Do You Have an Income?

[Pokeberry Mary]

Other than just homesteading... How many of ya all work at jobs?

I just switched jobs and really don't like the new one..but I think we need the $$.

Hubby has a decent job, I'm only part time. We have 4 20somethings living with us--3 are ours. 2 have jobs, 2 have been looking--one of the 2 that has a job just found out she isn't on the schedule next week. not good.

Unemployment in our county is over 20% last time I checked.

I have to admit I'm worried about jobs.
I just wonder how many of you really don't have a job and still manage ok.

Anyone??

[Pokeberry Mary]

Well.. at least I know my daughter didn't lose her job--the boss just made a mistake. That is such a relief. I still would like to know though if anyone is making ends meet w/o a job-- and how are they doin' it?:meeting:

[Anon001]

Mary,

I haven't worked away from home since March 2007. The cattle support the place, and a couple websites of mine help to supplement it a bit.

You said: "I just switched jobs and really don't like the new one..but I think we need the $$."

You "think" you need the money? If you aren't certain then you probably could do without it. But as many people as there are living with you, how many are contributing to the household expenses?

So, you want to know how some of us make it? I have no utilities other than about 200 gallons per year of propane. I heat with wood and raise all my own food. The only things I buy as far as groceries, are sugar, coffee, tea, salt, pepper, flour.... you get the idea. I don't keep snack foods or sodas. It's coffee, tea, or water, until I start milking again.

As of next year, I'll no longer be buying flour. I'm sowing almost an acre of wheat that will be harvested next year, most likely around the first of July. That will be enough to support my flour needs for a year, plus several bushel to sell. So, the wheat will also pay for itself.

All the livestock here pays for itself and the expenses on the place or they go "to town."

I catch rainwater for the entire household use. So, no water bill. If I get in a bind in a dry year, I can always filter and treat the pond water the way people used to and the way I did before I started catching rainwater.

A homestead can be self-sufficient if one wants it to. But, it doesn't happen overnight.

Mine is self-sufficient because it's large enough to support cattle. But, others have made decent incomes off less than one acre. It definitely can be done. But, to make it work, you have to be debt free and you have to be in an area where land is not worth gold and you have to be in a part of the country that has lower property taxes. There are a number of factors, but anyone can do it, if they set their mind to it and discipline his or her self.

Paul

[flatwater]

I have an income but my out go seems to be bigger

[AlchemyAcres]

I live on about $7,000 per year.
I have a $318.00 a month mortgage with 8 years to go.
This place has to pay for itself.
Firewood pays the mortgage.
Chicken eggs, hatched chicks and some hay pay the property taxes, internet bill and vehicle insurance, my only bills.
I have about $4,000 in firewood in reserve in case of an emergency


~Martin

[MooseToo]

martin - you're a remarkable man - makes one wonder what congress would be like if made up of comparable individuals -

[zbery1]

I work part time, 20-25 hrs a week and my husband does odd jobs with his tractor now and then. We have solar and hydro power and use wood for heat so all we pay for is phone and internet. Plus a couple tanks of propane a year for the on demand hot water heater, range and frig. Our vehichles are paid for so it is just insurance on them and our land payment is only $150 a month so we don't have a lot of expenses. Our largest expense is gas and deisel for the vehicles and tractor. We only have a couple of acres and are still working on garden areas. We have been here less than 2 years and so far we have us a home and one for the chickens that are just now starting to lay and as yet are not supporting themselves. When we are settled and have all the out buildings in I hope to quit working for cash and just work around the homestead.

[jonvee]

Hi Mary,

You say you don't like your job, but indicate you need it because of the number of people living with you.

I want to pose a question. Have you penciled out what you make in your part time job versus what it costs you to have the job? The reason I ask is because, after taxes, gas, car maintenance, lunch, clothes and all the other hiden costs of having a job, it may actually NOT be helping your family as much as you staying at home producing and perserving food could. Also, the unemployeds could help with these things which would be their contribution to the family while they're looking for a job.

