Need Ideas

[countrymanl67]

Hello, i'm new here and glad to have found this place. I'm 23 years old and have always wanted to live in the deep country woods. When I was 8 my parents and myself moved from Minneapolis to a small town called Lakeville about 25 miles south of Minneapolis. At the time it was awesome. We lived in a rural neighborhood surrounded by farmland and forest. I had all the freedom of living in the country. Well, now 15 years and 50,000 people later Lakeville sucks. Everything I liked about the place is gone. Hundreds of acres of old oak forest are gone as well as all the farms. The rich have taken over and ruined everything. I can no longer snowmobile, start bon fires, shoot a gun, or go to the local pond to fish without police asking me what i'm doing. I hate the city and modern culture in general. Especially the last 5 years.

So, I have made a pact with myself that by 2010 I would have a house built out in the bluff country of southeastern Minnesota. Far away from were the metropolitan area can ever reach. The thing is a small house with 10 acres of land down there goes for $160-250K. right now I have been working for a landscape company for 5 years and only make 16K. So, my question is, what do you guys that live far out in the country do for a living? I figure to scrape by down there i'll need a $40K or so income.

Again, thanks for having such a helpful site. :)

[bigriks300]

You could try roughnecking in the oilfields; it's in a boom right now and you can make 20 dollars an hour with no experience. Of course you'd have to move to where they are drilling. Texas, oklahoma, colorado wyoming, and north dakota come to mind.

[nightshift]

Truck drivers can make decent money. Some folks will work hard for a few years to build a nest egg and buy a place, debt free you don't need much money.

[ryanmercer]

I too have been trying to come up with ways to make more money... I'll be 22 here before too long and want to own a home and a decent amount of land with no debt by the time I"m 30. If I find anything good I'll share, I hope you do the same :)

[NowKnowYe]

I'm thinking of opening the ideal 24 hour convenience store called ATF Mart....Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. :-/

[MYellowRose]

I know that there's money to be made in Alaska in the fisheries business. Only thing wrong is it's seasonal. They did a hiring fair here in SA not long ago.

[DV8]

Maybe going to a business school or some type of training would go a long way towards helping realize your goals.

Many Many trades are allways needed around us country folks, tho some will require some training & maybe even some certification:

Here are some examples:

Become a Vet. Farm Animals are a guarantee & they need doctoring, so thats a great country trade.

learn to operate all farm equiptment, learn to drive a towtruck, they are allways needed. Learn to build new or restore furnature. All small towns need doctors & dentists. learn to move mobilhomes.

it is good to know mechanics, but in small towns / rural area's everyone knows alot about mechanics (or thinks they do)

A Pressure washing business is a good thing in small towns & big ones alike. all you need is a truck a washer & some good hoses. You can wash roofs or concrete, or strip paint with it, etc..

in most small towns there is no bus or taxi service, so this is allways a profitable venture as long as you can get word out that you are in business.

I have also personally done pretty well doing webdesign in this small town. every business that has a website I built it, & those who don't now want one because their rival business has one & thats just how it is in small towns.

Many many ways to earn a living in the country, but why just learn one ? Our local Dog catcher is also the guy the city pays to plow some of the rural roads in winter, & Our vet also rebuilds tractor engines, so to be country you'll need versatility.

The best country Job ? The one there seems to be no shortage of, at least around these parts :

PREACHER


Go figure
~DV8

[MYellowRose]

I just remembered that there's a place here that's a combination car wash, laundromat, and cafe. They are one of the most popular places in town.
A block from where I live is a 6 or 8 bay car wash with vacuuming/ drying area out back. There's a small, older trailer there that whoever takes care of the place lives in. I don't know if it's an owner/operator thing or if the man just manages it, though I kinda think it's the former.
Also, there's a couple who have a small shack on a trailer that they pull with a large pickup that sells, roasted corn, smoked turkey legs, tacos, and I don't know what else. I think you could also do something like this with a slide-in camper that you converted to a small kitchen with storage where the cab over bed should be. It shouldn't be all that hard to install a triple sink and a larger 'fridge and that would probably be all you would need.

