Another of Irene Waters topics, “Consumerism”
Baby Boomer, Australian capital city
I’m very aware of consumerism now and I think that’s a result of my upbringing. We didn’t waste things, we didn’t go shopping with Mum or Dad. Although we grew up in the city for years we actually had a cow for milk and the backyard had all kinds of fruit trees as well as grape vines. Dad never had a new car and our pushbikes were all second hand. It was all about priorities and my parents had lived through the Depression and made the choice to save their money for things they considered important.
Musings of a Retiring Person 
Most of my clothes were hand-me-downs unless I had to go to a ‘do’ or something and then I was dragged (unwillingly) to a particular clothes shop which smelled of… I don’t know what the smell was, not mothballs but something that permeated everything.. and was usually bought something in a warm fabric like flannel.
Not wasting things was, I think, a left over from WW2. Loke you I’m of the ‘Boomer’ generation so was born later but it still made me conscious of the need to mend my clothes and invent ways of making do, though later we could afford more. For instance, instead of buying evening shoes when I was a teen, I’d paint my day to day sandals silver or gold!
Sounds like you were clever at improvising and I’m sure it’s been an asset to you over the years.
It has, indeed.