differently. But they did what they did, because it was the only way to survive. We coukd very well end up there again. Having those skills and that knowledge might be your only options to stay clothed and fed etc... Dont make the mistakeof thinking we'll always have the option to go buy cans of food and cheap Walmart clothes. Better to have thebasic skills andnever need them than vice versa. Please dont discourage this inothers either. Abetter video might be to provide ideas and options for doing these thjngs affordably. As a mom who raised 11 children on a homestead, you had me rotfl about the women in the depression having more time for things like this. Im sure they would be doing the same. 😅
@kenyonbissett35124 ай бұрын
No vacuum cleaners. No washers as we know them now. All cooking from scratch. My grandmother on my dad’s side lived on a several hundred acre farm. It was a lot of very long days.
@seekingtheminimumlevel18304 ай бұрын
From a money-saving perspective only, you are absolutely correct. Everything has an opportunity cost. That's what I taught my children - know the opportunity cost and decide what works for you. Many of the things you discussed are more self-sufficiency related now versus money saving. I consider the small amount of gardening I do a hobby only because I sure don't break even and never will. That's why I stick mostly to herb, which I enjoy fresh and can keep in little cages to keep all the local rodents out. I do think the ability to sew well enough to mend has saved me a lot of money. It is not less expensive to make your own clothes or just about any textile-based item unless you are given the materials or repurpose something you already have. For example, I have purchased (pre-2020 before prices got ridiculous) items at thrift stores and altered them myself for much less than a new one would cost. Old sheets become extra pillow cases, etc.
@jeanthobaben4 ай бұрын
If, like me, you have case of jars in the basement, canning is well worth it. Mostly tomatoes and pickles from the garden. Indeed, when fruit is "in season", I sometimes make jams. That is just for fun.
@jackieo86934 ай бұрын
Most people would save sooo much money if they just ate at home and didn't go to the movies. Alcohol and cigs are budget killers too.
@jonlouis25824 ай бұрын
Now now. Be sensitive to those of us that sell booze for a living. I love alcohol and cigarettes.
@jackieo86934 ай бұрын
@@jonlouis2582 well, that's fine, but those are expensive!
@SewingBoxDesigns4 ай бұрын
@jonlouis2582. Doing your part to cull the herd for the WEF. 😄😂
@jonlouis25824 ай бұрын
@@SewingBoxDesigns We do what we can.
@sherrywalford43934 ай бұрын
Lots of great tips if your looking at just direct savings, however i view some of these things as investing in the future, where i have some control over my own resources. For example the canning, sure the equipment wasn’t cheap, nor was the garden set up. However when you consider supply lines being subject to foreign groups and governments i know we are going to be okay, plus we are eating food I purchased 3-5 years ago which keeps us behind the inflation curve. This year we invested in two apple trees, raspberry bushes, blueberry bushes, and a cherry tree. I know we wont see a return on investment for about 5 years, but then…I also feel like sewing skills and other basic skills like gardening are important. Not that i sew like I used to because of the cost but that i know how. So many skills are being lost yes because of cost but not all things can be measured by a dollar sign. Wisdom is knowing when to put these skills into use and when it just becomes an expensive hobby,
@optimystic12824 ай бұрын
I am pulling together an herbal medicine "apothecary". I have purchased basic herbalist books. When TSHTF we will not have access to conventional big pharma staples such as antibiotics. I am researching colloidal silver as well. Apparently, it is one of the few things that kills MERSA on contact. Lots to learn in a short amount of time.
@victoria.galvin4 ай бұрын
I totally agree with you. Some of these DIY things are best approached as a hobby and not as a "money saver." I don't like having bulk "ingredients" sitting around either!
@lachattenoir4 ай бұрын
I listened to a science podcast in which the host weighed up the cost and eco friendliness of various laundry detergents, including soap nuts and home-made detergent. He concluded that if you use the correct amount (not what they suggest on the packaging), commercial washing powder comes out ahead because it is specifically designed to be effective at low temperatures and prevents damage to your washing machine, thereby extending its life. We live in the UK and go through a £5 box worth of washing powder from lidl each year as a couple (and we're clean!). I think airing things helps a lot. I hang my used clothes up after each wear and keep them on a rack separate from my clean clothes. Air sheets and jumpers regularly, hang towels up to dry properly etc. We do two loads a week and that's plenty! I hate perfume which helps too. Its easy to tell when clothes need washing, since my benchmark is completely odourless clothes.
