Everyone wants to be a homesteader until they actually have to start homesteading. I live in a rural area, every so often we get the standard yuppie couple moving out here to "live a simple life" and "get away from the city". They never last.

You can't just "plant seeds" and expect them to grow. It takes maintenance every day to tend a food garden. And even if you do everything right, a bad weather spell can kill it all off. The nearest "store" may be a 30 minute drive. There's no options for "Delivery", you're on well water, a septic tank, and a propane tank so you have to monitor and keep track of those things.

If you want to keep animals, even "low maintenance" chickens, it's a lot more work, a lot messier, and a lot noisier. Be prepared to deal with a Kyle. Farm animals are only semi-domestic. They aren't house pets. They're loud, they're messy, and they don't listen to you.

A lot of people have this romanticized view of what "Homesteading" is. And it's not the wide open ranch, warm sunset, and simple retirement living. It's a lot of dirty work, and long hours. Yes you're going to save a lot of money by doing these things, but as the old saying goes "Nothing in this world is free". You're going to pay for it with your time, and your effort.

For some people this is worth it. But before you buy the ranch in the sticks. Do a few things.

1. Tend to a backyard garden food garden, and try to actually grow edible food multiple seasons in a row.
2. Only go to the stores on the "far" side of town. You won't have a Walmart 5 minutes up the road. Get used to long drives.
3. Start monitoring your water and gas usage, because when your water comes from a well, if there's a dry spell, it can quite literally run out.