How I Found The 1930's

Back in December, when Grandma Donna announced the new study for this year, my head was immediately filled with too many ideas. I practiced new habits, like only eating at the table (and now I don't want to eat anywhere else) and how to think differently about spending. I worried about getting my laundry dry in the house and how to darn socks, and I tried a few different ways to create a schedule, and felt completely inadequate because I had so many things to learn. During it all, I immersed myself in 1930's music, movies, books, magazines, radio and history!

Then yesterday, I was in the peace of the thirties. I realized that it wasn't all the things I was doing that got me there; it was all the things I wasn't doing! I wasn't consuming news. I don't consume present-day entertainment (unless it's a recently published book set in the '30s like Tom Mead's Death and the Conjuror). Online, I only go to sites concerning the '30s. I don't talk in the phone as much, so calls are more special when they happen. I suddenly realized that I was very happy. :)

I don't feel inadequate anymore, because I know that however many of the 1930's activities I do each day, it's enough. It really is the absence of the modern world that brought this peace. I am in circumstances where I don't have to go back to the modern world. I can stay here in the thirties and learn how to be more secure in life. Fortunately my family is having as much fun as I am with the 1930's.

I have to cut down my internet use now. It's the next step.  :)

Hello Stephanie.  It's Rhonda Hetzel here, I'm a good friend of Donna's. Donna isn't feeling well today so I said I'd drop by.

It sounds like you're doing well in the 1930s study. I think it's often the things you give up that make the biggest impact so congratulations on cutting down on phone calls, entertainment and being online. Let's see where you go from here. Good luck.

Hi Stephanie - I say kudos to you for doing what you are doing.  Just from the comments, I know it's been a lot.

I had to think for a bit as to why I was so drawn in by this study since Donna first announced it.  We already live pretty old fashioned but there was something there calling me.  The house we live in was built in 1930 and has many of the original features but not all - oh how I wish.  Anyways, it dawned on me this morning: my main goals with this study are to save money (so far so good) & to pick up on habits of the time that are just flat out healthier than our modern ways (like Stephanie said).  Often what happens, if I get started with something I think I can do, there is much more that I learn along the way.

Also, Hi Rhonda - yours was the first forum I joined.  Unfortunately, I found you not long before you discontinued but am still very thankful for being able to "get my feet wet" in such a good place. 

Rhonda H Thank you, Rhonda. I hope Grandma Donna feels better soon. 

Lady L I don't think everyone wants to be as hardcore as I am, but I am loving it! I am being easy on myself. I'm living like the thirties to learn things, not torture myself. :) Once I calmed down and felt the peace of it -- wow! I think we're all going to learn a lot, no matter how much we each go thirties.

Not sure where to put this so please feel free to move it Donna ( or Rhonda)

Recommended books:

USA..We Had Everything But Money published by Reminisce Books

Australia..Weevils in the Flour by Wendy Lowenstein

New Zealand...The Sugarbag Years by Tony Simpson

This study constantly surprises me with the new directions it takes me. This time it's banking. I will now be banking like the 1930s!

There was another incident of fraud on my debit card. The last one was only a few months ago! So here I am, unable to access any cash or pay any bills because I am waiting for another new debit card to arrive since the last one had to be canceled. Ugh!!

I told my husband I was done doing this and we needed to change banks. Our present bank is an online bank. I found a good, local credit union with solid financials that is within walking distance! We are opening an account there and changing over.

I told my husband I was not going to have a debit card at the new bank. He looked puzzled and asked how I would get money out without a debit card. I explained that there was this method where you walked into the bank and got cash from a person. He laughed at how he'd forgotten about that in our digital world. :) 

And I told him I wasn't going to create an online account and the statements were going to be mailed to me and I would keep a register to keep track of spending. We have two bills that are automatic withdrawal and two I pay in person in town, and the rest I mail with checks. 

I'm only going to go to the credit union between 10 am and 3 pm too. :) 

So that's how I'm banking like the 1930s.  :)

Stephanie G, I got a notice from the credit union last month that they wouldn't be sending me a new debit card since I hadn't used mine for three years.  At first I was thinking I would go in and request one, but perhaps I'll follow your example and get my cash the old fashioned way.  I rarely get cash, but when I have in the past two years I've gone inside, mostly because I don't only want $20 bills -- I prefer smaller bills most of the time.

I think your idea to only check in here once a week is excellent!  I liken it to gathering with friends once a week for a knit 'n natter or sewing circle.

Kimberly, I find (since doing this study) that I have too much immediacy in my life and that things have a better savor when there's time between them. So I think you are absolutely right that it will like gathering with friends once a week, with all the joy and anticipation that brings. :)

One of the annoyances of having an online bank is never getting odd amounts of cash. I think it makes you spend too much because you're getting forced to take all those twenties! I am stoked about getting to use a real building with people in it for my banking. 

