Low Cost Self Sufficient Steps

Self sufficiency is all about hundreds of small steps that reduce your long term expenses. These low cost self sufficient steps will start to add up quickly and create big changes in your cost of living as well as the health of you and your family.

There are several reasons for the necessity of self sufficiency and independence being taught in our schools, and homes. The most important in my eyes is it’s benefits during economic uncertainty. Having a more self sufficient lifestyle reduces the impact of recessions, depressions and even food shortages. Almost as important is during stable times a self sufficient lifestyle allows one to build independent wealth and build community. While others are spending their earnings on the fruits and foods your lifestyle provides you. These self sufficient lifestyles help bring quality to the communities and will build local wealth within the community itself. Providing a better quality food system, reducing food insecurities, and building a stronger and healthier community.

1.Growing Food

With a little bit of effort and some planning, even in a small garden can grow a substantial amount of food. Planning as always is the key to your success with these low cost self sufficient steps.The first step of growing your own food is figuring out what foods your family consistently eats, as well as what foods grow in your zone. If your family dislikes broccoli, it makes no sense to grow it.

For my family, up in 3b we are definitely limited by our climate. Even with a climate that tends to work against us, we produce enough of our staples to make a dramatic effect on our finances, lifestyle and health, and you can too. Diet being a huge part in one’s overall health, being in control of what goes into your foods can help you alleviate many health related issues.

Start With Your Basics

The top 4 plants for beginners in my opinion are Tomatoes, Peppers, Onion, and Garlic. These four simple plants are easy to grow in minimal space with minimal effort while providing the staples for many dishes. Easily grown in relatively any zone these four foods are capable of being preserved in many different ways, providing garden quality foods even during the winter season.

Fruits are a hit in every home and garden. Luckily many of these fruits are self propagating Blackberries, raspberries and strawberries as well as many others spread aggressively once they become established. These gardens expand on their own, requiring very little upkeep while usually providing larger harvests each year. So ensure you provide your fruit bushes are separated by type, in full sun, with ample space to expand.

Even a small garden can provide ample food to help reduce that food budget. Strategic growing can allow you to preserve some of your harvest for use in the winter months. Whether freezing , dehydrating or canning these top 4 plants to start with are very versatile and easily preserved for beginners.

• Using companion planting within your gardens will allow you to grow without the use of pesticides. The simple process requires attracting beneficial insects or predators of known garden pests. Marigolds are a great example of a companion plant. Some companion plants will deter pests by scent, while some others attract the predators of your pest. Both ways are extremely effective.

• Worm castings is a safe and simple way to use your household waste to create nutrient dense natural fertilizer for your plants. The indoor process of a compost bin. A very cost effective option with great results even for beginners.

2.Chickens

Raising chickens (or quail) is one of the low cost self sufficient steps to introduce your family into self sufficiency. Being relatively low cost and easy to care for, chickens can provide you with more than just eggs and meat.

Most chickens are being raised for a specific purpose as either an egg layer or as meat birds. Dual purpose breeds are options as well. Chickens also come in heritage breeds like the Copper Maran, who’s hens lay the darkest coloured egg in a beautiful dark chocolate shade.

Egg layers require about 9 months from hatching until they will produce their first egg. Often times the first egg will come out tiny and yolk less, referred to as a “fairy” egg.

Many meat breeds are ready to harvest in a few months like the Cornish Cross. The Cornish cross being the fastest growing of the hybrid birds. Hens being ready for harvest at 5-6 lbs live weight at 6 to 8 weeks. While the Roosters grow upwards of 10 lbs within 12 weeks. Raising your own meat birds requires a short term of work that can help reduce your food costs dramatically all year long. Hatch your own eggs or purchase your eggs or chicks from a local hatchery.

Bonus of Chickens

Chickens have many bonuses that help reduce your costs as well as your family’s waste. With as little as three hens, you could reduce your household waste by up to 25%. Chickens, being omnivores will eat almost all of your leftovers while providing you with eggs and meat. Accessibility to an abundance of eggs would even allow a family to make their own egg noodles or mayonnaise reducing your expenses a little more.

**Egg Noodles are a spectacular option for gluten intolerant people or those concerned with herbicides and pesticides.

Chickens can also provide the ability to have some income supplement. Hatching your own eggs or your hens going broody can quickly provide you with more than you need allowing you to create pockets of income revenue. Selling eggs or meat, or even selling the birds themselves to local homesteaders helps absorb the costs associated and even earn a little on the side while building a better community.

3.Selective Meal Preparation Purchases

Making your purchases with intent and designated meals allows for you to not only save money, but you will also reduce the amount of spoilage and wasted food needlessly purchased. Too often we make purchases because it is on sale, not because of the value.

Going shopping hungry tends to be a part of this issue. (At least it was with us) By choosing your purchases based on actual meals over urges allows you to be more aware of the value associated in products.

Bulk Purchases

Bulk purchases have the ability to save you money on you food bills. Regardless how the initial purchase may feel. Whether it is buying your meat directly from a local farmer, or even just purchasing larger cuts and separating the cuts yourself. These low cost self sufficient steps are small actions that provide you the control on your portions while planning for your family’s meals. Of course buying direct or in bulk requires a larger investment than the weekly or monthly shop. However the savings can be dramatic over the long term, and when you buy local the quality difference makes it hard to go back to the in store options.

Being aware of your purchases and the products you use regularly can save you in the long term. When purchasing sale items in excess be sure to only buy what you can use in the timeframe given. Another way to save is to preserve the products and make them shelf stable. Jams, fruit leather and dehydrating allows you to use produce that would otherwise go bad, while providing you with higher quality foods throughout the winter months.

Wasteful spending is also a cause to many people’s financial hardships. Requiring the newest phone, car, or materialistic item every time it changes is a great way to waste your hard earned money. Keeping up with the Jones’ can be self destructive socially and financially. Redefining Value to yourself is a great way to see the excess spending we all do. Ask yourself what additional value does this purchase provide? Often times expensive purchases hold very little added value. Being actively aware of this can save you thousands.

4.Growing Indoors

Growing indoors gives you a controlled environment to propagate during winter. This gives you the ability to expand your perennial fruits by sprouting seeds or taking cuttings from existing plants once they have gone dormant. This is a great low to no cost way for a beginner to start. Rooting cuttings over winter provides a healthy plant to transplant in the spring. Ensure you climatized all indoor plants whether from a greenhouse or your indoor garden prior to planting.

Greenhouses are a spectacular option to provide an early start as well as a late end to your gardens and potted plants. Providing a sheltered semi controlled environment is a great way of starting your plants as well as sheltering a few just in case of bad weather or pests. Greenhouses can also be used as a good transition area for your over wintered indoor plants. They allow you to adjust the internal temperature gradually reducing the shock the plant experiences from the elements.