Bismillah
Insha allah
https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/self-reliance/self-sufficient-living-zm0z13onzrob
We moved to our farm from Chicago, newly married and eager to begin our quest to reclaim the skills and services that we had been buying from others for so long. We wanted to break free from our fossil fuel addiction and sequester more carbon dioxide than we emit each year. We knew these goals would take years to achieve. Here are the strategies we have followed to make our vision a reality.
1. Be Frugal
Practice financial discipline by making a commitment to frugality. Forgoing luxuries, such as satellite TV and smartphone service, allows us to live below our means. We’ve never owned a new car or carried a balance on our credit card.
---
2. Think Long-Term and Stay Put
Commit to a permanent location and develop a long-term vision. You will want to have a practical plan that you can achieve over a time period appropriate to your current stage of life. Taking on a project in your 50s that would require years to see through is not the same as doing so in your 20s. Be reasonable and honest with yourself regarding your abilities and project time frames.
We plotted our journey to self-reliance by the decade, leaving ample time to figure out projects big and small, from how to plant potatoes to how to take advantage of renewable energy incentives that made our home energy systems possible. We also factored in time to persevere when setbacks occurred — which they did, such as when a severe windstorm damaged all three blades on our wind turbine. We typically only take on one or two major self-sufficiency projects a year.
---
Start by focusing on survival and sustenance. Six main spheres guide our approach to self-sufficient living: water, shelter, food, energy (including transportation), finances and community (including entertainment). The spheres you decide to work on first will be based on your situation, passions, unique skills and finances. We all have limitations to achieving total self-reliance — but after you know your limits, you can strive to transform them into possibilities. (See “How We Meet Our Six Basic Needs,” later in this article.)
---
Live Simply
Living simply is probably one of the most important keys to becoming self-sufficient. The reason is because if you are living simply, then you aren’t going to waste your money on buying all of the latest gadgets. You won’t be eating out all of the time, nor will you be spending big bucks on tons of clothing.
Simplicity will save you a lot of money in the long run. So embrace a simple lifestyle. The less you need, the less you spend.
--
Ask Your Family to Climb Aboard
If you aren’t a single person, it is important to try to get your family to embrace a self-sufficient lifestyle. The reason is that if you are embracing simplicity and frugal living, but your spouse or kids aren’t, you could be fighting a losing battle.
--
What Self-Sufficient Living is About and 8 Tips on How to Achieve It
By Jennifer Poindexter
Self-sufficient.
We all hear the term thrown around, but what does it really mean? Is there one definition that fits everyone?
Well, if you ask me, no. There is not just one definition of self-sufficiency that fits right across the board.
But what could self-sufficiency mean for you…right where you are? It could mean a lot of different things. Which is what I’m wanting to explore and explain to you through this post.
So let’s walk through what self-sufficiency is and what it could mean for you.
What is Self-Sufficiency?
via Fifty is the New Fifty
According to dictionary.com, self-sufficiency can be described two ways. First, self-sufficiency is being able to supply one’s own needs without external assistance. Or, it could also mean, having extreme confidence in one’s own resources.
So as you can tell, this could look differently for everyone. It could be someone who lives on a large homestead and grows all of their own food.
But it could also be someone who lives in the suburbs and does their best to prep for worst case scenarios which leave them feeling confident that they’ve done all that they can to survive whatever comes their way, right where they are.
As you can tell, self-sufficiency is a broad lifestyle that can look very different and be common ground for a wide variety of people.
Tips for Being Self-Sufficient
via Colorado-Style
You might be thinking that being self-sufficient might be of interest to you. However, maybe you aren’t really sure where to start.
Well, start with these basic tips. See if you can fulfill these needs right where you are and if so, then begin brainstorming on how to do it.
Here are the items you might want to consider when becoming self-sufficient:
1. Embrace Frugality
Being self-sufficient goes hand in hand with being frugal. You can’t hope for self-sufficiency while still owing everyone and their brother money.
So if you want to be self-sufficient start by living within your means. Look for every way possible to save money. Here is one of our articles that will help you to embrace a frugal lifestyle. You’ll be glad you did. I know I am!
2. Make Your House Work for You
When you decide to embrace a self-sufficient lifestyle, you have to let go of a lot of modern thinking. One of the modern ways of thinking is housing. You live in one house for a while, then you sell it for a bigger house. Most people do this quite a few times over their life.
Well, it’s time to break that thinking pattern. You’ll need to look at where you are at and decide if this will work for you long-term. If not, then you need to start working towards your long-term home.
If so, then you need to start investing right where you are at.
