6 Money-Saving “Secrets” of Amish Women
What we can learn from Plain thrift and homemaking wisdom
When you think of Amish life, you might picture the obvious, external things like buggies, bonnets, and barns.
But behind many Amish homes is something less visible: smart, steady financial stewardship—especially by the women who run the household.
While the Amish man is ostensibly the “head” of the household, within the home, many if not most of the decisions are in practice handled by the women.
And Amish women are often the quiet backbone of the family economy, stretching every dollar with a level of resourcefulness that would make even the savviest couponer take notes.
Here are six ways Amish homemakers save money running the household—many of which can be adapted to modern, non-Amish life.
1. They Bake & Cook – A Lot – from Scratch
Forget packaged snacks and store-bought desserts. Amish kitchens are typically stocked with bulk ingredients like flour, sugar, and lard—not boxed cake mix.
Breads, pies, cookies, and even noodles are made fresh, often in large batches. Not only is this cheaper than processed foods, but it also feeds large families more affordably.
Takeaway:
What you lose in convenience, you make up for in savings. Baking in bulk at home (and freezing extras) can trim your grocery bill significantly. Since most of us don’t have Amish-sized families, the freezing/preserving part is key here.
2. They Grow and Can Their Own Food
Gardening isn’t just a hobby in Amish homes—it provides a key part of the family’s diet throughout the year. Vegetables are grown in abundance during the summer and preserved for winter through canning, freezing, and drying. A single garden can yield hundreds of jars of green beans, tomatoes, peaches, and more.
Takeaway:
Even a small backyard or patio garden can help cut produce costs and boost food security. Another bonus is the enjoyment and health benefits of gardening. Gardening and canning get the family involved and doing something together.
3. They Sew, Mend & Repurpose Clothing
While some Amish women do purchase factory-made clothing, many still sew dresses, aprons, bonnets, and even men’s shirts. Children’s clothes are passed down, patched, and reused as much as possible. Old fabric may become rags, quilts, rugs, or doll clothes.
Takeaway:
Learning basic mending (or making use of a good, affordable tailor) can extend the life of your wardrobe—and save hundreds a year.
4. They Buy in Bulk & Shop Smart
Many Amish families shop at local bulk food stores run by Amish people – or in some communities, even shop at warehouse-style stores (think Costco and the like).
Staples like oats, rice, beans, and spices are often purchased in large bags. They also make regular trips to discount grocers or “bent & dent” stores that sell damaged packaging or expired products at a steep discount.
Takeaway:
Buying non-perishables in bulk can reduce cost per unit—just be sure you’ll use it all and focus on items that “keep” for a good while.
5. They Reuse—Almost Everything
Amish households are pros at getting more life out of everyday items. Butter tubs become leftover containers. Jars are washed and reused. Hand-me-down clothing is the norm. There’s a deep-rooted mindset of “waste not, want not.”
Takeaway:
Reusing isn’t just green—it’s frugal. Challenge yourself to find a second (or third) life for items before tossing them. This challenge can be fun and rewarding in itself.
6. They Keep Entertainment Simple (and Free)
With no TVs or internet, Amish families turn to board games, storytelling, visiting, singing, and outdoor play. Birthday parties don’t require themed décor or pricey outings—just cake, conversation, and family. This keeps “miscellaneous” spending low and the focus more on connection and relationships.
Takeaway:
Fun doesn’t have to cost money. Some of the richest moments are the simplest ones.
Final Thoughts
Amish women aren’t frugal because it’s trendy. It’s how they were raised—and how they raise the next generation. Their approach is rooted in values like stewardship, simplicity, and gratitude.
And as you might have noticed, this list isn’t actually full of secret, hidden wisdom that only the Amish know about. What makes the Amish different than many people is that they apply these things consistently – and it adds up. That might be the biggest “secret” to this list.
While most of us rely on modern conveniences, there’s still something timeless about stretching a dollar with purpose and care. It can even be fun – and as we’ve seen in this list – come with unexpected benefits, like bringing family closer together.
Have you tried any of these Amish-inspired habits in your own home? What’s your go-to tip for saving on household expenses? Share in the comments below!
~article created with AI assistance~
Good old days
Back in the olden days this is how life was. I do a lot of these things but don’t have a homestead so I can’t do the farming stuff, and I am only one able bodied person. It just depends on what is practical as time is an issue as well and you can get cheap clothing at certain places and things like that. But this is great info.!
It’s a really good point Leana, as there is a time trade-off for some of this…of course a hidden bonus hinted at is the potential time spent with family doing those more time-consuming things. But of course, sometimes we just need a thing solved asap! 😀
Seeing/mending
I was shocked when I did a little survey of how many clothes were tossed (even to charity) with one mending issue. It felt good to put some old skills to use, get the sewing machine out, and save a ton just through basic mending, hemming, etc. it’s so much easier to do this by having the machine out and always available, even though it takes some space.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I’ve had to do repairs with shoes lately, and it has worked well – running shoes that get just a small hole on the upper – but still look “newish”. Hard to toss a pair of shoes over that!
Frugal tips
Yes, I do all of what was mentioned to some extent. And so did my parents and grandparents. I like to wash and dry aluminum foil to use again, especially if it just has frosting or really nothing on it. I also save wrapping paper, and bows that can be used again. Those go in the “bow box”. Until I was an adult I thought every home had one of those! LOL
Never thought of it but aluminum foil does seem like it’d be highly re-useable. My family also does/did do the bow saving, because why not! 🙂
Christmas gifts
For years, my mother would get us Christmas gifts that were free or low cost but still useful for us recipients. She regularly ordered vitamins and such, and would receive free gifts for her purchases. I STILL HAVE and use the free alarm clock that she gave me DECADES AGO.
It can be a fun game, that I also did throughout the year. I had a drawer dedicated to my upcoming Christmas gifts to give away. I didn’t wait until December!
Great tips to share, Erik! So many people never consider this, but it makes a huge difference. I was lucky enough to find a book called The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn right after I was married 30ish years ago. I’ll bet several Amish women have read it!
Time
These cost saving tips don’t factor in the cost of time. When a woman works at a well paying career the cost of grocery store frozen or canned foods is easily offset. I’ve also found looking at Amish receipts that they often contain canned soup, pre made pie and cake mixes which I’ve also found in abundance in bulk stores. Judging from that I’d say that they are looking for time savers too.