Last year, my wife, Christin, and I put our dreams of being self-sufficient on hold to help our son, Owen, deal with medical issues. One evening, while we were anxiously waiting for test results, Owen casually mentioned that he had launched a rocketship design competition in his honour. My reaction? “Hell, yes!!!” I exclaimed, not really believing he would take the time to do this. We would have our own micro-satellite to beam down high-def movies and playlists of music to delight and distract our son from worrying about life in a medical institution.
The next day, I looked for an opportunity and quickly found one: a call for proposals from an LA-based non-profit organisation, Hecate Energy. They were seeking project ideas that would put them in a better position to fundraise. I had just what they were looking for.
The Pros and Cons Of Self-Sufficiency
I won’t go into too much detail about our journey to self-sufficiency, as there is already a wealth of information online. Suffice it to say, we had to make some big adjustments to be able to provide for ourselves the essentials of living. Now, five months on, we are slowly reaping the benefits of this transition and enjoying life as a family of four.
The biggest upside is that, as a family of four, we now have the freedom to explore places and projects that we couldn’t fit into our busy schedules as a dual-income family. We are able to afford places like Tulum, Mexico, where we spent the last two weeks, or Costa Rica, where we are about to embark on a backpacking trip this week. These are just some of the places that we visit now because they match the freedom that comes with self-sufficiency.
The biggest downside is that we had to give up a lot of the luxuries that we had come to take for granted. This is particularly difficult for me, as I grew up with wealth and comfort, and had to learn to be content with what I have. It is not that we don’t want for anything; it’s just that we want to be able to provide for our family and avoid having to ask for charity. This is why, even now, we are looking for ways to improve our lifestyle, reduce our expenses, and make the most of our resources. As we look back and compare our old life with our new life, the biggest change is that we feel freer.
Saving Money
One of the ways that we are able to reduce our expenses is by being more mindful about how we consume energy. We have started to become conscious of the cost of electricity, and try to ensure that we aren’t wasting any energy. This isn’t because we want to be cheap – far from it – but because we want to be able to afford luxuries like going on a holiday or buying the new smartphone that our son wants. So, we try to be efficient and minimise our electricity usage as much as possible.
Priorities
Another way that we are able to save money is by changing our priorities. When you are worried about your family’s health and financial stability, it’s easy to become focused on the material things in life. As a result, you may start to ignore the things that you could be doing to improve your quality of life. For example, you may start to believe that your health is more important than going on holiday, or that paying off your debts is more important than saving for your child’s education. Once you establish your family’s health as a priority, it is much easier to start focusing on the other areas of your life. This may mean that you have to cancel some of your social plans to ensure that you are available to take care of your family, or it may mean that you have to get a job that doesn’t pay as much so that you can better manage your finances. Whatever it may be, changing your priorities can help you improve your quality of life.
Creativity
Finally, I’d like to quickly mention that self-sufficiency also gives us the freedom to be more creative. For example, we were not really able to go on holiday when my son was born because we needed to be there for him. As a result, we got to see the world through a different lens. Now that he is older, we are able to get a second opinion about places and things that we couldn’t when he was a baby. Having the freedom to explore places and opportunities that you couldn’t when you were younger makes this creative outlet especially priceless. Plus, it teaches you that there are still places out there that you haven’t been able to see, yet.
How To Make The Most Of Your Hecate Energy LA Solar Project
If you’re looking for a way to make the most of your Hecate Energy LA Solar Project, here are a few things that you can do.
Conservation
One of the ways that we are able to reduce our electricity costs is by consuming less power. The simplest way to do this is by turning off appliances that we aren’t using. In the morning, we will turn off the computer and the TV if they’re not being used, and in the evening, we will turn them on again before going to sleep. A similar thing can be done with appliances that we use frequently, like the kettle or the dishwasher, so that they only run when needed. Reducing your consumption also has the advantage of reducing your carbon footprint. You won’t need to turn off your appliances if you don’t use them, so instead of heating up the whole house, you will only warm up the part of the house that you are in.
Saving
You can use the money that you are saving to pay off your debt or to put away for a family vacation. Or, you can decide to invest in a small business that you believe in, that will generate more income than you’re currently making. Another possibility is to splurge on a luxurious item (like a vacation or a smartphone) that you know your family will use frequently. By sparing some money for these essential items, you will improve your quality of life.
Priorities
Changing your priorities will help you improve your quality of life. You can start by focusing on reducing your debt, or paying off your mortgage. After that, you can consider investing in property or buying a small business. When you start to see your family’s health and well-being as a priority, it will be much easier to start looking at other areas of your life. These are just some of the ways that you can make the most of your Hecate Energy LA Solar Project.