By living a self-sufficient lifestyle, you will require less money in order to survive. You will grow most of your own food, make many of your cleaning products (both household and cosmetic); you may even generate your own electricity. However, there will be times when you need money: these range from day to day bills to emergencies. For these costs, you should plan ahead so you know you will be able to afford them. There is a variety of ways to earn money while living a self-sufficient lifestyle. These include selling your surplus food and generating your own electricity.
Selling Surplus Food
When you grow your own fruit and vegetables you are bound to have a surplus from time to time. Courgettes, in particular are notorious for producing an abundant crop, but you may also find you have too many raspberries, potatoes, strawberries or cabbages. In fact, any number of different types of vegetables and fruit can yield a good harvest, and if you have too much, why not sell the surplus?
There are many Farmers’ markets up and down the country, where you can pitch up a stall for a few pounds and sell your extra food. This could generate enough income to buy you luxury items, or items, which you cannot produce yourself, such as tea, coffee, sugar and chocolate. If you have the room, why not grow extra fruit and vegetables? There will always be people eager to buy freshly picked, organic produce homegrown on your land. You don’t have to take your produce to a market, you can sell bits to your friends or to a local shop, who will sell it for you.
Selling Jams and Chutneys
You can also put a surplus crop to good use by turning it into homemade jams and chutneys. You can also pickle and dry your fruit and vegetables. Again, these can be taken to market and sold for a good profit. Why not make cakes and pies, or other puddings? The wider the range of your produce, the more you will sell.
Selling Animal Products
If you keep your own chickens and ducks, you can sell their eggs to friends and neighbours, or take them along to the market once a week. There should be more than enough for you and your family to live off happily, selling the surplus is a great way of avoiding waste and making money.
Generating Electricity
Without a steady wage coming in, you would be well advised to invest in a wind turbine or some solar panels to avoid monthly electricity bills. However, it is likely that you will generate more electricity per month than you need. When this is the case, the national grid will buy back the surplus electricity you produce, generating a steady income as well as green electricity.
Being self-sufficient needn’t mean being poor. If you are going self sufficient after a long period of employment, it is important to save up for when you are not earning a steady wage, and clear any outstanding debts. There is always income to be gained from selling your surplus produce, and with a little know-how, you should be able to live comfortably without working.
I hope to sell wood from my own forest to support me with money for bills and emergencies:-)