Going Crazy... Productive Things To Do While Saving Up For Land to Homestead on?

[Neb]

I think the Netherlands are real lol? And I have said this whole time that I want to put in the work on a homestead, I just hate punching a clock and doing bs yank and crank dog training instead of real dog training like I want to do. So I really don't understand where you're coming from.

Lol, what is "jive" even??

My passion is *real* dog training. My favorite are Leerburg methods/trains of thought as far as dog training goes. That is one of the many things that I plan on doing out there to make money. Later on, we plan on also breeding, raising, selling and training (only training the dogs obviously) dogs, goats, and chickens as well.

I would much rather have the stresses of trying to feed myself/take care of myself/survive rather than have to work and punch a clock to make money to buy food and worry about coworkers and bosses and hours etc etc.

So while you are punching the clock by day, research what it takes to set-up the dog training business.

1) what type of facilities will you need?
2) what will it cost for those facilities?
3) what type of sheep skin do you need to do the job?
4) what are the zoning restrictions if any?
5) what is going to make your sevices so much better than the competition that people will drive past the local trainer out into the boonies to use your services?

But please be practical.

I had to put in 43 years of punching the clock, working out of a hotel room, crawling around on my knees ... to get to a point where I could retire and do the stuff I enjoy ( still waiting for that part. I have not finished digging out the basement of the house I am remodeling to augment my budget).

Furthermore;
Break down your goals into small steps that can be completed in a short period of time. Define an order in which to complete them. Then track your goals daily.

Track your savings DAILY. Make a sign for your living room.
Do the same thing for your dream business.

Ben

 

[tuliprox]

So while you are punching the clock by day, research what it takes to set-up the dog training business.

1) what type of facilities will you need?
2) what will it cost for those facilities?
3) what type of sheep skin do you need to do the job?
4) what are the zoning restrictions if any?
5) what is going to make your sevices so much better than the competition that people will drive past the local trainer out into the boonies to use your services?

But please be practical.

I had to put in 43 years of punching the clock, working out of a hotel room, crawling around on my knees ... to get to a point where I could retire and do the stuff I enjoy ( still waiting for that part. I have not finished digging out the basement of the house I am remodeling to augment my budget).

Furthermore;
Break down your goals into small steps that can be completed in a short period of time. Define an order in which to complete them. Then track your goals daily.

Track your savings DAILY. Make a sign for your living room.
Do the same thing for your dream business.

Ben

Thank you!! This is exactly what I love to do, I just need to make myself stick to it haha! But planning stuff like that is totally my **** lol. And I think you're right about breaking them down into smaller steps. I always get so excited and jump head first into things and have a million ideas and want to them all and end up getting overwhelmed and give up or I get too unfocused trying to do too many things stopping and stating different things at different times and stuff. So maybe that will help. Setting a clear goal and making very small manageable goals to achieve bigger goals.

 

[Amish Heart]

I'm still wondering what kind of land you'll find for $10K if you want 10 acres. Where is homesteading land for a thousand an acre? Land that you can grow on, and land with water. I guess the bigger question is, what is a homestead to you? What would be on your homestead? Are you thinking you would want to grow everything you need to sustain yourselves there?

 

[Neb]

I'm still wondering what kind of land you'll find for $10K if you want 10 acres. Where is homesteading land for a thousand an acre? Land that you can grow on, and land with water. I guess the bigger question is, what is a homestead to you? What would be on your homestead? Are you thinking you would want to grow everything you need to sustain yourselves there?

If memory serves me...

1/4 acre will grow enough potatoes for 1 person for a year.

Potatoes are supposed to be the highest yielding crops. Everything thing else requires more average.

Round these parts 100 acres will run you about$1M (as of last year).

Ben

 

[Amish Heart]

We sure didn't get our 23 acres for a thousand an acre.
And you're right about potatoes, it's a good thing to grow.
On one acre in New Mexico, we grew a garden, but not even close to sustain us. And we raised 80 plus chickens, a dz rabbits, a dz turkeys annually, and a few dz ducks. Still not enough to sustain us.

 

[Grimm]

Yes exactly, that is exactly what I want to do is find skills that can make some extra income. I just... I don't know. Maybe I need add medication or something I always start all these projects and never finish them it seems :/

Have you thought of opening an Etsy shop and sell handmade goods?

