Making ends meet these days can be tough. I know for me personally, I’m extremely thankful that my parents taught me how to live through the lean times and how to set aside extras when times are flush. Born and raised in Rockford during the 70’s and 80’s; like many families, my dad was the sole source of income in our household. He was a machinist at Borg Warner Corporation and there were times when the company would shut down or the employees would go on strike.
It was during those times as a kid that I was so glad that we had what we needed on hand. I learned some very valuable life lessons during those lean times and I’d like to share just a few of them with you today.
Unlike most families today, my mom stayed home full time and prepared all of our meals. We never, ever went out to eat; except for those rare occasions when we would get to go out to Dog N Suds or Geri’s Hamburgers. If it was a really, really special occasion, we’d go to Ponderosa, Bishop’s Buffet or The Hoffman House. We made all of our own birthday and Christmas gifts for friends and family members and we were required to help out around the house and to do community service tasks in order to earn our allowance.
Basically, my parents were preparing us for adulthood and the responsibilities that come with it. So to them…. Thank You!
Below are 10 basic life skills that I think EVERYONE should possess and share with their children.
#1 GARDENING, COMPOSTING AND SEED SAVING: We always had a garden in our back yard. It was so much fun to plant the seeds and plants and watch them grow! Like most kids, we were pretty particular about what we would and would not eat. With the garden though, there wasn’t a single thing that we wouldn’t devour! (We used to get hollered at for picking vegetables too early and eating them on the spot) We had simple vegetables like carrots, radishes, lettuce and tomatoes. I remember my mom would harvest and save the seeds for the next year as well. I remember that she actually put certain plants in the garden together so that they would cross pollinate giving her a better plant and yield the following year. Herb gardens are another great garden to have. In fact, you can have a garden of any type year round! You can always purchase seeds online and as long as you have the proper lighting and containers, you can have an herb garden in your kitchen window, tomato plants on your counter top or a full blow garden in the basement under grow lights. The possibilities are endless!
#2 FOOD PRESERVATION: Going hand in hand with gardening is of course how to preserve the bounty of your hard work. If we didn’t grow it in the garden ourselves, my grandpa had fruit trees and my dad had some friends at work that would bring him fruits and veggies when they had extras. My husband’s family were big on canning and this is a tradition that we have continued in our home today. I love checking out the farmer’s markets and watching for sales at the supermarket. When I can get a great deal on fish, we smoke it. When I get a great deal on chicken or beef; we freeze it. Fruits are made into jams and jellies or syrups and vegetables are used in homemade soups and canned for use later on down the road. Pickling is another big thing. You can pickle just about anything! As long as the seal is secure, your food can last for months or years on the shelf. We also have a food dehydrator for making our own jerky and fruit roll ups or dried fruit or vegetables for snacking. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination!
#3 COOKING & BAKING: In the modern era; every time you log into Facebook or watch television, there are advertisements and commercials for “delivered to your door” meal preparation boxes or food delivery services. Think about it for a minute. Do you really need someone to ship ingredients and instructions on how to cook it to your home? The answer is NO! Wouldn’t it be cheaper and healthier to cook at home rather than have the delivery man bring you your meals? The answer is YES! There are so many ways to learn how to cook if you don’t know how. There are an infinite number of recipes and cooking videos online. You can buy groceries so much cheaper than any “kit” someone could ship to you. Look into VINTAGE recipes. Before meal kits and meal prep was a big thing, Tupperware parties were held in women’s homes to discuss ways to save leftovers and keep them fresh for days or weeks. (yes, I said leftovers!) In fact, if you really want to save money, I recommend planning a weekly menu and only buying what you need for those meals. You can use the same ingredients to make several different dishes with slight variations. Websites like allrecipes.com have tons of recipes that are quick and easy that anyone can make. YouTube is also a great resource!
#4 SEWING OR MAKING CLOTHING: My mom wanted to be sure that she taught me the things she learned when she was little. Sewing and clothes making was a big part of that. She wanted to be sure that I could provide for my kids if times were ever tight. While I never ended up having children, I still use these skills today to keep the clothing I have in top condition and I’ve made some really cool Halloween costumes with my own two hands over the years. I’m shocked when some of my friends can’t even sew a button on a shirt or know how to darn a sock! If this is a skill set that you do not possess; check out YouTube. Whether you want to learn how to sew with a machine or by hand; there are thousands of videos that you can watch that will teach you step-by-step how to master the art of sewing.
#5 KNITTING OR CROCHETING: Along the same lines as sewing, knitting and crocheting are an art form all their own. My mother tried desperately to teach me how to knit, but I never could master it. I love to crochet and this time of year especially is when I crochet blankets, hats and scarves for my friends and family members to give away as gifts for Christmas. You can crochet anything from baby gifts to potholders and kitchen cozies to sweaters, blankets and so much more. Again, check out the internet for tons of patterns, instructions and step-by-step how-to’s.