Now, I realize my advice may sound different from some. A lot of people will basically say, “Suck it up, sister/brother! Make where you are at work for you!” In some cases, they are totally right.
However, I shared a while ago that we are actually selling our small homestead to make the move to a bigger homestead. We realized that our definition of self-sufficiency meant that we wanted to be able to grow all of our food and our animal’s food too.
Plus, we want to build a full-blown business out of our farm, not just something that makes us a little extra money on the side.
So we decided it was time to upsize, but we did it smart. We bought a farm at auction, bought more land and less house, and have a plan to pay off any debt quickly. Which would be my advice to you if you decide that you need some more land to do what you feel like is your self-sufficient goal. Be smart and avoid debt where possible.
3. Eat According to the Season
Self-sufficiency also could mean that you get away from the grocery store as much as possible. This means that you grow food as much as you can throughout the year, or at least eat in season so you can buy locally from those that can grow year round.
Also, if you are looking for tips to avoid the grocery store, check out another one of our resources. These tips could point you in the right direction when breaking the chains with your local grocery store.
4. Create a Homestead Right Where You Are
It is possible to create some type of homestead right where you are. If you are in an apartment and have a balcony, you can grow something. If you live in the suburbs, there are ways to grow some of your own food.
Also, if you live on a few acres (like I do now), you can grow enough food to feed your family. We live on 2 acres and have an orchard, large garden, berry patches, grape vines, a herb garden, and livestock. We haven’t even come close to utilizing all of our land yet.
Plus, if you live on a larger amount of acreage, you could grow everything and raise larger livestock as well. So no matter where you are at, you can always take strides to start your own version of a homestead.
5. Live Simply
Living simply is probably one of the most important keys to becoming self-sufficient. The reason is because if you are living simply, then you aren’t going to waste your money on buying all of the latest gadgets. You won’t be eating out all of the time, nor will you be spending big bucks on tons of clothing.
Simplicity will save you a lot of money in the long run. So embrace a simple lifestyle. The less you need, the less you spend.
6. Ask Your Family to Climb Aboard
If you aren’t a single person, it is important to try to get your family to embrace a self-sufficient lifestyle. The reason is that if you are embracing simplicity and frugal living, but your spouse or kids aren’t, you could be fighting a losing battle.
So just try to reach some sort of agreement as to what you all believe (as a family) a self-sufficient lifestyle should or could look like for your family. It may take compromise, but you’ll be surprised how much you all can accomplish together.
--
Become an Entrepreneur
Finances are obviously a huge part of self-sufficient living. The reason is because debt is such a huge part of most cultures these days.
If you can begin to save money and live simply, then you can beat that mindset. But what happens if your source of income is suddenly yanked away from you?
Well, that is another area of self-sufficiency that you should consider. Think of ways you can begin to form your own businesses. It could be selling eggs, selling livestock, becoming a consultant, being a freelance writer. The ideas are pretty well limitless. Here are some tips we offered up on how to make it as a modern homesteader.
---
Ditch Your Debt
The last tip I have for becoming more self-sufficient is to ditch your debt. You need to work really hard to get out of debt as fast as you can. Debt drags people down, and as long as you owe others money, you’ll never embrace true freedom.
So I know it is not an overnight thing to get out of debt, but it should always be something that you try to avoid. And if you have to go into debt, you should always think of ways to pay that debt off faster than agreed upon just to relieve yourself of that struggle
---
Let me share with you why I think this works. First, it is easier to buy something that is less expensive because obviously, it requires less money. It also gives you more of an opportunity to avoid debt, or to pay it off faster because the debt is much smaller.
---
Water
I’m not a prepper, at least not what I would consider a prepper. But I do know that things can happen quickly in this world.
For instance, a large tree fell on our road in a storm a couple of years ago. We were without power for days. This means no electricity or water because we use a well. This made me think because had I not been storing water, we would’ve been up a creek.
So think about your water source. Do you have water stored in case of an emergency? Do you have a water source on your property? If not, then start thinking of ways to meet this need with or without modern technology.
---
. Relationships
We all need relationships in life. You can’t do anything alone. Granted, some of us are more ‘people oriented’ than others.
But still, everyone needs someone to talk to and depend upon. That is a requirement that you still need to find ways to meet even when living a self-sustained lifestyle.
Thankfully, the self-sustained community is broad and very friendly. So go to your local farmer’s market and strike up a conversation with the local egg lady. She’ll be happy to talk to you about her chickens and ducks, and you’ll be meeting your need for relationships and meaningful conversations.
