Is Becoming Self-Sufficient Easy?
Being self-sufficient can be a life-changing thing, but anyone who says that it is easy is lying to you. However, if all the best things in the world were easy, then they would quickly lose their greatness.
If you have been wondering about self-sufficiency, from what it means to what its benefits are, you are not alone. In today’s world, the idea of being self-reliant seems to be growing increasingly popular – and who can blame us? The cost of food is exorbitant, and you just don’t get what you once did, despite the higher price tag.
There are endless examples, and we can all see it in our daily lives if we look close enough. While it’s true that it is nearly impossible to be completely self-sufficient if you don’t live somewhere like a farm, that doesn’t mean you can’t dip your toe into self-sufficiency.
So, if you want to find out more about what it actually means, and what you can do, just keep reading!
What is Self-Sufficiency?
Self-sufficiency is the ability to maintain yourself (or your household) without aid from the outside world. You can provide for yourselves and essentially have everything you need to live a happy life.
We know – that’s a rather extreme definition, and seemingly unattainable. However, you don’t need to go all-out, especially not in the beginning.
Being self-sufficient can mean growing your own foods (whether that’s fruit and vegetables or meat and dairy), and even producing your own electricity.
It will always be up to you how far you want to take it because self-sustainability in its truest form probably means no internet! We’ll be honest – that part isn’t for us, and probably not you, either. However, the rest of it… it’s doable!
Why is it Important to be Self-Sufficient?
Look around you – the rising food prices and the cost of day-to-day life aren’t things that you can ignore. Of course, prices rise over time, but even within the last few years, the cost of food has skyrocketed, and it’s making people choose between feeding families and having a roof over their heads.
Finding ways, even if they are small, to be a bit less reliant on the outside world seems like a good idea and one that would be beneficial. So, learning how to be self-sufficient can bring around a lot of benefits, despite the hard work that might go into it.
The Benefits of Being Self-Sufficient
There are a lot of potential benefits to being self-sufficient, but you might not see the results as immediately as you like. However, when all that hard work finally does start to pay off, you might notice:
- Being self-sufficient can save you a lot of money in the long run
- It can give you a sense of satisfaction and pride
- You can do your bit to help protect the environment
- It can protect you from the ever-changing life around you (and the prices that come with it)
- You might have better health because of it, especially if you are growing your own food without pesticides and you’re avoiding processed foods
- It can have a positive impact on your mental health!
- You can learn so much and expand your knowledge
The Disadvantages of Being Self-Sufficient
It wouldn’t make any sense to only focus on the positives, because life is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are, of course, downsides to being self-sufficient. These disadvantages can vary greatly depending on how far you want to take your self-sufficiency, but they might include:
- You could have a much bigger workload than before
- Learning new skills and having this increased workload can be very stressful
- If you have animals, you will be tied down and unable to travel like you once did
- You can’t take a break from it! If you go all the way and get a farm, that will become your life, and there is no escaping that unless you are wealthy enough to afford trusted farm hands and other help.
Is Becoming Self-Sufficient Easy?
We love being delusional here – but only a little bit, because it helps you get through life. However, it would be ludicrous (and delusional) to think that becoming self-sufficient is an easy task. It’s not easy, and it is not quick, either.
You will face difficulties and there will be one hurdle after the next as you branch out.
Sure, growing a few tomatoes on your porch might not be so difficult, but when you start doing more and taking on more responsibilities, you will start to feel it.
If you want to go all the way and buy some land where you can have animals, it will become incredibly difficult.
So no, becoming self-sufficient is not easy. The most difficult part of the process, however, is getting started and learning what you need to. After a while, it should become second nature, and you will get used to it (but that still doesn’t mean that it’s easy).
Easy Steps to Take to Become More Self-Reliant
If you want to take a few steps to start your self-sufficiency journey, there are some things you can start doing today! Truth is, there are countless things you can do, but they are not all easy, and they are not all cheap either.
To start becoming a little bit more self-sufficient, you could consider implementing the following:
- Learn how to mend your clothes so that small tears don’t mean they get thrown in the bin
- Make meal plans and stick to them (this is just great for budgeting)
- Learn how to preserve different foods in jars!
- Start growing some of your favourite easy-to-grow fruits and vegetables at home
- Practice composting if you have an outside space that you can work with
- Save the seeds from the food you buy to grow at home
- Use reusable cloths instead of paper towels and napkins
- Get some chickens if you have the space!
- Try your hand at foraging, it could be a lot of fun
- DIY as much as you can
- Air dry your clothes instead of using a tumble dryer
- Collect rainwater if it is safe for you to do so
- Get solar panels if you can afford it
Should You Become Self-Sufficient?
Our answer might be biased, but yes! We don’t mean you need to go out and buy land and raise cattle, we just mean the little things.
Do what you can to become a little bit more self-sufficient, and you will notice the benefits immediately. Not only will you learn so much, but you can start to save money and generally live a much healthier lifestyle.
It’s not easy, but down the road, all the hard work will be worth it.
You can start with something simple like making cheese and bread at home. We have recipes on paneer, ricotta, feta, gouda, cottage cheese, and more. If you want to try your hand at making homemade meals from scratch, we’ve added our favourite chicken curry and naan recipe for everyone to enjoy, too.
There’s plenty to dig into and learn, from whey in gardening and making bone broth to dealing with mint and making your own butter. Dig in, and have some fun with it.