Self-sufficiency: A dream or a savings reality?
I want a sea change. I’ve been living in an apartment, under a flightpath and over a main road for a couple of years and all I want is a patch of grass and veggie garden. I’ll grow my own food, make my own detergents, soap, beer and clothes and I’ll be happy as a clam.
I’m sure most people feel an emotion akin to the one expressed above at some point. The desire to get away from it all, the everyday and the daily grind. But is it a feasible option? In this day and age, can living self sufficiently be a viable alternative?
For most of us, withdrawing 100% from society is not quite an option. But a bit more self-sufficiency and less reliance on rising prices wouldn’t go astray.
Gridlock
There are increasing numbers of people living ‘off the grid’, meaning they live without reliance on one or more public utilities. Often that utility will be power or a rain tank. Far from being a radical fringe activity, more and more people are turning to power they can generate themselves. According to USA Today, in America, the number of people living off the grid jumped 33% a year for the last decade.
A lot of the time the motivation to become entirely self-sufficient is political, and that’s reflected in a lot of the information (occasionally, diatribe) you’ll find on the Internet. Marye Audet manages to avoid that and gives a concise discussion on what you need to think about before you off-grid entirely, http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Live-Off-Grid-Successfully
If you’re interested in implementing some self-sufficiencies into your lifestyle, here are some tips. While becoming totally self-sufficient is an intense undertaking, introducing aspects will save you money. If your time is money, perhaps a veggie garden isn’t for you but there are other things you can implement to become more self-reliant.
Don’t be a chicken
My aunty lives in Bronte, heart of the ritzy Eastern suburbs, and keeps chickens. The lady across the way keeps ducks. They’re relatively easy to keep, and produce more eggs than you can eat. A nice guide to backyard chooks is here, http://9am.ten.com.au/article-pets-keeping-backyard-chickens.htm. The price of a chook is apparently the same as the price of 12 free range eggs, which will end up saving you a lot of money.
Make your own…
Worried about the products going into your soaps and shampoos? Problem solved, make your own! http://www.makeyourown.net/ has lots of recipes to make your own products, from furniture polish through to air fresheners. I liked the look of the rose vinegar recipe. Buying simple ingredients and making it yourself will save.
Bake your own…
Apparently there’s no better smell in all the world than bread baking. Personally, I would have no idea if that were true but people seem to swear by it. If the mood takes you, and you’ve decided to say no to additives or preservatives (but don’t want to have to spend a month’s wages on organic foods) then there are some great recipes here, http://www.oldaussierecipes.com/. I love the look of the jams and preserves.
And if you happen to have the time….
Why not grow a veggie garden? There is a wonderful guide here http://www.backyardgardener.com/veg/VEGETABLE/growingvegetableforbeginners.htm, with all the starter tips you need to know.
For most of us, getting away from it all isn’t an option most weeks of the year. Introducing some aspects of self-sufficient living into your life might be just the bit of peace you need, and the best part of it is that it’ll save you money.
Do you have self-sufficient elements in your life?
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