[TnAndy]

One side of the equation is income, the other is spending. I chose over the years to attack that latter part. For example, we have no water/sewer bill since we have a spring on the place and a septic system. Not to say there aren't occasional costs, but no regular (and ever increasing) bill.

I installed enough solar so that we have no bill and actually run a credit most months (offsetting the months we don't). Currently they owe us 500 bucks.

I built a tower for internet that is used by a local ISP...they pay us enough yearly to cover the property taxes (also ever increasing apparently) plus provide us a free connection (income + not spending in that area).

We raise much of our own food, all our meats, home process them all. Save money plus much better food.

We cut all our wood off the place that heats the house, so zero spent in heating. (yes, there are some costs associated with it, but far less than buying fuels)

I do 99% of any repairs around here. The Maytag repairman is sure getting his sleep.

I just bought a digital outdoor antennae....came today in fact. If it works out well, Dish, and their recent price increase, is $60/mo that won't go out of our income stream.

Took some money out of savings that was earning very little interest and bought a couple acres with a small rental on it that now provides 3 times the interest income + some good tax deductions.

 

[TnAndy]

Question for TnAndy ........ Approx how large is your solar panel system to supply all of your power needs? Approx. how many square feet of panels?

Never really figured it by sqft. Watt wise, it's 11,000 watts. First 20 panels installed were 175w each, I think they ran around 36" x 54" (13.5sqft each) x 20 panels = 270sqft. Next 30 were 250w each, they ran around 39x66 (21.45sqft) x 30 = 643 sqft, so combined, around 913sqft.

Photo at some stage: There is another array of 8 panels behind the lower 8 you can't see, and since this was taken, I've come out the left with 10 more 250w to the ground mounted array.

And to be clear, it does not supply all our needs, but we have no bill because the power company pays a premium for solar infeed that cancels the rest of the bill.

 

[TnAndy]

Should we consider small livestock, or grow lavender, or buy a van to be an Amish-driver? Ideas, Ideas, Ideas! ...or even pitfalls…

Going to depend on your interests, and what will sell in your area. Clearly "Amish-driver" must be a local opportunity as I've never heard of it.

I believe the Dept of Agriculture still has money available for building green houses. You could start with a small one (say 20x40) and grow fresh greens for sale to local restaurants/farmer's market. If that goes well, and suits you, scale up to whatever time you want to spend doing it. You could start with small covered ground beds quite cheaply. World of YouTube videos on the subject. Key is to develop you market before you get too heavy in the growing side. (growing is easy, selling is the trick)


We grow an awful lot of food (for us) in our little homemade 3 season 20x36 house, and it doesn't have to be built as fancy with the concrete floor and raised beds. (that was for us personally to be able to keep gardening a long time into old age)

 

[TnAndy]

If I wasn't on my last lap, I would be TnAndy's neighbor,

Mon' up....You may have more laps in you than you think

 

[TnAndy]

I'm your man. Some leftover pain meds if you hurt, Ivomec if ya got worms, bottle of vet pennecilin and a cow size needle if ya got a fever. What else does a body need ?