M.D. CREEKMORE

You are here: Home / Uncategorized / This Week on The Homestead: Homesteading Progress and Preps For The Week / June 16, 2018

This Week on The Homestead: Homesteading Progress and Preps For The Week / June 16, 2018

Hello everyone. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve received a number of emails from readers letting me know how broke that they are and how that they could not afford to buy any preps, or homestead, however, the strange thing was that when I emailed back asking what they were doing to try and earn some extra money the conversations went silent.

Folks, complaining about being broke isn’t going to help you. As far as I know, complaining isn’t a marketable skill and no one is hiring for it. So stop complaining and get off your butts and do something to earn more money if you need it.

I’ve been broke and I’ve even been homeless, however, I did not just give up, nor did I expect anyone to give me anything. Instead, I got up and hustled. I planned, I worked and I failed a lot, but I kept at it and I finally started earning a living as a handyman.

And you know what… the more jobs I got, the more satisfied customers that I had, which led to repeat business with those customers and also to those customers letting their family and friends know about me and my work which led to even more customers…

And then about 12-years ago I decided to start a blog.

At that time I didn’t know anything about blogging or doing anything online other than a google search. But I had always wanted to publish a print newsletter and a blog is a modern version of that so I moved forward. And after doing a lot of studying, and planning I started my first blog.

I spent hours every day working to add content and to get everything just right. Somedays I’d work 16 hours a day just on my blog and you know what… nothing happened. No one was reading, no one was commenting… nothing.

But I didn’t give up because I have knowledge that I wanted to share with others. I wanted to teach and help others so I kept at it and after a few months and hundreds of hours of work, I started to see my pageviews trickle upwards.

So I kept working, and the page views started to grow along with my subscriber numbers by which 10 or more every day, and it just kept going. It was slow, very slow but as long as those numbers kept going up, even slightly, I knew that I was doing something right, so I kept doing it.

And then after several years and thousands of hours working on my blog for free, I started earning a few dollars a month from it. If I remember correctly my first month as an Amazon.com affiliate I earned just over $1.50.

Keep in mind that this $1.50 was after several years of blogging and having several hundred subscribers at that time. But I kept at it and each month my page views and subscriber numbers increased as did my earnings to the point where I was able to stop working as a handyman and start blogging full-time.

Anyways, the point is that instead of complaining while doing nothing isn’t going to work. You need to figure out how to earn more while spending less on stuff that you don’t really need.

I’ve written several articles recently on doing both… but just reading those articles isn’t going to help you… you have to actually do something.

I’ll link to a few of those articles below:

I even have a free blogging course – yes, it’s truly free, with no strings attached – just click on this link to get started.

Okay, now what about my homesteading and preps for the week.

This week, I put in another raised garden bed, set up a 55-gallon barrel to catch rainwater runoff, that I’ll use to water my garden. Planted more peppers and tomatoes.

And ordered one of these that I’ll pull behind my UTV.

Oh yeah, I only have a limited supply of the super awesome Bulletproof Survivor CD left so order now if you want a copy.

And don’t forget to check out my T-shirts and book.

Please, let me know which of my T-shirt designs that you like the best as well as the one that you dislike the most.

Well, folks, that’s it for me… what about you?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. What did I do this week?
    I took some time
    To write it all down
    And set it to rhyme.

    I hope you enjoy it,
    And it’s not boring.
    I came up with the idea
    While my husband was snoring.

    I need to catch up on sleep,
    But I can’t ‘cause I’m working,
    Or just laying around
    My duties I’m shirking.

    A little more stuff
    Was added to the pile.
    I got it on sale
    That only lasted a while.

    The weather didn’t cooperate.
    The garden was full of weeds.
    I want to send some rain to Jesse,
    ‘Cause I know that’s what he needs.

    I worked in the garden
    Hilling, weeding, and seeding.
    Nothing was done during last week’s camping,
    So that’s what it was needing.

