DID YOU KNOW? board, culture, Entertainment, europe, find, history, keep, middle east, Money, Work, World September 28, 2024

“Unbelievable Ingenuity: 13 Astonishing Survival Tactics That Thrived During the Great Depression!”

Hearing firsthand accounts of the Great Depression often feels like flipping through the pages of a history book. Yet, the sheer inventiveness and grit displayed by those who faced those tough times are nothing short of astounding! Imagine—a world where the stock market crash of 1929 flipped livelihoods upside down as if someone had pressed the fast-forward button on financial chaos. Traditional jobs vanished overnight, pushing millions into poverty and forcing families to rely on their resilience to make ends meet.

In today’s world, we frequently take for granted the abundance and ease that surrounds us. But during the Great Depression, people got thrifty, resourceful, and downright creative. Rather than simply pinching pennies, they transformed hardship into innovation, often in surprisingly delightful ways. Could we, in our age of convenience, muster the same ingenuity if the tables were turned? Here’s a look at 13 creative survival strategies from the Great Depression that’ll make you appreciate the resourcefulness of those who lived through it! LEARN MORE

Hearing about living through the Great Depression feels like something out of a history book. It’s amazing when you realize just how creative and resourceful people had to be to survive those hard times. The stock market crash of 1929 plunged millions into poverty almost overnight, and traditional ways of making a living disappeared for many.

It’s easy to take things like abundance and convenience for granted today, but during the Depression, people had to get by with whatever they had. The stories of those who lived through it often focus on extreme frugality, but behind that thriftiness were inventive, resourceful methods that allowed families to stretch their limited resources.

Some might argue that those times bred a kind of ingenuity that we just don’t see today. When you donâ€™t have a choice but to make do with less, you learn to look at the world differently. Here are 13 of the most creative ways people survived the Great Depression, and how they turned hardship into a surprising source of innovation.

1. Growing Victory Gardens

Allotments, Bradford Abbas Use of land as allotment gardens goes back to before the reign of Elizabeth I, victory garden — Photo Credit: Trish Steel, CC BY-SA 2.0

With food becoming expensive and scarce, many families turned to their own backyards to grow their food. Known as “Victory Gardens,” these homegrown plots of vegetables and fruits became a critical source of nutrition for families during the Great Depression.

People planted everything from beans to carrots and some even raised chickens for eggs. By growing their own produce, families saved money and ensured they had food on the table, no matter how tight the economy got.

2. Repurposing Clothing

Closed sacks bag in barn — Photo Credit: Depositphotos.com.

Instead of throwing away worn-out clothes, families found clever ways to repurpose them. Old dresses were turned into aprons, worn-out pants became shorts, and frayed shirts were made into patchwork quilts.

Nothing went to waste. Even flour sacks became material for clothes. Companies eventually started printing colorful designs on flour sacks because they knew people were using them to sew garments.

3. Bartering Goods and Services

Planning for an adequate home grown food supply brought to this New York woman, — Photo Credit: Unknown author – Franklin D Roosevelt Library Website, Public Domain

With money in short supply, bartering became a common way to get what you needed. If a family had extra eggs from their chickens, they might trade them with a neighbor for fresh vegetables or help with repairs around the house.

Bartering allowed communities to support each other. It wasnâ€™t just goods that were exchanged, people traded their skills, like mending clothes, fixing roofs, or even offering childcare.

4. Making Soup Stretch

Photo of Female Worker in WPA Lunchroom, Great Depression Era — Photo Credit: Farm Security Administration – Public Domain

Soup became a staple for many families because it could be made with minimal ingredients and stretched to feed a large number of people. Leftover vegetables, bones, and scraps were thrown into a pot to create broth-based meals that lasted for days.

Soup kitchens also sprang up in cities, offering free meals to those in need. These kitchens became a symbol of survival during the Depression.

5. DIY Entertainment

A mother with her son during the Great Depression — Photo Credit: Lee Russell – Farm Security Administration, Public Domain

Without money for movies, concerts, or restaurants, people had to get creative with their free time. Families entertained themselves with homemade board games, puzzles, and card games. Storytelling and radio shows also provided inexpensive ways to pass the time.

