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Broke? 5 money-saving homesteading trends that are slashing family expenses overnight – The Times of India
With grocery bills climbing and household expenses stretching budgets thin, families are now turning to homesteading practices to cut costs and build financial resilience. Growing your own vegetables, raising backyard chickens and making homemade cleaning products are experiencing a surge in popularity as practical ways to reduce monthly expenses.These homesteading skills deliver real savings while building greater self-sufficiency. From backyard gardens to DIY household products, families are proving that traditional practices can provide meaningful budget relief in modern times. In an interview with the Times of India, Vince Braun, Founder and President and CEO of HealthiStraw, a family-owned Canadian company based in Manitoba, specialising in premium, sustainable wheat straw products, shared, “People are realising that many of the skills our ancestors took for granted can provide serious financial benefits today. Whether it’s using quality straw for garden mulch or animal bedding, the right materials make these practices both more effective and more economical.”These practices offer families multiple benefits, including immediate cost savings, protection against price fluctuations and supply chain disruptions, plus valuable skills that increase household resilience. Read on as we spill the beans on the five homesteading practices delivering the biggest financial impact for modern families.
Growing vegetables and herbs at home
Home gardening has become one of the most accessible entry points into money-saving homesteading. A single tomato plant can yield 10-15 pounds of tomatoes throughout the growing season, potentially saving $30-50 compared to store prices. Herbs offer even more dramatic savings, as a basil plant that costs $3 can replace dozens of expensive store-bought packages.
Homesteading advocate and CEO reveals how traditional self-sufficiency practices are delivering measurable savings for families facing economic pressures
There are more sustainability benefits beyond the immediate savings too. Home gardens reduce packaging waste and transportation costs while providing fresher, more nutritious produce. Families also gain protection against seasonal price spikes that can double or triple the cost of certain vegetables.“Quality mulch makes all the difference in garden success,” explained Braun. “Our GardenStraw helps retain moisture and suppress weeds, which means less watering and weeding time for busy families while improving harvest yields.”
Raising backyard chickens for eggs
Backyard chicken keeping has exploded in popularity as egg prices have fluctuated dramatically. A small flock of 4-6 hens can produce 2-4 dozen eggs per week, potentially saving families $200-400 annually compared to store-bought organic eggs. In addition to the financial benefits, chicken keeping provides food security and teaches children valuable responsibility skills. The birds also contribute to household sustainability by eating kitchen scraps and producing fertiliser for gardens.
Backyard Chickens, DIY Cleaners and More: The Money-Saving Trend Taking Over Homes
“Proper bedding is essential for healthy, productive hens,” noted Braun. “Clean, absorbent straw bedding keeps coops dry and odor-free, which means healthier birds and better egg production.”
Making natural, DIY cleaning products
Homemade cleaning products offer some of the fastest returns on homesteading investments. Basic ingredients like white vinegar, baking soda, and castile soap can replace dozens of specialised cleaners, saving families $300-500 annually while eliminating harsh chemicals from their homes.Simple recipes using common household items work as effectively as commercial products. All-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners and even laundry detergent can be made for pennies per batch compared to store prices. The self-sufficiency aspect provides additional security during supply shortages or price increases. Families with DIY cleaning knowledge never have to worry about empty store shelves or sudden price jumps.
Repurposing and reusing household items
Creative reuse has become both an art form and a money-saving strategy for modern homesteaders. Glass jars become storage containers, old t-shirts transform into cleaning rags and cardboard boxes serve as garden planters or organisation systems. This practice can reduce household waste by 30-40% while saving hundreds of dollars annually on storage solutions, organisational products and replacement items.
Expert explains how even small changes like growing herbs and making natural cleaners can add up to significant financial benefits over time
The mindset shift toward repair and reuse also extends the life of major purchases like furniture and appliances. Repurposing develops problem-solving skills and creativity while building a more sustainable household economy. Families learn to see potential in items they might otherwise discard.
