13 Old-Fashioned Skills That Would Save You a Fortune Today

Would you like to be richer than you already are? Let me clarify what I mean. I’m not suggesting that you compare yourself to the world’s wealthiest people or inherit a fortune from a mysterious uncle.

Compared to any prior generation in history, you and I are living like kings and queens in a land of abundance. While we aren’t necessarily wealthier, inflation adjusted, than our grandparents, we have access to a wider array of stuff and more comforts than even the wealthiest people in the world enjoyed just a century ago.

But we’re also poorer in some ways. We’re so completely dependent on this never ending stream of cheap products, and behind the curves when it comes to the skills that used to define a self-sufficient life. In this piece I’d like to highlight some of the old-fashioned skills that, if you pursued and practiced, would save you a fortune in money and provide a richer life in terms of being less dependent on other people’s products and services.

Cooking from scratch

Instead of eating out, ordering takeout, or buying expensive pre-made meals from the store, those with cooking skills can save a lot of money feeding their family with simple, whole foods. As a beautiful bonus, food made at home is typically healthier, which means you’ll spend less on healthcare costs and have more vitality to enjoy life for years to come.

Bundling up instead of heating

Heating your home with electricity or natural gas isn’t cheap. In fact, it’s likely one of the larger expenses after your mortgage or rent payment. That said, having a warm home in the winter is relatively new. Old-school folks just kept busy and dressed in layers. It doesn’t have the same effect, but it’s more than enough for survival, and a good way to save money if your financials are tight.

Fixing broken appliances

Today we throw almost everything away and replace it with new stuff. Even things that might be easy or reasonably cheap to fix, we just assume will be hard to fix. This is an attitude that I’ve allowed to creep into my own thinking. But I have a few friends who have saved serious money by getting their hands dirty and figuring out how to fix things on their own. It’s not that hard if you give it a try.

Sewing and mending clothing

Believe it or not, people used to buy clothes that lasted many years, even decades. They would be passed down from one sibling to the next, and mended dozens of times to keep them going for as long as possible. These days we buy cheap clothes that are hard to sew, and replace them at the first sign of wear. This practice isn’t particularly sustainable and costs more money in the long run.

Coding or building computer software

While there are plenty of things you can do without, a computer is not one of them. And yet most of us are completely dependent on other people’s products and services to buy and operate these computers. I think having a basic understanding of simple coding would open up a whole new world of affordable technology to the average user.

Doing your own laundry

An old fashion skill that isn’t practiced as widely these days is, simply, doing your own laundry. In certain cities, it’s common to send your clothes to be washed for a reasonably low price. While this can be convenient, you’re still adding up costs that could be avoided by simply having a system in place to do your own washing and drying, which doesn’t take up much more of your time, as long as you stay on top of things.

Growing your own food

Depending on your climate, it should be possible to grow a sizable portion of your food at home. With many hands, the work goes much quicker, and it’s also a productive way to spend time with family. Best of all, growing your own food is a great way to save money while avoiding any pesticides and herbicides that might be used in commercial farming.

Regular physical activity

We are all used to paying for our entertainment in one way or another. But that wasn’t always the case. It used to be more common to do things that were fun, exciting, or adventurous, that also kept you fit. This meant that you were able to save money on entertainment expenses, while also avoiding the high cost of joining a gym or other fitness club.

Avoiding debt

A common practice in the past, that seems to have fallen out of style, is to simply avoid going into debt. It used to be seen as a negative to borrow money unless you absolutely had to. Modern society has flip the script and made certain kinds of debt normal and even good. By avoiding debt, you can save thousands of dollars in interest payments each year, and eventually, be far wealthier than you might otherwise be.

Reselling and reusing

Today, we throw everything away. I can see this because once a week we put all of our trash out on the curb, and watch the big truck take it away. In the past, people were far more careful and intentional about their discards. Many things could be reused or repurposed on the farm, and other items were taken to consignment shops to be resold. Modern lifestyles are convenient, but they aren’t as smart as they used to be.

Walking and biking

For many people today, driving is seen as the only way to get around. The idea of walking, biking, or even taking public transportation is off the radar. I think this is funny because some people will spend a fortune on expensive exercise equipment when they could just walk or bike more places, and then use that money to pay for a train ticket if they want to go somewhere nice.

Entering the trades

While not a skill in itself, I want to call out the educational practices that our country has adopted which values a college degree over trade skills. I think many young people, even today, would be better off to learn a trade early on, and then be able to save a fortune that they would otherwise have spent on college. In fact, it might even be possible to go back to school later on and learn another skill or two, such as computer science, to be highly in demand in the job market.

Finding pleasure in pleasures

Finally, an old fashioned skill that would save any of us a fortune, is to simply be content with the simple pleasures that life has to offer. These are things like the great outdoors, good friends, a tasty meal, and a warm bath. Instead, many of us spend a small fortune on international travel, season passes, expensive dining, and even luxury items like fancy cars. Learning to love the simpler things, is an acquired taste, but one that will leave you with more money in the bank at the end of the day.