It’s no secret that prices have climbed higher than ever in the past few years. It is crucial to find new ways to save money on the homestead. From saving money on feed to cutting energy costs, we’re going to go over it all here!
Starting a homestead is a dream for many, but the costs associated with setting up a self-sufficient lifestyle can be daunting. Whether you’re at your house in town or at your existing homestead, finding ways to stretch your budget is key to long-term success. In this guide, we’ll look at ten essential tips that will help you build and maintain a thriving homestead without breaking the bank!
1. Grow your own food
If you’re looking to save money on groceries, consider growing your own fruits and vegetables. For instance, I recently saw a pint of blueberries at the store for $4.00. That seems outrageous when you can grow your own in your backyard and enjoy an endless supply! While a blueberry plant might cost about the same as three pints of blueberries, once it’s planted and given time to grow, it will provide you with bowls of blueberries year after year.
Another great way to save money is by focusing on high-yield, easy-to-grow vegetables like tomatoes, beans, and squash. You can start these from seeds indoors in the spring and transplant them outside after the last frost. Starting vegetables from seeds is much cheaper than buying seedlings. If you don’t have the space to start seeds indoors, check out your local Amish community. They often have greenhouses where you can buy plants at a great price. I’ve found that shopping at my local Amish greenhouse allows me to get a lot of plants for a fraction of the cost!
2. DIY as much as you can
The picture above shows our chicken coop, which we built using materials we already had around the homestead. Repurposing materials you have on hand can save you a lot of money. Additionally, salvaging materials from old buildings, like wood, windows, and tin, can be incredibly useful for building things like sheds, coops, and raised beds.
You can also save money by making your own products at home, such as soap bars, lotions, household cleaners, and laundry soap. These items are simple to make, and there are countless recipes available on Pinterest to try out.
Another great idea is to make your own candles and air fresheners. I remember reading in Little House in the Big Woods how Laura described her mother sticking cloves all over an orange, which filled the entire room with a wonderful smell!
3. Preserve all you can
Preserving food is a cornerstone of homesteading, allowing you to make the most of your harvest and reduce waste while saving money. Techniques like water bath canning, pressure canning, fermenting, and dehydrating are all important skills that can help you save your produce for months or even years! Often, the garden produces far more than you can eat fresh, so instead of letting it all go to waste, why not start filling up your pantry?
Water bath canning is great for preserving high-acid foods like fruits, jams, and pickles, while pressure canning is essential for low-acid foods such as vegetables, meats, and soups. Fermenting not only preserves food but also enhances its nutritional value and flavor, making it a great choice for items like sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles. Dehydrating fruits and vegetables is another great way to extend the shelf life of your produce. Try dehydrating herbs to make new delicious seasonings!
Freezing is another method of preservation you can try. However, it is important to look up proper techniques. Have you ever tried freezing some vegetables before, and wondered why they don’t turn out like the frozen vegetables at the store? Well, this is because most of us don’t know when we first start out that we have to follow certain instructions for freezing vegetables. For instance, many vegetables need to be blanched—briefly boiled—before freezing to preserve their color, texture, and flavor.
4. Use natural resources
Natural resources play a vital role in making a homestead more sustainable and self-sufficient. For starters, sunlight is a powerful and free resource that can be harnessed through solar panels to generate electricity, reducing reliance on the grid. You can also use it to slow-cook your meals in a solar oven.
Rainwater is another important natural resource; by installing rain barrels or a rainwater harvesting system, you can collect and store water for watering your plants, filling up the stock tanks, or even for household use. Just be sure to run it through a filter before using it to remove any impurities.
On the land itself, soil is a key resource—by composting kitchen scraps and yard waste, you can fertilize your soil naturally, promoting growth and nutrient dense crops. Trees on your property provide firewood for heating, lumber for building projects, and even food sources like nuts or sap for syrup.
Natural pest control is something else you could try by encouraging beneficial insects or planting pest-repelling herbs. Doing this reduces the need for nasty chemicals.
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5. Buy in bulk
I love buying in bulk, especially from our local Amish country store. It’s a great place to stock up on essentials like wheat berries, seasonings, and other bulk items they might have. They also have weekly auctions down the road where they auction off boxes of fruits and vegetables at great prices. We’ve taken advantage of this when we want to make a large batch of salsa or can a lot of potatoes. The auction is especially helpful when our garden isn’t producing as much as we’d like.
6. Cook from scratch
To me, this one is huge. I grew up going out to eat several times a week. Buffets and fast food were a normal part of the weekly menu. My Dad was just too tired to cook after work, and decided it would be easier to take us out to eat instead of cooking at home…no matter the cost. Nowadays you can’t go out to eat with your family without spending $50. Yes, ingredients cost money, but I can get a lot more at the store shopping the sales with $50 and make multiple meals rather than spend it on just one meal. Also, instead of buying prepackaged cookies or cinnamon rolls you can make them yourself! For instance, I made these caramel cinnamon rolls pictured above for under $10. Try buying over a dozen caramel cinnamon rolls for that at the store for that price.
7. Start selling your own products
If you are raising chickens chances are you have more eggs then you know what to do with. Why not open up a little farm stand? You can sell extra eggs, vegetables, fruits, soaps, and even homemade mixes and baked goods! Of course check your local cottage food laws and start moving forward with your own little farm stand. Begin promoting it on Facebook and Craigslist, put up ads at your local gas station and grocery store, and tell your friends to share it with others! Before long you’ll be the go to person for farm fresh goods in your town!
8. Natural feed
Saving money on animal feed is all about getting creative and using what you already have on the homestead. Start by supplementing store-bought feed with kitchen scraps, garden leftovers, and even forage from your property. Chickens love veggie scraps, and pigs can help clean up fallen fruits or overripe produce. Growing your own feed crops, like corn or alfalfa, can also cut down costs significantly. You can even barter with neighbors for extra grains or hay. By being resourceful and thinking outside the box, you can keep your animals well-fed without breaking the bank!
9. Be frugal
Being frugal on the homestead is all about embracing simplicity and making the most of what you have. It’s not just about saving money—it’s a mindset of resourcefulness and intentionality. Whether it’s repurposing materials for a new project, growing your own food, or making do with less, living frugally allows you to focus on what truly matters. By being mindful of your spending and finding creative ways to meet your needs, you can build a homestead that’s not only sustainable but also deeply fulfilling. After all, the real joy of homesteading comes from the sense of independence and contentment that comes from living simply and wisely.
10. Practice Minimalism
Planning to practice minimalism on the homestead starts with a shift in mindset, focusing on what truly adds value to your life and letting go of the rest. Begin by decluttering your spaces—both indoors and out—so you can better appreciate and utilize what you already have. When making new purchases, be intentional, choosing quality over quantity and opting for multi-purpose tools that can serve you in various ways. Simplify your daily routines by streamlining tasks and eliminating unnecessary steps. Embrace the beauty of a simpler, more purposeful lifestyle, where every item and action is chosen with care, freeing you to enjoy the quiet, intentional rhythm of homestead life.
Very helpful thank you!
I love all of these. And beautiful pictures too!
I agree with all of these! We are figuring out how to sell what we grow and make right now!
So much good info packed into this post. I wish there was an Amish community near me but none in California. Love your blog
Do you sell any of your own items like you suggested?
Yes I do, but only locally for now.
Some helpful tips here. Thankyou. Some lovely photos too! I wish there was a local Amish store near me – I think I would enjoy one of those!