Self-reliance and healthy living lifestyle blog

By Homesteading Mom / January 21, 2013

The tagline of my blog is “Prosperity In Any Economy.” However, I haven’t focused much on the “prosperity” side of homesteading, as I have on growing food, sourcing food locally, and cooking from scratch.

I have taken it for granted that the connection between these things, as well as other homesteading-related activities, and creating prosperity is rather obvious. That may not have been a wise assumption to make. After some real life, in-person conversations with people struggling with finances, I may have simply had the luxury of preaching to the choir.

So, I’m putting it out there to my readers, whether here on my blog or on my Facebook page, what kinds of financial concerns are you having?

Do you feel like the economy is improving, or getting worse? Do you feel supported in our economy, or hindered by it? Are you concerned about job security? Have you done a household budget? (Are you nervous about doing one?) Do you have a favorite money-saving DIY project or tip? Is there anything else weighing on your mind about the economy, debt, or income?

Do you see a basket of veggies, or do you see abundance? Health? Affordable heirloom seeds? Biodiversity? Food Security?

Something I believe that is important in moving forward in 2013 with this blog is to rectify my assumption that the connection between homesteading and prosperity is obvious. My wish for each of you is a healthy, happy, and prosperous life. I look forward to reading your comments!

Cherie says:

January 21, 2013 at 2:42 PM

Hey, as tough as things have gotten, I feel more secure now than I have in the past. Not secure economically, our government has seen to that. Secure emotionally in that I feel capable of dealing with whatever comes. Since I am disabled, going and looking for a job after 37 years of working is no longer an option. Do I feel capable of doing it if I have to? Yes, I do. Do I feel that it is what is best for me physically? No, not at this time. For too many years, I had to do what was best for the employer, even when I no energy left to take care of myself. Normally, I would be freaking out over the economy, the idiot government, the things going on in our society today. For some reason, I don't. I feel prosperous, even if others around me do not see it. I feel secure. I hope this makes sense.

debbie taylor says:

January 22, 2013 at 8:19 AM

I do feel prosperous because of putting more into my blessings than what I have tangibly. I have children that I am blessed with and a grandaughter that makes me laugh always. Pushing my late 50's I am at a place where I just love life and all it has to offer. I relize everyone has their own path to walk. If I can help along that path it warms my soul to do so. It only makes me a better person. I have learned so much along my journy that it has made me who I am today. I see how the world has changed and wonder how people younger than I can live and have a home or children with the costs of things and the taxes put on us. My daughter went to college at her expence and 13 years later still paying for it. Something is just not right about that. Now that she has a child and it is 225.00 a week for childcare it such a hardship on the finances she is not haveing anymore children. That makes me sad. On the other hand the day care person is wonderful and spends great quality time with the kids and this is how she makes her money. I try to look at both sides. I am sad about how society has changed in the way that there is less knowing your neighbor and the rich are richer and the poor poorer. There seems to be such an imbalance in the world it makes me sad. If only one person helped one person and everyone helped just one person there would be no homeless or hunger. I just finished reading in the "Countryside" magizine May issue 2012 about a family living in upper New York. The family is about my age and started their family with 4 children in a 14 x 16 shed with no water or electricity, a woodstove to cook and a woodstove to heat, hand pumped water, and kerosene lamps for light. They had no refrigeration or laundry situation. Now a family of five, they feel rich and blessed. So we choose different life styles on what makes us happy and thus feel blesed and rich. Who is to say what makes another rich or not? I can be long winded when given a chance sorry.

Cat, The Homesteading Mom says:

January 22, 2013 at 11:55 AM
Hi Debbie, Thank you for your heartfelt response. You know, when we are at our cabin, which currently does not have running water or electricity, and is actually just slightly smaller at 14x14, we don't even notice it. It's just such a total non-issue. It's like an extremely comfortable camping trip. Granted, we do plan on putting in a well, and we do bring a generator with us to run power tools and will have a small solar set up, but we could care less about it otherwise. I think that in today's world, we have put so much focus on modern conveniences, that we have created a need for them in our minds. But each of these conveniences comes with an expense, usually a monetary cost, as opposed to a time/effort cost. This then creates a need for larger incomes. Next enters credit cards and mortgages and auto loans, and so forth. Then we need even bigger incomes to afford the interest. We have gotten to a place where "quality of life" equals "how much stuff do we have". And ultimately, it's not so convenient. Compare that to the person who grows their food, has their own well, has no mortgage, and is capable of building, sewing, cooking, etc., much of what they need. Their need for cash in our system is much lower. They can do more with less. I think a good way to look at this is, take two hypothetical people. One earns $45K/year with $20K/year in living expenses. The other earns $150K/year with $145/year in expenses. That's $25K in disposable income compared with $5/year in disposable income. Who is in better finanical shape? Who is more financially independent? Who would be less effected if they were laid off? Who (based on finances alone) has less stress? Who is prospering more effectively? In this light, perhaps we should consider the inconvenience of convenience?

January 22, 2013 at 8:21 AM

P.S. I love this site for all it has taught me and opened my bmind to new ideas. I have been enriched reading all the Cat has to share. Thank you so very much

Cat, The Homesteading Mom says:

January 22, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Oh, thank you Debbie, that means so much!!!