40+ Budget-friendly amish tricks to keep your life in order | Investing Magazine (2024)

If you’re not familiar with the Amish, that could be because you don’t live in a state that has them (or you haven’t watched the many documentaries about the secluded group). The Amish are a distinct subculture that speaks Pennsylvania German, uses horse and buggies for transport, and leads a traditional lifestyle.

The Amish are very strict, and they are devoted to non-violence, plainness, non-resistance, forgiveness, and hard work. Seriously, they could give HGTV a run for its money. On this list, you’ll find some of the best money-saving, waste-reducing tips the Amish have to offer.

What You’ll Need: Air pressure, natural gas
Est. Savings: Cost of electric bill

The Amish have gotten a reputation for being unaware of technology, but that isn’t true. They do not use the Internet or electricity, but they have found ways to “hack” regular, modern devices, using them for their own ends while still abiding by their strict code.

Adapt what you need from high-tech tools © Amy Lutz / Shutterstock.com

For example, they can work blenders by using air pressure rather than electricity, and they run their refrigerators by using natural gas. So, if you see the Amish in Bed Bath & Beyond, it’s possible they’re shopping for the same stuff you are.

What You’ll Need: Clothespins, laundry line
Est. Savings: 10%-20% on utility bills*

There are a lot of good reasons to line-dry your laundry, and, when you look into the benefits, you have to admit the Amish have a point. According to Old Farmer’s Almanac, the average household can save between 10% and 20% on their utility bills by hang-drying their wash.

Hang laundry outside to dry © bodhichita / Shutterstock.com

All you need is a line and some clothespins—that’s under $10. In addition to being cost-saving, line-drying can actually prolong the life of your clothes, as they aren’t being roughly tumbled around a Maytag dryer once or twice a week.

What You’ll Need: Peanut butter
Est. Savings: Professional cleaning cost

We have the Amish to thank for this useful tip on removing stains, though it might seem counterintuitive. Your secret ingredient to removing stains isn’t a heavy dose of bleach—it’s peanut butter.

Use peanut butter to remove spots/stains ©Totalled / YouTube

That’s right, a simple canister of Jif can solve your stain-related issues. This hack works on leather, so it is perfect for getting a stubborn spot off your couch. Spread a thick, generous layer of peanut butter onto the stain and leave it on overnight. Wipe it off in the morning, and the natural oils in the PB will have absorbed the stain from your leather.

What You’ll Need: Canner, canning jars, and related supplies
Est. Savings: $0.50-$2 per can*

The Amish are all about saving money, and canning your own foods is a good way to save between $0.50 and $2 per can. When you can food at home, you’re doing the labor, so you aren’t paying that upcharge when you buy a can of the same food at the grocery store.

Get into canning foods © casanisa / Shutterstock.com

Canned fruits and vegetables are as healthy as frozen ones, and canning is also sustainable. Rather than pick up a can of Heinz, Bush’s, or Campbells, buy the food fresh and follow established procedures, which you can find online from many sources (hey, we’re not doing everything the Amish do, we need Internet), to can it safely.

What You’ll Need: Milk
Est. Savings: $5-$10 cheaper than polish*

Do you have leather shoes, handbags, or belts in your possession? Rather than spend money on a store-bought treatment, you should do what the Amish do and use milk. Dampen a microfiber cloth with milk (don’t soak it, as you won’t need that much).

Use milk polish © Chris Hondros / Getty Images

Run the cloth over leather that is in need of a bit of sheen. While you can obviously go on Amazon and buy “leather milk,” the Amish just use cow’s milk to get the job done. It’s easier, cheaper, and just as effective.

What You’ll Need: Something to trade with
Est. Savings: The price of buying the item brand-new

According to Study Finds, a full 75% of adults are not friends with their neighbors. This would shock the Amish, as they are all about befriending and bartering with their neighbors. It saves money, as you can exchange items, rather than go to the store and buy them new.

Barter with your neighbors © Three Lions / Getty Images

“I’ll trade you this for that,” is the Amish way. Their communities are very tight-knit, and they aren’t afraid to barter when they need something. Rather than open up the Amazon app to buy something new, ask your friends, family, and neighbors what they’re willing to trade.

What You’ll Need: Costco or Sam’s Club membership
Est. Savings: $0.10-$1 per item*

“Waste not, want not,” is another saying that is perfect in describing the Amish community’s way of life. The Amish raise their own livestock and grow their own food, and they focus on having as little food waste as possible.