    Hubby helped with the corn,
    Tilling and chopping with a hoe.
    That’s better than diamonds
    And stuff just for show.

    It’s happened again to me.
    Neighbor sprayed chemicals on his field.
    He was careless and it drifted.
    I hope it doesn’t affect my garden yield.

    The baby goats are ok.
    Their mommas are proud.
    To have the weaning started,
    But boy they’re sure loud!

    Now I’ve started the milking.
    I do it by hand.
    It’s a little more work
    Living off of the land.

    I have lots of milk,
    And want to make cheese.
    I would like for you to share
    Your successful recipes.

    Taking care of the chickens
    Is so much more fun.
    Since no worries of being attacked
    Yes, the roosters are minus one. 😉

    The hens lay many eggs,
    And have lots of poops.
    I worked quite a while
    Cleaning out the three coops.

    I rearranged the chickens,
    To coops that are new.
    I hope for happier hens,
    And breeding better too.

    The apiary’s doing well.
    We have lots of honey.
    The nucs are almost ready.
    So good-bye to some money.

    I’m getting rid of stuff
    That I no longer use,
    Clothes, knick-knacks, dishes,
    And a few pair of old shoes.

    I need to get busy.
    My To-Do list is large.
    Don’t forget what I say.
    Be prepared. Stay safe. He’s in charge.

    • As a teacher, I hear a lot of parents complain about not having enough money for…fill in the blank. This translates to: I want you to pay my water bill, car repair, kid’s clothes, Christmas presents, etc. It’s amazing how quiet these people are when I tell them about two or three jobs I know of that they’re completely qualified for and they can even walk to them! You’re right. Do what we’ve both done. Get off your butt and DO SOMETHING!

      • PG, Oddly I learn that a lot of folks don’t have money for supplies or prepping because it was all used on their latest vacation or adding to their ATV/RV/vehicle/etc. How you balance your money is something these folks just don’t understand.

        • Gloria,

          PG, Oddly I learn that a lot of folks don’t have money for supplies or prepping because it was all used on their latest vacation or adding to their ATV/RV/vehicle/etc. How you balance your money is something these folks just don’t understand.

          How true. Back in the mid 1970’s I knew a financial planner who said he would love to get a hold of some of the local factory workers. It drove him crazy how much money they wasted on their new toys like ATV’s and vehicles. He could have made some money and had each of them on a path to early retirement. The biggest thing that bugged him was the financial illiteracy where they generally only wanted to know “What’s the payment?” and if they had that much to spare each month, they would make the purchase. Things like interest rate and number of months to payoff didn’t count, and items like 401K contributions or other savings were neglected. Many also only made the minimum credit card payments.
          I graduated from college in 1973 and purchased my first house ( a fixer upper on a land contract) in 1976, while contributing at least the minimum amount to my 401K for the match.
          I don’t feel sorry for those who will not work and prefer to just complain; but, we have a society that’s been headed there much too long.
          The DW and I scream when we hear or see commercials about debt relief, where some company can reduce what you owe to the IRS or help you walk away from credit card debt just wiping it out, while the rest of us pay our debts and lead responsible lives.
          Arrrrgh!!!!!

          • Ohio Prepper,
            You are right. My hubby and I saved for years and contributed to our 401K. Even when I was a divorced mom of three children, I always contributed as much as I possibly could. We have a comfortable retirement because of over 30 years of saving and doing without. We are not rich by any means. We are able to live without depending on anyone else, pay our bills, help our kids out within reason and generally purchase what we need and want. We don’t buy frivolous things either. We were so worried the last few years of working and we couldn’t make it without a paycheck, but you would be surprised at how little you spend when retired.

          • Right on!! When my son started working at a well-known steel company he was told that they never laid off anyone, except for just cause, during the slow times. They cut everyone’s hours during those times so employees should save some money from the busy times, with lots of overtime, to tide them over the slow times. Some put some money away & some didn’t. They bought pickups, boats, campers etc. and when the slow times rolled around the bulletin board filled up with notices of all the toys for sale. Some people just never learn.

