How to Make Money Homesteading (Instead of Emptying Your Wallet)
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“How to Make Money Homesteading So You Can Enjoy a Secure, Self-Sufficient Life” is a new book by Tim Young, author of The Accidental Farmers: An urban couple, a rural calling and a dream of farming in harmony with nature. Tim and his wife, Liz, farmed at Nature’s Harmony Farm in Elberton, Georgia.
One of the most memorable passages in the book (to me) is where Tim discusses the role of money in our lives:
I suspect what we really want is not money. Rather, we simply desire increased freedom…the ability to do more of what we want, when we want, without our time (labor) being controlled by someone else. And since most of use were born into a world centered on money, we seem to believe the path to this increased freedom is having more of it.
He goes on to discuss ways to reduce our expenses, which to my mind is a common sense choice for most of us who wish to have greater financial freedom.
Pros About How to Make Money Homesteading
- Suggestions for Reducing Expenses and Eliminating Debt
- Many, many ideas for income streams – from those that require larger acreage to those that can be done in a small home or apartment
- Interviews with real homesteaders are various stages in their homesteading journeys
- Personalized Homestead Entrepreneurial Life Plan Template to help your organize your homestead income making ideas
Each of the 18 interviews includes the following questions/information:
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- Name
- Location
- If you left a “real job” prior to breaking away to become more self-sufficient, what was it?
- Homestead/Farm Highlights
- What inspired (or scared) you into pursuing a more self-sufficient lifestyle?
- What were your criteria when looking for land? how did you make your choice?
- What are your income streams now?
- Why did you choose these income streams?
- How did you acquire the knowledge/skill to generate income this way?
- If starting over again on the path to self-sufficiency, what would you do differently?
- If relevant, what do you miss about city/urban life…you know, the “real” world?
- Finally, what advice do you have for someone considering leaving a “real job” to become more self-sufficient?
This information can help readers to see if a similar option may work for them in their area/circumstances.
Cons About How to Make Money Homesteading
I’m always a fan of photos, so I would love to see the small black and white images replaced by color, but that doesn’t significantly impact the utility of the book. I was also hoping to see more interviewees who were making a full time income off their homesteads. Instead, most are still working full time away from home. Hard numbers would be great, too, although I realize most people would be uncomfortable sharing that information. There’s a better breakdown of potential hourly wages from various homesteading income sources in The Weekend Homesteader.
To Summarize: If you’re stumped for ideas for possible revenue streams to fund your homesteading dreams, this book is chock full of possibilities.
You may also enjoy:
- Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less)
- The Weekend Homesteader
- The Encyclopedia of Country Living – Endless Homestead Inspiration
Originally published in 2014, updated n 2017. This post originally included a giveaway, which has now expired.
I am able to sell or barter my preserved/fermented/dried foods to friends. Not on a large scale, but every little bit helps.
Homesteading is about self-sufficiency. To be self sufficient, you have to be able to afford to continue doing what you do and that requires revenue streams. I believe this book may help us find over-looked possibilities.
We have a 1/2 acre but not a lot of money and currently the neighborhood covenant doesn’t allow chickens or bees, so looking for some other ways/ideas to generate some income to supplement our small income from working for a non-profit.
we live in a very small community and have a few close neighbors. we moved here 2 years ago and although i have done wood works and canning and baking for money in the past the neighbors have also done the same. i have shared a few wood works i did and now they are doing the same thing. I make quick breads from things we grow and have to compete with the neighbor who uses box mixes costing less than my natural ingredients. So I am on the learning other ways to make money on the homestead.
I would love to have this book. We have a greenhouse and produce stand but hubby still does construction
This looks like a great read.
Really admire you and your family! Thanks for sharing your lives with us!
I am new to homesteading , well not in my heart I have been doing this all along…but for real now .
I live on 128 acres. but only five that I am currently using. I have 18 hens and a beef cow that I am
raising. I also have a thirteen year old son that I home school. Biggest challenge getting everthing done before dark . now that we have shorten days sometimes its rough …but I would not change it for the world…just currently unemployed so that’s very rough…but lord guiding me we will be fine..
thanks for the chance to win …Bless you Tracy
Tracy, praying for opportunities to open in your life. We know what it’s like to be heading into the holiday season without a steady source of income.
My biggest challenge is getting started, having the disabilities I have. But I’m certain I can work around those, with God’s help and a little know-how! Plus great support like good neighbors on and offline, and people like you! Thanks!
I started with chickens. Chicks really 🙂 and what they call a Postage Stamp Orchard ( a collection of dwarf fruit trees) but… After 8 years we have given up on the little trees. The Second year after we put them in there was a fire at the house next door and they got a little hot. I thought they might be ok but we’ve never gotten anything off them. They hens though give eggs like mad 🙂
We’ve got the acreage, but could really use some ideas for how to live off this farm again in a sustainable way. (We were dairy farmers for 25 years, but sold the herd in 2000 and have rented out our land since then.)
This is a great opportunity for those of us looking for ways to supplement our income. I would also share it with my kids. Currently I am making things to sell on etsy but would really like to do something that would be a more worthwhile contribution.
Right now we sell eggs and honey.
This is something I would love to implement for our family. It would be great to win your book.
Love to read about the homestead experiences of others. Such great inspiration!
I’m on the cusp of making my love of all things homesteading a money making adventure. Don’t need a lot, just enough since the military had these forced cuts, and we will be civilians soon.
The big challenge to earning income is being able to think of really new and different things to make and sell.
I need this book!
I would love to add this book to our just growing collection. My husband and I are just starting to look into making this our new life.
A new reader. I would love to win the book. My husband and I are trying to settle on house plans {something very small}for our move to our 14 acre homestead.