Do you ever have random thoughts just hit you when you are in the middle of something else?
Well, that is kind of what happened to me the other day. I was cooking in my kitchen when a memory of something I saw on the internet hit me. It was this great little website that I used to visit often when I felt like my wardrobe was terrible, but I didn’t have much money to really do anything about it.
Then it hit me. There are a few websites that I frequent often that aren’t per say “homesteading sites”, but definitely sites that might still be of interests to homesteaders because they can help you along with your journey.
So I wanted to take a moment to share the ‘non-homesteading’ sites that I visit frequently when I’m facing a particular challenge of homesteading or needing inspiration.
Helpful Websites to Know About
Here is where you might find me hanging out on the internet:
1. Refashionista
This was the site I was thinking of that day in my kitchen. It is actually a really cool place to visit because it is all about a young woman who goes to the Goodwill and purchases clothing that is kind of outdated and most of the time too large.
Then she brings them home, pulls out her sewing machine, and makes some pretty trendy outfits. I realize most of the outfits wouldn’t suffice for wearing around your homestead, but I love it because I find it is inspirational.
I mean, let’s face it. Regardless of where we live, most of us like to get a new outfit every now and again so we can clean up nice. When you don’t have the money to afford a newer outfit, it is always nice to be able to get online and see things like this.
You never know, it might just encourage you to make a trip to your local thrift store, purchase an item deeply discounted, and try your hand at recreating a newer outfit for yourself. It might make you feel good too!
So the next time that you are just hanging around, browse her website and see what you think. Please feel free to share with us any outfits that this website may have inspired too.
2. Pick Your Own
I found this website before I became a homesteader. I was looking for a discounted way to purchase food and when scouring the internet I happened to stroll across this site. At the time I thought if I could go and pick my own food from a local farmer, then I might get a better deal than the grocery store.
But now that I grow my own food, I don’t worry about that aspect so much because obviously growing over buying is a much cheaper option, usually.
However, there are certain items some years that we just don’t grow or our crop didn’t turn out right. This doesn’t mean that I still don’t need the items for my own canning purposes.
So when that happens I still turn to this website. It is also a great website to find local farms for nice family day trips or field trips if you have kids.
Either way, you simply type in your address and it will show what is available in your area.
Also, it gives lots of canning recipes to help you learn to safely process food that you pick or purchase from local farmers as well. It truly is a great source for lots of information.
3. The Prudent Homemaker
This is another website I discovered years ago before I jumped into homesteading with both feet. I was just beginning to become familiar with the idea of making from scratch vs. purchasing from a store.
So when I came across this woman who had a large family, one unsteady income, and the will to make it all work I knew I had struck a gold mine.
Hopefully, you’ll feel the same. She has a ton of money saving tips and also a ton of great recipes too. They aren’t typical frugal recipes either. She has easy recipes for salad dressings, crepes, salads, and the list goes on and on.
So the next time you have a few minutes and are looking for some new ideas for frugal recipes, then you may want to stroll around her site and see what catches your attention.
Plus, she also shares gardening tips and sewing tips too.
4. My Fridge Food
I love this website! As homesteaders, we are often looking for ways to take what we have and turn it into something that we need. A lot of time I’ll have a handful of homemade or homegrown ingredients but have no idea on how to put them together to make a tasty and satisfying meal for my family.
Well, I don’t have to worry about that as much any more thanks to this website. The next time you look at your fridge or cupboards and think, “We have nothing to eat.” I challenge you to check out this website.
Then you just enter the ingredients you do have on hand and see what recipes pop up so you can actually utilize what you have.
See, it really makes dinner time that simple. No more racking your brain, no more feeling discouraged, and no more wasting the ingredients you have on hand. This website can help you utilize what you have to the fullest.
5. Upcycle That
If you are into upcycling, then this website is your one-stop shop for all things upcycled. As you know, my husband and I try to upcycle as many things as we can. Not only does it decrease waste, but it saves us a ton of money too.
