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Frugal Lessons From The Amish Lifestyle

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See this list of Frugal Lessons that we can learn from the Amish Lifestyle on gracefullittlehoneybee.com

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Frugal Lessons From the Amish Lifestyle

The Amish aren’t writing books or doing podcasts on how they stay out of debt and save money, but they have a reputation for this kind of simple life.

As a community, the Amish are known to be excellent cooks, skilled craftsmen and hard workers who know how to take care of each other and themselves.

I think it would do our modern world some good to learn from their simple way of living that seems to be full of common sense. So here are a few frugal lessons from the Amish lifestyle.

 

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.

Cook From Scratch

  As I said earlier, 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. Click here to read “30 Items You Can Make at Home to Save Money”.

Grow & Preserve Your Own Food

  Another reason the Amish aren’t spending as much on food as us is because they grow it themselves and then put it up for the winter. Growing your own food is a great way to cut down your grocery bill. Click here to read “10 Resources for the Beginner Gardener”.

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. If you are looking to learn a new skill then you may want to check out Craftsy’s 800+ online craft classes. They offer classes in sewing, quilting, knitting, cooking, gardening, etc. and you get lifetime access for each class that you purchase.

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.

DIY Everything

  The Amish spend less than us because they do almost everything themselves. Need a gift? Make if yourself. Broken faucet? Fix it yourself. 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.

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. Click here to read “6 Tips for Living Well on One Income”.

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.

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.

 

Want more old fashioned living tips? Here are some of my favorites:

8 Lessons Learned from the Great Depression
7 Frugal Cooking Tips from the Great Depression
25 Old Fashioned Recipes Your Grandma Knew by Heart
6 Powerful Life Lessons from my Thrifty Grandma

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  1. Harmony @ CreatingMyKaleidoscope says

    I recently asked my husband whether he thought we could survive living like the Amish. He didn't think we could minimize our lifestyle to that degree. And our plan to travel the country with our kids will be a lot better in an RV, as opposed to a horse and buggy. However, these are all really good pointers on how maintaining the right priorities will keep you out of debt.
    Reply

  2. Torry says

    When we were first married, we lived on my salary, which lower than my husband's, and baked part of my salary and all of his. That gave us an egg nest which helped when we had a child, when DH was unemployed for months, and for unexpected expenses. We bought a "starter" house and ever moved, so no house payments now that it is paid off, which gives us much more money to do other things. Now we are "empty-nesters" and DH has retired. And we are back to living on one income and banking the rest. As for the Amish, they do not compare themselves with their neighbor; so no going into debt, trying to keep up with the Jones.
    Reply

  4. Megan says

    No offense, but I have lived around the largest Amish community in the country and worked with the Amish since I was a child. Though most live this way, many Amish, especially the younger generations, use the same as English, but hide their cars, cell phones and credit cards from the community by placing them in the name of a business or stating it is for business purposes. Running out to get pizza in the car on a Friday night is a normal occurrence. There are also many suicides that are not spoken of and are due to financial issues and the possible embarrassment. Because of the fact that they do not have normal electricity in their homes and the fact that they pay no taxes, their financial situation is completely different than an englishman. Though your references are good, I would not use any generalization when it comes to the Amish unless you truly know how the communities truly work.Great idea - bad reference.
    Reply

    • C.P says

      I know that the comment above is a few years old but KNOWING some Amish families I feel the need to reply - the comment was unnecessary, snarky, and in a know-it-all attitude. what's funny about the know it all attitude of the comment is that there are a few points in it that are downright incorrect - mainly about Amish not paying taxes - they absolutely DO pay taxes - they do not pay into Social Security, nor do they take from Social Security. But taxes, yes, they pay them!
      Reply

  5. Portia says

    I like these lessons from the Amish, especially the one about saving vs. spending and finding contentment in the simple things in life. Our culture constantly bombards us with the newest toys and trinkets, but true contentment cannot be bought.
    Reply

  6. Kay says

    I personally feel like there are many good reasons to be self reliant and have a simpler life style and closer knit community life. Been seeing lots of talk about going back to some of the older ways of living and references as to types of life styles that would be good to copy would be those of the Amish, Quakers and the Mennonites. There are some really good ideas which can be implemented if you choose to learn. I like the idea of growing my own food, raising my own animals, going back to a more simple and uncluttered lifestyle. Each of us just needs to look at and choose what we think is best for us and our family.
    Reply

  7. Mike the Gardener says

    My wife and I work daily to weed out all of the things that are really not needed. We also try and make a lot things ourselves, grow our own food, preserve our harvest and so on. Right now, we are giving it a go without a clothes dryer. Of course this was not by choice. The dryer broke, so we decided to see if we can make a go of it without the dryer.
    Reply

    • Barbara says

      We did this for a bit and I loved it! It was the crunchy towels that did my husband in... but we found a good dryer on Craigslist for cheap. :)
      Reply

        • Judi says

          Here in Australia I had a dryer when my twins were little and used it in emergency only we have always hung our clothes out of doors and I have even given up using fabric conditioner my towels do not seem that bad?
          Reply

        • Sharon says

          Try vinegar in the rinse cycle. It will make the towels a bit softer and more absorbent. Also a very wise relative told me (she knows every wive's tale that works lol) that it is the wind that softens clothes. Since we don't get much wind here she said that is why the line dried clothes weren't as soft. She grew up on the Prairie and everything came off the line soft.
          Reply

