The Campfire Trail: December 30 - DIY Homestead

December 30, 2022

Day 455 of the Adventure

The last business day of the year has arrived, and in our state (Missouri), it is once again time for the "Paying of the Tribute", or as some refer to it. "Property Tax Time". Of all the taxes we have to deal with, I suppose the property tax is the least intrusive, and something that locally does some actual good. Not that it makes it any more fun to break out the checkbook for it. This year, I had to chuckle though. Camp Run-Amuck (as we refer to it) is a 12 acre, agriculturally zoned property. We did not choose it for its zoning, but simply for its beauty and potential for possible recreational use down the road. My tax bill got lost somewhere in the shuffle of temporary mailing addresses this year. Upon calling the county for information, I discovered my tax bill due for this year was a blistering $9.98. Yes, that's nine dollars and ninety eight cents. Of course, that's based on what existed on the property as of January 1, 2022 which wasn't much. Still, after being used to paying property taxes in the thousands and tens of thousands, I almost didn't know how to react to $9.98.

Oh, I know this will be the last year of that, but for now, I'll take it. As far as next year goes, I'll have a 400 sq ft cabin that is unfinished as of January 1, along with a 100 sq ft utility shed. This is just one more bit of evidence supporting the idea of small, downsized and self-sufficient living. In the present economy, the ability to pay my annual property tax is about the same as to put two gallons of fuel in my truck. Of all the "prices to pay" of life in general, finding a "Cabin in the Woods" pathway is proving once again to fit our style. I'll plan to get back to the "Downsizing" subject again soon. Until then......

Carry On

Adventure Quote: “Being frugal doesn’t mean slashing your spending or depriving yourself of things that you enjoy. It means knowing the value of a dollar and making every effort to spend it wisely.” ― Frank Sonnenberg

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost in the Fog (Guatemala Decaf)

SNEAK PEEK of our Upcoming OFF-GRID project

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Sassafras Tea Making (Chicks in the Sticks video)