PM's Self Reliance Tools: Budget Stretchers: Free Rent, Vacations, Anti-Virus & More

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

"The safest course is to do nothing against one's conscience.
With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death."
-- Voltaire

Yes, You Can Live Rent-Free

Instead of forking over a big slice of your paycheck to housing costs, consider exchanging your services for a place to stay.

Alex Beecroft didn't pay

a cent in rent for nearly a year. No, he wasn't couch surfing or mooching off of friends. The Michigan native traveled the country, helping organic farmers plant crops and tend to greenhouses in exchange for warm meals and warm beds. It was all thanks to World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms in the United States (WWOOF-USA), a network that connects more than 2,000 organic farmers in the U.S. with people willing to work in return for a lesson about agriculture, a free place to sleep and three meals a day. Along his journey, the 23-year-old Beecroft worked in the Appalachians, splashed in the Atlantic Ocean and hiked mountains in Montana. "This experience has been a gift, and I've learned a lot," he says. "Every farm housed and fed me beautifully."

Beecroft was fortunate to be able to pursue a passion without busting the bank on housing costs. Rental prices are high across the country: According to Trulia.com, the median monthly rent for the largest 100 metropolitan areas in the U.S. is $1,314, with prices ranging from $865 in Youngstown, Ohio, to $3,236 in San Jose, Calif. Paying such a high price can be particularly painful when it's a large chunk of your paltry entry-level paycheck…

If farming isn't your thing, there are other programs that enable you to live rent-free for months or even years at a time. We've identified six ways you can skip paying full rent. Note that many of these living arrangements require the kindness of strangers to some extent. Vet your possible hosts via e-mail and phone. Also search for critical background info via Google and Pipl.com, as well as the Department of Justice's National Sex Offender Public Web site.

1. Farm Livin'

For $40 a year, you can search WWOOF's database of farms based on how long you want to stay, from a few days to several months; the type of farm, from a ranch to a vineyard; or kind of lodging, from a spare bedroom to a teepee.

More at:

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/real-estate/T063-C006-S001-yes-you-can-live-rent-free.html?rss_source=rss

The dream of owning a home is fading away for many families who can't afford either a down payment or a mortgage. But there are better options out there, and believe it or not, it is very possible to build a home without borrowing money, particularly if you are hunting for one that's off-grid and away from it all. Read more here.

Do You Have Land to Share?

SharedEarth.com is a free site that connects landowners with gardeners or farmers – you provide the free land and growers share some of their produce.

The Secret To Long-Term Safe Storage Of Milk And Eggs

Whether you are blessed with an overabundance of food or you are someone who wants to be prepared in a survival situation, you may have wondered if you can safely store your fresh milk and eggs on a long-term basis.

The answer is yes and the process, as you might suspect, involves freezing and/or canning.

First let’s look at how to store milk long-term

http://www.offthegridnews.com/off-grid-foods/the-secret-to-long-term-safe-storage-of-milk-and-eggs/

More Useful Resources You Can Share

How Stretching a Small Income Paid Off Big

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/credit/T065-C000-S002-then-and-now-stretching-a-small-income-paid-off.html?rss_source=rss

Only 1 in 5 U.S. Families Have a 6-Month Savings Cushion

Unbelievable Trick Brings Brown Bananas Back to Life

Make Delicious Homemade Sorbet in Just 5 Minutes

How to Grow More Food from Your Kitchen Scraps

15 Natural Cleaning Products You Can Make at Home

If you are tired of paying high prices for commercial cleaning products, why not make them yourself. Here are recipes for glass cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, furniture polish, and more. Just don't expect all of them to do a superior job.

BEST FREE ANTI VIRUS SOFTWARE

PC Magazine says you don't have to buy antivirus software because their Editor's Choice in this year's round of tests is on par with the paid programs. Topping the list is Panda Free Antivirus 2015 (download it here) and be sure to uncheck boxes making Yahoo your default.

Foods as Medicine Found at Your Local Farm Market

Healing foods? Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Food as medicine is a concept that goes back much further than modern medicine!

Foods as Medicine Found at Your Local Farm Market

How to Get a Free Vacation

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/vacationplanning/tp/Free_Vacations.htm?utm_source=exp_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_term=list_frugalliving&utm_campaign=list_frugalliving&utm_content=20150701