13 Hacks Our Grandparents Swore By

Nine out of ten stories our grandparents tell to us start with the words “back in my day” …and you don’t always know where that preamble is going to lead. It could be the sort of advice where you need to carefully but lovingly explain to them that gin is no longer an appropriate cure for teething babies — or it could be a genius hack that will save you a ton of time and money! 

See, Grandma didn’t have seventeen different brands of laundry detergent to choose from or a fancy doohickey that would water your plants via an app on your smartphone. She made do with what was readily at hand — and she saved money in all sorts of… interesting ways. 

1. Skip the paper towels or fancy cleaning cloths.

Instead, cut up old clothing into reusable rags. Growing up, I don’t think I used any cloth that wasn’t one of my Dad’s old t-shirts. 

2. Use a hot knife to slice bread.

Back before bread came presliced, you could make slicing easier by heating up the knife first. 

3. Keep plants watered while you’re on vacation.

Anyone who’s had the misfortune of getting caught in the rain while wearing a sweater knows how good wool is at sucking up water. Our grandparents took advantage of it by braiding some yarn and sticking one end in a bucket of water. The other end would be buried in the soil, and the wool would wick the water into the pot to keep the plants hydrated. 

4. Save cheap coffee with a pinch of salt.

I actually do this. Adding a pinch of salt to the grounds before brewing can help cut the bitterness of cheap coffee.