When K and I first got married (we were 26) I quit my 'day job' due to health reasons and started working in my field of choice again- Costume designer for film and tv. I didn't make alot but it was what I did for a living before K and I met. 10-12 hours a day 6 days a week on my feet! I loved it! I did that for 5 years until I got pregnant with our Roo and have been a stay at home mom since. But since we got married I had a side hustle of selling vintage clothes on ebay. I haven't found any good clothes sources the last few years (most thrift stores now weed out the good stuff and sell it for high profits online themselves). I try to sell outgrown name brand kids clothes now. I really should just make and sell kids costumes but I like to take my time sewing and the types of fabrics I like working with are expensive. No one wants to spend $300-500 on a kids costume.

 

[Grimm]

I have to say something you might not like.

You should not even think of buying land/a home/a car/ having a joint account of any kind with this man until legal contracts are drawn up by a lawyer and/or you are legally married. Who knows if he isn't planning to rip you off or steal your cash and run. You may have been with him a few years but you don't buy the cow if the milk is free...

 

[Dani]

You said that your fiance has a nack for fixing things and making improvements. That right there could be a little side business he could do. We have a renter who does things like that for a little extra income. When my vacuum pump went out on my freeze drier I took it down to him to get fixed.

as for you right now, maybe try getting some of those 59 cent seed packets from Wal-Mart and grow some food in containers. That way you are learning a skill that will help you out now and when you are able to get some land. Even better start a small garden if your France's father will allow you to dig up a section of his yard. It keeps the mind and body busy. Being outside is great for the soul too. Soak up all that natural vitamins D. Learn how to hang nd dry your produce that you get off your plants. Go to the library and check out FoxFire edition #2. That is my favorite in the series and will explain how to do it. Threading peppers and green beans to dry so no expensive equipment to buy.

 

[Swing]

A note about the editing feature. If you are not a Support Member the editing time is only 1 day. For Supporters I think it's at a month.
The posts we have seen were edited, and others have had more words added to the censor filter. Still not to be used here.

 

[Grimm]

A note about the editing feature. If you are not a Support Member the editing time is only 1 day. For Supporters I think it's at a month.
The posts we have seen were edited, and others have had more words added to the censor filter. Still not to be used here.

So, are you saying this is a troll? I haven't had a good troll hunt since PS died.

 

[tuliprox]

Have you thought of opening an Etsy shop and sell handmade goods?

When K and I first got married (we were 26) I quit my 'day job' due to health reasons and started working in my field of choice again- Costume designer for film and tv. I didn't make alot but it was what I did for a living before K and I met. 10-12 hours a day 6 days a week on my feet! I loved it! I did that for 5 years until I got pregnant with our Roo and have been a stay at home mom since. But since we got married I had a side hustle of selling vintage clothes on ebay. I haven't found any good clothes sources the last few years (most thrift stores now weed out the good stuff and sell it for high profits online themselves). I try to sell outgrown name brand kids clothes now. I really should just make and sell kids costumes but I like to take my time sewing and the types of fabrics I like working with are expensive. No one wants to spend $300-500 on a kids costume.

Yes, I have started braiding a paracord dog leash! I got all the way done except for the handle. And then we went camping and stuff got moved around and I haven't been able to find the last 3 ft color paracord piece I need to finish he handle... :/.

Oh no... I was really hoping this wouldn't happen . Because of corona, I have NO idea what land prices are supposed to be and what should be around in 6-18.mos from now when we're looking at land more seriously. We first checked land prices when my fiance first brought up the idea to me like.. a few months ago I think. All the days run together I have a REALLY hard time knowing how long it's been since different events/convos/whatever happened lol. So this was definitely sometime after corona started. After I came back to work after like a month in like march/April. I think masks were required everywhere for customers and employees by this point as well. Anyway, we looked at land in Tennessee as it was supposed to be the cheapest upon googling it (has anyone here bought any land in Tennessee? Do you know how much lower the prices are actually supposed to be than the rest of u.s.?). At the time, we judged that we could probably get about 5-10 acres with about $15k. I guess those prices must have been wack due to corona though as it seems to sound like? Now all I seem to be able to find anywhere is $4k-$5k per acre. My fiance says that the prices are inflated due to corona now and that they should go back down some within a year or so. Is this true? What are land prices supposed to be in Tennessee? How much do we need for 5 acres there? 10?

