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Thank you for another wonderful post. I so much enjoyed reading everyone's comments. I've always tried to live as simply as possible and everything I have read over the last few days has convinced me to dial things back even more. I've been through my pantry this morning and simplified my shopping list further. I'll try to add in more fruit and vegetables that are in season to improve our health. 

I've been rereading a book I have called A Good Plain Cook and it is about life and recipes from the late 1800's through to the 1930's in Queensland, Australia. One thing that has really struck me is that people who lived well back then by the standards of the day would be considered to be poor by today's standards which I find really interesting. I'll upload a couple of photos for anyone interested to see. 

In regards to the first aid and CPR, I think it is very important and pay to go for my own knowledge every few years. The instructor mentioned at my last course that people are mostly sent along because of work and are not enthusiastic to learn it but statistically you are most likely to use what you have learned on your own family. That made everyone sit up and pay attention. 

Thank you, I always come away learning something and feel glad that there are other like minded people out there. 

I grew up in a multi-generational household and was so very glad I did. My maternal grandmother lived with us and my paternal grandparents lived across the street.It was interesting, to say the least ????. My mom's side were all from South Carolina and my Dad's side from various states, ending in Kansas in the early 1900's. The War of Aggression never ended (LOL). I would not trade that wonderful way of life for anything.

None of my grandparents spoke much about the depression. My paternal grandmother, however, was extremely frugal and kept excellent ledgers on expenditures. I wish I had those today. I, often, think about how many changes in our country they lived through having been born in the late 1880's.

The subject of our current economic situation has given me quite a lot to think over. This community is such a blessing. So many of you do an excellent job of conserving and making ends meet. I have been thinking about times with my great aunt and my husband's grandmother. The latter was a widow and lived on $100 a month, yet always kept a pantry. They lived simple lives and were much happier and ,by far, less stressed. 

I have come to the conclusion that we have been hoodwinked into dependency on corporations and government funds. What if suddenly there was no social security and none of the myriad of other government funding for people. What would our country become in a very short amount of time.

Maybe, I am naive, but I do believe a very deep pantry, a good skill set, a water source and the ability to stay warm in winter are essential and more important than money in a bank. Having a broad and very deep pantry is an investment in surviving. Gardening and foraging adds to the length of keeping up the pantry.

Our children own their own homes, but if it was ever necessary we would all live together. We have a very large home and plenty of room. I have been led to plan on that possibility. Someone amongst neighbors, family or friends might need a place to stay.

I look forward to reading everyone's comments.

So much to chew on in the last 2 posts! 

One thing I have been thinking about is how people say it is expensive to eat healthy. I actually think it's cheaper when you just buy fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes. We have changed our diet since April and since cutting out meat, dairy and eggs our grocery bill is much less. Buying in season fruits and vegetables is the key thing. Also, I think as someone mentioned before and Grandma Donna mentioned in another post, we have gotten spoiled by having such a variety of foods available. When we keep our meals simple, and include only a few ingredients we can keep costs down. Even if you include the more expensive items like meat, eggs and dairy, use them sparingly. Learn from other cultures who use these things as a flavoring, not the main item. The Japanese culture is a good example. I remember my frugal grandmother saying that her food must be boring to the rest of the family because she only had a few spices and such. Not a full cabinet! Here food was NEVER boring, always tasted amazing because she cooked from scratch and didn't rely on expensive sauces etc. When we look at recipes from the Depression and WWII Rationing eras, we'll see they use a few staple ingredients with a bit of added flavorings. 

As for the medical system in the US. Well, I work part time for 911 which means no benefits. My husband and I have a lawncare business where we work full time, but it's a small business so we don't make a ton of money. So we don't have health insurance. It's a problem. Three months ago I injured my left arm. I'm not sure how, but it's been very painful and I've had limited use of it. I thought that I might have torn part of the bicep muscle and perhaps over extended some tendons. So today I went and saw an orthopedic doctor. He confirmed my diagnosis :) Before I could see him though, I had to pay $200. He gave me 3 shots and so I'll see what the rest of the bill is.  One thing this has taught me is to take better care of my body and make sure I do everything I can to keep us healthy because anything medical is just too expensive. I know other countries have free healthcare but I also know that if you want to use the medical providers that provide these services you sometimes have a 6 month wait time or more. So free isn't always practical. One thing I've learned and I know Grandma Donna has said in many posts is that we need to rely on ourselves as much as possible and rely on God for the rest. The simpler our lives are the easier that will be. So, I'm working on that! :)

I love reading everyone's comments. It's wonderful being part of such a rich community.

