Thrifty Thursday

Mary Faudree Bean

1897-1975

Circa. 1962

My Grandma Bean had always lived a frugal life. She had raised a family during the Depression and had seen some real struggles just to keep body and soul together.

I remember Grandma saving little scraps of aluminum foil so that they could be reused.

Paper towels were shook out and reused when they had been used for something dry. And if they had only been moistened... they were allowed to air dry and be used again.

Glass jars [such as mayonnaise or pickle jars] were washed thoroughly and kept for canning in later on.

Paper plates were sometimes reused as well, unless so soiled they couldn't be cleaned once again.

Grandma wore white canvas sneakers all the time. In order to keep them spotless, and without causing undue wear and tear from excassive washing, she powdered them daily with Johnson's Baby Powder!

Plastic bags, included bread wrappers, were washed and allowed to air dry. These were reused for left overs, biscuits, and even in freezing foods for later consumption.

Nothing was exempt from her reuse.

Empty medication bottles were used as tiny biscuit and cookie cutters for little grandchildren's hands when helping in the kitchen. I've eaten many a "biscuit cookie" cut with a pill bottle! [ Grandma would make biscuit dough, roll it out thin on the table, and allow me to cut the tiny little biscuits with the medication bottle. She'd then place these on a cookie sheet, and lightly sprinkle them with granulated sugar.] These little "biscuit cookies" were the perfect size for a teaparty with a favorite dolly, or a little sister!

Yes, Grandma was one of the original recyclers! Long before it was ecologically correct, or the "in thing" to do, Grandma was keeping America green!

And I bet your Grandparents were too!