During the past several years, we have seen inflation on food go up an average of 25% per year. Eating out has increased even more than that!
Investing in Infrastructure
We have a small piece of land, a house trailer, two vehicles, (one of them is a van), and outbuildings. Our taxes are relatively low compared to the rest of the country. We are building our soil using natural materials so we don’t have to rely on purchased fertilizers.
We have been producing more food ourselves. Since before the beginning of the pandemic, my husband and I have been changing our lifestyle to one where we haven’t felt the effects of the cost of inflation that many others have felt. We raise our vegetable garden, and we raise a few chickens. Although we have seen an increase in the cost of chicken feed, a lot of what we give them comes from food that we otherwise would have thrown out and some food that we raise ourselves. In addition, the price of chicken feed has declined, so we are grateful there. This year we invested money in a woven fence to keep more animals out of the garden. (see They’re Eating My Garden post) We’ve been thinking seriously about getting milk goats, but right now their cost is more than we have right now. Plus, we need to get more fencing to keep them where we want them.
We’re not the only ones. We have friends who raise and sell meat-beef, chicken, and turkeys and have found that the cost of raising those animals has not increased that much. They don’t hire anyone to do the work for them and they raise their cattle on the grass that their farm produces. They also have gardens and sell both meat and vegetables at the local farmer’s market.
We too have been selling at the local farmer’s market. We’ve sold a little produce, but mostly we have been selling baked goods and my books which has helped us meet some of our expenses during the market months.
Eating More at Home
We still eat out a little, but not like we used to do. Instead, we have been producing more healthy meals at home using what we grow in the garden. In addition, we have been cooking more from scratch. We’re using our crockpot and air fryer more as well because they use less energy than the oven does. It’s amazing how much less it costs to eat foods prepared from scratch rather than to eat purchased foods.
This allows us to have more money to invest in our future in other ways.
Purchasing in Bulk
Purchasing in bulk is another way that we invest in our future. We don’t have enough chickens to purchase chicken feed in bulk, but we have been purchasing other foods in bulk and storing them in plastic buckets. (Many of these foods I mention in the blog post Crafting a Stable Bucket Pantry.)
Buying in bulk coupled with cooking from scratch allows us to eat better over time. I don’t just buy those items mentioned in the article either. Sometimes, when I get a good deal at the grocery store, I purchase certain other items in bulk as well. Back in 2019, I purchased meat on sale and canned and stored the jars in my pantry. I also canned broth that I make using the animal’s bones.
For the last several years, we have purchased meat and put it in our freezer as well. When our freezer gave up the ghost, I also canned all the meat we had there. When my son brought in a deer for me to cut up, I canned that as well.
Purchasing canned goods is also a way that we invest in our future. Again, we purchase canned goods on sale, store them in our pantry, and use the oldest cans first. We do the same with different varieties of pasta as well.
There are also nonfood items that we are investing in like personal care items and housecleaning as well as water filters.
Investing in Fuel Sources
Most people think of solar, wind, or petroleum sources when they think of fuel sources, but where I live one of the most renewable sources of energy has been wood. Last fall we purchased an energy-efficient indoor woodstove that has been a game changer for us as far as winter heat has been concerned. This past winter we purchased enough wood at the beginning so that we had enough wood to last us the entire season.
We also have plans to improve our insulation this year and use mini-splits for zone air conditioning this summer.
Where We’re Not Investing
We’re not taking advantage of the traditional investment opportunities that most people will tell you to invest in. We don’t have gold or silver and we don’t have stocks. We have the homestead and my writing business as our investments of time and money.
There are other things that you’ll notice that we’re not investing in. For instance, we’re not investing in MREs or food buckets filled with freeze-dried foods. In our situation, we don’t see a need for them. We own our property and vehicles outright. By growing our food, purchasing in bulk, and utilizing our local energy sources, we’re investing in our future.
You too can do what we’re doing. We’re living frugally so that we can invest in our future and the futures of our adult children. We enjoy our lives. After all, we don’t worry about our futures because we are already preparing for it. I hope we are an inspiration to you to do what you can to invest in your own future!
Speaking of my Writing Business. . .
If you’re interested in putting in a vegetable garden this year, I have written several books that can help you get started. All are available on Amazon.
Simply Vegetable Gardening
The Survival Garden
The Four Seasons Vegetable Garden
Help From Kelp
Using Diatomaceous Earth Around the House and Yard
The Perpetual Homesteader 