20 Best Frugal Living Tips From The Great Depression

If there’s one time in history that truly showed the power of resilience and resourcefulness, it’s probably the Great Depression.

Although I wasn’t born in America, as a U.S. citizen, I heard stories from older people of how tough life was back then. Jobs were scarce, money was tight, and people had to make do with whatever they had. But through it all, they found ways to survive—and even thrive—by embracing frugal living. They learned how to stretch every dollar, reuse and repurpose everything, and never waste a single thing.

Now, I know what you might be thinking: That was nearly a century ago! Do those frugal living tips still matter today? The truth is, they do—maybe now more than ever. With the rising cost of living, financial struggles, and economic uncertainty, it feels like history is repeating itself. And just like our grandparents, we need to be smart about how we manage our money.

That’s why I wanted to share some of the best frugal living lessons from the Great Depression—practical, timeless strategies that we can all apply today to save money, reduce waste, and build financial security. Whether you’re facing tough times or just want to be more intentional with your finances, these tips can make a real difference.

So, let’s dive in and learn from the past—because the best way to prepare for the future is to be smart with what we have right now.

Top Frugal Living Tips from The Great Depression

People who lived through the Great Depression have some important money lessons to teach us. Although they lived in very different times, these financial hacks will teach us how to be frugal, especially when income is limited.

1. Cook your own food

It’s so easy nowadays to order take-out and have ready-cooked meals. But this convenience comes with a price. Our grandparents and great-grandparents weren’t very big about eating out.

Instead, they made their own meals at home. After all, cooking food from scratch allows us to control our ingredients and portions. This helped them save more money and put those savings into other necessities.

2. They didn’t buy with credit

Credit wasn’t very popular in the Great Depression. People paid with cash, so they were limited only to purchases that their money could buy. With that, they also learned to live within their means. They didn’t spend more than they could afford and avoided debts at all costs.

3. Keep a garden

Gardening was common in the times of the Great Depression. Since a lot of people weren’t making much money, they needed to put food on the table using inexpensive means, and gardening was the best solution. People were able to eat fresh produce which was also nutritious. Today, you can still keep a garden and grow your own food even with limited space by growing plants in small pots and containers.

4. Learn how to sew

When clothes get torn or ripped, our grandparents didn’t automatically toss them into the trash can. Instead, they took their needle and thread and then started mending the clothing. Learning how to sew is a practical life skill all of us can use. If you have no idea how to do it, you can take a look at basic sewing tutorials on the internet.

5. Do it yourself

Our grandparents were keen on learning how to fix everything so they wouldn’t have to buy everything new replacements. When something was broken, they didn’t throw it away. They fixed it. That’s probably why a lot of older people prefer to drive their cars to the ground or wait until their couch gives up before replacing them. They didn’t spend money on labor. Whatever they could do themselves, whether that’s painting the walls, paving the tiles, or fixing the doors — they did it.

6. Don’t waste anything

People who lived during the Great Depression knew how to save everything and not waste anything. They recycled things instead of throwing them away. Biodegradable materials went straight to the compost bin to beef up their garden soil. These people made sure to consume everything up to the last drop and never threw anything away.

7. Make crafts

Instead of buying ready-made items, a lot of our grandparents were into crafts. Apart from the personal touch, making crafts proved to be a lot cheaper. It helped ease their boredom away as well at a time when entertainment was somewhat limited.

8. Layering to keep warm

You know how much heating can add to your utility bills, so our grandparents were wise enough to bundle up their clothing during the cold months to keep themselves warm. They even used chicken feathers to keep their bodies warm. While we won’t have to go to that extent to survive the cold winter days, it helps to wear a pair of fuzzy socks, a few layers of sweaters, and a jacket, and huddle under a thick blanket through the night.

9. Reduce meat consumption

Meat is expensive, so our older folks knew how to make healthy and delicious meals with little to no meat. Instead, they put in meat substitutes like tofu and used filling ingredients like oats. You may want to go meatless some days of the week, too.10. Freeze or can extra food

Keep a look out for your favorite fruits and vegetables that are in season and buy a lot of them. While you may not be able to use them all fresh, you can freeze or can some of them for future use. Having a good supply of fruits and vegetables, even when they’re frozen or preserved, can be a great way to save money on food.

11. Use rainwater

You can conserve water by catching rainwater in a barrel. Although this may not be used to cook, rainwater is good enough to water plants or wash your car.

12. Line-dry your clothes

Our grandparents didn’t have modern washers and dryers, so they washed their clothes manually. Right now, we have the luxury of using a dryer to dry clothes quickly, but that’s at the expense of the increased utility bill. You can reduce energy consumption by drying your clothes on the line during a warm day. Plus, your clothes will smell fantastic!

13. Find free hobbies

We are now bombarded with different hobbies that require some money to partake in. Pasttimes like Netflix require a subscription. However, our grandparents didn’t have to pay for their hobbies. You can consider free activities like hiking, walking, and camping instead. If you like to entertain, you can go to a local library, watch a free movie, or enjoy a potluck with friends instead of eating out.

14. Rent it out

In the old days, people rented out spare bedrooms to make some money. Yes, renting was popular even before Airbnb came into the picture. So, if you have an extra bedroom at home, consider getting tenants. Or you could take in a roommate so you could split the costs of your house payment or rent.

Another thing you can consider renting out is your car. Luckily, there are now a number of apps where you can list your car for rent.

15. Buy in bulk

Buying in bulk is an age-old money-saving hack that still works today. You can do the same too, for things like rice, pasta, flour, and other food staples that you use often and don’t spoil right away.

16. Bring lunch

Eating lunch outside can be a huge budget-breaker, so our grandparents brought lunch to work to save some money. You can make easy and cheap lunches and bring them to work or school so you don’t have to spend on over-expensive cafeteria meals.

17. Cook in batches

Cooking in batches is not just a huge money saver, but also saves you time in the kitchen. A lot of people practiced batch cooking during the Great Depression as well, especially those who have larger families. You can assign a day on the weekend to prepare meals for the entire week, so you only need to thaw and heat during mealtimes.

18. Make your things last

Taking care of your things means they’ll last longer, and they won’t require the extra expense of repairing or replacing. Remember to wipe your shoes right away so that dirt and dust don’t accumulate. Store your bags in safe places to prevent them from fading or getting dusty. Keep your valuables away from conspicuous places to avoid them getting stolen.

19. Opt for reusable products

Disposable products are very convenient nowadays. But our grandparents have always used reusable ones because they can keep using the same thing over and over again, which helps them save money. Instead of consuming loads of paper towels which ultimately get thrown away after one use, you can use cleaning cloths as well.

Also consider using cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers, and refilling water tumblers instead of buying bottled water.

20. Take advantage of hand-me-downs

Our grandparents were excellent at taking care of theirhand–me-downs, clothing that was passed from one sibling to the next. Clothes, shoes, toys, electronics are just some of the things you can get as a hand-me-down from other family members. But you can explore other options as well, such as a baby stroller from a friend, a decent couch from a cousin, or kitchen cookware from your mother.

Old-fashioned Frugal Living in Modern Times

These frugal living tips from the Great Depression may seem old-fashioned, but they are truly golden nuggets of wisdom that allow us to find contentment in what we have. These personal finance hacks may seem like extremely frugal living tips, but they have helped people get through tough economic times.

They can still be applied today, whether you’re looking to save more money, increase your household income, pay down debt, or more. So if you want to find more of these frugality hacks, go ask your grandparents and other older folks! They’ll surely have something valuable to share with you.

20 Best Frugal Living Tips From The Great Depression