@kb12364 ай бұрын
Now days growing your own food and canning is more about the ingredients you are consuming and the quality and taste. Same with raising chickens. There are some preppers that do it just in case SHTF. I don't think most people think it is to save money, except maybe the people who have no idea what is involved.
@sophiegolden4 ай бұрын
In France we used and still use soap of Marseille, based of olive oil. You can wash yourself, your all body, hair, you baby, and grate some in your wash machine. It s cheap, organic are the best. Vinegar can destroy the colors of your clothes. 👍🏻
@vln2223 ай бұрын
I am learning to sew as of this past Saturday and no sewing is not cheap at all. Why I'm learning is because I want to be prepared for when the stores are closed and I can't buy the cheap clothes anymore.
@taylorsessions41433 ай бұрын
It's certainly cheaper and more convenient to learn this skill now than it will be in the future and especially during a calamity.
@SomeBuddy7773 ай бұрын
Learning the basics of sewing will enable you to make even the simplest of repairs, saving you a lot of money. Replacing buttons, repairing tears, ripped seams, altering hems, and sew on 🧵🪡🤏
@cindyboberskyj95024 ай бұрын
Air drying clothes helps save on my gas bill and time. I use vinegar in my wash to help with odor and skip the baking soda
@LoboLady20074 ай бұрын
Baking Soda will not do anything for washing your clothes, but Washing Soda will do wonders for you laundry!!!
@downtoearth19504 ай бұрын
In my front loader I use as extremely little laundry detergent as possible, and instead of softener I use the cheapest white vinegar resulting in soft clothes and a sparkling clean machine, leaving the door open means zero mold......happy as 😂
@imakatoh35934 ай бұрын
Casseroles are great money savers and tasty. Noodles are a staple with most of the ingredients.
@JFEnterprize4 ай бұрын
And cobbler. ❤🎉
@denisepeel13274 ай бұрын
The strange thing about much of this is that if shtf, ie...another great depression or www3...people won't just be running to the wally world and getting anything for $3 or whatever. Or just going to the grocery store to get whatever. Coming at a problem of shtf with todays abundant society standards is just weird.
@SewingBoxDesigns4 ай бұрын
Oh they'll be running to Wallet World. The looting has already gone into effect. It's actually legal now. My guess is the store will be stripped in hours and the black market set up before sunset. Look at New York. The shoplifted street markets are in full swing outside the immigrant looted stores.
@SewingBoxDesigns4 ай бұрын
Fels Naptha, my maternal grandmother cleaned everything with it. Including her 7 boys mouths. 😂 Grate it, put it in a canning jar with hot water and shake until it's melts, meanwhile spot treat stains with the bar. It used to work but have the changed the recipe? Line drying makes clothes last longer. Knowing how to sew paid our bills after hubby had his stroke. I didn't go a week without piles of work, and it wasn't charity toward us but strangers on my Etsy shop. Sewing is a trade skill.
@annsaunders57684 ай бұрын
Parafin wax was used for canning...
@user-cy4fs5li5c4 ай бұрын
I think you have hit on two competing priorities: is it more important to be frugal or to be self-sufficient? A lot of the time it seems they are mutually exclusive and it’s difficult to decide which one to focus on. Probably a little of each isn’t a bad plan.
@PrepperPrincess4 ай бұрын
In my Mind being self sufficient is supposed to make life essentially free of charge. Seems the opposite. Makes life harder, more time consuming and more expensive. If you love to garden then by all means do it, but tricking yourself into thinking it’s saving money is incorrect.
@marthaprice34484 ай бұрын
Many don't know that canned foods do not ever expire even with a best buy date. I think it's the FDA or maybe CDC that has that information on their website. You just have to make sure the can is not compromised or seams broken (don't eat those) Canned goods are cheap and often on sale.
@hl10464 ай бұрын
Is home economics even taught in school now? It’s so important for anyone to know basics- cooking, threading a needle for a button or whatever. I agree that now some things are cheaper to buy or get done, BUT, if we go into a depression state, the awesome homesteader friends of mine are on my list for trades. Huge respect for them despite the costs they incur.
@blairereyes61464 ай бұрын
I used to make my laundry detergent when I didn't have children. Now with a house of 4 people, I buy the store brand as I believe my time/effort is worth more than saving a dollar making detergent. I learned, as you said, to use the correct amount per wash.
