Homesteading is becoming more and more popular as people look toward frugal living and seek better sustainability options. Depending on the size of your property and the set up you have chosen to go with, the options are plentiful when it comes to providing for yourself and living a more sustainable life.
It goes without saying that you need to make sure that all the outdoor homesteading equipment you use is kept up to date and functional to make sure you are getting the most out of it to help you get the job done. The more you have to replace something the less sustainable it becomes and in turn, the more it costs you.
Frugal Living Tips and Ideas for the Homesteading Family
So how can you look to keep costs down in your homestead and implement frugal living on your homestead for the long term?
Garden!
And not only garden, but learn to start your own seeds and use natural, homemade fertilizers. Some things you will need to spend money on, but many things can be done on a shoestring budget. More information in this epic post.
Get into the habit of upcycling and buying second hand.
Buying used goods is a great way to stop items heading to landfill and also save some money. This can work well in all areas of your life. From upcycling pre-loved furniture to making your own clothes by using old items that no longer fit or are worn and damaged in their current state. Shopping at thrift stores is also a great way to find clothes you can wear outdoors to milk goats, garden, or whatever else you do outside.
A Caveat
That being said, there are some things you should look at to buy brand new to make sure it is cost-effective. Safety equipment is one of those things so you can guarantee its efficiency and know it hasn’t been compromised. Tools and materials for heavy work will also be beneficial to you when bought new.
Learn new things.
Why pay someone else when you can learn to do something yourself? Granted, there are times when you need to employ a professional – extensive plumbing or electrical works, but for those smaller tasks around the home, can you feasibly learn to do it yourself?
Todd is an awesome handy man, and has done most of our homestead work. He comes from a family who used a lot of frugal living ideas, so we tend toward frugality as well. However, we know when we need to pay someone to do a job for us.
Labor costs can run high when in actual fact, the cost of the job and materials might not be all that much. These days, you can access many articles and videos online that can teach you pretty much anything you need to learn. It’s worth a try before you make the choice to pay someone to do it for you. You never know, you might surprise yourself!
Speaking of learning new things…
Crocheting, canning your garden bounty, sewing, learning about herbs and making handmade gifts are a few other things you can do to save money. Check out our shop for products and resources you can use to learn some of these skills.
Barter
This option works well for smaller communities who are living in the same way you are. How can you help each other out? Hark back to days gone by when communities shared their skills and opened their homes and help each other out.
Do your neighbours have skills you can make use of or expertise that will help you out? See if you can come to an agreement where you can help each other out in a mutually beneficial way.
Alternatively, when you visit markets, see if you can barter your way to lower prices or get more for your money. Of course, people still need to make money this way and you shouldn’t expect this to work all the time, but you never know, if you ask, you might just get!
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