 

[tuliprox]

You said that your fiance has a nack for fixing things and making improvements. That right there could be a little side business he could do. We have a renter who does things like that for a little extra income. When my vacuum pump went out on my freeze drier I took it down to him to get fixed.

as for you right now, maybe try getting some of those 59 cent seed packets from Wal-Mart and grow some food in containers. That way you are learning a skill that will help you out now and when you are able to get some land. Even better start a small garden if your France's father will allow you to dig up a section of his yard. It keeps the mind and body busy. Being outside is great for the soul too. Soak up all that natural vitamins D. Learn how to hang nd dry your produce that you get off your plants. Go to the library and check out FireFox edition #2. That is my favorite in the series and will explain how to do it. Threading peppers and green beans to dry so no expensive equipment to buy.

Thank you! I will mention that to my fiance! I have been wanting to start growing a small vegetable/fruit garden in the spare room (his dad won't let us use the yard- I wouldn't want to either. His gf gardens flowers out there and is out there a lot so I would just be tortured if I tried to do that unfortunately lol. But he did say I could use the spare room! Just need to buy these seeds and start gathering supplies lol. What all do I need to make sure I remember I need? Especially as far as practicing it for homesteading?

A note about the editing feature. If you are not a Support Member the editing time is only 1 day. For Supporters I think it's at a month.
The posts we have seen were edited, and others have had more words added to the censor filter. Still not to be used here.

Sorry, didn't realise it was that big of a deal. Went ahead and fixed it for you. Some of them had already been censored so I figured it was basically the same thing but I did fix it how you guys want it.

I just went back and reread everything and now see what you actually mean. Sorry I didnt realise that this was a family forums, I thought it was for adults. I'll be careful in the future. But it looks like you have been editing my posts for me anyways, and it's 5:45 am and I have to be at work at 8 am so I'm gonna go back to bed.

 

[LadyLocust]

I just did a quick search- TN, Ark, and WV have the cheapest land prices. It did say in TN undeveloped land is about $6500/acre. Farmland can be $2000/acre so maybe this is where you got that number. The thing is with farmland that you probably won’t find 5-10 acres. It just works out to that price when you buy all 277 acres (or whatever the field size is.) There is no set price- it varies greatly on what the land has to offer which is something to be mindful of. If you are buying scrub land, it might not be able to host all you’ve stated you want without some significant investment.
PS @Dani I love the Foxfire books. Have you read the Christmas one? I think the final story should be required reading.

 

[Caribou]

At your age I was working the merchant marine. I made good money and bought a home. It took me years to figure out that being happy was my own responsibility. Drugs made happiness harder for me to find. You talked about the perfect drug and it made me think you might still be thinking that drugs have an answer. They can be a tool, short term. For me, being happy was a lot of mental work. Once I figured it out the dividends paid well. It was all in the attitude, for me.

Learn skills, this takes little cash but you will need to invest time. If you can't grow vegetables where you live then perhaps you can help with the flowers. A lot of that experience should cross over. Gardening has a significant learning curve. You don't just throw seeds on the ground and sit down to dinner. Boy was I sorry to find that out.

Finish your projects. Buy the last 3 feet of cord and finish the leash, just an example. The unfinished leash is an aggravation. A finished job provides satisfaction. Finish most of the projects before you start anymore.

 

[Amish Heart]

Here there is farmland and pasture land. Farmland prices vary...about 5K an acre and pasture land is lower because it's not cleared. These were prices here 7 years ago when we were looking for our farm. But then it can be higher depending on what the owner is selling it for, and if there are buildings on it.

 

[Dani]

I just did a quick search- TN, Ark, and WV have the cheapest land prices. It did say in TN undeveloped land is about $6500/acre. Farmland can be $2000/acre so maybe this is where you got that number. The thing is with farmland that you probably won’t find 5-10 acres. It just works out to that price when you buy all 277 acres (or whatever the field size is.) There is no set price- it varies greatly on what the land has to offer which is something to be mindful of. If you are buying scrub land, it might not be able to host all you’ve stated you want without some significant investment.
PS @Dani I love the Foxfire books. Have you read the Christmas one? I think the final story should be required reading.

no I don't think I have read the Christmas one. I will need to go check it out. And thank you for posting bout it. . . I had the name reversed so went back to edit.