Preserving and storing food
Food preservation techniques like canning, dehydrating and freezing allow families to capture seasonal abundance and extend savings throughout the year. Buying produce in bulk during peak season and preserving it can reduce food costs by 20-30% annually.Food preservation skills also provide insurance against food price volatility and supply chain disruptions, explained Braun. “Families with well-stocked pantries can ride out price spikes and shortages while maintaining their preferred eating habits.”The practice of preserving and storing food builds valuable knowledge about food safety and storage while reducing food waste. Preserved foods often retain more nutrients than their heavily processed commercial equivalents.Vince Braun opined, “Even small changes can add up to significant financial benefits over time. Starting with something simple like growing herbs on a windowsill or making your own all-purpose cleaner might save just a few dollars initially but these habits build momentum.”When families see how much they can save on groceries by growing lettuce or tomatoes, they often expand into other areas. The confidence gained from successfully making cleaning products leads to trying food preservation or chicken keeping. Experts have observed that homesteading practices work best when people have quality materials to work with. Whether it is proper straw for garden mulch or animal bedding, using the right supplies makes these money-saving practices more successful and sustainable long-term
The FTSE 100 closed higher on Monday, recouping most of Friday’s hefty falls amid a calmer bond market and as Iran responded to the latest US peace proposal.
The FTSE 100 closed up 128.38 points, 1.3%, at 10,323.75. The FTSE 250 ended up 15.56 points, 0.1%, at 22,611.70, but the AIM All-Share fell 8.72 points, 1.1%, at 800.17.
Iran said it had responded to a new US proposal aimed at ending the war, adding that diplomatic exchanges continue despite Iranian media reports describing Washington’s demands as excessive, AFP reported.
Washington and Tehran have been swapping proposals in an effort to end the conflict, which the US and Israel launched on February 28, but they have held only a single round of talks despite a fragile ceasefire.
“As we announced yesterday, our concerns were conveyed to the American side,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news briefing, adding that exchanges were “continuing through the Pakistani mediator”.
Mr Baqaei defended Iran’s demands, including the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad and the lifting of long-standing sanctions.
“The points raised are Iranian demands that have been firmly defended by the Iranian negotiating team in every round of negotiations,” he said.
But with no signs of clear progress, the oil price remained inflated and volatile.
Brent crude for July delivery was trading at 110.80 dollars a barrel on Monday, up compared to 108.83 at the time of the equities close in London on Friday.
After a frantic Friday, the bond markets calmed, while sterling also rebounded as investors weighed the latest political developments.
The yield on UK 10-year gilts traded at 5.14% compared to 5.17% at the same time on Friday.
The pound traded at 1.3397 dollars on Monday afternoon, up from 1.3319 on Friday. Against the euro, sterling firmed to 1.1506 euros from 1.1462 on Friday.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insisted he would not set out a timetable to leave No 10 as potential leadership challenger Andy Burnham vowed to “change Labour” if he is successful in his effort to return to Parliament.
The Prime Minister said he still wants to lead Labour into the next general election amid calls from within the party to set out a timetable for his exit.
Greater Manchester Mayor Mr Burnham hopes to be Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election, which could provide him with a route back to the Commons to challenge for the party leadership and the keys to Downing Street.
Speaking to broadcasters in London, Sir Keir said he was not going to set out a timetable to stand down if Mr Burnham returns to Westminster.
He added: “I do want to fight the next election. Obviously, I recognise that after the local election results, the elections in Wales and Scotland as well, that the first task is obviously turning things around and making sure that my focus is in the right place.”
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund said growth in the UK economy will be stronger this year than previously thought.
The IMF updated its growth projections a month after warning of a sharp slowdown caused by the global energy shock from the US-Iran war.
The influential financial body said it was now predicting UK gross domestic product to rise by 1% in 2026, higher than the 0.8% growth it was forecasting last month.
