It’s no secret that the cost of living is going up. It seems like every day, the prices for food, gas, and other essentials are rising. This can make it difficult for people to save money, let alone start a new homesteading project. But don’t worry! There are ways to start homesteading with no money.
You can start homesteading with no money by replacing some of your regular expenses with homesteading projects.
For example, you can start a garden to provide fresh produce for your family or raise chickens for eggs. You can also make your own cleaning supplies and beauty products, which will save you money in the long run.
Over time, you will ultimately save money by homesteading, as well as contribute to both the environment and your own wellness. A true win-win!
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the best ways to do this. So read on and get started!
How to Start Homesteading With No Money: 10 Ways
Many people think of homesteading as an expensive endeavor. This is because they picture large land purchases and expensive investments in equipment and materials. While there is some truth to this, it doesn’t have to be that way!
There are many ways people can start homesteading with no money at all, in the home they currently live in. In fact, the best thing about starting a homestead is that you don’t need much more than your own two hands and a little bit of creativity to get started.
Here are some of the best ways you can start homesteading with no money:
1. Grow Your Own Food
If you want to know how to start homesteading with no money, then the first thing you should do is grow your own food! Growing your own food is one of the most important aspects of homesteading, as it allows you to have complete control over the quality and freshness of your food.
There are many ways you can start growing food for free. Growing microgreens is a great way to get started, as they are easy to grow and provide a lot of nutrients. All you need to purchase (or ask a gardening friend for) is a pack of seeds and some soil.
You can also plant an herb garden if you have space in your kitchen or yard. Herbs are easy to grow, as they require little care and attention once established. They will also provide you with fresh herbs whenever you need them, replacing the cost of your dried herbs.
Getting plant clippings from friends or plant swaps is a great way to get started with gardening, as it doesn’t require any initial investment. Just be sure to ask around and see if anyone you know is getting rid of plants they don’t want!
You can use found materials to build a plant bed, to use as a planter, or to make compost out of. With time and diligence, you could start a food garden without a dime.
2. Make a Meal Plan
Planning your meals ahead of time is a great way to save money and eat healthier. When you have a plan, you know exactly what ingredients you need for each meal and can avoid buying unnecessary items.
When it comes to homesteading, making your own meals is key. Not only will this save you money, but it will also allow you to control the ingredients in your food. This is important, as it can be difficult to find healthy and affordable food items that are also organic.
One way to make meal planning easier is to batch cook meals on the weekends. This will allow you to have a few days’ worth of meals prepped and ready to go. You can also plan leftovers into your meal plan, to save you time and energy during the weekdays.
If you are looking for healthy recipes that use fresh ingredients, there are many great blogs dedicated to this. Just search online and find one that fits your needs and dietary preferences. You can also find a lot of good recipes on Pinterest or other social media sites like Instagram.
If you are cooking for more than one person, you can also consider batch cooking recipes that make large quantities. This will save you time and money, as well as allow you to have leftovers throughout the week.
Intentional meal planning is already a homesteading practice on its own, but it will also save you lots of money in the long run. This will free up cash for your other homesteading practices.
3. Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies
Making your own cleaning supplies is one of the best ways to save money and eliminate toxic chemicals from your home. You can find great DIY tutorials online for making all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, floor cleaners, dish soap, and more!
You may have some ingredients for DIY cleaners at home already, making this a completely free homesteading project. For example, you can use vinegar to clean floors or make an all-purpose cleaner. You can also use baking soda for scrubbing and deodorizing.
If you do need to purchase ingredients for these cleaners, they will be cheaper than purchasing store-bought cleaning supplies in the long run. This is a great way to save money while switching to green and non-toxic cleaning products.
4. Make Your Own Beauty Products
Cosmetics, facial cleansers, serums, and lotions are an expensive part of most people’s beauty routines. However, you can easily make your own versions of all these products using natural ingredients that you likely have at home.
There are a ton of recipes for homemade beauty products online, and they vary in difficulty. You can start with simple recipes like lip balm or body scrub, and then work your way up to more complex products like face masks or serums.
One of the best things about making your own beauty products is that you can customize them to fit your specific needs. If you have oily skin, for example, you can make a facial cleanser that is specifically tailored to remove excess oil. You can also choose ingredients that are organic and free from harmful chemicals.
Making your own beauty products is a great way to save money and get rid of harmful chemicals from your home at the same time. It’s also a fun project that can be tailored to fit your specific needs.
5. Collect Rainwater
Rainwater is a great resource for watering plants, flushing toilets, and cleaning. If you live in an area that receives a lot of rainfall, you can collect this water and use it for your homesteading needs.
There are many ways to collect rainwater, from installing a simple rain barrel to setting up a more complex system with gutters and cisterns. The best way to collect rainwater will depend on your specific situation.
If you live in a dry area or want to collect more water than just from a rain barrel, then you may need to set up a larger system with gutters and cisterns. You can find instructions online for how to do this on your own if you have the space and budget for it. In some areas of the world, it is even mandatory to collect rainwater in order to conserve water resources.
If you’re on a budget, you can create a DIY rain barrel for $40. If you use your collected water instead of tap water, you can save $30 per month on your water bill. This means that this project will pay for itself in just a few months!
