Once upon a time pioneer wives earned money with a side hustle....selling their extra butter and eggs to the town store. It wasn't much money, but it often came in handy when things were tight or a crop didn't produce as well as expected. Nowadays, everyone seems to be looking for a side hustle. When we moved here to Willow Pond Farm, I took a part time job at a local restaurant. In another life I was a restaurant manager, but I just wanted to earn a little "fun" money to do some projects around here....mostly to buy pretty plants for my yard. That part time job accidentally turned into a full time job that completely consumed my life. I finally had to say no more. My family was suffering, the farm was suffering and I was suffering. So I am back home. I still need a little fun money. I used to make a little money here and there doing odds and ends sorts of things from the homestead. So here I am tapping into that experience of making a few dollars here and a few dollars there. There is a name for this kind of money....butter and egg money. So, I always had some butter and egg money until we moved. Then, instead of creating new streams of butter and egg money or reviving old ones, I took a part time conventional job. Like I said it accidentally turned into a full time job that I never had a break from. My family didn't get much of me either. After 6 years, it was time to let it go. It was hard to do because there were many times my paycheck bailed us out of a tough situation. However, the one thing that I really noticed was that we wasted a lot more money with another full paycheck coming in. I was often too tired to cook, so we ate out more. Eating out more often meant extra trips to town that we otherwise would not have taken. I also had to hire someone to help with the yard work and some of the farm chores. I often had to go to the restaurant even on my days off. Driving more meant more wear and tear on my car. More oil changes and other maintenance that cost money. I never really had a day off. Those were just days that the restaurant was technically closed. I used the dryer instead of my clothesline because it was quicker and easier. I wasn't home long enough to let clothes dry on the line. So my paycheck didn't really go into savings. Yes, we were able to get some projects done around the farm, and yes there were times that it really got us out of a tight spot. For several months we had to pay my mother's caregivers and would not have been able to do that without my paycheck. However, the cost to me and my family became too great. Over the past year, God really pressed on my heart and mind that I am needed at home. I didn't listen at first. So now, here I am working on reviving and finding new side hustle, or butter and egg money. I don't need a lot, but a little sure does help when those rainy days come pouring down. I trust that the good Lord above will send what I need. So far so good as I have some money coming in both this month and next. God is good all the time and I simply have to trust in that goodness. Butter and egg money....the side hustle of pioneer women! Blessings, Kat
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