 

[tuliprox]

As far as the type of land we are looking for, we are looking for hunting/game/forested/wooded land. We plan on clearing the trees as needed and using stump rot on the stumps or a shovel if needed. We plan to use the trees for firewood and, if any are valuable, to sell timber as well. We will also be making our own wooden furniture for our house and to sell as well as other wooden items.

 

[Caribou]

I had a boss till I started my own business, then I had a hundred bosses. It's all attitude. My advice, for any job you have is, ride for the brand. Do what is best for the company, as defined by the boss. Remember, you were hired to make money, for the company. You get to take some of that home but if they only break even there is no reason to keep you around.

 

[LadyLocust]

As far as the type of land we are looking for, we are looking for hunting/game/forested/wooded land. We plan on clearing the trees as needed and using stump rot on the stumps or a shovel if needed. We plan to use the trees for firewood and, if any are valuable, to sell timber as well. We will also be making our own wooden furniture for our house and to sell as well as other wooden items.

So you would need to check the price of land for timbered land.

 

[Grimm]

Yes, I have started braiding a paracord dog leash! I got all the way done except for the handle. And then we went camping and stuff got moved around and I haven't been able to find the last 3 ft color paracord piece I need to finish he handle... :/.

Braided paracord is a small niche market. You may be good at it and your work may be worth the price you set but not many people will buy something like that. That is a product you'd see at swap meets or from street vendors. You need to have a bit of variety in what you sell and it has to be cost/time effective for you to keep a small amount of stock on hand. You need to make/build enough stock to fill orders and refill the Etsy shop as things sell. Look what sells best on platforms like Etsy and see if it is something you can make (not copy or steal) and compete with. There are lots of paracord sellers out there but a small market. If you are interested in dog based products look at Pinterest for ideas for toys or handmade organic grooming products. There is a lot you can do and pepper the paracord leashes in as just another product.

Remember price your product based on cost of materials and time spent making it plus a small profit. If it is priced too high no one will buy and you are stuck with products you have to underprice to get rid of. Price too low and you are not making a profit or covering expenses.

 

[Weedygarden]

There are many other things you can do for finances, as Grimm mentioned. Making your own pet leashes, collars and more would be a great way. An Etsy store is a great place to sell items, but you can also set up booths at farmer's markets, market to local pet stores and boutiques. Or post on Facebook or Nextdoor Neighbor marketplace.

Land is expensive. If you can find a one acre lot, give or take, you could start there and do what you are able to with it as a start.

Homesteading is lots of hard work. As you develop your homesteading life, you can be on the watch for more land. What you start with could be sold to help finance more land.

What could you do to start on one acre:

Build animal sheds: chicken coop, goat barn, pig shed. You could do most of the building with found materials, such as pallets. In my area, people are often upgrading storage sheds and getting rid of older ones, often made from metal.

You could have a garden, as large as you want and are able to dig, amend the soil and plant. You could sell the produce.

You could build a tiny home on wheels. Big right now are "sheds to homes." People have a new shed delivered and then finish it out for living. Several people who have done that have YouTube channels. You can start with one and T into another one in the future.

What I notice when working on my property is how many tools I have gathered over the years. I started with cheaper tools, decades ago, but have replaced many with quality tools. Some of my tools are from yard sales. Just things like shovels, garden forks, rakes, hoes, trowels, hoses, etc. could run 100's of dollars to get set up.

 

[Terri9630]

You also need to look at zoning regulations and business license requirements and permits if you plan on having a home based business. Especially if you have facilities for dogs. Many areas require kennel licenses/inspections and such.

 

[phideaux]

Jim

 

[Grimm]

Jim

Should I get my troll hammer?

 

[phideaux]

Should I get my troll hammer?
View attachment 50946

Awe.. Dora.

Might be.

Jim

 

[Weedygarden]

Should I get my troll hammer?
View attachment 50946

It has been a while since we've seen you in action with trolls! You are not someone to mess with, for sure!

 

[Dani]

I'm still in the rockin chair with this one, but yes popcorn would be so very good right now.

 

[Bacpacker]

Just makes me wonder???????????????????? WTH

 

[Grimm]

I think we scared Isabella off. Maybe we didn't tell her what she wanted to hear.

 

[Amish Heart]

I don't see her doing much of anything with 5K, no experience, and not planning on working an outside job