@craftyoldlady4 ай бұрын
I used to have chickens for eggs and maybe I did not do it right but feeding them was not cheaper than just buying eggs. Granted they were fresher, and my chickens were free range. Also, my husband can make gardening super expensive with all his gadgets and then critters get a lot of it, too. It's just the two of us now and we just don't eat enough to make it cheaper than just buying produce in the store. Of course, our produce is organic and tastes better.
@lindas98064 ай бұрын
Gardening isn’t just about making things cheaper.
@leebrueggemann8474 ай бұрын
I used to have a couple of chickens ; the store bought feed is not cheap. The affordable way is to have a big area they can root around eating bugs and vegetation to supplement their diet.
@ritatomasek4 ай бұрын
I’m interested in reusing and repurposing thrift clothes into different clothing styles because I hate the idea of sending out-of-size to thrift store. On over abundance of clothes from thrift & second-hand stores are shipped to Africa to landfill sites. I have been sewing with 70% off cost on fabrics, a big savings. On the other hand, if clothing manufacturers would stop making clothes for 10 years we would have enough clothes to clothe everyone!! Love your videos and have a great day ❤❤😊
@SewingBoxDesigns4 ай бұрын
They showed us that junk yard of fabric in Fashion design school. 😬 Remember when churches used to gather up clothing for those poor starving Africans? That's part of that pile, too.
@jennyeagan18404 ай бұрын
Why do the countries not invest a bit in teaching their third world citizens fabric sewing and clothing skills? Even sewing mats for them to sleep on, or tarp covers for their tents, blankets would go a long way in survival. They are all sitting on mountains of money if they can get these citizens trained, skilled t9 survive, and then get the items out to market.
@francescooper35784 ай бұрын
I canned my whole life. We planted a huge garden. It did still save us up till I became a widow. Now it is not worth it for myself. I did sew clothing and knit for my family. This did save us lots as my husband did not make much money. Wearing Sweaters helped as I turned down the heat to save. We never had central air and we would go to basement to stay cool.
@barbcomer164 ай бұрын
I have made my own liquid soap for the past 7 years, I love it. the initial cost was approximately $19.00 for all the supplies counting the 5 gallon bucket cost at home depot. I dilute it with about 2 1/2 cups of water to one gallon jug. My 5 gallon bucket makes 6 gallons of liquid soap. The cost per gallon is about 0.96 cents. I make 6 gallons at a time which lasts me approximately 5 to 6 months. It is much cheaper than buying detergent as I large jug now costs around $22.00. So for me it is much cheaper. I have not had the problems you discussed with the Borax and Washing Soda, it may be the way it is stored. Just wanted to let everyone know it can be cost effective after the initial investment since you would only replace the Borax, Washing soda etc. when you get low.
@SusieBound4Heaven4 ай бұрын
Making your own laundry soap: I used make the POWDERED form. It lasts over a year for my 4 kids and myself! It does not get moldy! There are ways to make it WITHOUT all of the mess. It works well. I did not use essential oil. I purchased wool balls to put in the dryer (helps dry clothes faster!) and add some essential oil (a few drops on one of the wool balls) when you toss them in the dryer if you want a "scent". Non-toxic (of course there are chemicals in the homemade detergent due to the soap, just a FYI). It's absolutely a personal choice. For some larger families, it has its benefits. 😊
@indirarimkeit66442 ай бұрын
Hello, Prepper Proncess. I disagree a bit. I don't can, dehydrate, and freeze my garden produce to save money, but as part of my love of growing high quality food. I have a sewing machine and make clothes that fit and last a long time. Near me there's a senior citizens craft thrift store that sells fabric for $2.00 per pound. I have the time to sew and I can make a shirt of a color I like, that fits me, for 2 or 3 bucks. Because of my size I would have to pay $60 to 75 to buy one, and often don't like the colors available. I am retired, but I used to do these things in my spare time when I was still working.
@greenerpastures10004 ай бұрын
We grow our own food and use no pesticides or herbicides. I'll pay more for home-grown organic non-GMO fruits and vegetables than poor quality food any day. Chickens not only provide higher quality eggs, but they also provide great fertilizer. But everyone will be paying more for food soon.
@ingetnamn-de9fc4 ай бұрын
Even more than now? 😬
@karenherring88834 ай бұрын
Due to skin issues, I make my own, clothes detergent and it does save me. I sew and always repair clothes. I am time rich ,so making everything from scratch is fine for me.