I know from researching family history, that on my grandma's side, most of her family lived in multi-generational homes through good times as well as bad, and many of them were successful business owners, so it doesn't look like they were doing so out of hardship.  I don't know if they were fulfilling a social expectation, or doing it because they were so financially savvy and saw how much sense it made.  All I know is that many of them lived with either the husband's parents or wife's parents, as well as siblings and their spouses and children, until the older generation passed away, before owning their own home.  And usually by then, they had grown children of their own in the household.  For example the 1880 census finds my 3xgreat-grandparents, the wife's elderly father, three sons in their 20's and 30's, the two older son's wives, one of those wife's widowed mother, and four young grandchildren all living together.  When my great-grandfather (one of the young grandchildren from the record above) married my great-grandmother in 1904, he and a young son from his first marriage moved into her widowed mother's home, which also included her brother, sister, brother-in-law, and a niece, and raised their children together for at least the next decade.  One of my grandma's brothers and his wife continued the tradition by living in his parents' home until both parents passed away in the 1960's.

I think it's sad - and bad for society - that young people today are made to feel like failures for "living at home." 

If someone can't afford to buy their own home without going into debt (and hardly anyone can these days) staying in the family home is the responsible adult thing to do.  Not what greedy banks and credit card companies want them to do, but the sensible thing to do, and one that was common practice in the past.  

Now, people who didn't make their grown children feel permanently welcome at home, seem surprised when there's no one there to care for them in their old age and they have to go into assisted living.  More money for greedy corporations.

All that said. . .  My adult (but sure didn't act like it!) younger sister lived with me for awhile when we were both in our twenties, and I would literally rather die than ever have to share a house with her again.  For that matter the rest of my birth family - also no picnic to live with I suspect.  However I like to think that if I'd had children, I would love them enough to want them here, and hopefully have raised them well enough that they'd be tolerable people to live with as adults.  (That's hypothetical though, since I chose not to have any.)

Thank you for another thoughtful post. When you wrote about multi generational living it made me think of Amish and Mennonite families and communities. They do so much of what many of us are discussing and well.

Good morning. Things are playing on my mind at the moment when it comes to what is going on in Society. I am restocking my pantry (slowly, but maybe a little quicker unless we want to live on a diet of rice and beans!!) When my eldest 4 children were small, we lived on a small holding and bred pigs and grew veg. My mum lived with us, but it didn't work out. There were constant rows between my mum and my (now) Ex, each accusing the other of not pulling their weight financially. I don't know if I would choose to do it again (of course if we had to we would)

I live in Scotland, I have an allotment to grow veg (and I have a garden/yard as well) - circumstances are leading me to consider turning the garden into a large vegetable plot as well as the allotment. Then I can help out my family and my neighbours. It will take a year of so to sort it out, so I really ought to start now. 

Another interesting post, thank you GDonna.

Thank you also MichelleK for sharing those excerpts from that book and it did make me smile to read about people getting bored with having eggs & bacon for breakfast every day , if only they could see the cost of both of those ingredients nowadays :-)

I think it’s a very good idea to simplify your cooking as much as possible, to stick to what’s seasonal and therefore cheaper to buy, keep a good larder stock and make use of free foraged food to put down for use later. In the UK my tomato plants are finally producing ripe fruits so I’ve been busy making batches of sauce to be kept for the winter months, a taste of summer when it’s cold & grey

Our biggest enemy is fear!  It paralyzes our thinking and causes us to make decisions based on emotions rather than common sense.   We are focusing on making sure we have a deep pantry purchased at lowest sale prices and eating from that bounty and putting things away as we see them on sale such as extra linens and shoes and socks and undergarments.   Also Hubby keeps spares of things such as toilet parts and a well stocked workshop of hardware.  

I agree with Tandi S that it is not expensive to eat healthy.  We buy the loss leaders to stock our pantry and freezer and then buy in season and on sale produce.  We eat fresh fruits, vegetables and salads daily.   This is your best defense against high medical costs.  

Consider where you are shopping.   Yes, it is wonderful to be able to shop at a full service grocery store but it is our most expensive option.  I actually had someone tell me she would not shop at Aldi because she had to bag her own groceries!   Consider a Sam's or Costco membership.   We save a lot on produce and meat and a few grocery items at Sam's and our membership pays for itself quickly just on what we save by buying our gas there.   In my area I don't think people are hurting too badly yet because the parking lot at those expensive grocery stores are packed every day.   Same with all the restaurants.

Grandma Donna, if I had the option of your two home choices I would choose to live on the lake without hesitation.  That beautiful place is one that would just restore me every day.   Does that house have it's own well and septic system?  We do here and it saves us a lot of money.

