Most of our blog posts focus on one narrow topic. From time to time it’s good to look at the bigger picture and summarize the most important reasons for breaking free of the system. It’s all about creating a better life.
– Build your own home with sustainable materials to save tens of thousands of dollars and help protect the environment.
– Opportunity to live debt free and simplify your life. This not only saves you money, it frees up spare time so you can do the things you really want and **Be Happier**.
– Independent, self-sufficient living. This includes being better prepared for disasters.
– Live in a community of like-minded people.
– Natural buildings are more beautiful and don’t offgas toxic fumes like homes built of manmade synthetic materials.
– Renewable energy can save you thousands of dollars and cause less pollution.
– Grow your own fresh, healthy, better tasting organic food.
– Overall healthy lifestyle – more active, fresh air, quiet, peaceful, less pollution, no chemicals in the water, less stress, better environment for raising kids, more in tune with nature (see the stars at night, observe wildlife, etc.), more time with family and friends.
Image source: EarthEasy (good summary about buying homestead land)
An amusing sidelight to that: Kelly and I achieved the blissful state of being debt-free by selling the dream earthbag home we (mostly he) had built! That was in 2005 and it has been delicious to be debt free ever since.
Our main motivation was to leave the US for a while. We moved to Mexico and enjoyed living there for five years, but I never stopped missing our small town in Colorado. In 2010 we moved back, making that decision before things got rougher south of the border.
Debt free is fabulous. It gives us so much more freedom to choose what we do!
Great story Zana! What was it like parting with your earthbag home? Was it hard to sell?
Dan, it took us a while to get clear, but when some people we knew with the last name of Byer told us they were interested — without us having listed it for sale — I took it as a sign that the we were being provided with byers/buyers!
Kelly was already clear at that point. Since we live in the same tiny town now, people often ask us if we miss it. I usually say, yes, a bit now and then, but I LOVE being debt free, which that house gave us.
I have to agree. The greatest benefit for me too is the freedom and spare time to do what I love most. Life is short and I want to spend my time as I choose.