30 "SECRET" Money Tricks 1950s Housewives Hid From Their Husbands That Saved the Family

Comments · 732

• FL

  @flowerbabiesfarm · 4 months ago

  My granddad gave my Nan the housekeeping but also money for herself that she didn't need to explain or try to hide. He also put money each check into a pension for her. I'm proud of how my granddad was not an exploiter.

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• RA

  @RandyAnn-x8d · 4 months ago

  My great grandmother, would take out change little by little when he was asleep. He was very abusive., beyond words. My great grandfather, wouldnt let her have any money. He was so controlling, she never had access to money. So, shed take a tiny bit of change out of his pockets. It took her 30 years, but on thier 30th anniversary, she bought a tiny house of her own, and left divorce papers. He thought she left for another man, she didnt she just didnt want to be abused anymore. She wanted peace before she died. <br><br>He told her shed never get a dime in the divorce, he made sure, so she took in kind to babysit, that paid her megar bills, till the day she died, never being able to retire, but died with reaching her goal of dying without abuse and with peace.

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• FO

  @fourthgirl · 4 months ago (edited)

  1990 I was married, had a 1 year old and 2 school aged step daughters. &nbsp;Husband was on disability and post surgical procedure. The household income was $1500 and half went to rent. I worked a budget like and it was insane. Cloth diapers, made my own baby food. Bulk food for rice, pasta, oatmeal, snacks. Then I started an appointment setting service. I had 3 therapist I scheduled appointments and submitted billing. Brought in an additional $500 a month, but reported half to the household. The rest was secret stash for emergency, kids wanted to do something, etc. I also returned rebate coupons, surveys, recycled household bottles and cans. We also had a coffee can that we put in loose change. In 2 years we had nearly $200 ready to roll up. &nbsp;When our relationship went south, my mother told me to look in the pantaloons of my rag doll. My mom had put in a blank check, $200 cash and a joint credit card in my name. She knew I would never leave the doll behind.

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• DA

  @danielleS257 · 4 months ago

  I swear green stamps need to return. THEY were fun. The kids used to get to pick things with the books they filled.

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• SH

  @shauldren75 · 4 months ago

  My grandmother didn&apos;t hide it. My grandmother was pretty badass, actually. In the mid-50s and 60s she raised four boys. She took some college business classes a few days a week while the kids were in school. Then she would come home, work in the garden, and cook and clean. No one ever fixed their own food, no matter how much we begged her to sit down and be waited on. <br>Buy the mid 60s she took my grandfather to the bank and got a lone in his name and opened a small grocery store. Grandpa did his day job, then managed the store in the evenings after her. The kids all helped.<br>She handled every bit of the money.<br>She was something else. 😂 <br>I recall that, in the late 60s, early 70s, some of the men at church took their wives aside and told them to &quot;have a firm talk&quot; with Grandma about wearing slacks to church. They did. She said she understood. And every Sunday, from that day on, she made it a point to wear slacks.

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• AM

  @AmericanSandwich · 4 months ago

  The women of the 1950s were financial experts without ever getting credit for it. They kept families afloat during hard times.

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• EA

  @earleneworrell3447 · 4 months ago

  The kotex:s box was a savings box now who remember that 😊

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• SA

  @Sasa-pm7jc · 4 months ago

  And... sometimes the hidden money was her escape from a husband she had to hide money from. My family ALWAYS told a new bride this

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• KA

  @karenchristinewise7833 · 4 months ago

  I&apos;m Irish and my father handed over the paypacket to my mother every week. My mother controlled the finances. My father got an allowance every Thursday. His day out to the pub or the betting shop was Wednesday. This was in the 1970&apos;s until I left home almost 20 years later. Pin money is derived from the word pinafore, which was an apron worn over a dress. It was to protect the fabric from the hard work of domestic labour. Think of the girls and women in Little House on the Prairie. My father had no idea how much money my mother had in her purse. He never touched her coat and purse. A purse in Ireland is a woman&apos;s wallet and not a handbag. ❤

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• DO

  @dorawhisman515 · 4 months ago (edited)

  50&apos;s HECK! &nbsp;My LPN paycheck(1970&apos;s) was paper and my (Vietnam Vet., drug addicted husband) included that in our budget. What he didn&apos;t know was that I had a chunk of that check direct deposited into my side bank account. I just tore off the attached deductions strip off my check. He went through VA Drug Rehab (twice). He said he just bought his drugs while there from the orderlies. Wives have never been stupid. He spent his money on drugs, I provided for me, him and our kids until I finally left him.

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• JO

  @joshuabrande2417 · 4 months ago

  there was a sense of pride and practicality knowing you didn&apos;t owe anyone anything and that no one would be coming after you for what was due.

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• JO

  @jodirook71 · 4 months ago

  My grandmother, mother and aunts. Always told me to stash money away and never tell your husband or boyfriend. If the relationship becomes bad, it&apos;s your escape fund. Only once did I allow a husband to completely control everything. American married in Ireland. I was a housewife for 2 yrs before I escaped. But he gave me money and I crimped and saved, coupons sales etc. When his birthday came I made the mistake of spending part of it on a gift. His 1st question was &quot; where did you get the money?&quot; when I told him 50 cents here a dollar there, on coupons I kept the difference as savings. Instead of being proud of me and enjoying his gift. He went into a rage. I&apos;m 55 so many of these tricks were not available. But skimming this shop only works when he gives you cash.

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