Thrifty wartime habits return

Sir Winston Churchill famously urged the UK to both eat and dig for victory to help cope with the shortages brought on by the war against the Nazis.

Now it would seem Second World War austerity is very much back in vogue to combat a newer but equally unforgiving enemy – the global recession.

According to new research, seven out of 10 people from the older generation are turning to 1940s-style thriftiness to make their money go further during the downturn and proving what many have always believed: that wartime Britons were far greener and more ethical than their modern counterparts.

A survey by the leading charities Age Concern and Help the Aged found that those over 50 are using “make do and mend” habits developed in times of rationing to stretch their resources.
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The research comes as it emerged that more than half of the population were struggling to make ends meet on their current incomes, with around 58% of people claiming they did not currently have enough money to meet their household bills comfortably.

The Herald