6 Ways to Become More Self-Sufficient

Make It Homemade- 6 Ways to Become More Self Sufficient

We are slaves to our bills. We are slaves to our jobs. My goal in the next 10 years is to be free of my debt slavery and live on our homestead in our home that we built ourselves while staying debt free. I dream of a cordwood home, a woodstove, and large gardens with enough planted to feed our family for the year. I dream of being free of an electric bill. No water or sewer bill. No cable bill. No mortgage. Free.
As part of this dream, I have had to learn how to do allot of things for myself. I guess I could just run out and buy what I need, but its not always that easy. Budget issues often get in the way of this. Especially since the price of food and basic necessity items has gone way up in the last several years. Somehow I don’t think that’s going to get an better. But, wouldn’t it be a little less stressful if you only had one or two cleaners under the sink? When they got low, you could just run down to the basement and grab one of your bottle of vinegar and alcohol and refill them! Low on laundry soap? Make some! Run out of wood polish? Use some of the ingredients in the kitchen to make them shiny and pretty again! Maybe its not always quite that easy, but it can be. Here’s how:
1) Make your own cleaners- Get a couple bottles of white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and some spray bottles. Some recipes to follow. Ditch the harsh chemicals and have a naturally clean home.
2) Make your own laundry soap- Good riddance to the chemicals in your clothing. Get a box of Borax, one box of washing soda, a large box of baking soda, and 2 bars of either Zote brand soap or Fels Naptha Soap. If you learn how to make your own bar soap, then you can grate that into your laundry soap. If that’s a bit zealous for you, don’t worry. The fact that you’re reading this blog means you are wanting to be more self sufficient. That’s something! The recipe for the laundry soap to follow. Oh and get rid of those nasty dryer sheets with all those chemicals. Maybe that will be another posting.

3) Make your own crafts- birthday cards, valentine cards for the kids at school, tags for gifts at Christmas… there are lots of times when its just easier to run out to the store. Try to think ahead. Can you crochet or knit? Make a small gift ahead of time and print out a card that you make from online clip art. Most people will love that more than store bought gifts.
4) Learn a craft- As I said above, you can knit or crochet tons of unique gifts or household items. Dishcloths can be made in an hour with roughly $1.50 in yarn. Make reusable dishcloths and skip buying sponges at the store. Just wash and reuse! Make blankets, coasters, sweaters, socks, hats, mittens, scarves, and even toys. With the investment of time, you can have some pretty nice household items and clothing for very little money. I sometimes will find listings on Craigslist with free yarn and crafting supplies when older people can no longer craft anymore. This is a bath pouf and washcloth I made and love getting in the bath now! I have reusable unpaper towels instead of buying paper towels. I have rags for cleaning.

5) Cut coupons- cut your grocery bill down by gardening and hunting. Cut coupons for anything you can’t grow or hunt. There are tons of websites with free coupons. Going on a favorite manufacturer’s website and they might have their own coupons as well. However, most of the grocery items you buy in the store can be substituted for staples and you can make the rest yourself. Coffee creamer? You can make flavored creamers and it won’t have all the fake chemical ingredients either. Pancakes? Some flour, egg and baking powder and you won’t ever have to buy Bisquick again!
6) Make your own beauty products- deodorant, shampoo, lotions… all can made at home cheaply. I will go into all this in depth in another posting. Apple cider vinegar works as a great hair rinse and removes all the build up from styling products, as well as what shampoo and conditioner leave behind. For what you are not willing to make, there is someone like me willing to do it for you for a fair price with organic or all natural ingredients. Check me out on Etsy! My shop is called Mommy’s Organics.
These are only a tip on the iceberg. However, each step is a small step toward freedom. Get rid of that cable bill. Get rid of the extra phone services you don’t need. Buy used cars, used clothing, and secondhand housewares. Save money for what really matters and simplify. Use plastic grocery bags for trash bags and use reusable shopping bags (when you can remember to!). Sell off some of the electronics in your house that are sucking your electricity and weighing down. Do we really need 4 TV’s in the house watching the same show?
I will share all the ideas I have learned or heard of as I go because I look forward to the day I am free of all the bills (except taxes!)
Blessings,
Pam and the farm

RECIPES
Laundry soap recipe: 2 cups Borax, 2 cups Washing Soda, 1 cup baking soda, 1 bar of grated soap and mix thoroughly. Add essential oils for fragrance if you desire but your clothes will smell fresh and clean without it.
Stains: peroxide for blood or bodily fluid. Vinegar for food or grass stains.
Cleaners: Super Window and Multisurface cleaner: 1/3 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 3 1/2 cups water and put in a clean 32 oz spray bottle.
Use the above recipe without the alcohol for shower doors. Spray a few sprays after each shower.
Baking soda replaces soft scrub in the sink and bathtub. Just use a small amount with a little water. Vinegar and baking soda mixed together in the drain helps keep them open.