7 Money Lessons Kentucky Grandparents Taught That Still Hold Up

Grandma’s money habits may have seemed a little old-fashioned when you were a kid.

With prices where they are today, much of what Kentucky grandparents preached is starting to sound pretty smart.

Here are the lessons that still hold up, and what current guidance says about them.

Note: This is general information, not financial advice. Figures and rules are subject to change.

1. Canning What You Grow

The University of Kentucky’s family and consumer sciences extension timeline says homemakers’ clubs reported canning more than one million jars of fruits and vegetables in 1933.

Many grandparents counted a full pantry as money saved.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised its Complete Guide to Home Canning in 2015.

That guide says that, not counting your labor, canning homegrown food may save you half the cost of buying commercially canned food.

The advantages of home canning are lost when you start with poor-quality fresh foods, when jars fail to seal properly or when food spoils.

An extension agent quoted in Kentucky Living says old handwritten recipes without details aren’t the safest, and points to University of Kentucky Extension publications.

Check old recipes first.

2. Wasting Less Food

An estimated 30-40 percent of the nation’s food supply goes to waste, according to the USDA.

In 2010, that added up to $161 billion worth of food.

On average, households could save about $370 per person a year, or roughly $1,500 if you’re feeding a family of four.

Waste costs money.

3. Keeping Cash at Home

Keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) tells you on its Ready.gov site.

Include small bills, since ATMs and credit cards may not work during a disaster when you need supplies, fuel or food.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says a bank or credit union account is generally considered one of the safest places to put your money.

Cash works when cards don’t.

4. Paying Yourself First

The CFPB’s emergency fund guide tells you to pay yourself first by putting a portion of your income automatically into savings.

You can set up recurring transfers through your bank or credit union so money moves automatically from your checking account to your savings account.

The saving happens automatically.

In its 2025 survey, published in May 2026, the Federal Reserve found that 63 percent of adults would cover a hypothetical $400 emergency expense using cash or its equivalent.

5. Skipping Credit Card Interest

Many grandparents bought things only after they’d saved for them.

If your card has a grace period, the CFPB says, you can avoid paying interest on purchases by paying off your balance in full each month by the due date.

In the second quarter of 2026, the Federal Reserve’s G.19 release put the average rate on credit card accounts charged interest at 22.15 percent.

At that rate, a $1,000 balance that sits for a year costs at least $220 in interest.

That cost is avoidable.

Your card statement lists your annual percentage rate (APR), so you can compare it with that average.

6. Refusing to Co-Sign

If you co-sign a loan, the CFPB says, you’re legally obligated to repay it if the primary borrower is unable to.

The debt can become yours.

Any missed payments could also appear on your credit reports and affect your credit scores.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says the creditor can collect from you without first trying to collect from the borrower, and you may also owe late fees or collection costs.

7. Writing Down What You Spend

Many grandparents wrote down what came in and what went out.

A February 2026 FTC consumer alert points to Consumer.gov’s step-by-step guide to making a budget.

That guide includes a worksheet you can use to track how much you’re taking in and how much you’re spending.

Use your pay stubs to write down how much money you make each month, then write down what you spent each day.

Write it down.

Cash’s Share of Payments

In 2024, cash accounted for 14 percent of consumer payments by number, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2025 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice.

Nearly two-thirds of cash payments that year came from consumers who prefer other payment methods, such as the debit or credit card in your wallet.

Cash is a key backup payment method for U.S. consumers, even if you usually pay by card.

People still pay with cash.

Home Demonstration Agents

You can follow the home demonstration agents' story on the University of Kentucky's extension timeline, and its dates show you how the work grew.

17 home demonstration agents were hired in 1914 for the gardening and canning seasons, including five Black agents.

By 1919, 63 agents were working under an emergency appropriation from Congress.

The program grew fast.