Buy food in bulk © Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg 9+/Alamy Stock Photo

If they have to buy food, it’s bought in bulk for the whole community from stores like Sam’s Club or Costco. Buying in bulk can save $0.10 to $1 per food item, which adds up quickly if you buy in bulk on items such as dried beans and lentils, oats, frozen fruits and vegetables, honey, and other essentials.

What You’ll Need: Homemade gifts
Est. Savings: Cost of buying the gift new

When the Amish give their loved ones gifts, they don’t run out to Target or Walmart and buy a bunch of mass-produced stuff. Rather than give expensive gifts that the recipient might not want or need, the Amish make their own.

Give homemade gifts © Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg 13+/Alamy Stock Photo

These homemade items don’t have a lot of monetary value, as the Amish do not place value in money the same way we do (though they are quite frugal). The sentimental value, as well as the usefulness and practicality, of the gift is what really matters.

What You’ll Need: A good teacher, equipment
Est. Savings: Cost of buying the furniture

Amish woodworking is a very highly skilled trade, and the Amish pass down their knowledge of woodworking from generation to generation. The hallmarks of their woodworking techniques include sturdy joinery and precision.

Take up building and carpentry © Scott Olson / Getty Images

Furniture from the Amish is often totally made of wood, and it lasts a long time, as it is highly well-made (though not inexpensive). Building and carpentry could be a worthwhile pursuit, as it is a great hobby that could lead you to make furniture far better than the flimsy pieces that are sold en masse at Ikea and other stores.

What You’ll Need: Simple clothes/accessories
Est. Savings: What you’d spend on fast fashion from Shein/Target

Amish clothing is designed to encourage separation from the world and humility. The clothes are both practical and an expression of the Amish faith. The styles are simple and functional, made in plain colors, at home, from simple fabrics.

Simplify your clothing and accessories © Gabor Kovacs Photography / Shutterstock.com

If you want to lower your clothing budget, take cues from the Amish and simplify your wardrobe and accessories. Less really is more, at least when it comes to fashion. Making your own clothes and keeping things plain beats joining the fast fashion carousel, which is both environmentally-damaging and a money pit.

What You’ll Need: Lavender, cloves, lemongrass, catnip, citronella, peppermint herbs
Est. Savings: You won’t have to buy bug spray

Mosquitos are a nuisance for almost all of us, and these pesky critters not only cause itchy bites, they can also spread disease. The Amish have a plan for mosquitos, and it doesn’t involve bug spray or citronella candles from Home Depot.

Make a mosquito repellent from dry herbs © Africa Studio / Shutterstock.com

Instead, they make a homemade mix from dried herbs like lavender, cloves, lemongrass, catnip, citronella, and peppermint. They add the mix to boiling water and let it steep before cooling down. Once cooled, the smell drives away mosquitos in droves.

What You’ll Need: Brown sugar, boiling water
Est. Savings: $3-$10 cheaper than store-bought repellents*

The Amish grow most of their food, so keeping their plats safe and unharmed by pests and disease is important to the community in more ways than one. To keep insects at bay, the Amish use a simple solution: boiling water and brown sugar.

Protect plants from insects using brown sugar © jean-Louis Atlan / Getty Images

They add one-half cup brown sugar to a gallon of boiling water. When the mix has cooled down, they spray it onto their plants, and it keeps bugs away for a week. These weekly spray-downs ensure pest-free crops.

What You’ll Need: White sugar, borax
Est. Savings: $2-$5*

Ants and co*ckroaches are the banes of homeowners’ and renters’ existences. Once these insects get in your house, it is very hard to get them to leave. Unless you’re Amish, as they have a simple solution to getting rid of these pests.

Use white sugar and Borax to combat ants and co*ckroaches © RHJPhtotos / Shutterstock.com

All you have to do is mix borax and white sugar. Sprinkle the mixture over problem areas (underneath the sink/fridge, etc.). The sugar lures the bugs in, and the borax causes them to meet a swift end. This mix is around $2-$5 cheaper than the pest control solutions you find in-stores.

What You’ll Need: Wood-burning, cast iron stove
Est. Savings: Save on energy costs

Due to their beliefs, the Amish often have very large families. Cooking for these families is a bit of a tough job, and they don’t use propane or electricity to make their meals. Instead, the Amish use wood-burning stoves.

Don’t spend money on propane or electricity for cooking © Drummer_vn / Shutterstock.com

This old-fashioned, cast-iron stove does the same job our own stoves do, but at a fraction of the cost. While this might be a tall order for every meal, it could save us a few bucks on our energy bills if we were to try out this cooking technique a few times a month.