thrifty homesteader Tips

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This helpful list of thrifty homesteader tips will help you save money, simplify your home, and live a self-reliant lifestyle. Easy ways to cut corners while homesteading both inside and outside of the home.

Easy and useful homesteading tips that save you money while being more in control of your pantry, home setup, and overall lifestyle.

When you hear the word homesteader, typically an image of an off-grid couple probably comes to mind. Maybe you see a shack in the woods with an outhouse sitting off in the distance.

That is how I thought of homesteading for many years until I realized one day that I was a homesteader.

What is a homesteader?

The actual definition of a homesteader from Wikipedia is an isolated dwelling, especially a farmhouse, and adjacent outbuildings, typically on a large agricultural holding such as a ranch.

But in the last few years, that definition has changed.

Today, a homesteader is a person who strives to live off of what they have at home, repurposing things to fill a need, growing food to fill a freezer and pantry, and utilizing DIY skills whenever possible.

This means you do not need to have acres of land to homestead, just a will to make do without having to rely on the stores. And if you live in the suburbs or even the city this is great news.

Thrifty Tips for Homesteaders

I am all about saving money and looking for easy ways to find what I need without having to go to the store. This can be tricky in the age of online shopping and free shipping. Yet, being self-reliant is still important. The less you shop the less clutter you have and the less debt you will have to pay off later.

These tips are frugal, thrifty tips you can use be inside the home and outside on the homestead.

In the Garden

When it comes to saving money in your garden, repurposing can be a great way to get started. For our setup, I use containers to grow our food. This allows me to tend our plants without having to bend over or kneel down.

A few years ago, I invested in grow bags, and even though the initial cost was not exactly thrifty, I am able to reuse these bags over and over again. Many times, an investment is needed now to allow us to live frugally later on. Here are more thrifty garden tips to try.

#1. Use a rain barrel to collect water for your garden.

#2. Repurpose containers to grow food, flowers, herbs, or other plants you love.

#3. Use old spoons to mark rows in your garden.

#4. Make your own compost to improve the quality of your soil.

#5. Start seeds indoors so you can jump start your growing season.

#6. Use cleaned out milk containers to protect small plants from frost.

#7. Save seeds to use in next year’s garden.

#8. Use sticks for plant supports.

#9. Swap out excess produce in exchange for food you’re short on.

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In the Barn

Whether you have a barn to house your animals, to store your homestead equipment, or only for basic storage, saving money in this valuable area is always a good idea. For us, that meant using excess wood to build stalls for our goats and saved fencing to setup a brooder area for your ducklings.

Creativity can be helpful in saving money. Here are more tips to save in your barn.

#1. Reuse feed bags as trash bags.

#2. Set up a spool to hold string to use for other projects.

#3. Order livestock feed in bulk for a discount.

#4. Work to raise hardy healthy animals to cut down on vet costs.

#5. Visit the library for education so you can be more proactive with your animals.

#6. Host a spring or fall immunization clinic. Split the cost of a vet visit and get your livestock up to date on shots.

#7. Swap out barn care with others so you can take small trips without having to hire help.

#8. Barter your services in exchange for help in an area they are proficient in.

#9. Use solar lighting to save on electricity.

#10. Be sure your barn is weather worthy so what you house inside is protected. Check around windows, doors, and ceilings for leaks and fix quickly.

In the Chicken Coop

Chickens are fun to raise and can really benefit a homestead of any size. However, if we are not careful our chickens can cost more than what they give. Use these tips to help the bottom line.

#1. Save all kitchen scraps to use as chicken feed. Only give good, healthy scraps so your flock benefits. Get our list of safe treats for chickens to be sure you are giving good scraps.

#2. Do routine checks of the coop to ensure there are no predators getting inside. Not only can they damage eggs they can also harm your flock.

#3. Touch your birds routinely to catch any issues before they get out of hand. Feathers can mask many things so pick up your hens so you can feel any changes.

#4. Keep plenty of bedding in nesting boxes to keep eggs from getting damaged or cracking.

#5. Be sure you have plenty of room on the roost to prevent hens from roosting inside of nesting boxes. This will keep the boxes free of manure and in turn keep your eggs cleaner.

#6. Have a clean way for water to ensure your flock can drink fresh water throughout the day. Water is the secret to healthy chickens and healthy chickens will lay more eggs.

#7. Grow a chicken garden filled with things your hens will love to eat. This will help to offset feed costs. Grow things like carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, pumpkins, tomatoes, squash, and more.

