How do ya'll do it

pcdreams · #41 08/15/06, 02:54 PM

dang.. This sounds almost like our story. Only difference is a friend works for lowes and gets the stuff for us (we toss him a 50 every now and again for doing all the leg work)..

The rest of the house is near done (Still got some trim work to do).. Just got the flooring, dishwasher to put in and the kitchen will be done.. Laundry room needs piece of sheetrock hung, ceiling & walls painted (again since we had a leak) and the flooring put down.. All thats left after that is painting the outside trim, fixing a few boards in the porch (hopefully, haven't been under there yet) and cleaning up the yard.

It's taken us the better part of a year to get to this point but thats not bad for someone with no experience.. We've had a bit of advice from our families along the way which helped out a lot

vicker · #42 08/15/06, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcdreams

I'm curious how you all manage to run your homestead and work a full time job.
Now granted we still live in town but with me working full time I don't have a spare minute to get anything done.

I get home and make dinner, do a load or two of laundry, start working on whatever project I've got going (right now trying to get the kitchen finished remodeling).. by then its about 10pm.. time to take the wife to work..get home around 11ish and off to bed to start again at 6.

I've been working on this kitchen for a little while now and I'm not even close to being done (still got cabinets to build, floor to put down, trim to do, etc).

Anyway my point is how do you do it all? I know theres no way I could come home from work and do a full days worth of work (feeding, milking, haying, etc) and ever sleep. Do ya'll keep it so small its managable? And if so how much of your subsistance are we talking.. can't be close to 100% I'd think.

I guess maybe I'm just a bit jaded.. Our area is low wage jobs (even with education which I have). Now I could take on 2 full time jobs.. but then the problem multiplies... I just don't get it.

Here is my issues I could use some help with.

We know we want to run a small-medium size organic farm (dairy) and we know we want it to be in VT. Looking at farms for sale at this time it looks like +/- 250k to get a place thats got a house and is setup to milk with 80 acres (this is just what we've found, probally not an indicator of market all over the state).

What would be the best route to get started on a savings plan to purchase something like this? Idea being to have it paid for within 5 years (before we move). And now the real monkey wrench.. All at Near minimum wage (6-7/hr).

The wife works at the hospital and makes good $$ that takes care of the bills we currently have. I am able to save all my paychecks toward our goal.. But I don't see a way at this time.. Figure $7 x 35 h/wk = $245 - 40 (tax) = $205 x52 = $10660/ yr for 5 years = $53,300.. + 175/month we save in food per month( thanks for the tips on this one) Not even close for downpayment. SIGH

I'm out of ideas. We've cut back just about as much as possible. Mortgage, utilities, phone/internet, insurance, food, trash is about it.

If I could get the time to get the house finished and sold (hopefully make enough to build a small cabin on our land (which is paid for) we would be able to do away with nearly all those bills (minus gas of course).. But the underlying problem remains (low wages).

As I said we're out of ideas and at the breaking point.. Any advice would be very graciously accepted.

Its a life style choice and a labor of love I think. It ain't easy

I developed a pinched nerve between my shoulders early this summer and DW is very busy taking an online teacher certification course. We got behind on the chores the last couple months and have alot of Dr./phisycal therapy bills that the insurance decided to apply to my deductible. But we have 11 rows of potatos several rows of pole beans, butternut squashes and lots of chickens and eggs. So far all of my projects for this summer are un-started, but I am getting over the pinched nerve.
We never have a lack of things to do, but I get off work at 2:30 pm and it doesn't get dark until 9. Can't see setting around the house for 6 hours

and When the sun is going down every night, we can set on our porch and say, " I love it here".

MorrisonCorner · #43 08/15/06, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jillis

MC, I just want to say that I have often appreciated the intelligence and thinking of all the angles and possiblities that is present in your posts.

Thanks Jillis, but I can't take "credit" for it... it is hardwired into the dna of an INTJ personality type. We live in future time and see the world like a giant chessboard with neverending moves and counter moves.

The down side? If you live in the future, the present never arrives. So we plan trips we will take "someday..." but someday never gets here!

I suppose, given the state of travel today, this might not be such a bad thing!

WAB · #44 08/15/06, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinner

In our family DH holds a full time job and I'm the homesteader. We couldn't make it without his paycheck. I'm setting things up on the homestead for when he retires and our income will drop to about 25% of what it is now. If we had to live off the homestead, it would be very tough, probably impossible to do right now, but will be much easier when we are out of debt and he retires.

We are doing things on a small scale. Ducks & Chickens for meat & eggs. I buy a calf every spring and pasture it until fall when it goes in the freezer. Sometimes one of the big cattlemen have orphan calves they give away. I'm always willing to take them and bottle feed them. They bring good money at the sale barn. This year I added goats to provide us with milk, meat, butter, & cheese during retirement. I'm now looking to add rabbits. We use guineas & peacocks to control the ticks and bugs. Also have a few fruit & nut trees, planning to add more. I'm trying to stay organic.