I am loving all the comments!

When my dad (b. 1918) was growing up, his family of two parents and seven kids lived in a one bathroom, three bedroom home and always had other family members living with them, usually two, sometimes one.  One who grew up living with them was a cousin whose widowed mother had married a man who turned out to be cruel.  He had cast the boy out of the house, so my grandparents took him in.  The good old days weren't always so good.  Others who lived with them at times were unmarried cousins, aunts or uncles, who had no place to live except the homes of other family members.   They simply couldn't afford to live on their own in that small farming community, and for the single women, it was not acceptable for them to live on their own, even if they had found a place.  

My mother (b. 1920) grew up living in rental houses, sometimes without heat or hot water, with her family of six as well as, for years, a cousin who was a young, working, single woman.  My maternal grandparents were poor; "fry bread" was sometimes the only thing offered at a meal.  They lived in town and couldn't garden at their rental houses.  

By the time my parents married, they were determined to have their own home, just to themselves.  It was small and inadequate, but they got one after the war and had us kids there.  Much later, they were finally able to move to a better, though quite modest, home.  Will today's youth have even that much?  I recently saw a picture of a house that a large tree had fallen upon, half demolishing it.  The real estate ad is listing the house for $500,000 US dollars.  That is for real - it's making the news because people are using it as an example of how horrible the real estate market is now.  

I am hearing that more young people are eschewing universities and trying for trades and jobs that don't require college degrees, to which I say, it's about time!   Many jobs are not helped by a degree, as evidenced by the many people working in jobs that have no relation to the degree they obtained at college.  At least not starting out adult life with massive education debt will help young people some.

We also need to be remembering and teaching the old skills.  I wasn't that good at it when raising my kids, I confess, but at least they know the ins and outs of hanging up laundry to dry, scrubbing with baking soda and soap, cooking foods and breads from scratch,  putting up food, saving electricity, using things up and doing without.  

Indeed Ingrid M.   I have read non fiction books about Amish living for over 20 years and have found sound advice.  I highly recommend Money Secrets of the Amish by Lorilee Craker.     Rhonda Hertzel's. Down to Earth books and Mrs Sharon White ( from The Legacy of Home) books.

All 3 of those authors have stabilized me in my frugal thinking all these years.

I re read them on a regular basis as they tend to bring me back when I've had a time of not being quite so frugal.

Lana D... You wrote you didnt think people were hurting badly in your area yet because of the packed parking lots outside the expensive supermarket and same with all the restaurants.

Where I live in NZ it is crazy. A new huge subdivision was created and now you can hardly get a parking space in town. The restaurants and cafes/ bakeries are bulging at the seams with customers.  I used to go to a ladies study group once a week and was the only woman there who didn't want to go out to eat during the week ( the costs are exhorbitant and I compare it to how much groceries I can get for that money plus I wasn't leaving my husband home alone to go galavanting and be around too much to chatter)

My mother had a trivet when I was growing up and it said this:    HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS AND FRIENDSHIP IS A GUEST. A BOOK, A FIRE, A HANDCLASP. A PLACE WHERE SOULS CAN REST.

Just a couple of thoughts..after my father died, my husband and I moved in to help Mom.  She had a large house, was left financially OK (my folks worked hard and saved their whole lives), but we all agreed that it would be a good thing, particularly as my husband and I had stayed close to my parents for the 20+ years of our marriage.  It did not work out for a variety of reasons that I will not discuss, but one thing we didn't do that we should have was have several discussions about how things were going to work; ground rules, if you will.  Being close to both my parents, it didn’t occur to us that there might be tensions and misunderstandings.

My second thought, probably not as pertinent to this group, but perhaps useful for people starting out is to learn to scratch cook.  I was in the grocery store behind a young mom with two boys and a buggy full of food.  She paid with an EBT card (not judging - she had kids to feed).  I noticed that, with the exception of a bag of fruit, every item was microwave meals or heat and serve, or, sadly, soda and chips.  How much further could those EBT dollars have stretched if she’d purchased ingredients for meals rather than ready-made?  I’m not going to claim that I’ve never eaten a potato chip, but I find my food dollar stretches much further when I don’t buy processed foods. We both feel better too  I know learning to cook and cooking itself take up lots of time, which this young mom may not have, but I hope and pray for her budget and the health of her family, she picks up a few skills in the kitchen.

I have to agree with Lana that our biggest enemy is fear!  I have been thinking along those lines for the past several days.  The truth is, fear will quickly instill a sense of "I Can't"  and make us feel helpless.  I am concerned and have had moments of fear but I am an optimist by nature and usually can pull myself out of the fear zone simply by taking time to think about what I do have.  

