Community Chat

[I am still oxox]

Ration stamps are not the stamps you got for shopping at particular stores, those were green or in our area plaid stamps.

We got plaid stamps from the A and P I remember the redemption center on Jerome Ave in the Bronx.

I can only remember one thing we got which was a musical cake plate the revolved and played happy birthday, I think it is still some where in my parents closets

[lovesrecess]

When I was cleaning out my mother’s house a few years ago, I found food ration coupons, gas coupons, and blackout curtains. I think I can relate to why she was so frugal about many things. She grew up during the depression and never wasted anything....because they were never sure if they could get more. I know once you used your coupon for your sugar or whatever, that was all you got. Maybe we will need to go to rationing if people don't calm down. Stores can put limits on how much of something they will sell one person at a time, but most of them are not other than toilet paper and water. I got so irritated seeing a woman fill an entire grocery cart with cans of soup, leaving every shelf empty when she could see shoppers looking for it. In a world of disposable everything, it is quite the come-uppance for many, especially younger adults. I rarely waste anything. When I make a large batch of something, we eat leftovers or I freeze it. Doesn't sound like stores are doing a very good job of " rationing" right now. S&H green stamps were premiums given when you bought groceries, then you saved them up and redeemed them at the Green Stamp store. Went there many times with my mom and it took forever to decide what to get. I still have a cookie jar she got there.

[CJC]

I received S&H green stamps when I shopped at May Co. dept store in Cleveland, which later became Kaufman’s, which later became Macy’s. I turned in my books to purchase a small gold side table in 1970. Still have that table. My grandmother also saved them when I was a child, and my job was to lick them and paste them in her books.

[stevieb]

No sorry, fortunately, I don't go back that far... I don't remember nor do I want to revisit the concept...

[RedTop]

Top Value and S & H green stamps were still being given out with grocery purchases when I married in 1974 and ended here in WV around 1982.

I remember taking my mother, aunt and grandmother to the stamp stores to redeem our books, and we had A LOT of them. The trunk of my Cutlass looked like we'd been Christmas shopping! I remember Mom got a clothes hamper, which she's still using, and I got a towel stand with a marble base, bath scales, a bath mat and toilet tank cover set, and a Webster's dictionary. The dictionary is still here.

[sunshine45]

i am not old enough to remember that, but i have read a little about it.

[qvcaddition]

@sweetee2 

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@sweetee2 wrote:

If you want to really go back it would be S&H green stamps. I remember when my mother would collect them. I don't remember how or what they were used for maybe someone here could enlighten us.

I,m84 and was alive during rations and WW11.  I was 10 when the war ended.  My Grandmother self in the Black Market.  She had hidden a couple boxes Hershey Bars under the sofa to send to my Dad overseas in the Army.  I was playing bids and seek in the house with friends and hid under the sofa.  Boy I enjoyed a couple of those bars, but suffered the consequences from grandma.

Now the S&H green stamps were I think much later, not during war time.

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[1Snickers]

 I remember my grandmother worked in the bookkeeping dept of the Kaiser nylon hose factory. She had access to nylon stockings. 
 People would draw a seem on their leg to make it look like they had nylons on. They were expensive. 
  I recall needing new shoes, rubber for soles was scarce. I'm sure those nylons were traded for the shoes. 
 

[qvcaddition]

@1Snickers 

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@1Snickers wrote:

 I remember my grandmother worked in the bookkeeping dept of the Kaiser nylon hose factory. She had access to nylon stockings. 
 People would draw a seem on their leg to make it look like they had nylons on. They were expensive. 
  I recall needing new shoes, rubber for soles was scarce. I'm sure those nylons were traded for the shoes. 
 

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Remember my Mother putting cardboard in my shoes.

[traveler]

We had military ration books at Bitburg AB, W. Germany in 1984-87. It was for meat, cheese and coffee at the commissary.of course, you were encouraged to donate them to lower ranks. Seems like there was something about jeans from the BX because of the black market.