@karenallen9194 ай бұрын
Do you believe in self sufficiency anymore? Being prepared for emergencies? Am I missing something essential here? You were able to start frugality early so now you don't need it? Right now I am living off my pantry because of extensive medical bills.
@stephenseaborn38444 ай бұрын
Agree!
@iwrist3134 ай бұрын
I've made my own laundry detergent from baking soda, borax, washing soda and grated Fel Naptha or Zote (total cost ~$25). Just leave it in a powder form in a 5 gallon. I put 1 TBS to the load AND you can use it as an all purpose cleaner around the home. Baking soda, borax (a mineral) and vinegar has multiple purpose for cleaning, plant nutrient and physical health. I shop Thrift store for decades so the only thing I buy new are undergarments at the regular stores. I have chickens and rabbits ($140/6 months for feed plus scraps off the table) which cost much less than having a dog food bill at this time. Also in the Spring through early Summer, weeds like henbit and chickweed are plentiful and edibles for both the chickens and the rabbits for free.
@patriciamoses21854 ай бұрын
You'll wish you had those hobbies when there's no supermarkets or things are do expensive
@dianeirvine13844 ай бұрын
If your wise about these things believe me you can save heaps. Yes cost a bit to get set up but second hand things work just as well. I do agree if you take time into it guess that is where it does not work out. But if you enjoy doing these things you get great satisfaction from home grown home cooked home made items. Then it’s worth it. Think if you have some land then chickens might work out. If you sell some of the eggs to off set cost of grain. Because they can get bugs from land etc.
@marthaprice34484 ай бұрын
Uh, on chickens the hens that no longer lay eggs give you meat and it is easy to set up feeding your chickens from your own yard for example letting them roam a bit in the day or put a wooden board down over the ground and right before you want to feed them, you pick up the board(s) and there are worms, bugs and all sorts of good things for them to eat. This is not an all inclusive list, but I believe getting a renewable, stable form of eggs and meat is a good practice if you can. You can also barter items you have extra of for something a neighbor does have.
@misscody87924 ай бұрын
My daughter has beautiful, wonderful chickens and she feeds them all of their table scraps even chicken. They love it. They lay lots of eggs. She is a good chicken tender. ❤️
@evana25113 ай бұрын
My hens have jobs other than laying eggs. They help turn over the garden, fertilize my plants, and keep bugs down. I will admit that my flock is not saving me money, but they provide me with so much more than eggs. Yes, they are pets and I love them.
@LegacyFarmandHomestead4 ай бұрын
There are many many many many many many ways to cheaply feed chickens. You can go to any farmer that grows grains and asked and they will probably fill the bed of your pickup truck with corn or soybeans for very very cheap. You just got to make some connections
@bc4yt4 ай бұрын
Speaking of the gross part - you can set up a black soldier fly colony for recycling food scraps into little bugs that chickens LOVE. Pure protein.
@LindaKanagawa4 ай бұрын
My friend sewed to save money, but her idea of saving was to spend $500 to make a garment that would have cost $1200 ready made. Her creations were esquisite.
@bc4yt4 ай бұрын
@@LindaKanagawa I have a similar policy when it comes to furniture etc!
@teenafrench72364 ай бұрын
God I love these videos. This kind of living is really what the whole world needs right now. Since I’ve started watching this year I’ve changed some of my spending and have bought my first stocks. Also I’m getting through my clutter and it’s helping improve my physical health. I tried making my own cleaning products and preserves and you’re right it’s not worth it. Totally love your wisdom😊
@marilynearl68874 ай бұрын
I love to garden it doesn’t save a lot of money but the quality and nutrient content are superior to grocery store
@PrepperPrincess4 ай бұрын
That has been scientifically disproven several times.
@backroads824 ай бұрын
😅@@PrepperPrincess
@KM-vq4wg4 ай бұрын
@@PrepperPrincess Factory farms have depleted soils with chemicals; there's no way that can compare to growing your own food organically and making your own rich compost. It's common sense that the plants grown in nutrient rich soils will be nutrient dense. And there have been studies to show this as well. (Sorry, it's been many years and I don't recall where I read the studies but I defer to common sense here). :) Love your channel and your pups!
@tennagrover61402 ай бұрын
My parents have always had chickens. They built the coup out of scrap wood. Feed them kitchen scraps, never bought feed. Let the hens brood eggs for chicks. Only butchered the mean birds
@laurarussell82694 ай бұрын
I think most people who make their own laundry soap make it to avoid the chemicals and fragrance in the laundry soap
@PrepperPrincess4 ай бұрын
Then why use soap at all?