What I have in my favor was a mom who as a nurse loathed taking us to the doctor.  So she listened to what the doctors ordered for patients and we were treated at home, with the same over-the-counter drugs they recommended to patients.  I followed suit with my children and did the same and I've continued to do what I can on my own before resorting to a doctor's visit.  We try to eat well but also don't ignore symptoms that something more serious is involved.   Good health is indeed a treasure and we must work to preserve it.

I was taught to forage for wild fruits as a child.  Plums, berries, and such do grow wild and we made good use of them.  We grew enough vegetables to put up for the year and to eat fresh but my parents only grew vegetables in the summer months.  It was not the norm but they did occasionally raise chickens, raised beef and pigs to be butchered.  I don't recall any of my family even considering gardening in the cooler months yet we live in a climate that is suited to growing pretty much 9 or 10 months out of the year.

I can maintain my pantry and freezer and make that a priority.  I can continue to focus on INGREDIENTS rather than convenience.  I can make convenience items myself.  I did it in the past, I can do it again.  I have never done a lot of gardening, but I can begin to try.  I spent my teens and young married years canning and preserving.  I can go back to doing that, too.  I'm going to try to put up something every single month of the year starting here in October.  That might seem an odd time to start but September is packed full already.

I can be very conscious of what our future needs might be and work now to provide those things I am aware we will need, keeping my eyes open for sales on quality items.

And I can keep my eye on that budget and continue to look for ways to make it go a little further, trim those costs everywhere I can.   

Hi Karen S. I smiled because I have followed and pertcipated in Rhonda Hetzels blog since she began. I have all 3 of her books too and regularly make her recipes for the home and food. I followed the Down to Earth forum until it closed down. Actually Rhonda is my point of reference for many things. She is a treasure, as is Donna. Thank you for the other 2 recommendations. I will have a look as I haven't come across them. 

Hi, just to let everyone know, Rhonda has started blogging again. She is a real inspiration

While I totally agree that cooking food from scratch, ideally purchasing in bulk, batch cooking and freezing food is something that makes a real impact on budgets, unfortunately some people live in such dire circumstances that this can feel almost impossible.

There seems to a horrible truth to the rule that those with money get richer and those who are poor get poorer. Having worked with people in crisis I am often saddened by the fact that they can be living in a single room bed sit with only a microwave to cook food and no access to a freezer or any space to store bill bought food. This means that it is very difficult to be able to cook from scratch as cooking food items  separately can often result in food being cold by the time it is all ready, and mean that microwave meals are one of the few options. Also sadly cheap highly processed foods high in sugar and salt can be the cheapest “food “ available in bulk to be able to fill hungry stomachs.

Terry Pratchett the novelist coined a theory he called the “Boots theory “ based on a similar line. The boots theory, is an economic theory  that people in poverty have to buy cheap and subpar products (in this case a cheap pair of boots) that need to be replaced repeatedly, proving more expensive in the long run than more expensive items. 

It takes knowledge and great determination to be able to save enough money to break these cycles and I am so glad that there are places such as this website that make it easier to get the knowledge and a sense of community for those who are trying really hard to do so.

I think there are just so many factors into everything going on. Yes, it is a mix of personal responsibility but I think people under estimate what the truth of what we are up against really is. Our taxes go toward say, health care. Those dollars are then routed to  FOR PROFIT companies who then, claiming a free market, take that funding while charging us rates and deductibles for PROFIT margins, remember we have already paid in once, so this is double dipping. They get 70-90% of their health plan revenue from our taxes. Same applies to gas,oil , pharma and college education. I am not saying we need to have completely 'free' education and healthcare, it's a utopian idea but it is showing that it is not a long term solution in the least. However, why are these corporations (whom are paying less than 2.5% in taxes, usually receive reimbursements to buy back stocks and pay company leads millions in salary while laying off workers claiming cut backs), able to double dip? This is not a political issue, it is literally how our system is now set up. As far as long waits in a "free" (again, no system is free we are all paying thru taxes) healthcare system, we are experiencing that in the US more and more. My father in law had a stroke and it is 3 months to see a neurologist. In our town, it can be 3 weeks to see someone if you are sick. If the government subsidizes healthy food the way they do "junk" we could all afford much better food and hopefully helping our healthcare burden (healthy eating is a part of an equation of health but not a guarantee). Many of us do not fully understand a food desert and seem to think healthy food is available to all. It is most definitely not. One of the largest supermarkets admitted to price gouging main staples during the pandemic. They are also trying to create a monopoly with buying out most of the competitors. Our state is one of many suing to stop it. My college age son is renting a house with 3 friends. I looked up the house to check what they were thinking about. That house was rented by one family for 11 years. The rent last year was $1700.00. In July this year it went to $4000.00. Were there any upgrades? NO, any renovations? NO. So how on earth are people supposed to manage this? I would love to downsize, however, in this area, my mortgage on my  beautiful house is less than renting a two bedroom apartment. I could sell and pay cash for another house but it wouldn't cost much less than the house I am in now. It is not that generations' coffee and avocado toast habits solely that is causing this issue. Yes, they have more access to goods they don't need and a higher pressure to buy them than we ever did because of quick access to anything anytime. I do what I can as much as I can, but I just don't see how this is going to improve because we have let unsustainable capitalism take over at this point. And no, one "side" is not to blame like we are led to believe, because there has been a continual path for years. How on earth are we to take back sensibility and fix this? I guess do what we can and try what we can to protect ourselves and teach the ones coming behind us? It's really frustrating listening to all the rhetoric and lately, all the anger. I am to the point I just ask if there is anything I need to know because I sure as heck do not want to look anything up because you get bombarded with stuff you didn't want to know! On a much more fun note, was anyone else's garden a nightmare this year? Our area seemed to be unable to grow much. I have tons of jalapenos but not a single tomato!!  

