Money Secrets of the Amish by Lorilee Craker (Review)

Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving

The title of this book intrigued me! The Amish are known for their simple lives. Obviously, they don’t spend money on gadgets and “stuff” like most of the rest of us do. But I have really never thought of looking at their lives as models for thrift.

The author, Lorilee Craker, realizing that Amish people seem to thrive in a good or bad economy, spent time visiting Amish communities, getting to know the people, and interviewing them about their lifestyles of frugality. In doing so, she extracted many principles that are valuable for any of us who want to save more money and stretch our resources.

I found this book to be a very enjoyable read. I enjoy learning new ways to save money and also find the lifestyle of the Amish people fascinating. The principles that were brought out in this book: reusing and recycling, de-spoiling our kids, avoiding debt, buying in bulk, delayed gratification, and bartering are useful concepts for anyone and I picked up quite a few new tips to try in my own household. The author’s interviews with various people made them come to life for me. I enjoyed reading about such things as one community’s “Trivial Pursuit night” –played with a  $2 second-hand game,  a 2 1/2 year old helping to wash the silverware-because everyone works hard(!), and bartering of a quilt for midwife services.

She has a great sense of humor as well, which added to my enjoyment of the book. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in moving toward a more frugal lifestyle or if you are just fascinated with the Amish, like I am!

I received a free review copy of this book from C. Grant and Company. All opinions are my own.