So this website is a place where you can buy certain items to upcycle or that have been upcycled. Plus, you can also look for tutorials for upcycling projects too.
Not to mention, if you just have random items hanging around your house or property, this site has an option for that too. You just select what type of item you have around that you need to use, then it will give you tutorials that might work so you can utilize it.
So the next time you are in the mood to upcycle items, you’ll definitely want to check this site out to see if you can get any inspiration for the build or project itself.
6. Living on a Dime
One of the biggest questions I see and hear so much from readers or just people browsing the internet is, “How do I save the money to make my homesteading dreams happen?”
Well, from someone who is in the midst of her dream, I can tell you in my experience it takes a really frugal outlook on life.
So how do you accomplish this, especially in a time where it seems frugality has gone out of the window?
Well, you do lots of studying on sites like this one. I studied up on being frugal for probably 2 years before I ended up taking the unexpected plunge into homesteading. I had to completely change my whole mindset. It was sites like this one that helped me to do that.
I began by reading up on tips for living a frugal lifestyle. Then I took advantage of tips on how to save on my grocery budget (which you can find on this site.)
Also, I searched through tons of frugal recipes, so I could learn how to cook and do so on a budget. It is websites like these that are goldmines to beginning homesteaders because they contain a plethora of information about embracing the frugal lifestyle, which is often the first step towards becoming a homesteader.
7. Money Saving Mom
I used to explore this website years ago before my husband and I moved out of the city, and I quit my day job. I remember sitting at work looking over this site for any information I could find to save money.
Back then, I was a working mom with an infant son who was desperately trying to make ends meet because I needed to afford daycare because I couldn’t afford to quit my job.
So needless to say, this is another site that is filled with lots of frugal living tips. She gives you ideas on how to manage your money, starting your own home business, where to find coupons, and also lots of frugal recipes too.
Which means, if you are looking for ways to save money or to start your own business to help support your homestead, then you’ll want to check out this site and see what she has to offer.
8. Instructables
I’m a huge fan of the Instructables website. The reason is that amateur builders, just like you and I, can submit projects that we’ve built with tutorials.
Then you can share them with other people who may be looking to build the same thing. It is a fun way to get ideas for new building projects.
Plus, if the ‘average Joe’ can build a project, it gives me much more confidence when taking the project on myself.
So the next time you need building inspiration, then you might want to check this site out for yourself and see what you can come up with.
9. Ana White
I’m a huge fan of Ana White. I think she is an absolute inspiration for many reasons. First of all, she lives in Alaska. I think that is a gorgeous country and where homesteaders deserve a ton of respect for making it work in such harsh elements.
Second, she has built a booming online business while living in Alaska. That is difficult enough when you live in the lower 48 because most of us have solid access to internet communication.
But Alaska is still extremely rural. So the fact that she is able to build her projects, create a business, and then market it all online while living in Alaska is just a huge hats-off to her.
Finally, she builds gorgeous projects. They are items that most anyone would want for their own home.
So if you are looking for a website filled with thorough tutorials for building just about anything, then Ana White is another site that you’ll definitely want to check out for yourself.
10. The Chicken Chick
The last site that I want to share with you is The Chicken Chick. She is all about her chickens and is a well of information when it comes to chickens. If I come across something new with my flock, I know I can go to her site and most likely find an educated answer.
So if you have chickens, you’ll definitely want to check out this website. She can tell you what to feed your birds, help you diagnose and recommend solutions for chicken ailments, and also give you lots of great ideas for ways to entertain and keep your hens happy.
Plus, she too gives insight on gardening and also on keeping bees. It is a great site to look around and learn lots of useful information.
Well, I hope that these ‘non-homesteading’ sites prove helpful in your homesteading journey. They give me lots of information on certain topics, help me with leading a more frugal lifestyle, and also inspire me.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to say the same.
But I’d like to hear from you. What ‘non-homesteading’ sites do you frequent often to inspire different aspects of your homesteading journey?
We love hearing from you so please leave us your thoughts in the comment section below.