Grandma Donna Wrote,  Michelle L, we had a terrible time growing a garden this year.  I kept asking Charles did he think that our soil was toxic where we had added some store bought compost a few years ago.  Was it that we are not having true spring or fall anymore?  Is it that it is simply too hot?  Something is wrong because I take a lot of pictures for my blog and I can look back at the wonderful vegetables that have been grown in our backyard. Not anymore, seems each  year is getting more difficult  I do not know what is wrong.  I did grow ginger and turmeric and strawberries and the only think that was different was they were in a more shaded area.  

We have had long periods without rain and then no rain water to use and when we use city water it seems nothing will grow so that could be a problem which brings up another concern of what is in our water.  I have had heard many people complain about not having much success with their gardens.  

We really need to get creative about many things today.  We should not stop trying because we need to figure out solutions for these things we have been talking about for our children and grand children.  Donna

On my goodness!  These recent posts have been so timely, educational and encouraging.  I will share a few thoughts /experiences.  I was born at the very end of the '40's, after the war.  My father was extremely frugal as he was raised in a very small town in the sand hills of NE where his father was a barber. My dad never talked about it but I know that during the depression not many people could afford to pay for haircuts so I'm sure they struggled.  My mom, on the other hand, grew up in the booming metropolis of Omaha, NE.  Her dad was a salesman and it seemed he could always find a job.  They were not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination but there was always an income and they were able to help other family members at times.  I've been very foolish for a lot of my life thinking things would always continue as they had been.  My 3 daughters went to a very small Christian school where I was a teachers aid to offset their tuition.  My son came along much later and I homeschooled him.  When he went off to college I could have/should have gotten a job but I enjoyed being home more than anything.  My husband didn't want me to work and I foolishly believe that he would always take care of me.  He was self-employed working with his older brother in a recycling business.  His brother owned the business and was very anti-government &  would not take out withholding for taxes so we paid it all.  We lived well for several years until the crash in 2008 when things got tight.  We had no retirement or pension or 401k or anything of the like so when my husband left 11 years ago, I was in a bind.  I got a job that I loved and with my SS ( which was actually half of his as I didn't have enough quarters in) I did OK.  My job was phased out during the beginning of Covid but I had no debt and so I survived.  Due to circumstances beyond my control I had to sell my sweet little house and move in with my oldest daughter and her family a year and a half ago.  There were 7 adults living together and it was not a good fit.  Two and a half months ago I moved into a government subsided senior housing apartment in another state.  I have a small 2-bedroom apt in a nice building in not the greatest part of town but it works.  The apt came furnished with a nice washer and dryer and a dishwasher.  I only used the dryer until I bought a nice metal folding clothes drying rack from Amazon.  I can only wash and dry one load at a time but that's fine with me.  I only used the dishwasher twice to wash dishes that had been in storage for some time.  Oh, and I also have A/C which I did use on the hottest days this summer.  My building maintenance man told me that I probably won't have to use the furnace much this winter even though I live in CO because I'm on the top floor and hea rises.  What a blessing as my budget is very tight.  I've been astounded to talk to others in the building who are in the same boat I'm in that they use their dishwasher every day even though there is only 1 or 2 people in the apartment, and they use the dryer for all of their washing.  I don't understand how/why they do that.  We pay our own electricity and internet etc. and it keeps going up.  I don't own a microwave or a TV.  I pay for one streaming service, less than $100 per year and I watch things on YouTube.  Anyway, I feel like we are in dire straits and who knows where or when or even how it will end.  In the meantime we do the best we can with what we have and pray for the rest.  Thank you Donna for these eye-opening posts and thank you to the commenter's for their wonderful stories and ideas.  I learn so much!

