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Where I grew up (Kansas City, Mo.), the leading local grocery chain, Milgram, issued Gold Bond Stamps while one of the big independent-grocer alliances, Thriftway, used S&H.
The company that supplied Thriftway, KCK-based Associated Wholesale Grocers, is still in business — it's the oldest grocer-owned cooperative in the country, founded in 1924 and owned by the more than 1,100 supermarkets it supplies, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast.
My mom saved those. I used to enjoy sticking the stamps on the pages for her. Don't know if she ever actually turned any in for merchandise, though.
Washing out margarine tubs and cottage cheese containers to use for refrigerating leftovers.
Margarine instead of butter for eating, Crisco instead of butter for cooking.
Wrapping gifts in the colored comic pages from Sunday papers.
A lot of our clothes were homemade because it was cheaper, but patterns, fabric, and other supplies for sewing actually add up to a lot more now than inexpensive readymade clothing, plus you have to do all that work.
I'll throw out, sewing your own clothes (not sewing to fix, but actually make.)
Agreed. I recently bought a pattern for a garment, thinking I could just make it myself for half the price of retail. Wrong. After I added up the cost of fabric, notions, thread, etc it would probably end up costing me more money...plus the hours and hours of time it would take. Mission aborted.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JONOV
Changing your own oil, in many cases.
Agreed. My local auto shop recently DOUBLED their price on oil changes and it's still cheaper than if I bought all the stuff at Auto Zone or wherever and did it myself. No deal there.
Gas station freebies. You could get a glass or dishware after every 10 fill-ups.
Some grocery stores would do the same thing. They would have a set of China (it was cheap but still China), and every so much shopping would get you a free item. I got 4 settings that way. At least they were pretty. Blue and white.
When I was young, poor, and starving in the 1980s, we used to go to Kentucky Fried chicken 10 minutes before closing. They sold everything half price and would often toss in free stuff like desserts that were meant for the garbage can. We discovered this accidentally but then used it regularly.
Cutting your kids hair? I was at TJ Maxx the other day. They had a home hair cutting kit with the other beard trimmers. That's one thing I won't ask of my kids, unless they're boys that want a buzz cut. My Dad insisted on it for too many years.
MrsM has been cutting mt hair for almost 60 years. It pays for all of her jewelry.
Cutting your kids hair? I was at TJ Maxx the other day. They had a home hair cutting kit with the other beard trimmers. That's one thing I won't ask of my kids, unless they're boys that want a buzz cut. My Dad insisted on it for too many years.
My wife started cutting my hair during the COVID lock down. Initially, the results were decent. However, I have to say that after a year, it was decent to the point where she would cut my hair two times and then I would head to the barber a couple of times a year to even it out.
Considering it is $20 to get a mediocre five minute haircut where they do not even shave the back of the neck or even touch the eyebrows, why do it? And I get the same lousy haircut whether I go to Great Clips or the local "barber."
Saving up ever single quarter, dime & nickel in a ashtray for the laundromat, reaching up inside the vending machine for detergent packs, then sitting in the laundromat so the weirdoes didn't steal my underwear.
Calling your parents free long-distance to let them know you've arrived safely at your destination. This is how it worked: you'd ask the operator to place a person-to-person call. You only had to pay for the call if you reached the person you named. So when your parents answered, they would say "So-and-so is not here." Then you'd say thank you and end the call. It didn't cost you anything, and your parents would know that you're OK.
Glass milk bottles, you returned the empties.
Reusable plastic covers for leftovers…they looked like mini shower caps.
Around here, local dairies still use glass bottles, the return is up to $1.50! I have found a few and brought them back.
And I always save the plastic shower caps from hotel stays for this very reason. (unused, of course).
Lot of other things people have mentioned that I still do. I almost always have leftovers the next day (or 2) when I cook something. I bring my own lunch when I am going to be on the road. I still air dry most of my laundry, the only things that go in the dryer are sheets. If I had a clothesline I would air dry those too. It not only saves energy but preserves your clothes.
My addition, the Betty Crocker boxtops you used to save and redeem for merch. They are a thing of the past.
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