Rural Freedom

I sometimes click through the posts on Facebook regarding homeownership versus renting

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I sometimes click through the posts on Facebook regarding homeownership versus renting 🏡

I do want to eventually own my own land but I can’t make the math work comparing my small rundown apartment on the bus line – near parks and the library compared to buying a house and having to pay a lot more to heat it, maintain it and have to be reliant on an automobile to get everywhere.

Maybe buying a house makes a lot more sense if you are already renting a full house, or a high end apartment and are reliant on a car to get to work. But if you aren’t looking for the suburbanite experience and are currently happy with your existing living place it doesn’t make sense to tie up so much money in a hard to liquidate, non diversified asset which certainly can loose money.

For now, I’d much rather invest in the market and save for the time when I can buy my own land out in the country, in a freer state where I can have not only livestock but also the guns I want and the ability to have fires and do the self reliant things I want to do with my land.

Where am I on my off-grid homestead goal? 🥅

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Where am I on my off-grid homestead goal? 🥅

Lately I find myself writing less about owning my own land and the off grid way of living. While I certainly continue to have that goal, I feel like there isn’t a lot more to say about it except that I continue on my routine savings and investment plan as I inch towards it. But I’m making good money at my job – which I’m putting towards my future while not be laboring the point – my savings and investments are automatic and require little day by day thinking.

At the same time, I’m continuing to read and learn. I keep reading books about livestock and homesteading, learning how to manage natural resources and labd effectively. I’ve been been continuing to learn electricity and the building code, solar power and gardening. I follow several YouTube channels on these topics and are subscribed to many homesteading podcasts and groups.

The thing in my mind is not to jump too soon. Enjoy life today but keep a focus on a better tomorrow. While nothing beats having hands in the soil directly, learning through watching and reading is the next best thing. Being book smart at least gives you some background – and ideas where to go next.

Many people at my point in my career would looking to buy a house and settle down. I do look at future properties from time to time but my focus now is investing and saving. I just don’t want a suburbanite house – I want to live out in the country, on my own land away from neighbors where I can do my own thing on my own land.

Where I Would Eventually Like to Live

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Yesterday, I gave you some of my thoughts about the urban life — what I like about it — and the key elements that I think I find enjoyable about it from connectivity and accessibility of products and services nearby by walking or taking public transit.

Peru Farms

Yet, I’m in my heart a country boy, and I love spending time in the woods.

  • Live in a small community, with a small city (of around 20,000 persons) within 15-30 miles.
  • Own inexpensive land in hilly, rocky area, maybe 25-50 acres of woodland/pasture that I could run a couple head of cattle on, ride ATVs around.
  • Hobby farm a little bit, grow some of my own food, kill and eat my own animals.
  • Have no neighbors right nearby to bother me, be able to have fires, and burn my garbage (love fire!).
  • Be able to shoot targets and play with guns in my backyard.
  • Relatively low property taxes and fees so I could afford the land.
  • Have ATVs and snowmobiles, handguns and more long-guns, that I could ride around own land.
  • A big 3/4 ton or 1 ton 4×4 off-road pickup truck with cap.
  • State or federal public forest land nearby to hunt and fish on, along with ride ATVs and snowmobiles on.
  • Places in the boondocks nearby where I can truck camp or tent camp for free.
  • Hilltops and ridges to climb up on, look at wilderness and valleys below.
  • Lakes and ponds to swim and paddle around on, and fish.
  • Low taxes, friendly and helpful government agencies.

Coat Rack

There is a lot to celebrate about living in a quality urban community and living the urban life, I sure do love the wild nature of Rural America and the folks who spend every day of their lives in the wood.