I am in north Alabama and we had city issued water restrictions due to a long drought this summer. We also experienced most days over 95⁰, many 100⁰. My garden still did good. Everything was prolific that I planted,  but I planted my butterbean seed 3 times before it finally sparsely came up, and okra never germinated. I wonder if it is the soil you added. I compost my fruits and vegetables so that was my soil added, I added fish fertilizer, and some bone meal and didn't need to add any additional store bought soil this year. I hope you have better yield next season. I also added wood shavings from my husband's woodworking.

I have two rain barrels for watering. When we were in drought I started putting a plastic bin in my sink. I'd put breakfast dishes in and wash them with a little soap. Then I was usually processing some tomatoes or peppers or squash so I'd rinse them and let the water fill the bin. I usually had just my lunch plate to wash over the water since it wasn't clean anymore. I'd take this out to water containers and tomatoes. If I canned I let that water cool and did the same..Also when I washed the jars off I did in the bin and watered with that. 

I loved Michelle K’s photos and comment.  Thank you.

GDonna...I am concerned when I hear “fear of the future”  in your posting.  I just want to reassure you that you will be okay in your retirement as you have each other and are both “on the same page” working together to create your best life.  You also have a second home and savings...I guess for me at 75..I think my most precious commodity is time.  I ask “how much good quality time do we have left together”.  

  I’ve been retired for 7 years on minimal money....got remission from leukaemia, hubby has had 3 stents put into his body for heart issues and a knee prosthesis.  I concur with others who comment to look after your health as a top priority as we age.  Our health IS our wealth.  I see how the US health system lets it’s people down and causes great distress and even financial bankruptcy.  Please vote for politicians who have policies that will improve this problem.  

In Australia our Medicare system gives me free doctor’s visits, a gap for a specialist and,  in an emergency, full free hospital cover for weeks if need be.  My friend who recently died ( kidney op, then a tumour was found in her spine which metastasised) was in hospital for 6 weeks, 2 operations, lots of tests and NO BILL to her estate.  Elective surgery is not so good and has long wait lists.  Our pharmaceuticals are also subsidised at a low cost.   We also have a safety net for scripts so that when we reach the target amount they are free.  This results by Nov/Dec in me filling our scripts every ..I think..21 days..and stockpiling my meds for free.  The safety net year is Jan -Dec. 

I see health/medical exorbitant expenses  as a HUGE worry and cost for all US citizens.  I hope it changes soon for the better.

Intergenerational living worked for our family by having a weekly meeting.  All  issues were aired but actually, over time, there weren’t many.  The best thing I did was get everyone to choose a night to cook a meal.  If you were “on” you chose the meal,  bought the food,  cooked and washed up afterwards,  then you were “off for the other 3 nights ( there were 4 of us in the house).  Friday and the weekends we worked in with each other’s plans.  Worked a treat.  Also my daughter and her husband lived upstairs and I never went into their “space”.  They now own their own home YAY.

Loving these posts and comments...thank you Donna and everyone else. 

Grandma Donna Wrote, Carolyn F, I went back and re-read again and again looking for where it was that  I wrote the fear of the future.  What I said was, we cannot predict the future. I hope people are not getting the wrong impression. 

I was doing a study to see if the economic conditions were getting worse in the United States only or in many parts of the world.  As we found in this forum and the one before is that  many places in the world are feeling the pinch.  This is a very big deal to learn this.  Knowing these facts then we have a better view point of what we can do.  

We should never fear the future, we should study our facts and then empower ourselves in learning what we can do.  My entire blog is about studying the past, our generations before us and living like they did for a study to see what it was like and share it with you.  

