Let’s be honest: things are expensive right now. Groceries cost more, utilities are creeping up, and sometimes it feels like even breathing clean air is being monetized.

And if you’ve spent more than two minutes in the wellness world lately, you’ve probably seen the “luxury crunchy” crowd—$70 organic linen tank tops, $50 body butters, designer herbal tinctures in minimalist dropper bottles. Gorgeous? Sure. Necessary? Not at all.

The good news? You don’t have to spend a ton of money to live in a way that’s slow, nourishing, and rooted in ancestral wisdom. In fact, our great-grandmothers would probably laugh (actually, knowing mine, she most definitely would) at what’s being marketed to us as “essential.” So let’s bring it back to basics—real food, natural rhythms, and affordable habits that truly support your health.

Here are five simple ways to practice ancestral wellness without blowing your budget:

1. Tallow for Skincare—That’s It.

Forget the 12-step skincare routine and $90 serums. Tallow is one of the most ancestral and effective things you can put on your skin. It’s made from rendered beef fat (oh, and ours is grass-fed!) and deeply nourishes without fillers, preservatives, or synthetic junk.

Bonus Tip: One small jar lasts months—Just make sure you use clean fingers and keep it dry!

2. Walking + Being Barefoot Is Still Free

You don’t need a gym membership or a structured routine. Walking is gentle, grounding, and one of the best ways to regulate your nervous system. Bonus points for going barefoot and letting your feet get a little dirty.

Bonus Tip: Get a morning walks. Or a quick strolls after dinner. A few barefoot minutes in the backyard while sipping tea. No gear, no apps, no money leaving your account.

3. Cook Like Someone’s Granny

Real nourishment doesn’t come from boxed "superfoods"—it comes from broth, eggs, meat, butter, and seasonal produce. Cooking from scratch is one of the most ancestral and health-improving things you can do.

Budget Tip: Build your meals around simple staples like potatoes, eggs, beans, and seasonal veggies. Learn how to stretch meat with broth or organ meats. Make big batches and eat leftovers. This isn’t “poverty food”—it’s traditional food.

4. Thrift Your Home + Clothes the Old-Fashioned Way

You don’t need a capsule wardrobe made of $300 hemp pants to live non-toxic. Most of our grandmothers bought what they needed, mended what they had, and reused everything.

Budget Tip: Hit up thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, and estate sales. Look for natural fibers like cotton, linen, wool—and avoid synthetic materials and strong chemical fragrances. For the home? Cast iron pans, glass jars, wooden cutting boards, enamel cookware,, pretty brass and vintage decor—all secondhand, all safe.

5. Go Slower Than Everyone Tells You To

Slowness doesn’t sell well, which is why the wellness industry rarely promotes it. But choosing rest, stillness, and margin is wellness. You don’t need more products. You might just need more quiet.

Free ideas: Get sunlight in the morning. Say no to the extra commitment. Read on the porch. Pray on your sofa. Dance in the kitchen. Let your nervous system exhale. Healing doesn’t have to be trendy to be real.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to be rich to be well. You don’t need to be trendy to be healthy. And you definitely don’t need to buy into the aesthetic to live a grounded, beautiful life.

Let’s stop overcomplicating it. Let’s live like our ancestors would’ve—on purpose, with what we have, and without the pricetag.