Frugal Advice from The 1800sby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 15 May 2007 05:48 AM Sometimes the best advice is old advice that is tried and true. Read about one 1800's frugal living advice. Chances are that you've never heard of Lydia Maria Child. Ms. Child was an American author who lived from 1802 to 1880. In the early 1800s, she compiled a collection of frugal home remedies and household solutions in her book, American Frugal Housewife. She dedicated the book to those of use "who are not ashamed of economy." One of Ms. Child's quotes is: "Nothing should be thrown away, so long as it is possible to make use of it, however trifling that use may be." That is good advice, especially for today. Want to know what else she has to say about frugality? Here are some of the recommendations she has for frugal living. "Use boiled potatoes to cleanse the hands. They work as well as common soap and keep the skin soft and healthy." (I wonder if they make an antibacterial potato.) "For a sudden attack of croup, bathe the neck in bear's grease. (Out of bear's grease? Goose grease or any kind of oily grease, is as good.)" (Hmm, I wonder what price bear's grease is going for at the Giant supermarket these days.) "To extract a corn from your foot, attach half of a cranberry or a small piece of lemon to the corn before going to bed. (Make sure the open side of the fruit is on the corn.) Remove in the morning. Repeat this process, using new fruit, for several nights, and the corn will be drawn out." (This actually makes a lot of sense, as the citric acid in the fruit is probably at work here to reduce the corn; sort of like the colonial version of a chemical peel.) What do you think of Lydia Child's advice? Let me know if you try any of her advice. Related Articles: Frugal Food: Cranberries Are Cheaper Than Ever! Save Money Now! Living Frugally in 10 Minutes or Less Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags 1800s, advice, frugal, Lydia Marie Child Discuss this article
|
Frugal categories |
