65 Pieces of Survival Wisdom From the Great Depression

many kindhearted farmers ke workers on payroll as long as they possibly could

many became migrant farm workers

back in those days

just everyone had a garden and most gardens were enormous. since of the population still lived on farms

all food was made from scratch

family was affected by the great depression depended on part where they lived. not all areas were affected in the same way

the great depression affected people in all walks of life. only the most elite were immune from its effects

families learned to shop at the very last minute on a saturday night to get bargains on produce that would go bad over the weekend.

to add different types of food to their meals

many worked multiple part-time jobs

house during the summer. air was slightly as it passed through the wet fabric

walls were covered

jack-of-all-trades could often find work when others couldn't. it paid to know a bit plumbing

the hardened end of a of bacon was sold

there actually were government inspectors of different types during the great depression years. they had the authority to shut down many different types of home businesses. some did

families traveled to wherever the work happened to be. they stuck together as much as possible

life insurance policies were cashed in to try and survive

if possible

in parks

many stores allowed people to buy on credit and they just ke track of what was owed. sometimes they were repaid

it wasn't unusual

when there was no cash

family

government help

it was important to maintain appearances. individuals still had a lot of pride

when the soles of shoes were worn through

desperate people would sometimes beg outside of restaurants

some families ended up living in tents

anything that could be freely collected and sold

banks closed quickly and without giving any notice. you never knew a of time when your own bank would close its doors

most people were willing to do any type of work. my own relatives became moonshiners

neighbors and family members were supportive of each other

missions were there to feed people but many of those missions eventually ran out of money

hunting and fishing were major ways in which families were fed

everyone

the mortgage

there was virtually no sense of entitlement. everyone knew they would only survive if they worked to do so

at this time there was no such thing as “retirement”. everyone worked until they became physically unable to continue

hidden away at home. everything else was gone

many discovered strength through optimism and looked at their disadvantages as personal challenges that could be overcome

many mothers learned to “not be hungry” as they gave larger to their husbands and kids

meals were simpler than those we eat today and

the seasons determined what you ate

in some communities

those

was donated by others. to this day

some enterprising women would wake in the early morning hours and prepare d ens of meals to sell to workers from their vehicles

people were grateful. grateful

the sears roebuck catalog was truly the book of dreams