Review: "Money Secrets of the Amish"

Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving by Lorilee Craker is not rocket science, yet it illumines how Americans, in particular, have development a sense of entitlement and a desire for instant gratification at almost any cost.

Craker spent time with several different Amish communities and talked with them, friends, and associates to find out why they have remained financially stable despite the “economic downturn.” With humor and honesty about her own finances, Craker discovers a number of principles which she applies to her own life in different degrees, encouraging her readers to consider and do likewise. (Each chapter has a conclusion with a thought and questions.)

The principles are these:

1. Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without. Begin by using what you have, using it up, making it work, or, if need be, realize you really don’t need it anyway.

2. Set priorities and work towards them, putting off instant gratification, and, in light of the bigger picture, pursue delayed gratification.

3. Pay your bills on time.

4. Rethink gifts. Rather than giving mountains of gifts that will be quickly forgotten, think of one of two special gifts to give; make a gift for someone.

5. Save a set amount each month.

6. Teach your kids to understand the difference between need and want, and teach them the principles of delayed gratification, saving, etc.

7. Repurpose, recycle, and reuse. To the greatest extent possible, rather than throw things out, find other uses for them, regift things you don’t want, need, or like, and recycle.

8. Only buy what you have money to afford; don’t go into debt. Pay off debt as quickly as possible.

9. Shop secondhand. Shop in stores that sell secondhand clothes, etc., as much as possible.

10. Buy in bulk. This takes some thought because buying in bulk can look like a savings at first, but only if you don’t throw out what you bought. Also, not everything in bulk is actually less expensive than smaller sizes. Work is required on this one.

11. Eat in as much as possible and shop locally for food.

12. Barter. (Trade something you have for something someone else has, whether things or services.)

13. Appreciate what is of real value. (Family, etc.)

These principles are good ones, and people who follow them will likely find themselves appreciating what they have more and being more financially stable.

[This review appears on Amazon.com and my ``blog. I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishing Group for this review.]