Old-Fashioned Frugal Lessons From The Amish Lifestyle
Learning to Live Frugally from the Amish
The Amish aren’t writing books or doing podcasts on how they stay out of debt and save money (at least I don’t think they are, but I could be wrong), however they have a reputation for living a simple, old-fashioned and frugal lifestyle.
I think it would do our modern world a whole lot of good to learn from their simple way of living that seems to be full of common sense and hard work.
I recognize that the Amish aren’t a perfect group of people and they have their faults and blind spots just like any one else, but I do feel like we can look to their way of life and be inspired to keep some of the old ways of living alive in order to have a more simple, calm life and also save a little money along the way.
So today I’m sharing a few frugal lessons that I’ve picked up on as an outsider looking into the Amish lifestyle. I hope this post inspires you to slow down, work with your hands and appreciate a different way of life besides the rush, rush, rush culture that we’ve all been sold.
Want more old fashioned living tips? Here are some of my favorites:
- 8 Lessons Learned from the Great Depression
- How to Be an Old-Fashioned Frugal Homemaker
- 25 Old Fashioned Recipes Your Grandma Knew by Heart
- 6 Powerful Life Lessons from my Thrifty Grandma
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Strive to Live Debt-Free
The Amish work for what they need and then they pay cash for it. They don’t take on debt as haphazardly we do. Their culture is built on wisdom and hard work instead of instant gratification.
Modern people have been sold the lie that they deserve whatever they want right now, but with that lifestyle comes a certain amount of stress if your fiances can’t keep up with your wants.
Sometimes debt is unavoidable, but a lot of times with a little bit of hard work and creativity, it can be avoided.
Cook From Scratch
The Amish are known for being excellent cooks because they make everything from scratch. Not only does their food taste better, but they are spending less on it than us because they aren’t buying convenience foods. Anything that you can learn to make from scratch like the Amish, will save you money. If you need more inspiration in this area check out the resources below.
Additional Resources:
- 40 Groceries You Should Make at Home to Save Hundreds
- 25 Old-Fashioned Recipes Your Grandma Knew By Heart
Grow & Preserve Your Own Food
Another reason the Amish aren’t spending as much on food as us is because they grow a lot of it themselves and then put it up for the winter using methods such as canning and dehydrating.
Growing your own food is a great way to cut down on your grocery bill, if you can evaluate which fruits and vegetables that you buy on a regular basis and try growing those at home.
Some crops that I feel make the most difference with your grocery bill (if your family eats these foods) are green beans, dried beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and tomatoes. Also, growing fresh herbs is a great money saver because they can be pretty pricey in the store.
If you’re serious about growing your own food to save money, consider planting fruit. Things like apples, blueberries and raspberries generally grow well all in temperate climates and will save you a good amount of money in the long run.
Become Skilled
The Amish possess certain skills which naturally save them money. They know how to sew and mend their own clothes, preserve their own food, knit their own mittens, construct their own buildings, take care of their own livestock, bale their own hay, make their own furniture, etc.
Any kind of life skill that you can teach yourself will save you money because you don’t have to pay someone else to do it. The internet and library offer stores of information on just about any topic that you want to learn. So why not pick a skill to start learning more about that just might save you hundreds in the long run?
Buy In Bulk
If you’ve ever been to an Amish store then you know they sell everything in bulk. As long as you don’t let it go to waste, buying in bulk saves money.
A 50 lb bag of oats is going to be cheaper per oz than a small canister from the grocery store. Also, things like oats, flour, etc. can be frozen until needed. Buying in bulk can save you a lot of money, especially when you are cooking everything from scratch.
The best places to make bulk purchases are Azure Standard and Sam’s Club or Costco.
DIY Everything
The Amish spend less than us because they do almost everything themselves. Need a gift? Make if yourself. Broken faucet? Fix it. Empty cupboard? Grow your own food. The next time you think you need to go buy an item or hire someone to fix something consider how you could make it or fix it yourself first.
I bet you will be surprised at what you can do on your own without spending any money. We’ve been trained to solve every problem that comes up with making a purchase, but a lot of times it could have been avoided with a little creativity instead.
Save For a Rainy Day
The Amish aren’t out spending all the money that they have, instead they are slowly and steadily saving. Proverbs 13:11 says, Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. So try to be like the Amish and live on less than you make saving the rest for rainy day because the rain will come.
I know a lot of people are finding it hard to get by with the cost of living skyrocketing, but every little bit does add up, so instead of getting discouraged and giving up, just try to do what you can to save and avoid making unnecessary purchases. Things like avoiding eating out, checking books and dvds out from the library and going on a hike instead of shopping are all habits that will save you money.
Work Hard
The Amish are known for being hard workers. I think this is an overlooked quality in our culture today, but working hard can get you far in life. Most people today aren’t willing to put in the effort to do what it takes to succeed. Don’t be like most people. Working hard and living below your means is a sure-fire way to save more money.
We grow a large portion of our produce every year and guess what? It’s a lot of hard work and I definitely find myself questioning my sanity, but in the end it’s always worth it, not only from the money savings, but also from the satisfaction of working with my hands and creating my own food supply chain for my family.
Find Contentment
The Amish are known for being minimalistic. They are taught to be content and happy with what they have and not waste their lives worrying about things. Find contentment in what you have right now. Need less. Spend less. Life isn’t about collecting things, but collecting memories.
This post was originally posted in September of 2015, but has been updated for your convenience.
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