Introduction: Families of the Great Depression

The Great Depression brought millions of people to their knees. We all know it was a time of hardship, recession, and some serious penny-pinching, but what exactly did the people of this time go through, what did they have to do?
People had to invent different ways to bring money in, and regulate how it was going out. Not even a penny was wasted in this time. The Great Depression was a horrible time, full of job loss, evictions, and boarders.

I hope this short blog and presentation will clear some things up for you, and I hope you enjoy it!

Job Loss

Many families had members that lost their jobs due to the horrific recession. Companies needed more money to run, so they cut positions one at a time. Some companies had to close altogether. Having a job during this time was rare, and a very big blessing. Some people would pick peoples gardens and tend to weeds in the yard for a few extra cents, and possibly some more food. Others would go out looking for jobs, but would come back disappointed and ashamed.
There were virtually no job opportunities, and men quickly gave up hope of ever finding a job in that recession. Job loss affected most people in the nation during this time.

Evictions

The lack of jobs led to many families getting evicted, because they didn't have the money to pay their mortgage. The bank would take their house back, and throw all of their belongings on the street. It didn't matter the weather, even if it was snowing, or a blizzard was coming the next day, they would still throw them out.
The family had to fend for themselves, and soup kitchens were a great help in this time. They provided them with food, and a shelter while they ate. The lines to the soup kitchens would stretch all the way down and around the block, and would sometimes take hours to even get close to the kitchen, but people were grateful to have a source of hope. These soup kitchens could have been the difference between life and death for them.

Boarders

Some families took in boarders as a way to bring in more money. This was very possible for families that had bigger homes, and families who were willing to take in extra members. The boarders would stay in a room at their house and pay a certain amount of money for rent. The family would provide food and beds (or other sleeping arrangements) for the boarders. Many family members had to give up rooms in order to take in more boarders. Boarders could lighten the mood of the home, and crack well-placed jokes, while others would complain about the recession, even though the situation was out of their hands.

The boarders would also help with household chores like laundry, dusting, gardening, dishes, mending, and cleaning. They would do these things as repayment for letting them stay in their rooms, and feeding them.

Money Regulation

Families had to regulate how much money was being spent, even though they were bringing in money with boarders and the occasional odd job. They had very strict shopping lists, and would constantly mend the same socks, shoes, and pants.
They had to get creative, making clothing out of any available household item. Some family members even began hoarding, and keeping the most trivial things in large amounts. Rubber bands would be kept in containers, until there were hundreds of bands in one family member's possession. These hoarding tendencies still exist in some people today who lived through the Great Depression, although many of the hoarders today did not come from the Great Depression Era.

Here is a picture of a common Hoarder nowadays.

Chickens??

Yes, chickens. Chickens were a very effective way of making a few extra cents during this time. Families would buy the chickens, raise them, pay for the feed, and their cage. The chickens would practically pay for themselves! With the money made by selling their fresh eggs, the family would be able to put a few extra rolls on the table, and feel a little more comfortable.

Chickens were also a great source for clothing. No, not just their feathers! The feed sacks could be sewn into almost anything! Dresses, socks, pants, shirts, blankets pillows...whatever your mind can think it, it can probably be made! This helped eliminate some of the cost of new clothing.

Everyone would help with the chickens. Children, boarders, grandparents...it was a fun way to get everyone involved in helping out with making-and saving-money! The chickens were very easy to manage. You just needed to give them a place to sleep, run, and food and water. The rewards outweighed all the expenses. With money coming in as it was going out, it was hard to even miss the money spent on the chickens!

Conclusion

The Great Depression had an immense effect on millions of families. They tried to stay alive, make ends meet, and do anything to make their lives as comfortable as possible. The soup kitchen lines were outrageously long, as depicted in the picture below.



Evictions were super common. Winters were colder than ever due to all the sadness and Depression (ha, funny). The Great Depression was one of the worst economical disasters ever, and we hope to never have to live through it ever again.



But with the unemployment percentage rising, and gas prices going up, it seems that History just might repeat itself soon.