How to Save Money Homesteading

Becoming self-sufficient and starting a homestead can help many of us lead a debt free life. Living a more frugal lifestyle while taking advantage of the natural resources around you can put you on a path to financial security.

I'm here to show you how you can begin make those changes! Here is a list of ideas to keep a steady income that will also allow you to rely on your own supplies all year long. 

Getting and Staying Out of Debt

The first step to getting and staying out of debt is developing healthy habits. You are going to need to sit down and really take the time to make a plan full of lifestyle changes that will work for you and your family. Having a family meeting is important in eliminating debt from your life. Make some lists and write things down so you can visualize what you need to change for success. 

• Make a list of any debt you have (student loans, personal loans, credit cards, cars, homes) 
• Make a list of your daily spending habits
• Make a list of things you can sell/don't need anymore
• Make a list of your financial goals for the next year

Looking for more in-depth resources, tools and programs to help you manage your debt? Click here

Spend Less and Save More

It's important to take all of your lists and form a budget. Keep a close eye on your spending and constantly evaluate if there are any unnecessary expenses you can cut out. Focus on building a savings that you can invest into keeping up your homestead.

Lead a more simple lifestyle by selling what you aren't using (electronics, appliances, clothing) and get rid of any clutter or junk. Have a yard sale, bring your things to a thrift store, or sell anything you don't need locally online. 

Owning a homestead while focusing on sustainability will allow you to have different forms of seasonal income. Instead of having to go out and buy more, you can create and use your own source of food and homemade household objects. Once you start saving and preserving, you will always have your own inventory. 

Need some helpful budgeting ideas? Check out these 6 steps to get out of debt here.

Diversify Your Income

Seasons change on the homestead, so it's important to utilize what you have available to keep your income steady. Remain resilient and ready for unexpected circumstances by taking full advantage of all your available resources. 

Livestock & Farm

Chicken, Duck, Geese, Quail & Turkey

Sell Eggs - Chickens are great animals to raise on the homestead. Not only will you have a limitless supply of eggs for your family during most of the year, you can also sell the eggs. Here is a list that compiles The Top Ten Best Egg Layers when choosing chickens. Thinking about selling eggs? Check out an in-depth guide on How to Sell Your Chicken Eggs. You can also do the same with your duck, geese, quail and turkey eggs!

Sell Hatching Eggs - Not only can you sell eggs for eating, you can also sell eggs for hatching. Make extra money from your coop by selling fertilized eggs. Here is a complete guide on How to Sell Hatching Eggs to Make A Profit. 

Sell Poultry - Sell individual day-old chicks from your flock. Here is a guide on how you can make extra income by Starting a Small Scale Hatchery on your farm. Another way to make money is to raise and sell laying hens. Raise your chicks until they are at the point of laying. Here is a complete guide on How to Sell Laying Hens to Make A Profit.

Beekeeping 

Sell Honey - We know that bees can be great for pollination in your garden. Not only that, you can sell the honey from your hives. Raw, local honey is always in high demand. Beekeeping 101 is a great guide that will get you started.

Sell Beeswax - With keeping bees comes lots of beeswax. Sell your extra beeswax to salve makers and crafters. Here is a comprehensive guide on How to Raise Honey Bees for Profit. 

Food & Garden

Save & Sell Seeds - Make sure to save your heirloom seeds at the end of the season. Use them next year, and sell the seeds you don't need. You can sell seeds and plant starts locally at farmers markets and even online. Here is a post I found really helpful that is all about What you Need to Know Before Starting a Personal Seed Bank. Ready to start selling? Take a look at How to Make Money Growing Plants at Home. 

Grow & Sell Produce - You can grow and sell the vegetables, fruits and herbs you grow at your local farmers market. You can also sell produce boxes locally. Check out this guide on How to Grow a Garden for Profit. The key to success is to find out what will sell the best and what produce will make the most profit.

Grow & Sell Cut Flowers - Along with produce you grow, you can also sell cut flowers at your local farmers market. You could also create your own local bouquet subscription and supply flowers for local weddings. Here is an extensive guide on How to Make Money With Cut Flowers. 

Split & Sell Perennial Plants - Once you own a perennial plant, you can easily split them once they become overcrowded. Plants like hosta, daylily and phlox can be easily divided every few years. Not only can you fill in your gardens with more plants, but you can also have a plant sale to sell any you don't need. This guide, When and How to Divide Common Perennials is super helpful. Ready to have your first plant sale? Check out How to Conduct a Plant Sale for some great tips.

Make & Sell Your Own Compost - Along with raising animals comes poop. Lots of it! Not only can you reinvest your compost into your land, but you can also sell it. You can sell horse manure, cow manure and chicken manure and more. Check out these 7 Types of Manure and How to Use Them on the Homestead.  

Household & Homemade

Make & Sell Preserved Goods (Pickled, Fermented, Dehydrated) - When you have your own garden, it's easy to preserve your goods to use all year round. Once you start doing this, you can easily sell your extras. Ready to get started? I highly recommend this Beginner's Guide to Fermentation. Another helpful resource I've used is The Ultimate Guide to Quick Pickled Vegetables. If you are interested in learning more about dehydrating, check out The Ultimate Guide to Dehydrating Your Garden's Bounty.

Make & Sell Dried Herbs (Culinary, Medicinal, Spices) - Culinary and medicinal herbs are easy and beneficial to grow on the homestead. Dried herbs are perfect for teas, tinctures, rubs, in cooking and so much more. Take a look at Herbs That Sell Best - Making a Profit Selling Herbs for more in-depth information. Looking to start making tinctures? This guide, Making Homemade Tinctures: A Beginners Guide has great information. One of the most popular spices you can grow is turmeric. I just started growing it this past season. I was inspired by this helpful article How to Grow Turmeric. 

Make & Sell Homemade Goods (Soaps, Lotions, Candles) - There are so many different goods you can make when you live on a homestead. Soaps, lotions, candles, essential oils, seasonal wreaths, spa treatments and so much more. If you have livestock and an herb garden, you can easily make soap. Here is a great guide, Natural Soap Making for Beginners. Looking for some lotion ideas? Check out my favorite one, How to Make Skin Soothing Rose Lotion Bars. Beeswax candles naturally smell amazing and can purify the air. Check out How to Make Beeswax Candles to learn more. 

Make & Sell Homemade Treats (Jams, Jellies, Breads) - There is always a market for delicious treats. When you're already preserving food for your family, you can easily sell off any excess you have. If you take the time to do it right, your garden goodies will be in high demand in no time. Get started with this guide, Step-by-Step Guide to Canning Jam and Jellies. There are all sorts of seasonal breads you can make and sell. Ready to give it a try? Check out How to Master the Art of Bread Baking. One of my favorites this season is Classic Pumpkin Bread. 

I hope I've provided you with some ideas to get you started that will help you make and save money on the homestead. As you keep expanding your homestead, you will keep finding new and creative ways to generate income. Sticking to a plan, setting attainable goals and sticking to a budget will lead you in the right direction!