Dear Grandma Donna, thank you for your heartfelt post and for sharing so many of the old ways. I just wanted to reach out and encourage you, and all the readers that we have such a loving and faithful Lord who knows all we are going through and dealing with, wherever we are. He has promised to meet every need (while not always necessarily our wants), according to His riches in glory. We need only to pray as you always discuss. Our heavenly Father is simply not limited to, or restricted by the economy of any nation. He can make a way where there is no way. We have a Shepherd who will lead us through these end times, days of great stress as the book of Timothy tells us. We are certainly to be good stewards of all He places in our hands, but we can breathe and release the burdens because we are promised that His grace will always be sufficient for the need. I like to say it this way...if our need is at a ten, his grace is at a twelve. His grace is always greater and will always suffice no matter what. I have prayed for things that were needed,  patio furniture for one example when we had nowhere to sit outside, and a friend called very soon after who was getting new patio furniture and asked if I could use their old set, still in very good shape. My husband has prayed when more money was needed, and...true testimony... found money on the side of the road in the grass. No wallet, Just loose bills. I believe the first need was for eighty dollars and that's what he found. Noone else saw it or stopped. And this happened three different times, each time with the amount he needed. And there is nothing special about us. This grace is available to all who love the Lord because the Bible assures us that He is no respector of persons..God doesn't play favorites with His children. No matter how expensive things keep getting, the Lord can supply what we need. The Lord truly knows what we have need of and He is such a loving provider. We just have to ask in faith. He may direct us to sell something, show us a way to bring in extra income, or even have someone pay a debt for us, without our knowledge. I know someone who told of  receiving a loan paid in full supernaturally by prayer! 

So dear ladies and any gentlemen, please do not fret, it only causes harm. When we give our life to Jesus , we have a covenant with the God of all the earth who will meet every need. This is one of the most important lessons we can share with our children and grandchildren and help increase their faith and trust. He will never leave us or forsake us no matter what happens in the earths economies. I am reminded of Peter going fishing to sell the fish to pay his taxes, and the Lord provided the finances, a gold coin, in the mouth of a fish. He is still our Jehovah Jireh (our provider) so let's cast our cares to Him, for He cares for us. God bless each of you and your families as we make specific prayers and petitions for our own lives and for those we know who need help, or need peace. We have not if we ask not so let's be good askers for others as well. I love all the stewardship messages you post Grandma Donna about living wisely and like in simpler times. So calming. So much more simple. So beautiful. We live in peace knowing there is nothing too hard for the Lord and we don't have to do it on our own. He has grace to spare, and He isn't stingy with it. His mercies are new EVERY morning. Before we ever open our eyes, He has allotted and portioned and appointed all the grace and mercy needed for the day ahead. 

Blessings to all, Susan

I enjoyed reading the comments on the topic of surviving in economic hard times. Some posted they lived in a house w/o heating except for a wood stove. I would guess there was no A/C either. Some wrote their home was not in good condition, but they were grateful for a roof over their heads. Most of the people who posted were very resourceful in providing for themselves and their families. Yes, it is difficult to buy a house right now. However, the interest rate is lower than when I bought my first home. The rate was 10% in the late 70's. I remember the interest rate shot up to 15 to 16% in the mid 80's. People think the current interest rate on mortgages is high. It is not high considering what is has been over the last 50 years. I also wondered if the current 20–30-year-olds would consider living in a home (or buying) a home like some of the readers described. Homes without central heat and only a wood stove for instance. I know in some states AC is needed due to very hot summers. IMHO the current crop of home buyers doesn't usually want a fixer upper than is in rough shape. 

My niece got married 12 years ago at age 22. Her husband was young too and of course they had no money. Neither one went to college. They lived w/ the husband's parents for 2 years and saved money. They bought a 3 BR 1 bath home in a small Texas town for 83K. (It did have central heat & air.) The house has more than doubled in value since they bought it. I think it is still possible to buy a home if you plan and save. I think these 2 were wise beyond their years. They have 2 children now & the home must be crowded but they manage. I think adult children who can live with their parents can save for a home are wise.  Maybe the home will be a town house or a mobile home, but it will be theirs.

My views on education are this. I work at a community college & we offer many 2-year programs that result in a job ready graduate. Lots of medical professional fields, HVAC, automotive technicians, etc. The cost is 1/2 of a state university plus the program is 2 years not 4. After the graduate gets a good job if they want to attend university then they have funds for it. Many companies offer tuition reimbursement. Starbucks will pay for an online degree at a certain university. Hospitals will often pay for a degree in something health related for their employees. My parents were poor but they both graduated college & went on to get graduate degrees. Education was expected and all 4 of us kids graduated college & have good jobs w/ benefits. HS students can often take college level classes while in public school & not have to pay for it. That gets them ahead on the road to a degree.

I am optimistic that young adults can make a way for themselves with planning their career. Take college classes in HS, then attend a community college, major in something that will result in a job. Many degrees are worthless when it comes to getting a job. Anything in health care is a winner. I am a nurse and teach nursing. I graduated at age 21 and I have always had a job, usually 2 of them. Living with family or roommates to save money is wise. Don't live or expect to live beyond your means. 

I'm really enjoying this discussion; so many thoughtful posts!

A branch of the Country Women's Association (CWA) in Australia has recognised that old fashioned cookery may help struggling  people to keep putting meals on the table.

