5) They Made or Mended Clothes with Anything

Fashion took a backseat to practicality during the Great Depression. Women used anything they could to mend their clothes. Belts were made from rope, shoes were mended with cardboard, and the ubiquitous flour sack fabric became a prized commodity.

Via/ Library of Congress

4) Multi-family Households

They moved in with family so that multiple generations or branches of the family would all be under one roof.

Via/ Library of Congress

3) They Kept Their Money Stashed

In tins, jars, or under the floorboards, they kept their money at home after they realized they couldn’t trust the banks.

Via/ Library of Congress

2) Community Help

Some communities set up collective loan or rescue funds for people who needed it badly, knowing that they could be next if anything went wrong.

Via/ Library of Congress

1) Community Gardens

Some neighborhoods took over empty lots to make gardens to eat from. This was especially useful for city folks who might have relied on canned produce when shortages made fresh fruits and vegetables scarce.

Via/ Library of Congress

If you enjoyed this then click the “Next Page” button for some of the Depression era life hacks we learned from our parents!

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