  8. Shirley Tucker says

    Unfortunately most of us have to work and don't have land for a garden. If I lived on a farm and had someone else bringing in the money, I could adapt some of these, but alas I have to spend up to 12 hours a day working to survive.
    Reply

    • Missy Rakes says

      It doesn't take much time to water a basil plant on your windowsill or a tomato plant on your patio. I never said you had to quit your job and live on a farm. These are just things we can take away from the Amish lifestyle and adapt to own own lives as needed.
      Reply

  9. Karla says

    You have a lot of great ideas. I just wanted to let you know, the Seeds of the Month club is now $3.99 a month...still a great deal for non-GMO, heirloom seeds, but just wanted to update you. Thanks for the information.
    Reply

    • Missy Rakes says

      Hi Karla! I think it depends on what plan you choose. The one year plan is $2.96 per month and I think they have a two year plan that is even cheaper.
      Reply

  10. Cristi says

    Hi Iwish u give you a 1000 likes for this article. Iam simplamazed with amish. Good article Regards Chtisty
    Reply

  11. Shelley says

    I love this! Great reminders about the benefits of living simply. We have an Amish community near us and I've been searching for somewhere to shop in bulk and never thought about an Amish store. Thanks for the info!
    Reply

  12. Sandy says

    Being Amish is a Religion and lifestyle they adopt as part of their religion. However, they are still American's, they have American citizenship...unless they live in a different country.
    Reply

  13. Betsy says

    We live a couple hours from Amish communities in Ohio. I love watching the Amish children play and interact with each other. Even the kids work hard, but they don't treat their chores as punishment or drudgery. They do their work and pitch in with happy hearts. I think that mindset is a healthy one to emulate.
    Reply

  14. Beth says

    Thank you! Thank you! I enjoy seeing people encouraging others to cut out what is unnecessary in life. Thank you for pointers that can possibly refresh our lives. I especially like the info on Seeds of the Month club. I am joining!
    Reply

  15. R. says

    My husband was raised Amish.... And we live our lives somewhere between Amish and English. Best advice ever: get up early and get your work done in the morning. You will accomplish so much more and your day will run smoother! One simple step sets the whole day's tone!
    Reply

  16. Morgan says

    I enjoyed this article a lot. I'm moving out of my parents house soon and we already practice some of these things. It was nice to read about. Some of the personal attacks in the comments are really just sad. They obviously need help and they just didn't like the advice you had to offer. I hope you don't take it personally. They're stuck financially and don't know what to do but be angry at their careless spending habits.
    Reply

  17. Tammie Chute says

    A little late to the article. Thank you so much for your carefully and thoughtful article! In my life, I too would like to see more and more self reliance in many areas and you provided many tips. Thanks. Since this article was listed under "Frugal Lessons" and the "Amish Lifestyle" and written by a kind person, voicing her opinion...I feel I must throw in my opinion on the negative remarks and just say, "poo, poo". Nothing negative needed to be stated, by me or anyone. Lovely article and thanks for the wonderful tips!
    Reply

  18. Annalisa says

    I have a different mindset (which might be because I'm not Amish ;) ). I function under the idea that if you can employ someone, you should. Not because you're rich or can afford to waste money, but because someone else might have a need as well and want to earn for their family. Right now, we are employing a woman to come and clean for 2 hours every week. We pay her Q15/hour--roughly $2/hour, but minimum wage here is only about Q12/hour--which ends up being around Q120/month. (I actually did the math, and she gets paid more per hour than my husband who is our sole wage earner, but because he has a full-time job, it's a drop in our bucket.) Whether or not it's a hardship for us, that's Q120/month which is helping a young mother provide for her two boys, and it's a blessing that we're able to provide her with.
    Reply

  20. Josslyn says

    Great article! We are not Amish, but we do many of the things listed. My husband and I farm and we live on a small single income, which makes us get creative. We do a lot of things ourselves. My husband is a great handyman and fixes and builds many of the things around the house and farm. I try to make most of our food from scratch, have a garden (though no green thumb), dry cloths outside or inside (we heat with wood so they dry quick), preserve food, and I am trying to learn to sew. We drive old beaters, raise most of our meat, buy second-hand, or do without. We enjoy living this way and would probably still do it if we were well-off. :)
    Reply

  21. Penny says

    I think everyone should find a person who lived thru the Depression and speak to them about how life was then. My Mama was raising children back then. She had 3 children, in a very poor town, and had to make do with practically nothing. The things she learned to do we’re phenomenal. And she never strayed from those habits, either! They say we can’t ever have another Depression like that one, but we can certainly learn from history to make life better now.
    Reply

  22. Jaya says

    This is a wonderful post as I have recently started researching on Amish lifestyle as we are in pandemic and spending less on not needed is always good . I highly respect their lifestyle .
    Reply

  23. Finnnnn says

    Frugal blogs loaded with ads, pop ups and other consumer garbage make me die a little inside. The irony of course being that you're preaching simple living while simultaneously punching people in the face with things they should buy.
    Reply

    • Missy Rakes says

      True, but my time is worth something and ads are how I can offer this content for free. If you don't work for free, then why should I? Also, I have zero popups on this site and try to keep the ads at a minimum for user experience. Are simple living magazines ad-free? No, because the reality is that's how they make money.
      Reply

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