Responding to the latest report, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “The IMF upgrading its growth forecasts and backing our fiscal strategy is yet more proof that this Government has the right economic plan.”
In Europe, equity markets on Monday, the Cac 40 in Paris ended up 0.4%, and the Dax 40 in Frankfurt advanced 1.5%.
In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1%, the S&P 500 fell 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.7% lower.
On the FTSE 100, Whitbread closed up 2.3% after Corvex Management urged the Premier Inn owner to put itself up for sale, slamming its recently announced new five-year strategic plan.
In a damning letter to Whitbread management, the New York-based activist hedge fund called the status quo “untenable” and said that the need to pursue “meaningful strategic and structural reform had become unignorable”.
As a result, Corvex, which holds a stake of around 7% in Whitbread, said the only “credible” path to unlocking value at Whitbread is a sale of the company.
Anglo America fell 1.4% as it struck a deal to sell its portfolio of steelmaking coal mines in Australia to Dhilmar for up to 3.88 billion dollars in cash.
The London-based mining house said Dhilmar will pay the FTSE 100-listing 2.3 billion dollars upfront, and the deal has a price-linked earnout of up to 1.58 billion dollars.
Anglo American chief executive officer Duncan Wanblad said: “This agreement represents another major step in the simplification of our portfolio ahead of completing our merger with Teck. Through this transaction, we will complete our exit from steelmaking coal.”
Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, said: “This not only strengthens the balance sheet, ahead of its planned merger with Canada’s Teck Resources, but also keeps it exposed to future strength in coal prices.”
Capita shares rose 8.9% as the London-based outsourcing and business services company said adjusted revenue rose 2.9% on-year in the first four months of 2026, which it said was in line with expectations.
Looking ahead, Capita said it continues to expect a low to mid-single digit revenue climb in Capita Public Service and expects mid-teen revenue growth in its Pension Solutions business.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Centrica, up 7.70p at 196.95p, National Grid, up 43.50p at 1,231.50p, Pearson, up 37.00p at 1,136.50p, Relx, up 81.00p at 2,504.00p, and SSE, up 74.00p at 2,345.00p.
The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were 3i Group, down 128.00p at 2,082.00p, Airtel Africa, down 15.60p at 312.80p, Mondi, down 16.40p at 734.60p, Polar Capital Technology Trust, down 12.50p at 659.00p and Diploma, down 95.00p at 6,625.00p.
Tuesday’s global economic calendar has UK consumer and wholesale inflation figures, eurozone inflation data and the minutes of the last Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
Tuesday’s local corporate calendar has full-year results from business services group DCC, half-year numbers from supplier of specialised technical products and services, Doploma, and electricals retailer Currys.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday decided against activating the countercyclical capital buffer (CCyB), indicating that current financial and credit conditions do not warrant an additional capital requirement for banks, PTI reported.The central bank said the decision followed a review and empirical assessment of indicators used under the CCyB framework.“Based on review and empirical analysis of CCyB indicators, it has been decided that it is not necessary to activate CCyB at this point in time,” RBI said in a statement.Under the RBI (Commercial Banks – Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Directions, 2025, the CCyB framework is activated when financial conditions indicate rising systemic risks linked to excessive credit growth.The framework primarily relies on the credit-to-GDP gap as a key indicator, along with supplementary metrics.According to the RBI, the CCyB mechanism is intended to serve two broad objectives.Firstly, it requires a bank to build up a buffer of capital in good times, which may be used to maintain the flow of credit to the real sector in difficult times.Secondly, it achieves the broader macro-prudential goal of restricting the banking sector from indiscriminate lending in the periods of excess credit growth that have often been associated with the building up of system-wide risk.The framework was introduced globally after the 2008 financial crisis as part of measures proposed by the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision (GHOS) under the Basel framework to strengthen financial system resilience.
The company has announced plans to build seven new models in Europe including a small electric hatchback.
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