My 85 year old mother is a child of the depression, so when I was growing up I learned to shop at "discount" stores, but when it came to food it was store bought and brand name.
Learning most of the facets of living thriftily has taken me over 30 years. I would like to share what living thriftily means to me.
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Living thriftily means:
making my money stretch, so that my money provides me with more of the things I need or want
comparing grocery items by cost per weight, and the value of no name brands
making and storing my own food stuffs, like pancake mix
buying used rather than new
preserving, canning, or freezing food
reading the sale fliers and taking advantage of sales on items I always use
investing in storage units and a freezer
planning out my shopping trips and errands by day and location to save on gas
knowing the difference between an expense (a new coat, when I already have a warm coat) and an investment, (a freezer)
taking into account all the hidden costs of making things myself or picking up a "free" item
de-cluttering my life by giving away or selling anything I have not used in at least a year, and to stop pack ratting for a rainy day
recycling everything I can to help others live thriftily also
But most importantly, for me, being thrifty means to enjoy my life and have more time to spend with my family.
My 85 year old mother is a child of the depression, so when I was growing up I learned to shop at "discount" stores, but when it came to food it was store bought and brand name. 