@laurarussell82694 ай бұрын
@@PrepperPrincess hahaha very true ...... Baking soda and borax make clothes brighter 🎉. A wee bit of lavender oil for smell 👃🏻 👍🏻👍🏻
@FrugalLife20244 ай бұрын
Love your videos and agree with most of what you say but we will have to agree to disagree about canning. LOL It saves me money and provides shelf stable meals ready to heat up when I get home from work. Some days that keeps me from spending at drive thru after a long day.
@annmartin93574 ай бұрын
also you know your food isn't full of chemicals
@duanebouchard87364 ай бұрын
Line dry your wash, and i have an old push mower it all comes down to time or money
@stephenseaborn38444 ай бұрын
Cheap clothes and cheap food may not always be available. Conditions will change sooner or later. Where does that $3 t-shirt come from? Will it always be available? Many food items have doubled in price over the past 5 years. We may well need to be much more self reliant. Growing and preserving as much of your own food as possible will be very important again.
@bc4yt4 ай бұрын
The Rocky fiasco was hilarious 😂
@nurshark104 ай бұрын
I’ve done this analysis for years! I totally agree with you. Beginning to can from a garden is very expensive to get all the items one needs to purchase. Sewing , same thing. Farming, same. My mom did can all summer long. My dad worked the garden and she and I did the canning. I despised it. My brother took all her canning equipment when she passed. He still grows a garden and cans because he loved the taste of home canned food. I told my mom,”When I grow up, I would rather work and buy from the store sales than spend the entire summer doing this!” It was definitely delicious but not worth the time. 😊
@lindas98064 ай бұрын
Knowing the skills would help if food you like is not available or too many chemicals or bioengineering in the food or too expensive.
@SewingBoxDesigns4 ай бұрын
How can you stand the salt, metallic taste and chemicals? 🤢 I don't have room to can, but I'll buy frozen or fresh to avoid tin can garbage.
@luvslyfe13 ай бұрын
I’m very allergic to detergents, so we use soap berries. I buy them in bulk, 4lb bag will last me about two years. I put 5 soap nits in a bag, it will last for 5 loads of laundry. You don’t need to buy a ton of stuff to clean clothes. The soap berries are natural and contain lanolin to clean the clothes. We love it
@eabird43583 ай бұрын
I collect jars from neighbors and friends and dehydrate everything I can. I buy frozen mixed vegetables when on sale and dehydrate them. I eat what i grow in the garden and forage in summer so my food bill is low.
@EmbracethechaosPortugal3 ай бұрын
I think you miss the point in canning your own stuff..none of the hideous crap in home saved food..I can't bare to read ingredients lists on products from supermarkets any more. If they'd stop lacing everything with known toxins and poisons I might change my mind,but don't see that happening anytime soon.
@evana25113 ай бұрын
That was my initial reaction, too. If the goal is saving money, maybe it's not economical to can food. However, if the goal is to avoid questionable additives and low quality produce, to eat clean, and to control what goes into our bodies, then preserving our own food is the way to go.
@amyyoshikawa76984 ай бұрын
Hi prepper princess you always have great advice on money saving tips. I still hope to pay off my two other credit card debts 👍😀
@gerigowers83184 ай бұрын
I don't remember what my Mom used it for, but I weirdly loved the smell of Fels Naptha soap. I agree with the person who says it's more about the taste of the canned or grown foods. There are so many things that look nice, but have no taste anymore, but we don't eat according to the seasons either. But since the channel is about being frugal, you hit the mark on all of the points.
@kysmik82144 ай бұрын
Mostly agree but I do can venison and my own recipes cause you cant buy those at the store. I also like to knit my own sweaters with the big ball of Bernat baby yarn that you can get for 7 dollars at Walmart . One skein makes the whole sweater and it's my own design and nobody else has one just like mine, not to mention that you cant buy a brand new sweater for 7 dollars anywhere.
@SewingBoxDesigns4 ай бұрын
I love the old free patterns online, but the acrylic yarn while warm gets all pilled very fast, especially in the armpits where the body rubs. All that work and in the trash in a few years. 😭
@optimystic12824 ай бұрын
Friction and water are the lion's share of how our clothes get clean. New HE washers have no friction other than the clothes falling against each other. I always throw in the measurement cap WITH the small amount of soap. I am now also adding in my hairbrushes (remove all hair first) combs go into a small lingerie bag. This added friction helps clean the clothes with the added benefit of sparkling clean hairbrushes. Don't put the brushes or measuring cup in the dryer! Weird, but it works.