[fishinhunter]

hey if you find that miracle job let me know .im 53 and havent found one yet.i even tried running my own business and failed.had my x wife paying bills and found out she was not after the money slowed down.bank took house and business. oil well snit happens.life goes on

[JBinKC]

A rural route carrier perhaps but you will have to deal with government B.S. and I am sure its very competitive.

I am having the same problem most of the jobs are not worth my time. I have been spending it dabbling mainly in the Canadian stock market with great luck but that can't last forever.

There are not too many decent opportunities when you live in the one of the poorest county in the state.

I was thinking of opening a self operated car wash in a town without one 40 miles away but I am concerned about the theft/vandalism issue and the expense of driving 80 miles round trip would really eat into profit margins.

[torenghout]

Isn't the military paying a large sign-up bonus?
put it all for a down payment, live on base and use 88% of your pay towards paying it off you should be able to discharge in 6 years with it payed off and some in the bank.

[fredfl]

I have a friend in rural VT. who makes a very good living selling scrap metal. He goes around to old farms, estate sales and generally to anybody who has junk to get rid of. He has enough contacts now that he doesn't need to advertise anymore but with the price of scrap where it is it has become economically viable to recycle almost any metal. His only investment is a 4wd pickup and a car hauler with home made sides. Taking apart and recycling the aluminum and steel from old trailers and then charging for each load of non recyclables is another source of income.

[flatwater]

If you were to take a pole of the people that live on acreage , off grid and living the simple life , I think you would find that they have a profile like myself. Over 50 worked at a run of the mill job sacrificed most our lives to be where we are. No offense but your 23 and have not payed your dues yet. There are very few git rich quick plans out there that are legal.
Flatwater

[machinemaker]

get all the skills and knowledge you can, turn off the tv, go to the library and read. Find people to teach you how to do anything and everything. go visit the rest of the country and see what others do and why. When you see something understand how it was made and why. Keep an open mind and take a look at what around you and keep expanding your world. have a dream and go after it.
kent

[gump]

If you were to take a pole of the people that live on acreage *, off grid and living the simple life , I think you would find that they have a profile like myself. Over 50 worked at a run of the mill job sacrificed most our lives to be where we are. No offense but your 23 and have not payed your dues yet. There are very few git rich quick plans out there that are legal.
Flatwater

I don't know what age has to do with paying dues. If I start a business at age 23, work my butt off for 5 years and sell for a large sum of money, does that mean at age 28 I have yet to pay those dues? Paying dues is based on hard work.

[WileyCoyote]

So, my question is, what do you guys that live far out in the country do for a living? I figure to scrape by down there i'll need a $40K or so income.

Again, thanks for having such a helpful site. :)

Countrymanl67, Why do you think that you will need a $40K income?
I'm not being mean, just curious.

The whole purpose for moving to the country - going 'off the grid', in most instances, or trying to - is to live more simply. Hunt, fish, grow your own food, raise chickens/cattle, even resort to horseback or cart if (ultimately) necessary. Yes, you may need to buy feed - but not if you are able to secure some pasture or growing land. Yes, you may need to pay for your water - but not if you specifically look for a spring or well or other water source on the property. (MN has a LOT of surface water, doesn't it? What's it's potability?) Yes, you may need to pay for electricity or propane to heat or power your home - but not if you use solar or wind power, or wood stoves/fireplaces.

I'm not going into the whole - "you need to pay your dues" thing, except that I didn't read it like you wanted to get rich quick - only that you may not be understanding that minimizing needs minimizes expenses. McDonald's is fast and friendly and fills you up - but I've made squirrel, venison, and yes chicken and beef stew that I've kept simmering for days in the pot that's better tasting and better for you.

