I
found a little treasure the other day, a book published in 1833 entitled The American Frugal Housewife. Of course, a book with that title would
be burned in the streets today. I
purchased it because (a most humble confession) I often engage in housekeeping (or househusbandry) activities.
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The nature of
“frugal”
The
word “frugal” has become a somewhat homely word, a cast-off from ages past. Today,
I reinstate it and hope for your spirited approval.
Mrs.
Child, the author, defines frugal as “the art of gathering up all the
fragments, so that nothing is lost. I mean fragments of time as well as
materials. Nothing should be thrown away as long as it is possible to make any
use of it.” Ah ha, so this is how quilts
came to be: patches of excess cloth sown together.
In
the spirit of Mrs. Child’s advice, I keep old shirts as rags for dozens of
purposes. As I thought about that, I felt good about myself until I got to the
part in the book about plucking turkeys and keeping the feathers to make fans
and using every part of a slaughtered pig.
On to the next chapter!
How to shop
The
shopping advice is priceless. Quote Mrs. Child: “If you are about to furnish a
house, do not spend all your money, be it much or little. Do not let the beauty of this thing and the
cheapness of that tempt you to buy unnecessary articles.” I would add, don’t go shopping at all;
instead, go to a movie. That’s my definition of frugal.
Here’s
a gem: “Those who are under the necessity of being economical, should make
convenience a secondary object.” I guess
that’s like saying buy what you need, but
not what you want. Separating true
needs from mere wants is a difficult but productive activity. For example, I truly need season tickets to
the Utah Jazz and BYU football. My wife
thinks those are wants. Doesn’t she
understand?
Converting kids
into productive citizens
Here’s
great advice on child rearing: “A child of six years can be made useful and
should be taught to consider every day lost in which some little thing has not
been done to assist others.” Amen to
that. I tell my kids that we got them so
that we could have some slaves to help around the house, so could you please
take out the trash.
Mrs.
Child waxes bold when it comes to education:
“In tracing evils of any kind which exist in society, we must be brought
up against the great cause of all mischief—mismanagement of education. If young men and young women are brought up
to consider frugality contemptible and industry degrading, it is vain to expect
they will at once become prudent and useful when the cares of life press upon
them.” I’m bringing this quote to the next
PTA meeting. Wait a minute. Could it be that she’s talking to me as a
parent, and not just to the local school?
Maxims for
health
Mrs.
Child’s health tips are to the point.
“Rise early. Eat simple
food. Take plenty of exercise. Never fear a little fatigue.” No, donuts and soda pop are not simple
foods. Onions are a simple food. I enjoy onions with almost everything; it’s
the misunderstood vegetable, as I am sure Mrs. Child would agree. In fact, on page 116, she recommends “a raw
onion” as “an excellent remedy for the sting of a wasp.”
She
even has tips for horse health. To keep the flies off your horse, put indigo
weed around the saddle horn or wash the horse with pennyroyal. And that costs nothing or close to it.
As
a final tip, she says ear wax is good for chapped lips (on you, not your
horse). That explains why I often have my little finger in my ear. And certainly ear wax is the frugal choice
over expensive lip balm, chapstick, and lip gloss. A penny saved is a penny
earned.
