Some of us are more frugal than others. Some were born to the situation … where money was tight and “stingy” was a virtue. They looked down on those who wasted stuff. They poo-pooed those who threw away food that could be trimmed to get rid of mold, food that could be combined with something else, or scraps that could be frozen until a destiny could be determined for the half cup of mashed potatoes left from Sunday night’s dinner.
I was raised in a home where four kids put a strain on the budget. My parents both worked hard for their money, and we were “careful.” Of course, it was the 50s and 60s and being frugal in a family full of baby boomers was a necessity. We didn’t have a lot … therefore there wasn’t much to throw away.
We didn’t waste food. We didn’t waste water … only about three inches in the bottom of the bathtub as Daddy insisted. We didn’t waste time. There was no putting things off … we had to get homework done as quickly after school as possible. Luckily, we didn’t need much help with homework. There were mouths to feed, laundry to do, and church to attend. And we didn’t do a lot of complaining … especially not to the powers-that-be.
Things were not discarded. They were repaired. In the mid-twentieth century, cars were made from heavy metal. When they were dented, someone pounded out the dent. Our toaster had more tiny wires than I thought possible … until I saw Daddy “fix” it on the kitchen table one Saturday. There was never a thought to buy a new one. I’m pretty sure that over the years the washing machine got new belts, a pump, and hoses … without having to call a repairman. Of course, the television was not the same. Sometimes the man with the big box of tubes came to the house. Later, when a tube went out we would go to the store with the “black one” and buy a replacement. That usually went well, but sometimes we had to bang hard on the top of the television to re-seat the loose tubes.
However, … things have changed. Objects have been made more disposable. We couldn’t fix the coffee pot if we wanted to. The plastic would disintegrate. We don’t think twice about buying a new coffee pot, a new cell phone, or new sheets when the old ones are torn. Maybe we could have fixed some of that, but probably not.
People still want value for their money. Some are just willing to work harder to be frugal. I know there are people who save mayonnaise jars, re-use zip lock bags, and re-heat yesterday’s coffee. I guess I’m not frugal.
My excuse: I’m avoiding germs, preventing electrical fires, and propping up the economy. I sometimes clean out the refrigerator and throw away perfectly good, wilted celery, bowls of green stuff, and cartons of “thick” milk which could have been used for something. I’m avoiding death, I suppose.
As to keeping the economy thriving, if I’d sewn up that sheet, it would put a burden on the store which sold the new one and I’d have to find something to do with the old sheet. My grandmother would have made curtains, cup-towels, and potholders … maybe even rolled bandages for the hospitals in Africa. But she was frugal.
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