#8. Make a DIY dust bath area so your hens can keep their feathers clean and parasites away. Dust baths also reduce stress in a flock by helping your hens to relax. Happy and relaxed chickens mean more fresh eggs in the coop.

#9. Free range your chickens so they can forage for their own food.

#10. If you can free-range, build a DIY chicken tractor. These are great ways to give your flock access to fresh grass for scratching. Learn more about chicken tractors here!

#11. Use sand as bedding and clean a litter box as you would. Each day scoop out manure with a rake. This can cut down on coop upkeep costs.

#12. Keep a rooster to fertilize eggs and hatch your own chicks. Use the chicks to replenish your flock or sell them to help offset costs.

In the Kitchen

Finding ways to be thrifty in the kitchen is not only a money saver but it is a great way to streamline this important room in your home.

#1. Keep a food inventory to ensure you are using up things before they go bad or expire.

#2. At the start of each week do a weekly menu incorporating foods that need to be used quickly.

#3. Label leftovers with a use by date as well as heating instructions to encourage family members to heat and eat.

#4. Make mixes instead of buying them.

#5. Set up your kitchen to be more efficient. Use kitchen zones to house items near where you use them.

#6. Sort out any small appliances or gadgets you no longer use. Sell them online or give to charity.

#7. Purchase any staples you use often in bulk. Things like flour, sugar, coffee, beans, and rice are all great things to stock up on. Be sure you are storing them correctly so they last.

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#8. The best way to save money is to stay out of the stores. If you shop every few days, cut back to weekly. If you shop weekly, try only shopping monthly. Yes, it’s tricky, but the effort can save you hundreds every month.

#9. Batch cook meals your family loves. Freeze to use on busy nights so you are not tempted to purchase takeout.

#10. Invest in a vacuum sealer to ensure the food you are freezing will be of the best quality until you use it.

In the Laundry Room

Finding ways to be frugal in the laundry room is a great way to save money on the clothes you wear.

#1. Reuse towels in the bathroom for more than one use.

#2. Declutter any excess clothing you no longer wear and free up space in your closet and dresser. Sell the excess online or at a local consignment shop.

#3. Use inexpensive ingredients to make your own laundry detergent and fabric softener. Our recipe for homemade laundry detergent is included in our list of DIY cleaners from the Amish.

#4. Wash with cold water being sure to only do this tip with clothes that allow it.

#5. Be sure to wash full loads only.

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#6. Air dry clothes whenever possible. The sun is a natural deodorizer and disinfectant and works great to dry your clothes quickly.

#7. Use wool dryer balls instead of purchasing fabric softener sheets.

#8. Use the moisture sensor on your dryer if you have one.

#9. Clean filters routinely in both your washer and your dryer.

#10. Pre-treat stains as they happen. Baby wipes work great to remove fresh stains on clothes. Not only are they gentle, but they work great to remove all kinds of hard to get rid of stains.

With the Family

Our families can be expensive and finding ways to help save can be easier than you might think. Kids are costly, of all ages, this can with their clothes, toys, electronics, and activities.

#1. Do a clothes swap with kids’ clothes. Invite in friends with kids of a similar age and change out clothes.

#2. Visit local consignment shops for brand name items you kids will love to wear.

#3. Car pool with other families to practices, games, or after school activities.

#4. Find ways to have fun at home for free.

1. Hang a sheet outside and setup a DIY drive-in.
2. Pitch a tent and go camping.
3. Cook dinner over an open fire.
4. Have a game night and make cookies for a fun snack.

#5. Plan ahead for birthdays and holidays.

#6. Make cards for birthdays instead of buying.

#7. Shop sales for gifts. After holidays sales or end of season sales are a great way to stock up on gifts for a fraction of the price.

#8. Use reward programs for gifts cards that you can use for gifts.

#9. Encourage kids to get age-appropriate jobs.

#10. Do toy rotations, only keeping out some toys and swapping every month. This is something we did with our kids for years and it really helped to keep us out of the stores.

#11. Pack lunches for school instead of buying.

Finding ways to be thrifty can be a huge benefit to your household budget, and it can teach your family a great lesson in frugality. Happiness does not need to cost money. Think outside the box and look for solutions that you can do without having to buy.

Refer to this list of thrifty homesteader tips any time you need to save in all the areas of your home and homestead.

More Thrifty Resources

• Frugal Living for Beginners
• DIY Homestead Projects
• Simple Frugal Living Tips

You can find this and more at my favorite Blog Hop!