What Self-Sufficie
---
Insha allah
https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/self-reliance/self-sufficient-living-zm0z13onzrob
We moved to our farm from Chicago, newly married and eager to begin our quest to reclaim the skills and services that we had been buying from others for so long. We wanted to break free from our fossil fuel addiction and sequester more carbon dioxide than we emit each year. We knew these goals would take years to achieve. Here are the strategies we have followed to make our vision a reality.
1. Be Frugal
Practice financial discipline by making a commitment to frugality. Forgoing luxuries, such as satellite TV and smartphone service, allows us to live below our means. We’ve never owned a new car or carried a balance on our credit card.
---
2. Think Long-Term and Stay Put
Commit to a permanent location and develop a long-term vision. You will want to have a practical plan that you can achieve over a time period appropriate to your current stage of life. Taking on a project in your 50s that would require years to see through is not the same as doing so in your 20s. Be reasonable and honest with yourself regarding your abilities and project time frames.
We plotted our journey to self-reliance by the decade, leaving ample time to figure out projects big and small, from how to plant potatoes to how to take advantage of renewable energy incentives that made our home energy systems possible. We also factored in time to persevere when setbacks occurred — which they did, such as when a severe windstorm damaged all three blades on our wind turbine. We typically only take on one or two major self-sufficiency projects a year.
---
Start by focusing on survival and sustenance. Six main spheres guide our approach to self-sufficient living: water, shelter, food, energy (including transportation), finances and community (including entertainment). The spheres you decide to work on first will be based on your situation, passions, unique skills and finances. We all have limitations to achieving total self-reliance — but after you know your limits, you can strive to transform them into possibilities. (See “How We Meet Our Six Basic Needs,” later in this article.)
---
Live Simply
Living simply is probably one of the most important keys to becoming self-sufficient. The reason is because if you are living simply, then you aren’t going to waste your money on buying all of the latest gadgets. You won’t be eating out all of the time, nor will you be spending big bucks on tons of clothing.
Simplicity will save you a lot of money in the long run. So embrace a simple lifestyle. The less you need, the less you spend.
--
Ask Your Family to Climb Aboard
If you aren’t a single person, it is important to try to get your family to embrace a self-sufficient lifestyle. The reason is that if you are embracing simplicity and frugal living, but your spouse or kids aren’t, you could be fighting a losing battle.
--
What Self-Sufficient Living is About and 8 Tips on How to Achieve It
By Jennifer Poindexter
Self-sufficient.
We all hear the term thrown around, but what does it really mean? Is there one definition that fits everyone?
Well, if you ask me, no. There is not just one definition of self-sufficiency that fits right across the board.
But what could self-sufficiency mean for you…right where you are? It could mean a lot of different things. Which is what I’m wanting to explore and explain to you through this post.
So let’s walk through what self-sufficiency is and what it could mean for you.
What is Self-Sufficiency?
via Fifty is the New Fifty
According to dictionary.com, self-sufficiency can be described two ways. First, self-sufficiency is being able to supply one’s own needs without external assistance. Or, it could also mean, having extreme confidence in one’s own resources.
So as you can tell, this could look differently for everyone. It could be someone who lives on a large homestead and grows all of their own food.
But it could also be someone who lives in the suburbs and does their best to prep for worst case scenarios which leave them feeling confident that they’ve done all that they can to survive whatever comes their way, right where they are.
As you can tell, self-sufficiency is a broad lifestyle that can look very different and be common ground for a wide variety of people.
Tips for Being Self-Sufficient
via Colorado-Style
You might be thinking that being self-sufficient might be of interest to you. However, maybe you aren’t really sure where to start.
Well, start with these basic tips. See if you can fulfill these needs right where you are and if so, then begin brainstorming on how to do it.
Here are the items you might want to consider when becoming self-sufficient:
1. Embrace Frugality
Being self-sufficient goes hand in hand with being frugal. You can’t hope for self-sufficiency while still owing everyone and their brother money.
So if you want to be self-sufficient start by living within your means. Look for every way possible to save money. Here is one of our articles that will help you to embrace a frugal lifestyle. You’ll be glad you did. I know I am!
2. Make Your House Work for You
When you decide to embrace a self-sufficient lifestyle, you have to let go of a lot of modern thinking. One of the modern ways of thinking is housing. You live in one house for a while, then you sell it for a bigger house. Most people do this quite a few times over their life.
Well, it’s time to break that thinking pattern. You’ll need to look at where you are at and decide if this will work for you long-term. If not, then you need to start working towards your long-term home.
If so, then you need to start investing right where you are at.
