How to Reduce Your Cost of Living by Moving to the Country

If you're looking to reduce your cost of living in this awful economy, one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family (if you are able) is to move out of the expensive city.... and into a more self-sufficient lifestyle in the country.

I recently moved my family of five from a tiny 700 square foot apartment in the middle of a bustling city, to a 2300 square foot country home in order to experience a slower pace of life, reduce our cost of living and to get back to basics.

Since we've moved, we've already noticed a positive change in our finances. We save money on fuel because my husband doesn't have to commute an hour away to his job. We don't have to spend hundreds of dollars a week on groceries, because we are able to buy them from local farmers ... and once spring rolls around, we plan on growing our own fruits and vegetables to save even more money on our grocery bill.

We also can't wait to begin canning and preserving our own garden fresh fruits and vegetables. By creating a rotating stock of foods we have grown ourselves, we will be saving money...and we will have the peace of mind that comes from eating natural foods and not the over-processed and overpriced garbage on supermarket shelves.

Another way to save money once you move to the country is to raise your own chickens. For a few dollars per hen, and a small hundred dollar investment in a chicken coop...you can have farm fresh eggs all year round! Just one young hen can produce as many as three eggs a day, and if you have one hen per family member...you'll have plenty of eggs. No more buying bleached eggs from a giant supermarket.

Country living is definitely not for everyone, but if you're tired of struggling financially, and you find yourself living paycheck to paycheck...moving to the country is an option you should consider for you and your family.

A small garden and a few hens....lower rent or mortgage payment... fresh air, sunshine and peace of mind can make a big difference in not only your finances, but in your quality of living as we all weather this tough financial storm.