@hokey-os3rx4 ай бұрын
I think you can do a lot of things frugally. Canning can be. Sewing can be frugal too. i agree that most clothing is cheaper to buy but you can make something new out of something old and save money. Like putting a hem on Levis bought at the thrift store or turning a cotton sheet into hemmed napkins. I have always thought outside the box in ways to create and save money. Creating can be costly but it's all how you re that you have that might otherwise be thrown away or donated.
@jennyknoetze71964 ай бұрын
I wish I had learned woodwork.Greetings from South 🇿🇦
@dorawedlock39694 ай бұрын
You use paraffin, not candle wax for canning! Never candle wax!
@bsgarey4 ай бұрын
@AellaMaude-oy9qn Crayon was seals things well.....but probably not great for food sealing.
@bsgarey4 ай бұрын
We can use paraffin wax to make candles; thus, paraffin wax is also a form of candle wax.
@dorawedlock39694 ай бұрын
Candles have other things mixed in such as scents ect.? They are not for use in canning and yes you can make candles out of paraffin
@ThePrairiequeen4 ай бұрын
My mother sealed her jams and jellies with paraffin. Anything else was canned with canning lids.
@nancysaffield53372 ай бұрын
We definitely consumed a lot more eggs when all our children still lived at home. But what we've done to replace that is our flock is now 10 chickens as opposed to six like we normally would have. And we have anywhere from two to three egg customers so those customers help pay for our feed. But even those feed prices have gone up a bit but we definitely enjoy it as a hobby and we're heading into retirement and we'll probably always have chickens.
@evana25113 ай бұрын
I really enjoy your channel, not just for your content but also for the comments. Sometimes there is really helpful information in the comment section in addition to the tips you provide in your video. One thing I have taken from you is the idea that soap is soap. I find that I agree. In fact, I use shampoo to wash dishes! It's easier on my skin and smells great. I just use the cheap Dollar Tree stuff. Also, the cheap dish soap from the dollar store seems to work well for me to wash clothes in. Because it's cheap, it doesn't suds up too much in the washer. As far as canning food and raising chickens, I probably wouldn't at this point invest in canning supplies although I like the idea of the food being healthier and being in complete control of what goes into it. I do have chickens. They are pets and I love them. I don't think I'm saving money by having them, though. You are right about that. I pay extra to get high quality non-GMO soy-free feed because I want their eggs to be as natural as possible, since I consume them. They get table scraps, too. But although they don't save me money, they do provide me with very healthy eggs, and they are my garden crew. They are busy all day long eating bugs, fertilizing, and clearing old garden beds. (Can't let them in the currently growing beds; they'll destroy them :0) It's true what you say: we are living in different times. What worked for one generation may not work as well for another. But I do think some of the lessons from the Great Depression are very valuable. We just have to adapt them to our current situations. Excellent video subject! Makes people think.
@husky500cr4 ай бұрын
I finally bought a bidet for my toilet and cut my toilet paper down to almost nothing. The amount I have saved has been paid for the bidet. I believe you told us to do this a while back.
@schnauzermom95304 ай бұрын
Love your videos ... I am 67 years old and agree that most money-saving practices we were taught by our moms, such as the yarn and fabric arts, are now just expensive hobbies. My mother was an amazing home seamstress who made everything from doll clothes to tailored wool suits, coats, wedding dresses and beyond. Now materials and fabric cost so much more than a finished item usually sells for. Sometimes DIY has "other values" like off-grid independance, eating organically, or just loving the creative process, which can justify the cost or effort. But you're right -- life is extremely different than it was 90-100 years ago and many time-honored practices no longer pay.
@sheilam49644 ай бұрын
News Flash: canning supplies have always been expensive. All of my Grandparents were born in the 1890s and the first couple of years of 1900. Canning has never been done in my family, even family before them because they couldn't afford the equipment and they all had gardens but they only grew root vegetables for over winter food/storage and they had chickens, cattle and horses They didn't buy feed for the animals. They grew it. They did grow summer veg for but only enough for the summer months (June July, Aug and Sept) because anything else doesn't last for more than a couple of days in a root cellar. Locations are KS, MN, ND, southern SK and mid AB.