Homesteading is something that everyone should start doing. Not just because it'll save you money, but it's full of fun family oriented activities. Seriously, 3 year old's can help a lot.
What is homesteading? I guess I would personally define homesteading as preparing and being self sufficient. It's widely accessable to everyone, even if you don't have a large amount of land (or any land), which means even apartment dwellers can get on the homesteading train (WOOOOOO WOOOO!).
There's something so satisfying in eating something that you've grown (or raised), knowing that it's organic and GMO free, and all that crappy stuff that we've come to hate. After all, these aren't just tomatoes, they're your babies. You grew these from seeds and watered them, sheltered them from the bugs and such...and they don't just taste like tomatoes, they taste like hardwork and determination.
Now that it's fall, and you can't grow a whole lot outside (thanks Canadian winters....I couldn't have been born in Florida?), I put together a list of homesteading activities you can do inside during the cold winter (school breaks) with the entire family!
If you have any questions or concerns about the content on this, contact me by e-mailing me here.
Like me on Facebook: Saint John Couponers
Follow me on Pinterest: Thriftygal NB
What is homesteading? I guess I would personally define homesteading as preparing and being self sufficient. It's widely accessable to everyone, even if you don't have a large amount of land (or any land), which means even apartment dwellers can get on the homesteading train (WOOOOOO WOOOO!).
There's something so satisfying in eating something that you've grown (or raised), knowing that it's organic and GMO free, and all that crappy stuff that we've come to hate. After all, these aren't just tomatoes, they're your babies. You grew these from seeds and watered them, sheltered them from the bugs and such...and they don't just taste like tomatoes, they taste like hardwork and determination.
Now that it's fall, and you can't grow a whole lot outside (thanks Canadian winters....I couldn't have been born in Florida?), I put together a list of homesteading activities you can do inside during the cold winter (school breaks) with the entire family!
- Plan your garden for next spring.
It seems silly to plan something that's a season away, but you'll be thankful when the time comes and you have a clear decisive plan and you can just jump right in. If you buy soil and fertilizer, now is the time to start putting a little bit of money away from each payday to pay for your supply of soil. - Prepare.
Preparation is key to literally everything. Now is the time of year to start stockpiling things like rice and dry beans (you can get both at places like the Bulk Barn), toilet paper (you can never have enough toilet paper), and non parishable food items (water is something you can never have enough of!!). Not only is this great for an emergency situation where your power goes out, which we all know is pretty common in the Maritime region, but it's also really great if you run into financial problems.
You can also prepare things for your garden next spring by doing things like starting a compost pile, or drying out your eggshells and crushing them up for an amazing vitamin powder. Your veggies will be more flavourful, and brighter than ever! As gross as it sounds, a worm compost system will work best for apartment dweller's with balconies. - Refine a skill.
Do you knit or crochet? Now is the time to refine that skill, or start to learn how! People underestimate the power of being able to knit or crochet. Instead of buying that baby shower gift (estimated at about 20$), you can make a baby blanket, a tiny sweater, or teeny weeny baby booties (cost of yarn could be as little as 2$ if you find some at the dollar stores!). You can also make and sell things, giving you a little extra cash for things like Christmas gifts, prepping, starting your emergency fund, savings, etc.
My favorite book for beginners: The Complete Idiots Guide to Knitting and Crocheting
My favorite website for FREE knitting and crocheting patterns: Ravelry.com - Make something delicious!
These are the days where you're inside more than you're outside....turn your family into guinea pigs and test out some new recipes! I have a bunch of cookbooks that were handed down from generation to generation (to generation to generation....), that are seriously from like, the thirties, that are literally full of depression eta recipes that are both frugal and tastey. Refine them and make them your own! - Grow some food indoors!
There's a lot of veggies and fruits you can still grow inside even when the temperature reaches -30C. You can always buy seeds online (heirlooms!!!), and start your own little garden. I've pinned some great space saving gardens (vertical ones too!), that you can do inside your house or apartment all year round. - Declutter and Simplify.
That box of socks you can never find mates to? The 70+ bottles of nail polish you barely use? The 17 bags of cans and bottles that you've just neglected to bring in to the redemption depot? The books that you've read (or haven't), that are laying around?
Now's the time to get rid of the crap in your life that you don't need. Sell your junk online and make a few bucks, or better yet, get a few friends involved to share the cost of a hall and have a big indoor yard sale! Just because there's snow on the ground, doesn't mean you can't enjoy summer activities! - Work on making your home's interior efficient and thrifty.
Sometimes the simplest update can make a world of difference. A new coat of paint, a homemade couch cover, finally getting around to putting up all of those pictures that you put in frames and then got busy doing something else......
You can make your home less....costly, by putting a water saving head on your shower, or making some new curtains that retain heat so you can turn your thermostat or baseboards down a little. Replace the old energy sucking appliances in your home to more energy efficient ones. There's so many things you can do, Pinterest is a great place to find energy saving projects. - Try using a new product that you've never used before.
Soap nuts. I've always wanted to try doing my laundry with soap nuts. They more cost efficient than a box of regular old Tide, and you get more use out of them than 1 box.
This is a great time of year to try that product that you've been itching to try for a while now. - Find a way to make your spare time profitable.
Once again, I find myself talking about Swagbucks. It makes all of the spare time I'd usually use watching TV, profitable. I can make money and not miss General Hospital, New Girl, or Forever. Sign up here and use referral code thriftygalnb for an additional 70sbs just for joining. - Start a hobby, and get family in on it.
If you're awesome at couponing, or just starting out, get some family and friends involved with couponing. Start a knitting support group, or a Mommy group. If you're passionate about something, share it with the world. It doesn't have to cost a lot. and it'll keep you from getting cabin fever!
If you have any questions or concerns about the content on this, contact me by e-mailing me here.
Like me on Facebook: Saint John Couponers
Follow me on Pinterest: Thriftygal NB
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