Things might be different now compared to when your grandma was younger, but saving money is timeless — and sometimes, so are the methods! Here are twelve ways your grandma can inspire you to be more thoughtful and resourceful with your money.
1. Grow Your Own Food
You don’t have to go full farmer to save money with growing food. Even something as simple as an herb garden in your window can save you from costly herbs at the grocery store.
2. Cook From Scratch
We’re talking about cooking from the ground up. This means making your own bread, sauces, and anything else you can think of. The more you focus on from-scratch cooking, the more you’ll save.
3. Preserve Food
Many households did canning, freezing, and drying without thinking. It was an excellent way to reduce food waste and have delicious vegetables at their peak ripeness even when they weren’t in season. And both of those benefits are still applicable today!
4. Try Homemade Gifts
Handmade gifts have that personal touch you can’t buy at a store. Our grandmothers were experts at making everything from cards to scarves and anything else you can imagine—an economically sound way to show someone you care.
5. Keep a Tight Budget
Nana was never loose with those purse strings and was rewarded handsomely for it with financial independence. Remember to make your budget and stick with it.
6. Enjoy Simple Pleasures
Many life experiences don’t require a cent to enjoy. Our grandmas knew this, which is why they loved a good old-fashioned nature hike over a day at the amusement park.
7. Start an Emergency Fund
Savings are important, but so is being ready for life’s unexpected changes. Take a leaf from grandma’s book and set cash aside so you don’t rely as much on borrowing.
8. Take Up Sewing
Many grandmas know how to sew, and that’s not a coincidence; they saw it as an economical way to alter, fix, and even make their clothes, saving them a considerable amount of money.
9. Get Creative
If a solution was too expensive, Grandma always found a way to make it happen for less. Think creatively when you need to spend and see if there’s a way you can cut costs rather than brute force with a credit or debit card.
10. Barter and Trade
Grandmas loved bartering and trading with friends, family, and even neighbors. Bring back that tradition and see how simple and fun it can be to save through swaps.
11. Hang-Dry Clothing
If you have access to a yard space, try drying your clothes outside instead of wasting energy with the dryer. Let the sun do most of the work for you, and enjoy the beautiful scent of nature when your clothes are dry!
12. Turn Off the Lights
Remember how adamant adults were about turning off a light when leaving the room? Turns out they were on to something; remembering to turn things off when you aren’t using them can save you a lot on utilities throughout the year.
