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Seven in ten older people are resorting to thrifty skills picked up during the war and post-war years to help them save money and make resources go further during the recession‚ new research from Age Concern and Help the Aged reveals.

Trying to fend off the blows of the economic downturn‚ 70 per cent of people over 50s say they are getting back to trusted money-saving strategies learnt during previously tough times or handed-down from their parents. The survey shows:

• 91 per cent of people over the age of 50 say they budget carefully and spend within their means
• 87 per cent cook from scratch rather than buying ready-made meals
• 71 per cent reuse leftover food
• 54 per cent shop for food in the reduced section or buy reduced food at the end of the day
• 50 per cent sew or mend items for themselves or others
• 29 per cent grow their own vegetables.

The research also shows nine in ten older people believe the ‘make do and mend’ mentality could help younger generations weather today’s recession. Younger people share the same belief with 84 per cent of people aged 18-24 thinking they could benefit from skills handed down from tough war and post-war years.

For retired Tina Watkin‚ 65‚ who lives on Pension Credit‚ 'scrimping and saving' has become a way of life:

"I have just started growing my own vegetables‚ using homemade compost‚ from vegetable peelings‚ shredded newspaper and coffee grounds. I usually cook at home but if I buy myself a Chinese take-away as a rare treat‚ I will eat half and freeze the other half.

“I also try not to waste water. Washing clothes is kept to a minimum and I never use half loads in the washing machine. When I've finished washing up‚ I use the dishwater to wash the car or wheelie bins and sometimes to water the flowers.

“I always mend clothes for my grand-daughter‚ with new zips or velcro. It's a dying art‚ but I have taught my daughter to knit - there is real pride in wearing something that took three weeks to knit. I cut my own hair rather than spend money at the hairdressers."

Michelle Mitchell‚ charity director of Help the Aged and Age Concern said:

“The set of thrifty skills many older people can tap into represents an invaluable resource in times of recession. However‚ pensioners in 21st century Britain shouldn’t end up in a situation where they are forced to return to a mindset born out of the hardship of the war period.

“With all their thriftiness‚ many older people simply have no slack left in their budget to tighten their belts any further as they battle against high food and fuel prices and shrinking income from savings.”

“The Government should take swift action to lift two million UK pensioners out of poverty. The simplest way to do it would be to speed up the implementation of a system for the automatic payment of means-tested benefits.”

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Tina Watkin is available for interviews. To arrange an interview with her‚ please contact our press office on the numbers given above.

Notes to editors:

• Age Concern England and Help the Aged have joined together to form a single charity dedicated to improving the lives of older people.
• ICM interviewed a random sample of 2007 adults in GB aged 18+ by telephone between 24th-30th April 2009. Q4-12 based on a sample size of 943 of respondents aged 50+ only. Surveys were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk

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