Knowing how to be self-sufficient is useful for many reasons, whether you’re preparing for worst-case scenarios where the comforts you’re used to are no longer available, or if you decide that you would prefer to lead a simpler life without relying so much on technology and modern amenities. Not only will these skills be useful if you are in the position where you need to fend for yourself, but you can apply them to your current everyday lifestyle as well. If you would like to learn how to be more self-sufficient and be confident knowing that you will be able to take care of yourself, here are a few things that will be worth investing in.
Books and Classes to Learn
You might already have learned a few things from previous experience, or knowledge passed down from your parents or other family members and friends, but it’s still worth purchasing books on the subject. You might even want to consider taking classes to learn things like how to make clothes, build shelters, hunting lessons, learning how to fish, and so on. If there are any gaps in your knowledge, you should aim to learn more to give yourself the best chance of being self-sufficient.
Gardening Equipment
If you’re going to be able to look after yourself, learning how to grow crops is a must. A lot of people enjoy doing this just as a hobby, and during the pandemic growing vegetables and fruit at home became a popular past-time for those trying to stay busy. This could also help when it comes to your impact on the environment, as you will not be purchasing plastic-wrapped produce from supermarkets, and there will be no air miles when your goods are coming from your garden. Therefore, investing in quality gardening equipment and materials to set up an allotment, and help your garden thrive, is worth it.
Hardware
Gardening equipment is necessary but so is an extensive tool kit. If you want to be able to build a shelter, sheds for the garden, or just be able to make repairs, you will need all of the correct hardware to do this. You might get better deals if you buy items in bulk, and stocking up is always a smart thing to do anyway. Just make sure that you store your hardware in a place where things won’t rust or get worn out over time. A basement or, even better, a workshop outside would be ideal.
Animals
Another thing worth investing in is animals. If you’re a meat-eater, rearing animals for food will be something you need to do if you wish to continue with your normal diet. It’s also better to do this than purchase meat that has been raised on an overcrowded farm and fed an unhealthy diet or force-fed to make them fatter. Rearing animals yourself is truly organic, if you let them roam your land and treat them right. Even if you don’t eat meat, having animals can contribute to the overall ecosystem of your land and provide some companionship.
Canned Goods
Growing crops and rearing animals is great, but canned goods will always be useful when it comes to making delicious and nutritious meals. They also last a long time, so if you are struggling to source fresh ingredients, canned goods will come in handy. From tomatoes, beans, peas, corn, fish, and meat products, there are a lot of things you can get in a canned form that can be part of a nutritious meal. These things are also cheap, so it’s easy to stock up without breaking the bank.
Gold, Jewels, and Other Precious Metals
If you’re trying to live off the land, you might not be using cash as often as you used to. However, money does make the world go round, so investing in gold, jewels, and other precious metals can help you trade these in for cash or other things of value that might be useful to you. You can find gold nuggets and jewelry from nuggetsbygrant.com if you want to see some examples of quality gold products that are a manageable investment.
Fabrics
Fabric is another thing that is worth having at hand as it can be used to make clothes and other items in your household, such as blankets, throws, cushion covers, bedsheets, and more. It will be useful to know how to make these things yourself if you want to be self-sufficient, but you will, of course, need the right fabrics to do this.
Knowing how to be self-sufficient will always be useful and can be a life-saver in worst-case scenarios. However, you will need the right things to help you live a life like this, so consider these suggestions and see how they are good investments for you.