I grow most of our veggies, and just found a source to buy seed to grow stock feed. Hoping to save on the feed bill by growing most of it ourselves.

Next spring I will be planting trees. In 20 years they will be ready to harvest so will give us a boost then (or for the kids if we aren't still around). I also grow herbs and tropical plants to sell. I try to do a little bit of lots of things. If one fails, then we have others to fall back on. Don't know yet how well it will work out in the long run, but it's the only way I know so that's what I do.

Buy two calves and feed 'em out, sell one and put one in the freezer. Free meat!

Jillis · #45 08/15/06, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorrisonCorner

Thanks Jillis, but I can't take "credit" for it... it is hardwired into the dna of an INTJ personality type. We live in future time and see the world like a giant chessboard with neverending moves and counter moves.

The down side? If you live in the future, the present never arrives. So we plan trips we will take "someday..." but someday never gets here!

I suppose, given the state of travel today, this might not be such a bad thing!

What is an INTJ personality?

mightybooboo · #46 08/15/06, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MARYDVM

Since your wife is in the health care field, have you considered employment there as well? I know you just invested a lot of time and money in education for a completely different type of work, but health care is a constant, reliable employer. Maybe radiology technician would appeal to an analytical mind? Once you too are earning a better salary, your options will be much improved.

Exactly my thought.2 rns,you can work weekends and buy a house,believe me.
2 X 12 hours X 2 Rns is 48 hours of RN pay.That will buy you a house.

trying it on minimum wage,forget it.Waste of time,big time.
Get back in school,thats your answer IMHO.

BooBoo

pcdreams · #47 08/15/06, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mightybooboo

Exactly my thought.2 rns,you can work weekends and buy a house,believe me.
2 X 12 hours X 2 Rns is 48 hours of RN pay.That will buy you a house.

trying it on minimum wage,forget it.Waste of time,big time.
Get back in school,thats your answer IMHO.

BooBoo

Shes not an RN Though that is a path to consider. I think most of the hospitals here will pay for your training if you commit a few years to them. Thanks for the idea.

Jerngen · #48 08/16/06, 12:17 AM

I myself am thinking of becoming an RN. If you look into relocating to a very rural area where there are shortages, there is a gov't program that may pay off your student loans (you have to commit to a certain number of years I believe). Also as you said some hospitals will pay for the schooling themselves. I don't remember the name of the program I mentioned. Can anyone help with that? I remember reading about it and Houghton, MI (2 hrs. from us right now) qualified.

Jillis · #49 08/16/06, 07:25 AM

Yes, right here in this area you can get your RN within 2 years---and even do most of the classes except the clinical online through the University of VT.

MorrisonCorner · #50 08/16/06, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jillis

What is an INTJ personality?

A Meyers-Briggs personality type. People with my extreme personality profile make up less than 2% of the general population (in the extreme which is my personal extreme.. less than 1%!). Some time ago there was a thread on this and we discovered that a disproportionate number of homesteadingtoday members were INTJ personality profiles.

Leading those of us with stats and research backgrounds to conclude that there is a serious self-selection bias to the homesteadingtoday forum. A true to type INTJ personality type has a "forward looking" view of time, tends to see all options, tends not to be bound by rules or social mores, and is well informed on a wide range of topics. INTJ's know what they know very well, but more importantly (and what makes us valuable in business) we know what we DON'T know, and are willing to say so... and then educate ourselves accordingly. In short, we don't blow smoke.

If you're asking a question of a forum weighted with INTJ's you'll tend to get well thought out answers and very flexible solutions. The proof in the pudding is threads which ask "how do I save" or "how do I make this happen?" where you get zillions of creative and innovative answers. INTJs rarely see "impossible," but instead see endless moves, counter moves, and possibilities. If I save a penny here and a penny there... If I did this instead of that...

Rather like pcdreams is getting advice on moves and counter moves in this thread. Our achilies (sp!) heel is that we can spend so much time considering the possibilities we fail to act in a timely manner... and need a little push from another personality type to get rocking and rolling.

silverbackMP · #51 08/16/06, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorrisonCorner

A Meyers-Briggs personality type. People with my extreme personality profile make up less than 2% of the general population (in the extreme which is my personal extreme.. less than 1%!). .

I always come up as a introverte with A type tendancies. Which is true. I'm not a natural follower or a leader (although I can do the "act" at work). I am perfectly content being by myself.

pcdreams · #52 08/16/06, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorrisonCorner

A Meyers-Briggs personality type.

now I'm going to have to pull the one I took out and see what it was.. I recall it saying farming was one of my occupations. LOL Seems like it was ISTP but I'm not sure thats right (or if thats even one of the results)