Frugal Lessons from The Amish: Giving Up Your Vacuumby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 15 Apr 2007 07:44 AM
I know, I know. You are shaking your head at me again. How on earth can I possibly recommend giving up your vacuum? While it is great being frugal, no one wants to live in a dirty house, right? I don't know about you, but I use my big vacuum on a daily basis. I have three small children worth of crumbs and dirt that make their way through my house. Sometimes I won't even bother putting the vacuum back in the hall closet, since it would only come out again in a few hours time. How can we possibly live without a vacuum? Well, let's take a look at the Amish. As I mentioned in a few earlier articles, I met a young wife and mother, Amy, who is part of the Amish community in Lancaster, Pa. She has been gracious enough to allow me to visit with her and learn some frugal ways of living that she and her friends, neighbors and relatives practice as part of their lifestyle. Amy has never used a vacuum in her life, yet her home is completely spotless. You know the old saying about being able to eat off of the floor? Well in the case of Amy's house, it is probably true. While you might not be ready to completely give up your vacuum (I know I'm not), you can make a point to use it less and be a bit frugal. The less you use that vacuum, the more you will save. A good example of this is for your daily cleaning. Do you really need to haul out your big vacuum for a few crumbs, or will a broom and dustpan suffice until your weekly or bi-weekly vacuuming? Using a broom or mop instead of a vacuum will also save wear and tear on your floors. How about an old fashioned carpet sweeper if you have carpeting? They don't use electricity and are a lot less expensive to buy and maintain. So the next time you automatically go to get the vacuum, think about how you might be able to get away with not using it. Habits develop over time, so after a while, you might automatically start reaching for other, more frugal ways, of cleaning. Related Articles: Frugal Lessons from The Amish: Mowing the Lawn Frugal Lessons from the Amish: Going Goodwilling Frugal Lessons from The Amish: Cooling Food Frugal Lessons from The Amish: Growing Food Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments jonesx6 (1606) 16 Apr 2007 01:18 PMMary Ann, Good suggestions, but I love my vacuum. lol Laura  Julie Gentry (5915) 17 Apr 2007 12:13 AMSorry, that would be the LAST appliance I'd give up! The Amish don't have carpet ;-)  Mary Ann Romans (26876) 18 Apr 2007 06:07 AMLaura & Julie isn't it funny how important our vaccums are? I just got through two days of no power, so I got first hand experience at using a broom. No carpet, here, though.  pamperedpeterson (13238) 18 Apr 2007 10:09 PMWhen I no longer have carpet (oh, frabjous day! LOL) I will lovingly toss my vacuum out the door! LOL I hate my carpet and I have my vacuum. Next house will have no carpet! this is now my mantra... ;) Mary Ann Romans (26876) 19 Apr 2007 03:54 AMWe jujst ripped up the carpet in the living room of our new home. Boy, what a job that was. The dirt just seemed to have filtered down through the carpet. I am with you pampered, I love a hardwood floor. Community Tags Amish, frugal, vacuum Discuss this article
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Can giving up your vacuum really save you money? Vacuum cleaners use large amounts of electricity, require the purchase of bags and filters, and eventually need costly repair or replacement. Eliminating this piece of equipment can save you money.