[Terri]

I stayed home while the kids were small, and then I got sick and HAD to stay home. We are now a 1 income family.

Some thoughts on the matter:

If your total food bill for 6 people is not $200 a week or less, it will BECOME $200 a week or less if you are a SAHM. That includes lunch makings, of course: this week we are having ham and swiss cheese sandwiches and chips. So anything you are spending on edibles that is over $200 a week you will be saving when you stay home. Many folks will say that $200 is too generous, that is OK. That is the UPPER limit of what you will be spending.

The kids who work need to throw $100 each into the kitty for groceries and utilities.

Cars DO wear out. Rats.

Lastly, a MANAGED household account is always less expensive than saying "We need it and the money is there, I will buy it on the way home". Knock $200 a month off the budget for such things. You would be surprised how it is cheaper to be abe to take the time to manage your budget.

So, *IF* your having a job is costing your household $300 a month, the 2 working kids SHOULD throw a total of $200 into the kitty, MINUS a small savings account for your next vehicle.

You work part time: when you compare your income to the above it is either worth-or not worth- the income that you earn.

[bantyhen]

This has been a really interesting topic for me as I have been re-evaluating just how much I need to actually live now that it is just me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this as it is a huge help to me just now!!

[LeatherneckPA]

I spent 23 years in prison to earn my pension. With the right property we could live on it. DW will get her pension starting in 7 years and we can pretty much live anyplace we'd want to after that.

[Tod]

I held a regular desk job until the end of January this year, at which time I opened a business on my property (off-leash dog park).
It is growing rather more slowly than I had hoped for, so I'll need to find some part time work to supplement my income.

Ideally, it will be at a place that is within walking (or at most easy bicycling) distance so that I can avoid siphoning off my earnings towards transportation costs.

Meanwhile, am looking at other ways to bring in a little money, such as boarding dogs and training them. Started a small garden this year with thoughts of maybe expanding it (with more experience) to a CSA, thinking that dog park customers would make good CSA customers too! Fortunately, I'm debt-free, so my worst expenses are things like R.E. taxes and winter heating bills. Unfortunately, my easily accessible (i.e. non-retirement) savings are running very thin.

I do have a dilemma, however: I have a sailing habit, and that isn't real compatible with a lot of things. In fact, I haven't been sailing for two years now since I started working on this dog park (had to clear out old fencerows and build new fence, etc). I'm suffering withdrawl. My last big sailing trip was two weeks in paradise: the North Channel of Lake Huron. *sigh*. It was lovely; I could spend a whole summer doing that.

[Cil]

I spent 23 years in prison to earn my pension.


I hope that was on the right side of the bars. :D

[jonvee]

Tod - can you turn your love of sailing into a job? I live on the coast so there's lots of marina's, repair shops and boat ferrying.

[Tod]

I probably could, but I think I'd rather leave it as just an avocation. I was just kinda grousing, suffering from withdrawl. Starting up any business takes a lot of time, so it is to be expected that at least for a while other things have to take a back burner. But next year....!!!:D:D:D

[LeatherneckPA]

I hope that was on the right side of the bars. :D
Well, I was behind the bars, but only part time. I went home at the end of my shift.

[cwatson]

We became a one income family almost 3 years ago and have managed to save more money for emergencies etc then when I worked. I prepare all three meals each day with the exception of DS lunch on Friday. He uses money he earns to buy is lunch at school on Fridays. Hubby used to spend about 10.00 a day on lunch and I would spend about that much too and DS bought his lunch then also so we spent roughly 22.00 a day on nothing but lunch. Not to mention the extra gas to get to where ever we were going to eat that day. We drove 2 separate cars then even when at one time we worked for the same company because I like to be early and DH is perpetually late :) When we evaluated everything from the strain on our marriage to what it was costing to work we decided it would hurt the pocket book quite abit but we could live on it if we did things right. We have more time together now then we ever did before. We eat breakfast and dinner together every night (which we almost never did when I was working, no time). We save money on groceries because we have a garden, I can from the garden, I plan all meals and when there is a good sale on something that I don't grow I buy alot of it and dry it, can it or store it in my 5 gal. buckets. If everyone is willing to do what it takes it usually pays off in the end. The one thing we did do right was when we bought our house we made sure and bought one that we could afford on one income just in case one of us lost a job at some point. Thank goodness we did that :) DH drove a truck 80 miles round trip with 260,000 miles and no air for years until we got a good deal on a small car we could pay cash for. We are much more patient now....much more.