Now, I realize my advice may sound different from some. A lot of people will basically say, “Suck it up, sister/brother! Make where you are at work for you!” In some cases, they are totally right.
However, I shared a while ago that we are actually selling our small homestead to make the move to a bigger homestead. We realized that our definition of self-sufficiency meant that we wanted to be able to grow all of our food and our animal’s food too.
Plus, we want to build a full-blown business out of our farm, not just something that makes us a little extra money on the side.
So we decided it was time to upsize, but we did it smart. We bought a farm at auction, bought more land and less house, and have a plan to pay off any debt quickly. Which would be my advice to you if you decide that you need some more land to do what you feel like is your self-sufficient goal. Be smart and avoid debt where possible.
3. Eat According to the Season
Self-sufficiency also could mean that you get away from the grocery store as much as possible. This means that you grow food as much as you can throughout the year, or at least eat in season so you can buy locally from those that can grow year round.
Also, if you are looking for tips to avoid the grocery store, check out another one of our resources. These tips could point you in the right direction when breaking the chains with your local grocery store.
4. Create a Homestead Right Where You Are
It is possible to create some type of homestead right where you are. If you are in an apartment and have a balcony, you can grow something. If you live in the suburbs, there are ways to grow some of your own food.
Also, if you live on a few acres (like I do now), you can grow enough food to feed your family. We live on 2 acres and have an orchard, large garden, berry patches, grape vines, a herb garden, and livestock. We haven’t even come close to utilizing all of our land yet.
Plus, if you live on a larger amount of acreage, you could grow everything and raise larger livestock as well. So no matter where you are at, you can always take strides to start your own version of a homestead.
5. Live Simply
Living simply is probably one of the most important keys to becoming self-sufficient. The reason is because if you are living simply, then you aren’t going to waste your money on buying all of the latest gadgets. You won’t be eating out all of the time, nor will you be spending big bucks on tons of clothing.
Simplicity will save you a lot of money in the long run. So embrace a simple lifestyle. The less you need, the less you spend.
6. Ask Your Family to Climb Aboard
If you aren’t a single person, it is important to try to get your family to embrace a self-sufficient lifestyle. The reason is that if you are embracing simplicity and frugal living, but your spouse or kids aren’t, you could be fighting a losing battle.
So just try to reach some sort of agreement as to what you all believe (as a family) a self-sufficient lifestyle should or could look like for your family. It may take compromise, but you’ll be surprised how much you all can accomplish together.
--
Become an Entrepreneur
Finances are obviously a huge part of self-sufficient living. The reason is because debt is such a huge part of most cultures these days.
If you can begin to save money and live simply, then you can beat that mindset. But what happens if your source of income is suddenly yanked away from you?
Well, that is another area of self-sufficiency that you should consider. Think of ways you can begin to form your own businesses. It could be selling eggs, selling livestock, becoming a consultant, being a freelance writer. The ideas are pretty well limitless. Here are some tips we offered up on how to make it as a modern homesteader.
---
Ditch Your Debt
The last tip I have for becoming more self-sufficient is to ditch your debt. You need to work really hard to get out of debt as fast as you can. Debt drags people down, and as long as you owe others money, you’ll never embrace true freedom.
So I know it is not an overnight thing to get out of debt, but it should always be something that you try to avoid. And if you have to go into debt, you should always think of ways to pay that debt off faster than agreed upon just to relieve yourself of that struggle
---
Let me share with you why I think this works. First, it is easier to buy something that is less expensive because obviously, it requires less money. It also gives you more of an opportunity to avoid debt, or to pay it off faster because the debt is much smaller.
---
Water
I’m not a prepper, at least not what I would consider a prepper. But I do know that things can happen quickly in this world.
For instance, a large tree fell on our road in a storm a couple of years ago. We were without power for days. This means no electricity or water because we use a well. This made me think because had I not been storing water, we would’ve been up a creek.
So think about your water source. Do you have water stored in case of an emergency? Do you have a water source on your property? If not, then start thinking of ways to meet this need with or without modern technology.
---
. Relationships
We all need relationships in life. You can’t do anything alone. Granted, some of us are more ‘people oriented’ than others.
But still, everyone needs someone to talk to and depend upon. That is a requirement that you still need to find ways to meet even when living a self-sustained lifestyle.
Thankfully, the self-sustained community is broad and very friendly. So go to your local farmer’s market and strike up a conversation with the local egg lady. She’ll be happy to talk to you about her chickens and ducks, and you’ll be meeting your need for relationships and meaningful conversations.
What Self-Sufficie
---
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