Watched a YouTube video by Russell Brand today regarding corporations buying homes in the U.S. real estate market, making ownership for the average family increasingly difficult and forcing them to rent. It reminds me of the song “Sixteen Tons” written by Merle Travis and sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford.
In essence, the song speaks about being in-debt to the coal mining company the coal miners worked for, especially before labor reforms were adopted. Coal miners often became indebted to the “company store,” also known as the general store in some locations. With no competition, the company could keep prices high for everyday items, and employees — especially those with families — often needed to pay in credit with tokens or scrip. A never-ending cycle of debt often resulted, meaning essentially that the workers were perpetually bound to the company. The line from song “Sixteen tons”: “I can’t afford to die, I owe my soul to the company store” may become more of a reality for people today, then we would ever want.
So, what can we do about it? We can learn to become more self-sufficient and create small communities in which we can rely on. Below are 10 starter ideas to become more self-sufficient.
10 Starter Ideas to become more Self-Sufficient
- Start a kitchen herb garden or grow a planter garden.
- Start a community garden.
- Ditch the grass and go for an edible lawn.
- Build a compost pile or purchase a device that can compost.
- Get some backyard chickens.
- Stop using your clothes dryer since it is an energy sucker.
- Learn to sew, knit and crochet.
- Install rain barrels.
- Learn to can your food.
- Become a bee farmer.
Also, if you have some capital, you might be interested in shipping container-based farms or innovative indoor vertical hydroponic technology.
If possible, work towards paying off your home and/or buying a piece of land.