#6 REDUCE, RE-USE, RECYCLE: Another great way to stretch that dollar is to look at alternatives to buying new. Garage sales, consignment shops, resale shops of course, two of my personal favorites, Goodwill and Salvation Army are great places to buy items for your household or wardrobe. I have found brand new items with the tags attached from the store or found items in their original store packaging. Despite what many people may think, items from thrift stores are washed before they are set out for sale. E bay, Facebook marketplace and other online second-hand stores are starting to pop up all over the place. No matter where you shop, there are some really great deals to be had out there. Oh, and one more thing. Don’t be shy about curbside finds either. People will often set out furniture that they just want to get rid of. There’s nothing wrong with it, they just don’t want to take the time to donate it. So, if you see something that catches your eye, snag it! I also recommend going through your closets, cupboards and storage areas at least twice per year. I usually do a thorough clean out in Spring and Winter. This way you can get rid of anything taking up space that you don’t use and make room for “new” stuff!
#7 SWAP & BARTER: Speaking of re-use; when my husband and I lived in Sitka, Alaska we used to swap and barter with our friends, neighbors and other members of the community. When you live on an island on the Pacific Coast; you don’t have access to stores like you would here in the Midwest. (Walmart? What’s that? lol) For example: I would babysit for a few hours for a neighbor and would be paid in shrimp or venison. My husband would help a neighbor put in a cement slab in the back yard and be “paid” with king crab or scallops. You get the idea….you can pretty much trade anything. I think there’s even a television show out there that talks about barter….maybe check it out for some ideas.
#8 TAKE TIME TO UNPLUG: When we get home from a long day of work or school, the first thing we usually do is plop down in front of the television. Admit it. We all do it. What we forget is that there was such a thing call imagination when we were younger. Reading a book is a fantastic way to use the “television” in your head. You can listen to relaxing music or pull out an old board game or deck of cards and just unplug for a while. Let friends and family members know that on a certain day of the week or time of day that your phone will be off and you won’t be available to take calls or text messages. Everyone needs a little time to relax. I love to sit and crochet with the fireplace going, jazz in the background and a glass of wine sitting on the table next to me. My husband will read a book and of course, the cats are usually taking a nap in front of the fire. If the lights ever go out, what will you do to entertain yourself? Kids especially need to unplug at least a few hours each day. If you can, make meal time an important part of your family routine. No electronics at the dinner table; talk about your day or a topic going on in the news. Take the time to get to know your kids. They’ll be grown up and gone before you know it.
#9 LETTER WRITING: In our fast paced, gotta-have-it-now way of life, we often forget some of the simpler things from childhood. I was talking to a friend a few weeks ago and she told me that her grandson can’t even write in cursive. What!?! I had a young man in his 20’s that worked with me at a previous job that didn’t even know how to address an envelope or where to put the stamp. If they can’t email it, they don’t know how to do it. That is truly sad. When I was young, we wrote letters to pen pals. People that we never met but we would write back and forth to each other. I seriously think that this is a forgotten past time that needs to make a comeback. There are elderly people who don’t have family or get visitors that I’m sure would LOVE to receive a letter from someone, anyone that takes an interest in them and what they have to say. Most elderly people don’t know how to use computers and this would be a great way to brighten someone’s day. There are patients in hospitals that need to have their spirits lifted. Children’s hospitals and Veterans hospitals especially! They would love to get a personal letter filled with positive thoughts and good wishes. Our military personnel fighting abroad always look forward to getting a letter from “home” even if that letter is from a perfect stranger. Teach your kids this valuable skill. Imagine the joy that this kind of project could bring to them and to someone in need.
#10 VINTAGE “NIGHT LIFE”: Let’s bring back the time honored tradition of Saturday night out! When we were kids, my parents would pack us up in the station wagon and head over to a friend or relatives house for the evening (sometimes over night). We’d usually have three or four sets of parents and a whole bunch of kids running around somebody’s house (they would of course, take turns hosting). We would make pizzas or grill out in the warmer months. After supper, the adults would play cards or board games and all of the kids would hang out in the basement playing tag or in a bedroom playing board games on the floor and listening to records. When bed time came around, we’d all put on our pajamas and crawl into sleeping bags and crash out until the next morning when our parents would pick us up after breakfast. (Parents need a break too!) Those weekends hold some of the greatest memories from my childhood. I’m sure that your kids would love it too!
I hope that this list will inspire you to try and reduce your household costs and increase your time and enjoyment with the most important people in your life. Your family.
If you have any vintage life skills that we forgot to put on our list; we’d love for you to share them in the comments below!