        • Loved you poem PG! I’m finally ready to buy a couple things and really need advice from everyone! What would be a good thermal monocular? Not too outrageous, but works well. Any advice on a thermal scope? And lastly, best kind of 2 way radios for neighbors and us?

      • That hurts me just reading about your injury. Prayers for a speedy recovery.

      • I agree completely MD. I’ve been broke before with my back up against the wall. I remember paying my bills and only having $20 remaining until the next paycheck. Then I went to work. I negotiated lower payments with my credit cards. Browned sacked my lunch to work and cut how the expensive coffees and soft drinks. I even took a second job for awhile. I was worn out by the end of the week, but I climbed out and am a better person for it.
        Our church gives out sack lunches to the needy and food boxes to family’s in need. You would be amazed at the number of well to do people who drop by not because they are in need, but because it’s free and they feel as entitled as those truly in need. They come in reeking of tobacco (I once told a woman covered in cigarette smoke) that with the price of tobacco, she could use that money to feel her children. They look at you like a deer in the headlight. Oh, and the woman who come by (dresses to the nines with the MK purse, designer sun glasses and Mercedes, wanting sack lunches for her five children. She didn’t care for me telling her that I would need to see the children for that many lunches, otherwise she only got one. Next day, she stopped by again and requested five lunches. I repeated the deal about seeing the children. She pointed to the car to which I saw heads, so I walked out to the car and saw two young men (maybe in their early twentys) sitting in the back seat, I gave. Her 3 lunches, she never came by again. I absolutely hate the people who are just working the system. Great empathy form those in real need, we had a guy that came in regular. He rode a bicycle because that’s the only transportation he had. He worked full time at a chicken processing plant down the road, but it wasn’t quite enough money. He asked if we had anything he could do part time. We hired him part time. Who do you think would be the most apt to survive in a shtf situation?

        • Jean, to some degree those who “work the system” survive well by learning to take advantage of every opportunity and not letting the pesky thing we have “principles” get in the way. I’ve asked others many times why we should continue to be plagued by our principles…their response is always, it’s what separates us from the animals.

          And a an aside, in my recent article I was clear about giving, getting and receiving- eg., something for nothing always creates more problems in the end than it solves. *dont feed the bears*

          That young man who offered to work for his lunch…that’s a man I’d want to know

    • Prepared Grammy, thank you! Started raining last night and hasn’t stopped yet! Loving it!

      • Jesse, I’m so glad. I’ve honestly been thinking about you a lot this week and hoping you were getting some rain.

        • Pg, and docj, we are getting good rain- it was raining in Tempe earlier today as well! And thank you PG hugs very much!

      • Jesse, so glad for your rain. Sister in Phoenix. Temps are at 109 during the day. Hope she gets the rain also!

    • I just love it! What a great start to this week’s responses, PG. Lol.

  2. Managed to temporarily incapacitate dominant hand with Mandolin slicer. Only 10 stitches, but, not much accomplished!

      • Well, Thor…aren’t ALL Homesteaders, by the very nature of what we do every day, more accident-prone than the average bear?!

        • LTD, stay away from the chainsaw and log splitter/axe…..LOL

          I hope it doesn’t hurt when you laugh…….

        • Livinthedream,

          Well, Thor…aren’t ALL Homesteaders, by the very nature of what we do every day, more accident-prone than the average bear?!

          I know I am not; but, that’s because I assume everything will take longer than planned and we use safety equipment even when it is a pain in the ….
          Even rushing up the stairs can be hazardous so we try to do things carefully and slowly, even though it may sometimes drive us a bit crazy.
          Being less accident-prone must be part of the mindset, since those accidents can also take longer to get help by the very nature of where we live.