We’re living in a time when money is tight, prices are high, and jobs are scarce. But if you look back over history, you can see where this is more common than not. However, rather than thinking about our ancestors struggles, we almost romanticize their lifestyle – the skills they had, the size of their garden, and how delicious Grandma’s biscuits were. How many times have you thought, “How did they do it?”
Have you ever heard the phrase ‘walk a mile in my shoes’? The origin of this saying stems from the full quote “Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes”, and is believed to come from a poem written by Mary T. Lathrap in 1895. The original intent is designed to elicit empathy.
But, it can also work in another way –it can help you to better understand why our grandparents and great-grandparents lived the way they did. It was a way to survive during the hard times. From there, it can put the struggles we have into perspective, and help us find a way to manage them.
Grandma and grandpa had skills and knew how and when to use them. Combined with knowledge, creativity, ingenuity, and a healthy dose of hard work, they were able to manage.
If money is tight for you, maybe it’s time to stop romanticizing Grandma and Grandpa’s lifestyle and take a walk in their shoes.
Listen in and ‘walk alongside’ Grandma and Grandpa while they put their old skills to use!
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We’re living in a time when money is tight, prices are high, and jobs are scarce. But if you look back over history, you can see where this is more common than not. However, rather than thinking about our ancestors struggles, we almost romanticize their lifestyle – the skills they had, the size of their garden, and how delicious Grandma’s biscuits were. How many times have you thought, “How did they do it?”
Have you ever heard the phrase ‘walk a mile in my shoes’? The origin of this saying stems from the full quote “Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes”, and is believed to come from a poem written by Mary T. Lathrap in 1895. The original intent is designed to elicit empathy.
But, it can also work in another way –it can help you to better understand why our grandparents and great-grandparents lived the way they did. It was a way to survive during the hard times. From there, it can put the struggles we have into perspective, and help us find a way to manage them.
Grandma and grandpa had skills and knew how and when to use them. Combined with knowledge, creativity, ingenuity, and a healthy dose of hard work, they were able to manage.
If money is tight for you, maybe it’s time to stop romanticizing Grandma and Grandpa’s lifestyle and take a walk in their shoes.
The first thing to understand is that they knew how to watch what they spent. A joke in our family calls this ‘squeezing a penny so tightly that Lincoln jumps off to get help’. But knowing you need to watch your spending is one thing. Learning how is taking the first step in that old pair of shoes.
For the Country Boy and me, before we purchase something, we ask ourselves a question – is this a need or a want? For the most part, if it is a true need – like a few months ago when we had to replace one of the freezers – we buy it. However, we looked closely at the different sizes, brands, and prices, and did everything we could to get the best product for the money we had to spend.
If it’s a want – like that new loom I saw on one of the weaving websites, it wasn’t as easy to justify spending that $150. Well, let me rephrase that – I could certainly justify it. The Country Boy? Not so much. He even took it so far as to point out I already had a loom that could be adjusted to most any size I need. As much as I hate to admit it, he is right. And that money could very easily pay a bill or help us stock up on grocery staples.
Just because you want it, doesn’t mean you can’t have it. What it really boils down to is the necessity, importance, and if you truly have the money to spend. If you are struggling to buy groceries, then think twice before spending on something you don’t need. But don’t cut yourself so short, either, that you can’t enjoy a bit of fun every now and then. It may not be a new loom, but treating the family to an Icee on a hot summer day won’t hurt, either.
Speaking of groceries – grandma and grandpa didn’t go out to eat every day. Instead, they cooked their meals. If they did grocery shop, it was for the things they couldn’t produce at home. If they bought meat, it was a piece that also had a bone in it. Those bones were used to make beef stock. And they bought a whole chicken, cut it up themselves, and saved the bones to make broth.
To keep that money stretching, there was almost always a garden. This provided them fresh food to eat, and plenty left over to can and preserve.
Another money-saving attitude our grandparents had was being frugal. They found ways to use or repurpose what they had, even down to the smallest things. Egg shells were saved and added to the garden. Old clothes were used for cleaning cloths or in quilts.
Household vegetable scraps were fed to the chickens or added to the compost pile. Water from boiling vegetables and eggs was used to help water the garden. Clothes were mended. And cleaning products were made, not purchased. Some vinegar, baking soda, and hot water went a long way towards keeping their home clean.
Gifts and many household items were handmade. Women made clothing and knitted or crocheted items. Men made wooden toys and furniture. And they kept it simple. Each person received one or two precious gifts – and were thrilled to get them.
And did you know that Grandma’s apron was also a way of being frugal? She didn’t wear it just to look stylish. Instead, it was a way to protect her clothes from tears and stains, which helped them to last longer.
If you look back, you will realize these weren’t times of excess. They didn’t run to the store to buy more, or a replacement, they made what they had last. Grandma mended clothes and darned socks. Grandpa fixed a wobbly table or did other household repairs. And anything they received – whether a gift, or a basket of a few eggs shared by a neighbor – was greatly appreciated.
Their abilities to overcome their struggles wasn’t having an overabundance of things. Instead, it was a mindset. They learned to work with their hands, cultivated skills, and used what they had. And with each day that passed, they didn’t worry about what they didn’t have – instead they looked upon what they did have as a blessing.
If you are struggling to make ends meet, it may be time to borrow a pair of grandma and grandpa’s shoes and walk a mile or two in them. Grow a garden. Repair or repurpose things, instead of buying a replacement. Learn a few new skills, such as cooking, baking, and food preservation – or even woodworking, sewing, or knitting. Discover the benefits of being frugal. It isn’t as hard as you think.
In the long run, it might just pay off so well, you find the struggles aren’t so difficult to manage after all. And you may even find you have fewer things, but that grandma and grandpa’s shoes are actually a comfortable fit.
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