Our grandmas, some of whom grew up during the Great Depression, have the best money-saving tips. While we often learn new ways to save money from the internet, sometimes it is best to go back to the roots and learn from the best.
If you want to upgrade your money-saving, adopt these tips that your grandma likely used.
1. Grow Your Food
Grandmas always had kitchen gardens where they grew their fruits and vegetables. This is not only exciting but will also save you tons of money. Besides, you can go completely organic and avoid using pesticides on your crops.
Some of the things you can grow in your garden include leafy herbs, which typically cost a fortune in grocery stores; salad leaves and additions; fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers; climbing beans, berries, zucchini, garlic, celery, potatoes, and leafy greens such as kales.
2. Cook From Scratch
Buying pre-made ingredients such as mixtures or doughs will always be more expensive than cooking from scratch.
While it may take longer, cooking from scratch is a grandma-saving tip.
You should start making some things from scratch, including pancakes, pizza, sauces, peanut butter, yogurt, bread crumbs, rotisserie chicken, and fruit jams.
3. Learn Tips To Preserve Food Well
So much food goes to waste because of how they are stored.
Using old-fashioned tricks can help you keep your vegetables and fruits fresher for longer.
For starters, most refrigerated fresh products stay fresher for longer when stored sealed. Have them stored in airtight containers or ziplock bags.
Also, learn to differentiate fruits and vegetables that belong in the fridge from those that belong on the kitchen counter. Some, like tomatoes, onions, peaches, bananas, and avocados, belong in a cool, dark, and dry place on your kitchen counter.
4. Use Hand-Me-Downs
Before buying anything, you should ask your circle of friends and family if they have one they want to hand down. If you are lucky, you can get one at very low prices or for free.
The best hand-downs include baby stuff and clothes, kitchen tools, maternity clothes, books, jewelry, and furniture.
You could also choose to borrow, use, and give them back. For instance, if you want to try new recipes, you could ask your friends to lend you one instead of getting a new recipe book. This is also a great thing to try for children’s books.
5. Mend and Repair
Take your time and learn how to repair and mend items; it will save you so much money.
You want to learn to do simple repairs for your car, air conditioner, furnace, washing machine, and other house equipment.
No matter how minor the issue, calling professionals to do simple repairs will always cost a lot of money.
6. Bartering and Trading
Bartering and trading goods with others will allow you to access goods and services without depleting your budget.
One example would be offering your plumbing or realtor services to your landlord for a discounted rent price. You can also trade items you do not need for what you need. Find your town’s local bartering group and see if you find people interested in what you are offering.
7. Invest in Reusable Containers
Reusable kitchen containers will cost you more upfront but will save you much more in the future.
Stop wrapping your leftovers or lunch in aluminum foil. Get reusable containers, and the cost of the foil will be reduced.
The same applies to cling films. Get reusable containers with lids or silicone dish covers. This also applies to the disposable zip-lock bags you use to store food in your fridge. To cut costs, buy containers with airtight lids.
This way, you will save money and produce less waste.
8. Start Line Drying Clothes
You could start an outdoor clothesline supported by wooden posts or find an alternative online. Tumble drying takes a considerable percentage of your electricity or gas bills. Project Line Laundry estimates that tumble drying your clothes reduces your electricity bills by 10-20%.
Their study also shows that air drying your clothes will reduce the need for bleach and fabric softeners. The sun will do this job.
9. Buy In Bulk
If you buy items in bulk that you frequently use, you will save a lot of money per unit. This method even works better if the item is on offer.
If done correctly, bulk buying can also save you money per unit and reduce the need to frequent grocery stores. Constant trips to the grocery store sometimes result in impulse buying, which we are all trying to avoid.
Just be wary; do not bulk buy perishables you do not use just because they are on offer. You will end up losing money instead of saving.
10. Use Coupons and Discounts
Do not be ashamed to claim those coupons and discounts.
Take every opportunity to save a penny; they add up pretty decently. Collect all coupons you come across, both online and offline, stack them well, and use them at your checkout point.
Study your coupons well, and plan your shopping around them. An average family saves $5.20 to $9.60 per week using coupons, and so can you.
Read More: 12 Best Coupon Apps of 2024
11. Homemade Cleaning Products
You can make your own cleaning products and your own personal care products. Some homemade cleaning products you can make include bleach, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, fabric softeners, furniture sprays, and toilet cleaners. You can also make personal care products such as makeup removers.
A study shows that making DIY cleaning products will cut the amount you spend on cleaning products by up to 95%.
You know how expensive cleaning products can be; who would not want to cut up to an impressive 95% of that? Besides, homemade cleaning products are safer for your household and the environment.
12. Handwritten Budgets
In this age where people spend tens of dollars on budgeting apps and pre-designed sheets, you could stick to handwritten budgets. The most common budget apps cost $7-$12 per month. This is a cost that you could easily avoid.
Once you create your handwritten budget, it becomes easy to update it month after month. You may have to do some manual balancing and calculations, but it will be worth it if you are saving money.
13. Limited Use of Appliances
Millennials and Gen Zs have always hated that the boomers and Gen X insisted on waiting for a full load to run the washing machine or the dishwasher. But we have to agree; it was always for a good cause.
Full loads mean using the machine fewer times, translating to minimal wear and tear. This way, you will not have to worry about constant repairs or replacing your machine anytime soon.
Full loads are also highly energy efficient, as the machine uses the same energy, whether full or partial. You will also save money on water and products.
14. Rainwater Harvesting
Equipping your home with a rainwater harvesting system can save you 40% to 50% of your water bills. You can use it to water your plants, clean the house, cook, do laundry, drink and clean the dishes.
Rainwater can replace 50% of your water usage and is suitable for your tap systems. Its pH is typically lower than 7 and has no chemicals added to neutralize it, which means that using it results in less mineral build-up.
Additionally, using rainwater will help you save on cleaning products such as bleach, detergents, fabric softener, vinegar, and baking soda. This is because it lathers up more easily with cleaning products.
15. Sewing and Knitting
With the rise of fast fashion, buying good-quality clothes is becoming more challenging. If you find anything good-quality, it is almost always expensive.
You can save yourself so much money if you start sewing. It could be sewing your clothes from scratch, repairing torn pieces, upcycling, or adjusting thrift clothes to your size. If you are a thrift shopper, you would know the pain of leaving behind great pieces just because they are not your size. If you learned to sew, this would not be a problem.
Learning how to knit can also be helpful, especially considering how expensive winter clothing is. You can also carry on the grandma tradition of knitting beanies and socks for newborns in the family instead of buying them new presents.
Save Money Like Your Grandma
One thing about these old money-saving methods is that they are easy to adopt. It is nothing extreme; all you will need is simple easing in, and they could become part of your life. If you are having trouble saving money, you should consider returning to the drawing board and adopting these 15 money-saving tips your grandma likely used.
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This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.
