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Self-Sufficiency in Style

financial support

 

Can we go fifty/fifty?

Is is possible to go self-sufficient with one partner working and one looking after the small-holding?

The question is always asked, especially by younger people with children to look after and a mortgage to pay.

The answer is "Yes, of course."

It is a far better solution than attempting to balance the budget by trying to turn self-sufficient living into a business.

It is even possible, under some circumstances to be partially self-sufficient with both partners working.

The writer and Mrs P were, for a short period, both working, and for a long period, one working and one at home.

 

When you are first together, almost invariably, you are both working, 
then at some stage, one goes off each day, 
then later, neither work outside the home.

Your self-sufficiency can be managed to accommodate your commitments.

Cooking is the obvious first choice.

 

Then gardening as the time allows.

Finally, animals.

 It is simply important to be realistic, both on the financial side ...and on how much work you will be able to achieve.

The division of labour is also important. If one of the parties is at work, it is not just their labour that will be unavailable during the day, but their skills too.

The reality is that with both out to work, self-sufficiency will be limited to some vigorous gardening and maybe some adventurous cooking.

You can't keep animals if you are away all day.
If one of you is at home permanently, self-sufficiency is likely to be either cooking and gardening or cooking and animals.

Expenses will be higher too, because of the necessity of getting one partner reliably to work looking reasonably tidy and bright-eyed.

Employers expect you to arrive in reasonable condition, on time and not covered in sheep dung.

Children can learn a lot from a self-sufficient lifestyle.

The effect on any children must be carefully balanced.

In general, they undoubtedly benefit both physically and mentally.

Schooling is often better in rural areas too.

But they may miss out on some of the luxuries, like holidays abroad.

Vegetables and livestock need watering every day in summer.

It takes a lot of teamwork to live like this, but it is perfectly possible.

Your grandfather and grandmother almost certainly worked this way.

It is a system that has stood the test of time. Second age self-sufficiency has some notes on the burdens that the women will often have to carry in the modern world.

Think about it before going on to Doing Without or reading about Income, or go on to think about the Capital you might need.

You can read a personal reminisce on Starting Out.

Teamwork 

in

 the painfully named Hangman's Cottage, just to the south of Misery Corner.

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