Please explain why you need $40K a year? If it is that expensive to live in MN, even off of the grid, I think I'll take my grease pencil and mark thru all of those "MN properties" I'm looking at in my dreambook (no, I'm not a blonde - I'm not going to do it on my computer screen! LOL!) ;D

[annabella1]

school bus driver

[fatguy]

Have you thought about going to Iraq or Afghanistan as a civilian contractor? I worked in Iraq last year for WSI. The money was great! I am in Afghanistan this year with the National Guard aand just talked to a welder who worked here 4 yrs nand he paid cash for a huge place in Wyoming. Go to kbrjobs.com and apply for every thing you can. Its Tax free money. Work here a few years and set your self up. The National Guard pays up to 20 grand for a sign on bonus for some one with no prior service also.

[jen_in_southtexas]

I'm a 36yr old lady and i work in the oil and gas production field with an offshore company. I dont sit in an office, I work out on the deck in my chosen craft. I love what i do but I know that I wont be able to do this work for the rest of my life. Soooo, my plan is to do what i have to do while I still PHYSICALLY can and go where my job needs me to earn my money to pay off my new 10 acres i just got. I expect to pay this land off in 5yrs or less. After that I will be just about debt free.
I dont always like getting up at 4am working 12hr days for 21 days straight before some time off. But when I think of the big picture and how my property will be paid for and I can enjoy the fruits of my labor in the later years and thank God for another day and that I have a job, that is all I need to make it through another day.
You are still nice and young. When you want something real bad trust me, you will find a way to get it. Ask God to lead the way. He will not throw anything your way that He does not think you can handle. Bless others with their greatest need and watch what happens.

Good luck to you.

-j

[bsflower13]

Hi everyone,
I am tickled pink to be here with you all today. I have been a backwoods livin off the grid kinda girl for a while(spirit only).Unfortunatley that is my dream one day and I am working towards that goal. I just wanted to add my two cents what ever its worth to the fella that needs ideas. You have a computer? You have a phone?
Why not start a home based biz from home then it does not matter how isolated you are in your home choices.
There are legitamate companies out there. Take it from me though, if they tell you will make bundles of money they are lying,if they say you can make money in your sleep they lye.
I'm currently involved in a home biz that I will not mention on here unless asked because of the rule of this awesome forum.
That is why I am setting my biz up now so I can be home and raise my kids grow my veggies and can them them work my biz while sewing some new curtains if I want to.
Anyhow I hope this post helped you in your quest for helpful ideas,don't forget half the fun is the journey getting there.
Live, laugh, love

The business referred to requires investment and, from their website, appears to have elements of muilti-level marketing. --Admin

[bsflower13]

Dear Admin.- I had no intention of selling my biz to anyone here on this forum.I only was giving the young fella who wanted ideas a idea.I spend alot of time becoming self reliant in my own life and it is also a goal I'm working towards. My biz is real. Taking incoming phone calls from tv informercials and being a order placer. Not mlm, sorry if it offended anyone here that was not my intention. :o
I will never mention it again....

[admin]

Dear Admin.- I had no intention of selling my biz to anyone here on this forum.I only was giving the young fella who wanted ideas a idea.
bsflower13,

If such is the case, then I apologize. A member contacted me after contacting you and then forwarded the website to which s/he was referred.

I spend alot of time becoming self reliant in my own life and it is also a goal I'm working towards. My biz is real. Taking incoming phone calls from tv informercials and being a order placer. Not mlm, sorry if it offended anyone here that was not my intention. :o
I will never mention it again....
After visiting the site and "taking the tour" it certainly appeared to have all the hallmarks of MLM -- upfront cost to purchase product & training, monthly fees for ongoing training, customers who are yours forever, building an "organization" from which you receive a commission on their sales, etc.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that business use of the Forum is prohibited, we've had other folks join only to promote their products or business. When your first post appeared to follow that pattern, I assumed you were doing the same. Again, I apologize if that was not the case.

Welcome to the Forum. If self-reliance is your goal, you'll find many people here who are living the life and who are happy to share what they've learned.

And best of luck with your venture.


Oliver

[bsflower13]

Thank you ;D