I remember baking soda for brushing teeth, also. And having our water turned off one time for non payment...school/play shoes, and Church shoes...and never eating out.
I remember some nights for dinner we’d have macaroni and butter.
My sister recently told me that that was because we had no other food in the house to eat. I didn’t realize that.
I know my mom got a part time job to help make ends meet. She’s work evenings and weekends when my dad was home so we’d never be left alone. My parents would not do that to us. During the school year, she’d work days.
We had no money for extras. If I wanted something I had to earn money and buy it myself.
I guess we were poorer than I ever realized. But I learned a lot of valuable lessons in managing finances that serve me to this day. For one thing, I have a great ability to resist giving to every charity that calls with a bleeding heart story about *the hungry children* or police widows and orphans.