Starting Out!

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Starting Out!

What would your best advise be to someone who is just starting out. Like some "what to do" and "not do" tips.

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Starting Out!

Homesteading Do's and Don'ts
by: Sue Merriam

Here are some Do's

Do grow a garden. If you've never grown a garden before, start small and increase the size of your garden as your gardening skills increase. Make some using the lasagna gardening method and start with the easy vegetables, such as tomatoes, green beans and squash. You'll eat better, get some great outdoor exercise and save money.

Do compost. You'll provide your soil with better nutrients and raise vegetables that have better nutrients as well.

Do Buy in Bulk. Whenever you see an item on sale, stock up and store your food in every available extra space. You don't need a pantry. I've stored extra food, toilet paper and other supplies under my bed, in my son's nursery and in my daughter's closet. Any extra space will do. You'll not only save money, but have extra supplies on hand should an emergency arise.

Do Practice Simplicity. Get rid of the extra things that are taking up space and maintenance time, but that you don't truly need. Clutter is a stress-producer, clear it out now and stop buying things you don't really need.

Which leads us to the Don'ts.

Don't dive into things too quickly. For example, don't buy 50 baby chicks unless you are really ready. The extra work may be more than you can handle. The same goes for buying a goat or any other livestock animal. Take time to learn the proper way to care for such critters. Talk to other owners, ask lots of questions and do your homework first.

Don't Buy Fast Food. When you cook, make enough for two or three meals and freeze the leftovers. Then when you're too tired to cook, you can walk to the freezer rather than spend time, money, fuel and frustration at that fast food place.

Don't go into Debt. Stay away from loans if at all possible, and work to start paying off your debt. Bring a sandwich for lunch every day and use the savings to pay off your credit card debts.

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