Does Homesteading Really Save Money? Lets Talk About It!

So does homesteading really save you money? This is a complicated answer, and in my opinion really focuses more on your goals in life then money. So what do I mean by that? Well when you homestead no matter what scale your on, most homesteaders end goals are to be as self-sufficient as they possibly can be. If your life goal is to stand away from the world because it’s crazy. Then the money spent on projects don’t matter as much (I mean as long as you can afford what your doing). But your most likely not thinking about oh gosh I don’t have to spend $200 on bees I can buy a quart of honey for $25. Your thinking man I really want to produce my own honey so we have a sweetener on the homestead. How can I make this happen?

Sometimes things cost more money up front but you end up with more resources in the end. Also after you have invested your money up front to buy or set up your project. As long as you take care of those items you should continue to produce more resources year after year.

So back to the bees for example. Bees are expensive and require a lot of knowledge. However once you got your tools, bees and have basic knowledge on how to care for them. They should be repaying you in honey and more bees year after year.

A few years down the road you can be using them as a source of income for your family. So now you have honey and bees wax for your family. However you’r also selling a few extra gallons of honey a year. Maybe your also making chap sticks or slaves in the winter from the bees wax. So you sell a few of those but wait in the spring you have a hive or two that has to be split. You don’t want 6 hives so you sell two of them.

Well now your $600 investment has made you $400 on the two hives you sold. $200 on the two gallons of honey you sold, not to even mention the little money you made from your chap sticks. So that one good year you made back your investment money plus kept good resources for your family!

Now I know bees was an expensive example! So please don’t let that scare you.

Let’s talk about a smaller one.. let’s say garlic. Who doesn’t love garlic.

Well garlic is not hard to grow and unless you are allergic garlic it is put into almost every meal you eat. I know it is here on our homestead. Not to even mention the antibacterial properties of garlic.

So you want to grow garlic for your family. It’s not the cheapest of seeds to invest in but it’s not going to break the bank either. Lets say you buy about $100 worth of seeds. Which is what we paid for our garlic seed.

That is a lot of seed but we are trying to grow a years worth. You spend another $100 on prepping your garlic bed. So together you spent around $200 for garlic.

That’s high dollar garlic when you can buy garlic from the store around $5 give or take. However that’s not the end goal!

Lets say the first year you get a decent amount of garlic but it’s just enough to last you through the year. It’s the next year you will start to see money being saved. Your garlic bed was already there and ready to go and you have the garlic seed you saved from the last year.

So you don’t spend any money on growing you’r garlic this year, you just put the work in. As long as you keep up with growing your garlic, you should have it as a resource year after year with no money spent on it.

So does homesteading really save you money? My opinion is upfront no it will not save you money. However after a few years of hard work and investing in your homestead, building skills and relationships around you.

YES homesteading will save you money, it should even be paying for itself! It is just not going to happen over night. Homesteading is not a fast life style, it is a busy one and it requires hard work and dedication. But over the years you can build this dream life where you are at least some what self-sustaining. Which means after a few years you will need less money to live on. Because you will be producing some of your own resources.

We have been on the homesteading life journey for 6 years now. We have learned so much along the way and you will to.

You have to take it slow and build your skills and homestead one project at a time. In a few years your homestead will be completely different.

Not only will you be saving money but making a little back in the process. Will you get rich homesteading? Absolutely NOT but you will be living your dream life. You will be closer to your family and the land just like God intended us to be.

So if you are new to the homesteading life here are a few resources I recommend you check out. We have every one of these and they have helped us so much.

Books

Seed to Seed, A Chicken in Every Yard, Ball Complete Book of Home Canning

Tools

Incubator, Land Guard Galvanized Raised Bed, Seed Starter Trays, Heated Grow Mat, All American Canner, Ball Water Bath Canner