Makin' a Living while Living the Dream.

Many friends and family members of mine have asked me, if and when I make the big move to a more rural life, how I'm going to make money... Which is a valid concern even when you plan to live off grid and mortgage free.

There will still be the need to buy animal feed; like rabbit food and hay for goats/chickens, dog food, etc. Not to mention vet bills. There's also the costs of maintaining tools and the house itself.

Let's face it, you can't make or grow everything you'll need on the homestead. There will be times where you have to spend money. So you need ways to make money.

So, how do you make money without having to go off and rejoin the rat race?

Well, for me it's more straightforward than with some people.  I don't really have to invent a business or move out of my current career path. I'm not an office worker, or in some specialized field dependent on the urban lifestyle.

Firstly, I'm an Artist.
I paint, draw, sculpt, and also craft. I plan on having a studio space in the cabin OR something built separately as a studio, and to sell through both an internet-based business as well as locally via a gallery or craft fairs. I also make "stick/rustic furniture"!

Secondly, I'm also a Dog Groomer.
A portable, flexible job, that I can do pretty much anywhere. It'd be pretty easy for me to convert a large shed into a grooming "studio" (I could work in a space as small as 10'x12'), and it would be pretty straight-forward to attract work from people who flood "cottage country" from spring through autumn. And if my land happens to be near a town with a good four-season population, all the better.

I also plan to make soap and cheese from my goat's milk (selling the occasional goat kid too naturally), and perhaps sell some of my excess meat rabbits from time to time. And there's always the possibility of selling fresh chicken eggs depending on how many hens I end up with.

Ultimately, I should be able to do alright being self-employed. Given the biggest bills will probably just be for wireless internet and phone services. (And perhaps the hydro required for my grooming "shed" IF it requires more hydro than I can provide via solar/wind/generator).

This is all fluid of course. We can't be putting the cart before the horse after all!  It'll be a few years before I'm in a position to have to seriously consider what I'll do for money. I need to buy my land first! And build the cabin AND drill the well. Then we'll see what's what. ;)