Previously a consumer of fast food and store-bought frozen meals, Cara Jones, a 27-year-old content creator, now grows and preserves enough provisions to feed her family for four months, thereby saving $2,000 per year.
Prompted by a sense of helplessness during the pandemic, Cara started learning about homesteading and self-sufficient living.
Through YouTube tutorials, she picked up skills like canning, significantly altering her family’s diet.
As a result, she now has a stocked pantry with homemade meals, vegetables, and flour, estimated to last three to four months.
This approach has allowed Cara, who lives with her husband Devon, a 28-year-old truck driver, and their two children near Chicago, to cook from scratch and reduce their dependence on grocery stores and takeout.
Initially, Cara believed homesteading was only feasible with large landholdings.
However, after researching online in summer 2022, she realized she could homestead in her small backyard and basement, leading to a healthier lifestyle for her family.