I'm going to make your fabulous biscuits for my husband when he gets home. I hope they turn out well! If they don't, I'll show him the picture of yours so he can see how sky high they are. :)

I love your enthusiasm surrounding this topic. Banking, money, credit and debit cards have been a constant source of frustration in my life. Every time my cc is hacked (unfortunately too many times), I vow to stop using it for bills and online spending and resort to cash. The convenience and the cash rewards always draw me back in but perhaps now, in the spirit of the study, is the time to cut the cord. I didn't use the envelope system for January but will for February. January was tough with our Wally's vet bills but Feb is a new month and we can start fresh. 

I would love to use cash all the time but here in New Zealand many businesses no longer accept cash and cheques have been done away with at all banks and businesses ( that had no choice once the banks stopped accepting them)

Grandma Donna wrote, Stephanie G, I feel something in you went on like a light bulb when you started this study.  You are really understanding the possibilities of this study and it will be very interesting how you do with the new changes.  Charles and I do like you mentioned above, we walk into the bank to do our business, it just feels right.  We pay bills in person wherever we can.  We drive over and pay in person at the insurance office, drive to the city utility location to pay our utility bill. Paying bills the the old way and banking the same as we always have, gets us the same question, "would you be interested in online banking"?  Charles always replies, "No thank you".  They want us to bank online but we will hold out as long as we can. It takes a more time when we pay in person but we have an instant paper receipt.  We try to live as simple as possible when it comes to money and the grocery tin is a big part of keeping control of our money.  You are an inspiration to all of us. 

Kathryn P I have been very careful to see if I can get something locally, but some things I have to get online, like my rubber gloves for washing dishes. There's only plastic gloves available locally. I use a credit card for online purchases, one that gives me Amazon points I can redeem for free stuff at Amazon. I just got a free book with my points , Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34, by Bryan Burrough. I deduct the amount of the online purchase from my weekly cash allowance. 

Karen S Wow! That must be hard. 

Grandma Donna After reading how you pay bills, we decided to cancel our automatic withdrawal payments even though it will cost us a little more. I'm going to see if I can pay more bills in town. 

There are so many wonderful ideas in this thread. I especially like the idea of getting rid of my debit card, which for me isn't a difficult thing as I usually pay with cash most places anyway and I can pay the few bills I currently pay online at my local Post Office instead. 

Stephanie G what is the reason for only going to the credit union between 10 & 3? Is that the time it was open in the 1930s?

I am really enjoying this study and the more I read, the more I am actually jumping right into it, far more than just simplifying my life.

Grandma Donna I am especially enjoying the diary entries this year (even more than ones you've posted in previous years) as it's so nice to see what women got up to each day. One thing I'm interested in hearing/reading more about is how someone in my situation would have managed their day. I'm a single mother (post-abuse) with 5 children (only 4 still at home now, and all teenagers) who has to juggle work along with homemaking. I guess this would have been common for younger widows perhaps? I am blessed to be able to work a very early shift cleaning a supermarket 6 days a week so am home within 30mins of my children waking up to get ready for school, and while they're at school I have my own little sewing business which I do from home, so I'm really a stay at home mum in my children's eyes, however fitting it all into my day is a real challenge. Today I didn't get much sewing done at all as I was busy in the kitchen making pies - I love your pie crust recipe! - and doing laundry. I would love advice, tips, thoughts, historical info on how women who had no choice but to work managed their day, home, and family time, from anyone who has ideas. Perhaps this might be a good new thread?

This week I'm planning to start listening to old-time radio shows each day as I sew. I don't watch television at all (usually only a Friday night DVD with my children) and often have listened to podcasts, sermons, etc while I work, but I remember listening to a number of old-time radio shows with my children when I was homeschooling them many years ago, and really enjoyed them then.

Rebekah C, I was a single mom for years and I'm trying to think hard on advice for you....not from the historic perspective unfortunately....but there is only one thing I can think of is try your best. I know, thats weak. But I remember that time and I never figured out the way to get it done. The day tells you what to do. You can plan it all out and then a child gets sick and your plans are lost. Trying to do a load of wash a day helped me.  Big pots of soup to eat off for a couple days helped (it wasn't popular with my family though lol). Keeping a calendar of expenses, goals and dates of bills and appointments helped. I think I have one more thing to help but I've got to rush off to church. I'll try to remember to post when I get back. Hang in there. I know is hard to balance it all. God bless.

Rebekah C, I found this is an old "The Good Housekeeping Cook Book". I hope you can glean some thing useful off of it. It's not from the 1930's but I find it interesting. Sorry about the bug bites!

it references page 48 so here is that section too.

I'm trying to get these pictures in order. 

Here are a couple more. Okay, I think I'm done for now.  There is a section on War Time rationing too! That section is on blue pages so it's easy reference. It tells how to stretch butter and coffee and other things. 

Thankyou so much Kieva A, these are very helpful and there are some great tips and ideas in those pages! It was so kind of you to take the time to scan and post all this for me. I'm going to re-read after I've finished my sewing tasks for the day and take some detailed notes, as on first read there are definitely some things that should help me a lot with organising the meal preparations around my sewing business work.