BY: ALINA BERDICHEVSKY
I love my gran. She always has a clever thing to say, whether its to address a love woe or a woeful bank account. She’s from a time before food additives, credit cards, Netflix and Tinder, where entertainment meant singing a tune around the piano, boys wrote romantic letters and making your own clothes was the way to establish yourself as the resident fashionista.
So I often wonder, how would society function if we maintained some of the traditional values of the yesteryear? Would we be more chivalrous, responsible, creative.. and whistling show tunes while we work? Or perhaps be crafty AF and leave a cleaner footprint?
Our grandparents lived through difficult times, but they came out the other end to share their bits on making life work. If we listened to gran more, would we be more wealthy, healthy and in love?
I proceeded to find out by breaking down some of my grandmothers most enduring (and repetitive) advice:
1. “Live Frugally”
Let’s face it, we live in a spending, consumerist society where psychologists”prescribe” shopping as therapy. Gran thinks living thrifty is not just healthier for your budget, it’s better for the environment.
Thus, I find new uses for things I’d ordinarily throw away, although my creativity starts flagging at used take away containers. After a week of hemming clothes and $5 brekkies (which is a sneaky trick where you actually eat at home), I saved $1000 and didn’t max out my credit card. Win.
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