Music, too, was a common form of DIY entertainment. Families would gather around the piano or guitar and sing together, an activity that cost nothing but inspired a sense of togetherness.

6. “Make Do and Mend” Attitude

Mexican woman washing in front of house in corral. Mexican section, San Antonio, Texas — Photo Credit: Lee Russell – Farm Security Administration, Public Domain

When something broke during the Great Depression, it wasnâ€™t simply replaced, it was fixed. Families adopted a â€œmake do and mendâ€ mindset, repairing shoes, mending clothes, and fixing household items rather than buying new ones.

This attitude not only saved money but also cultivated a culture of resourcefulness that helped people stay afloat during such difficult times.

7. Riding the Rails

An Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway train full of stock cars leaves the yard for points east. — Photo Credit: Jack Delano – Public Domain

As jobs dried up in one area, many men, and even some women, took to â€œriding the rails,â€ aka hopping onto freight trains in search of work in other towns. It was far from a glamorous life, but for many, it was the only option left.

Hobos, as they were often called, formed informal communities along the railroads and developed their own systems of communication, warning others of where they might find work or danger.

8. Sewing Circles

Partial view of cobbler holding piece of genuine leather near sewing machine — Photo Credit: Depositphotos.com.

Communities came together in sewing circles, where groups of women would gather to sew, repair clothes, and make items like quilts and blankets. It wasnâ€™t just about mending clothes, sewing circles provided emotional support and camaraderie.

These gatherings often became social lifelines, offering women a way to share skills, resources, and a little bit of joy during otherwise bleak times.

9. Homemade Cleaning Solutions

L'eau dans la cuisine aux USA dÃ©but du 20e siÃ¨cle, pendant la grande dÃ©pression. — Photo Credit: Unknown author – Carte postale ancienne., CC BY-SA 4.0

Instead of buying cleaning products, people made their own from simple ingredients. Vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice became the go-to cleaning agents for scrubbing floors, washing windows, and even polishing furniture.

These homemade solutions worked just as well as store-bought products but cost a fraction of the price, a perfect example of how creativity saved money during tough times.

10. Multi-Generational Households

Mexican family. San Antonio, Texas — Photo Credit: Lee Russell – Farm Security Administration, Public Domain

When families couldnâ€™t afford to live on their own, they moved in with relatives, creating multi-generational households. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all lived under the same roof, sharing responsibilities and pooling resources to get by.

While privacy was sacrificed, these large households allowed families to cut costs and provide mutual support during one of the most challenging periods in history.

11. Canning and Preserving Food

Young girl prays before eating school lunch of soup — Photo Credit: Uncredited photographer – Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Public Domain

With food often scarce, canning and preserving became essential for survival. Families canned fruits, vegetables, and even meats during harvest season to ensure they had enough food to last through the winter.

Canning was an old-fashioned skill that saw a resurgence during the Great Depression, and it allowed people to stretch their food supplies far beyond the growing season.

12. Taking in Boarders

Houses which have been condemned by the Board of Health but are still occupied by Negro migratory workers, Belle Glade, Fla. — Photo Credit: Marion Post Wolcott – Public Domain

To make ends meet, many families opened their homes to boarders. Renting out a spare room or attic space provided an extra source of income, which helped with basic expenses like groceries and bills.

Taking in boarders wasnâ€™t always easy, but it was a creative way for families to supplement their income and keep a roof over their heads.

13. Scrip Instead of Money

Russell Lee, Men in transient camp near Hagerman Lake, Michigan, avril 1937 Library of Congress — Photo Credit: Lee Russell – Public Domain

In some communities, when banks failed, local governments and businesses issued their own currency, known as scrip, that people could use for basic transactions like buying food or paying for services.

While not legal tender, scrip helped communities continue to function when the traditional monetary system broke down.

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stressed sad fearful medieval queen — Photo Credit: Depositphotos.com.

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City of Rome colloseum — Photo Credit: SergeyVovk at Depositphotos.com.

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