The CWA is famous for its cookbooks, and has started publishing old fashioned recipes on its website.

Below is a link to a news story about the initiative. The article mentions that people feel nostalgic about the dishes, and that they are an important link to their ancestors, as well as being thrifty.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-07/cwa-revivin...

These last two posts have been not only thought provoking but encouraging as well. I lived in a multi generational home as a child which is something I am so grateful for.My grandfather lived with us and was a young husband/father during the Depression so he had many stories to tell. To live as my ancestors did is something I strive to do every day. We lived very simply, my grandfather and father were farmers(sharecroppers) and my mother was a homemaker. We grew our own vegetables, raised chickens and pigs for eggs and meat. We had little according to the worlds standards but had a home, food and most of all the love of family.

 My husband and I live as simply as possible. We live in a smaller home, drive older vehicles, have a small vegetable garden, buy only what we need. It can be difficult at times especially when an unexpected increase in expenses arises. We have seen a big difference in the amount of our grocery bill. A dozen eggs that were $1.69 a dozen are now $3.89 among many other things that have increased in price. Property taxes in the city we live in increased dramatically, $900 more a year for us. To me that is outrageous but there is nothing to be done but to pay the bill.  After reading the comments from this and the previous post I have learned so much. Thank you GDonna for sharing these posts. May God continue to bless you.

I really enjoyed the last articles and the discussions here! I want to add some thoughts of a German vegan woman.

The social system in Germany is based on what we call „Solidargemeinschaft“, a solidary society. It means that our taxes and insurance contributions serve to help, not only for us when we need it. Maybe you will never need money for unemployment, so your contributions help others who lost their job. I do believe that this system of sharing is the best we can have even if we have constantly discussions about the amounts, which benefits shall be included, how long we shall work etc. 

Sharing is the key. A lot of people here share their experiences and knowledge, with very helpful thoughts and hints. I wonder if we should do everything alone? Can we share more? A good example is car sharing - why should people own a car (and pay alone for everything) if they only need it once a month for shopping? I know initiatives here that people share a part of a field to grow their own food. Also neighbourhood initiatives for shopping because it is cheaper to buy bulk packs. It can only be small things, I often buy a bigger pack (10 kg potatoes are cheaper per kilo than 4 kg) and share with our daughter. In winter we have a group of colleagues and order fresh fruits. With every box more the price for one box decreases. 

We are a vegetarian/vegan family. I am cooking vegan, my husband eats eggs and a bit cheese. When the prices for food went through the roof, people won`t believe me that we spent not significant more money than before. The main cost drivers were meat and milk products due to higher energy cost. We paid exactly the same for our weekly box with vegetables and our part from a CSA. I have a pantry with basics like pasta, rice, flour etc., which I buy in larger amounts when on offer. With the contents of the boxes and the pantry I plan my week (or share with the daughter when it is too much). We also eat vegan „meat“ but meanwhile I only buy it reduced due to expiry date and then freeze it. But you can also create burgers from beans for example. I attach a picture of one box (cost is 15 EUR) and how my stocks look like.

I won`t convince you to go vegan but it can be a help. Think meals differently, don`t just skip the meat, find receipes which were always vegan like spaghetti aglio e olio, curries, vegetable soups. I don`t cook precisely according to receipes but I like cookbooks for vegan zero waste meals as inspiration. Attached a picture of three favorite books, authors from UK, Germany and US. I think to look back is helpful but we should also be open for today`s ideas.

I am currently focusing on storing food. I think this is the main thing we all need to focus on first. Wheat berries, oat groats, beans, rice, sugar, canned vegetables, herbs and spices, etc.

We are also dehydrating some foods such as carrots, onions, peppers, etc. I just purchase more than I need each week for this purpose. These items are usually affordable and great to have in the pantry for delicious, filling meals such as pot pies, soups, etc.

Of course we also are stocking up on toiletries and first aid items. But also office supplies, light bulbs, candles, matches, and things of the sort.

Something that is helpful to know how to do is foraging and making herbal remedies, etc. This takes time to learn so it is good to start practicing now.

Some ideas I've had (and that we do) to bring in a bit of extra income: grow and sell potted herbs, make and sell bath/body products, sell fresh eggs, make and sell cookies, bread, and pies, grow and sell cut flowers, offer seamstress services, or laundress services, babysitting services, etc. These can all be the little stickers you mentioned. They do add up.

You can commerce with local health food stores, neighbors, church, communities, etc. You never know until you try. 

I believe it is always prudent to be wise with spending and to look for ways to bring in extra income. Even if not necessary. Although it looks like it may become necessary for many.