6. Use Solar Energy
Using solar energy is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your electricity bill. Using solar power can be as simple as installing solar panels or using solar-powered lights outdoors at night.
There are many ways you can start using solar energy, depending on your budget and needs. If you want to start small, then you can use solar-powered lights outdoors. If you want to go big, then you can install a full solar system that powers your entire home with electricity!
If you’re on a budget and just want to try out some small projects first, there are many ways that solar energy could save money. For example, installing a hot water heater that uses solar energy can save you up to 50% on your water heating bill. Solar ovens are also a great way to cook without using any electricity, and they can be made for around $50.
There are many county and state-wise incentives available to help you save money while switching over to solar energy. They can possibly prorate the cost of your solar installation, so you can pay it off over time while you receive electricity bill credits.
7. Make Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies are a great way to save money on healthcare costs. You can make your own herbal remedies using plants that you grow yourself or buy from the store.
There are many different types of herbal medicines, including teas, tinctures, oils, and more! If you’re interested in making your own herbal remedies then you should start by learning about the different types of remedies and their uses.
One great way to learn about herbal remedies is to join an online course or workshop. There are many free options available, and most courses include a variety of resources like e-books, video tutorials, and more.
You may be able to gather the supplies for your herbal remedies in your own backyard! Many of the most common herbs (such as chamomile, peppermint, and rosemary) are easy to grow in any climate or environment. Common “weeds” such as dandelion, burdock, and plantain can be harvested from non-pesticide-treated yards.
If you don’t have access to a garden or yard space, then you can purchase the supplies for your herbal remedies from an online retailer such as Mountain Rose Herbs or Starwest Botanicals.
You’ll save money by making herbal remedies instead of buying over-the-counter medicines from the drugstore or doctor. Herbal remedies are also a great way to avoid the side effects of prescription medications.
8. Preserve Your Food
Do you find yourself with a lot of food waste at the end of your grocery week? One way to reduce your food waste and save money is to preserve your food.
There are many ways to preserve your food, including canning, freezing, drying, and fermenting. If you’re just getting started with preserving your own food, then I recommend starting with one or two methods that you’re interested in.
Canning Food
Canning is a great way to preserve food for the winter. You can either can your own food or purchase canned goods from the store., which will extend their shelf life and reduce waste overall. Some good starter foods for canning include jams and jellies, pickles, salsa or other tomato-based products.
Next time you have extra produce from your garden or grocery trip, try canning it! This will preserve them and you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor long after they’ve gone out of season.
Fermenting Food
Fermenting food is a great way to preserve your harvest for later use. You can ferment vegetables like carrots and onions in saltwater, or you can ferment fruits and juices to make delicious soft drinks, wine, or vinegar.
Fermenting is a great way to reduce your food waste because you can use the “scraps” of produce that would normally be thrown away. For example, you can use the leaves and stems of carrots or other vegetables to make a delicious fermented vegetable dish.
If you’re interested in fermenting your own vegetables, check out my complete guide to vegetable ferments. This article will teach you how to turn any vegetable into a fermented condiment with the affordable single ingredient of salt.
Freezing Food
Freezing is another great way to preserve food, and you can freeze fruits, vegetables, meat, and more! Some tips for properly freezing food include blanching vegetables before freezing, using airtight containers or bags, and labeling everything with the date and contents.
You can use frozen food to make meals later on in the week or month. For example, you could roast a chicken on Sunday night and then freeze the leftovers for a quick and easy meal later in the week. This will save you time and money at the grocery store, giving you more of a budget for homesteading.
Drying Food
Another way to preserve your food is by drying it. You can dry fruits, vegetables, meat, and more using a dehydrator or an oven with low heat.
When you dry food, you’re removing the water from the product. This will help to extend its shelf life and make it more compact, which is perfect for long-term storage.
You can use dried food to make meals later on in the week or month. For example, you could reconstitute some beef jerky and add it to a salad for a quick and easy meal. This will save you time and money over time.
9. Shop at Thrift Stores and Garage Sales
Reuse is a great way to save money on homesteading. One of our favorite ways to reuse items is by shopping at thrift stores and garage sales.
If you have a local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Habitat for Humanity store near you, then it’s worth checking them out! You never know what treasures you might find there that can help propel your homesteading journey forward.
There are also groups on Facebook where people give products away for free. They are usually called something like “Buy Nothing Sell Nothing” or “(Name of City) Free Group”. People will regularly give away homesteading supplies, such as plant clippings, pots, extra lumber for building plant beds, and much more. You can also request items you need for free in these groups as well!
10. Learn DIY Home Improvement
One way to save money on homesteading is to learn DIY home improvement. This includes learning how to do things like plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, and more.
This can be a great way to save money in the long run, as you’ll no longer have to pay for someone else to do these tasks for you. It will also prepare you for future projects that might require these skills, like building your own chicken coop or barn.
Final Thoughts
If you’re low on funds, don’t let that pause your homesteading journey. These practices are meant to get you started on the right foot and save money over time.
In no time at all, you’ll be able to homestead full-time and say goodbye to some of those pesky bills that eat up income every month! Best wishes with your new adventure in low-budget sustainable living.