[Cil]

Well, I was behind the bars, but only part time. I went home at the end of my shift.


;) That's good.

[Pokeberry Mary]

I guess the main reason I'm working is our house still needs so much. We need a pick up truck, and we need to rent heavy equipment to finish up things on the house that can't be reached, grade the land, etc. Hubby has a good income--I could stay home--but I don't think I am as useful at home right now since the kids are grown. They don't need me to clean up after them or cook-though I do still do most of the cooking- well.. maybe not exactly most. I do most of the meal planning and shopping though.

[NCLee]

Mary, have you checked into renting scaffolding instead of a lift to finish that siding? Or, building your own scaffolding? Done with the intent of taking it apart, you'll be able to use the lumber for another project. Just be sure to brace it securely. Without seeing what you need to do, I suspect 4x4 posts and 2x6 lumber will provide the support needed to get up there to finish installing the siding.

See if you (and/or your sons) can barter with a local farmer for use of his tractor and blade to finish the grading work. It'll be slower than using a bobcat or larger grader, but it may actually be better as the weight of the equipment won't do as much damage to your soil. Perhaps he needs some help for a day or 2 to take care of a project on his farm.

Lee

[firegirl969]

DH works full time for our county as the animal control officer. He makes a decent income and we have good insurance. I have had to quit work due to medical problems, but work is still paying me to do paperwork here in my recliner, per docs orders, so I get 6-10 hours a week. They are also paying me long-term disability for this year and half the amount of long-term disability from their insurance for next year. DH and I have paid off all of our debts and only have monthly utilities now. We have also done a great deal of prepping this year and purchased a tractor as well. We are currently finishing up the root cellar and hope to put up a lean-to shelter with animal stalls in it and room for the tractors later this fall. We have the money put up for that project. Then we hope to get a milk cow. DH wants to retire early so that we can enjoy time together. He will then work one EMS or police shift a week to pay the bills and we should be ok. The children will all be grown and gone in a couple of years, so that will greatly cut down on expenses. The main thing we have learned is to only buy things when we have the means to do so. We do not charge anything, we pay for it.

[Lookout]

We work in the summer and trap the rest of the time.
I've been working just summers way to long to ever think about having a full time job.
But now with the fur market almost dead and gone things will get tight this winter. But thankfully we've been preparing for this so everything is paid for and most of the food is bought.
Actually early spring time is our hardest time, before any of the fur is sold or gopher trapping starts.

[ktm rider]

I hope that was on the right side of the bars. :D

Well, I was behind the bars, but only part time. I went home at the end of my shift.

I do the same thing for a living. I like to think of it as doing 20yrs. on the 8 hour installment plan... :D

[Mom5farmboys]

We own and operate a family farm. We have a cow/calf operation and have calves in the summer then sell them in the fall to another farm which finishes raising them. We also put up extra hay to sell to people who have horses.

The husband is pretty handy and can weld, do mechanical work, and body work/painting on cars and tractors. In the winter he will pick up restoration work on cars and/or tractors fixing engines and restoring classics. He also hauls in scrap metal and has a few regulars that he picks metal up from.

We own a rental house and a few oil wells that we have the mineral rights on (but they are very small and very old!)

I stay at home and help here, and put in a garden and can a lot of our food. We don't have a ton of money, but we are debt free and that helps.

We manage to pay the taxes and are remodeling our farmhouse. But we have to watch our pennies in order to swing it.