Many families strived for self-sufficiency by keeping small kitchen gardens with vegetables and herbs. Some towns and cities allowed for the conversion of vacant lots to community “thrift gardens” where residents could grow food.
What people did to survive during the Great Depression?
To save money, families neglected medical and dental care. Many families sought to cope by planting gardens, canning food, buying used bread, and using cardboard and cotton for shoe soles. Despite a steep decline in food prices, many families did without milk or meat.
What was home life like in the 1930s?
Having Fun – Family Life during the Great Depression. When they weren’t working, families found time to have fun, with neighbors, friends, relatives and each other. With little money to spend on entertainment, families enjoyed new board games such as “Monopoly” and “Scrabble” which were first sold during the 1930s.
How did people cope during the Great Depression?
According to History.com, kitchen gardens, canning, and “thrift gardens” became popular activities. Not only did these things act as coping mechanisms but also helped others in the community who may not have not had the resources for nutritional foods.
What were two things people did to survive the Great Depression?
65 things people did that demonstrated a great deal of survival wisdom: 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 for just a few months longer in their “normal” worlds.
What was food like during the Great Depression?
Chili, macaroni and cheese, soups, and creamed chicken on biscuits were popular meals. In the 70 or more years since the Great Depression, a lot has changed on the farms of rural America. All of these changes have resulted in farms that usually specialize in only one main crop.
How did people survive the Great Depression financially?
One of the saving graces for families during the Depression was life insurance, which provided liquidity during a time when even the banks couldn’t. Cash value policies helped many families stay afloat and avoid financial ruin.
How hard was life in the 1930s?
Economic hardship caused family breakdowns.
The national suicide rate rose to an all-time high in 1933. Marriages became strained, though many couples could not afford to separate. Divorce rates dropped during the 1930s though abandonments increased.
What was the standard of living in the 1930s?
In the 1930s, during the great depression $15.50 would be equivalent to one dollar today. Weekly salary was around $12 if you managed to find a job. The cost of living back then was only a fraction of what it is today. The different in average salary is somewhere around $56,000.
What did adults do for fun in the 1930s?
Many who could not afford books or periodicals spent time reading in libraries. Inexpensive amusements included backyard games, puzzles, card games, and board games such as Monopoly, which was introduced in 1935. Even the national pastime, baseball, changed profoundly during the Great Depression.
Did people sell their kids in the Great Depression?
Many people bought and sold these children, not as family, but to work almost like slaves with horrible living conditions and treatment.
What was it like living in the Depression?
homelessness, and hunger to millions. THE DEPRESSION IN THE CITIES In cities across the country, people lost their jobs, were evicted from their homes and ended up in the streets. Some slept in parks or sewer pipes, wrapping themselves in newspapers to fend off the cold.
What did kids do during the Great Depression?
With the Great Depression, many families lost their farms and migrated to urban areas in search of work and aid from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal government programs. With record unemployment, children competed for jobs with their elders in an effort to make a contribution to their families.
How did people stay warm during the Great Depression?
Those who were able to afford a “comfortable” shelter were fortunate to have homes that were heated by coal-burning furnaces. These were often located in the basement of homes, close to an outside wall where coal could be fed directly into the furnace via a stoker.
Why was there no food during the Great Depression?
Money. During the Great Depression, which occurred from 1929 to 1933, many Americans lost all of their money and were not able to get jobs. Therefore, they were not able to buy food. Since most people did not have enough money to shop for food, there wasn’t enough business to keep most of the groceries fully stocked.
Who did well during the Great Depression?
Not everyone, however, lost money during the worst economic downturn in American history. Business titans such as William Boeing and Walter Chrysler actually grew their fortunes during the Great Depression.
What is the poor man’s meal?
Potatoes were also inexpensive and used extensively. Some meals even used both. One of these meals was called the Poor Man’s Meal. It combined potatoes, onions, and hot dogs into one hearty, inexpensive dish, which was perfect for the hard times people had fallen on.
What should I stockpile for during the Great Depression?
More Frugal Pantry Inspiration from the Great Depression
- Dried Beans and Dried Peas. Meat was not as frequently used at dinner time during this time, but beans were very much used!
- Potatoes.
- Spices and Salt.
- Rice.
- Canned Green Peas and Green Beans.
- Cured Meats like Hot Dogs.
- Dandelions.
- Pasta.
What was breakfast during Great Depression?
Depression era breakfast were often in the form of very cheap foods like breads or corn. Corn was often used as cornmeal or polenta. People would drink coffee and tea as part of breakfast or the only thing in the morning. Families had to be frugal and this lead to a lot of repeat breakfasts without luxuries like meat.
IS CASH good in a Depression?
Gold and cash are two of the most important assets to have on hand during a market crash or depression.
Did the rich stay rich in the Great Depression?
While many of the richest people in America lost money when the stock market crashed, the upper classes as a whole still retained much of the wealth which they had held before the Depression and in most cases did not suffer from unemployment.