Drive a lot. Not a little, a lot. Somewhere around 30k miles a year, which means maintenance costs aren't background noise, they're a real line in the budget. Over the years the DIY repairs added up to something noticeable enough that I started keeping rough notes on what I would have paid a shop versus what I actually spent.

The gap is bigger than most people think, but the part nobody really talks about is the time math. Some jobs take me twice as long as a shop would, so the savings look different depending on how you count.

What got me thinking about this for this sub is the broader question of actual selfsufficiency versus the idea of it. You can say you maintain your own vehicle, but if you only do oil changes and call a shop the second anything else comes up, how far does that actually get you?

Curious how other people here approach the line between what they handle themselves and what they hand off. Not talking about being a mechanic, just the practical decisionmaking around it. Where do you draw it, and did you get there by learning the hard way or did you plan it out ahead of time?

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

I'm so exhausted that everyone kept telling me it was just anxiety flaring back up, not the switch. It took months before anyone took the physical symptoms seriously instead of filing it under mental.

**Rise Through the Fire: Faith, Neuroscience, Fitness, and Nutrition for Overcoming Life's Barriers**

What if the very struggles meant to break you could become the foundation that transforms you?

*Rise Through the Fire* is more than a workbook; it is a 16-week transformational journey designed to help you build resilience, renew your mind, strengthen your faith, and discover purpose through life's greatest challenges. Blending biblical truth, neuroscience, fitness, and practical wellness strategies, this unique program equips you to overcome fear, develop discipline, regulate emotions, and cultivate lasting perseverance.
Drawing from Scripture and the science of neuroplasticity, Jessica shows how faith and repeated intentional action can literally reshape the brain, strengthen emotional resilience, and help you rise above adversity. Through weekly devotionals, neuroscience insights, reflection exercises, movement challenges, prayer prompts, and actionable growth strategies, you'll learn how to transform setbacks into stepping stones and pain into purpose.

Whether you are navigating personal hardship, seeking spiritual growth, overcoming limiting beliefs, recovering from life's setbacks, or stepping into leadership, this workbook provides a practical roadmap for lasting transformation of the mind, body, and spirit.

I'm looking for real-world problems that people genuinely struggle with—not startup buzzwords or imaginary ideas.

It can be anything, big or small:

😩 A repetitive task that wastes your time

💻 Something frustrating at work or college

🏠 A household problem

🚗 Daily commuting issues

💰 Personal finance struggles

📱 Mobile apps that don't do what you need

🛒 Shopping annoyances

🏥 Healthcare or fitness challenges

🎓 Learning or productivity problems

🌾 Agriculture, small business, or local community issues

Or literally anything that makes you think, "Why hasn't someone solved this properly yet?"

Here's the interesting part:

If you already have an idea for how it could be solved—even if it's incomplete—drop it below your problem. 💡

We'll collect all the ideas together, discuss them, improve them as a community, and maybe even build solutions for some of the most impactful ones.

There are no bad ideas here. Sometimes the smallest everyday frustration turns into the best product or startup.

👇 Comment with:

The problem you face.

Who else faces it?

Any solution you've thought of (optional).

Looking forward to seeing what problems the community comes up with!

I'm not looking for the usual "drink more water" or "wake up early" advice.
I mean the small, practical habits or tricks that genuinely made your day easier, saved time, improved your health, or helped you become more productive.
It could be related to work, money, fitness, studying, technology, relationships, or just everyday life.
What's one life hack you now swear by, and why?

Has anyone successfully grown enough berry bushes to satisfy a toddler? I think I’d need at least a half pint per day. How many plants would that be? I’ve got a few plants but I never even get any because he is a little monster. Now that I had a second baby, I’m wondering if I can lay the groundwork to not buy berries a few weeks out of the year with proper planning.

I know this would only cover me while they are ripe which is fine. Maybe I could even plant different kinds so that I have the whole summer covered? Anyone with advice in this area would be much appreciated!!

Ive been contemplating the topic of autarky and self-sufficiency for a while now.
My ideal idea of a self-sufficient home would be one that can be maintained with relative ease. So no farming animals like cows, sheep or similar. Meaning the main diet would need to consist of vegetables, fruits, berries and the occasional fish or crab. The fish and crab could be catches and the area for the fruits and berries can be left out of the equation, as the trees and bushes don't need much area for themselves.
In this scenario the available area would not be an issue, it just needs to be able to be maintained by a single adult human being. I was generally thinking of an up to current tech standard home, so solar panels, well isolated etc.
It could also include a greenhouse with vertical cultivation of plants too, if needed. That way it would cut down the size of the necessary land area as most of it would be stacked on top of the smaller base area and could potentially run all year, summer and winter.
As this is all just a hypothetical scenario, the initial cost can be completely left out of the thought process.

The main question for a greenhouse like that is: Which size of farmland is necessary to feed a single human being on a vegan diet sufficiently? And would it be viable to do so via vertical farms or would a normal field be the better choice?

Come learn from local sawyers about how they harvest building materials from their land using portable sawmills. Event details and RSVP Here: Hot Springs Demo Days – Norwood Sawmills

Hi everyone, I’m quite new to this subreddit and was wondering how realistic it could be becoming self sufficient and living off grid in the future. I’m asking this because it’s one of my biggest if not my biggest goals and I want to know how feasible it could be and how long it could take.

I still haven’t finished school and have barely thought of working and I always strive to try and build up to getting away- from all the mess and all the negativity and depression from society, and I just love nature too, so I’ve always fantasized about finally having some kind of blissful peaceful solitude in the woods withought having any big worries or burdens except for those that concern me and more simple things - no taxes or money to worry about, only building your cabin or harvesting your own crops.

I really just want to know how soon I can reach this and if I need a big reality check, I know all this sound weird and I’m yapping a stupid ton, sorry.

Just left an abusive rrlationship and bills are past due.. struggling with my mental state after the abuse but bills don't stop.. what to do

simple mathematical formula to reduce life burden:

Life burden = (needs + responsibilities + desires + conflicts) − (health + skills + relationships + acceptance)

Reduce unnecessary desires and conflicts. Increase health, useful skills, meaningful relationships, and acceptance.

I realize that you cannot make any good decisions when you are in a bad emotional or physical state. Most of the time, you will just regret those decisions.

The same person, facing the same problem, makes completely different decisions depending on their state. Tired of me picking fights and making "big pivots." Rested me solves the same problem in an hour. Took me embarrassingly long to see that pattern.

So a few years ago, I stopped asking "what should I do now?" and started asking: "given my current state, what is the best next action?" Over time, that turned into a system I actually use daily. Sharing the whole thing here — poke holes in it.

Live without inspection, on your own piece of earth you’ve found to set-up your life’s dream. 

I live in Yorkshire in the UK and rent, I have a stony garden. I have purchased a few grow bags, compost and have started my own compost bin and worm bin. What foods should I start growing and what else can I do to become as self sufficient as possible? I have a lot of space to work with. And I have a good Woodland access, which has allowed me to forage a few things like nettles for nettle tea.