Guest post by Anita Ginsburg

For many of us, city life has become a drag. We long for our own land where we can be our own masters self-sufficient, supplying ourselves and our families with everything we need.

In many ways, homesteading is the American Dream. If you have considered adopting a self-sufficient lifestyle recently, read on to get an idea of where to start.

You Don’t Need to Spend a Fortune

What keeps many off the ranch and in the city is the mistaken notion that homesteading is too expensive for people of average means. They might imagine millions of dollars in startup costs and maintenance.

The reality is that homesteading can be cheap if you plan correctly. One woman and her family started a homestead with only $187 in the family bank account. What you ought to consider, instead of how expensive homestead can be, is how much money you’ll save with your new lifestyle.

For example, think about how much money you spend on groceries each month. A typical family of four might expect to spend upwards of a thousand dollars on food alone each month! When you start your own garden and/or raise your own livestock, you’ll immediately notice that certain financial burdens have lifted.

If you are building a new home, you can incorporate energy-efficient building materials to keep the cost of heating and cooling low. You might even opt to include solar panels. The up-front cost would be offset by the savings in years to come. 

Homesteading Is a Process

No one makes the transition from conventional living to homesteading overnight. If you believe that you can, you might be in for a rude awakening.

Setting yourself and your family up for success requires planning and adjustment over time. Making homesteading work for you monetarily often means reworking your entire financial framework to adjust to your changing needs. Structures such as livestock pens and gardening boxes take time to construct.etc

When you dive into the world of homesteading, expect to make a serious time and effort commitment to making it work. Your hard work and patience will pay off in the end!

Plan Your Layout

Running out of room for equipment and structures, often an issue for new homesteaders, is caused by one serious mistake: a failure to plan according to the limitations of their property.

Not everyone has a huge property – you can make homesteading work even on a modest piece of land with the right forethought. Many pieces of land and ranches for sale are available at reasonable prices.

Make It a Team Effort

Everyone appreciates things they had to work for more than something given. Consider this with your children or other family members – involving them in the project creates a strong bond to the project for years of future success.

When you incorporate these homesteading tips into your lifestyle revolution, you will be sure to see the results that you want in due time.

Anita Ginsburg is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University and now enjoys writing about health, business, and family. A mother of two wonderful children, she loves traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can find her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.