Knowing how to be less dependent on modern systems is a skill worth having. These 41 practical self-reliance skills will help you rely less on the grocery store, the grid, and big corporations—without giving up modern life.

I’m not here to tell you to live off the land, reject modern conveniences, and weave your own clothes out of homegrown flax.
I live in the suburbs, I buy my groceries at the store, and I have zero desire to even pretend I’m in Little House on the Prairie.
But I also know that systems fail. Grocery shelves go empty, the power goes out, prices skyrocket, and most of us have no backup plan.
Self-reliance doesn't have to be about prepping for the Apacolypse. It’s about knowing how to function when shit happens. Whether it’s a storm knocking out power, supply chain issues, or just wanting to do things for yourself instead of relying on big business for everything.
You don’t need a farm, a woodstove, or a full pantry of home-canned food to start being less dependent. You just need a few solid skills and a willingness to figure things out.
Food: Grow It, Source It, Preserve It
I used to think growing food was for people with acres of land, perfect garden beds, and all the time in the world. Turns out, you don’t need any of that. You just need to start.

1. Grow Something... Anything. If you have a windowsill, you can grow herbs. If you have a patio, you can grow tomatoes in a pot. You don’t need a homestead—just a plant and a little patience.
2. Grow in Containers. When I lived in a small town, my yard was mostly shade rendering it useless for a traditional garden. So I grew what I could in pots, buckets, and hanging planters. Was it ideal? No. Did it work? Yes.
3. Join a Community Garden. If you have no space and want to grow food, this is the answer. Check your local area. You’d be surprised how many cities and towns have them. And if you can't find one? Look into beginning your own, you aren't the only person that wishes they had room for a garden.
4. Replace Useless Landscaping with Food. Lawns are a waste of space (and water). If you can, plant berry bushes, fruit trees, or even edible flowers instead.
5. Compost (Even in an Apartment). You can compost anywhere. A backyard pile, a bin under your sink, even a worm bin in a tiny apartment. It’s free fertilizer.
6. Learn to Hunt or Fish. Grocery stores don’t stock much venison (usually a bit of ground). If you eat meat, knowing how to source it yourself matters.
7. Learn to Butcher. One time, I trusted a local butcher with a deer. He mixed my meat with someone else’s and split it. Never again. If you process your own meat, you know exactly where it came from.

8. Learn to Can Food. Canning isn’t just for grandmas. It’s how you take fresh food and make it last. If you’ve ever seen store shelves wiped clean (hello, 2020), you know why this matters.
9. Forage Without Poisoning Yourself. Free food is everywhere, even in your own backyard. Dandelions, wild greens, berries, nuts, mushrooms. But get a good guidebook first so you don’t kill yourself.
10. Bake Bread From Scratch. Not because sourdough is trendy. Because good bread costs pennies to make. And it’s way better than store-bought.
Water: Get It, Store It, Use It Smarter
You don’t think about water security until you don’t have it. I learned this the hard way when our pipes froze, and I had to haul buckets of snow inside to melt for water.
11. Store Emergency Water. Have a backup supply. Jugs, barrels, old milk containers. In fact, canning water is incredibly simple and a great way to use up unoccupied canning jars (and practice canning).
12. Collect Rainwater. In some places, it’s illegal to collect rain. (Seriously.) If it’s allowed where you live, set up a system.
13. Know How to Filter Water. I keep a Berkey filter, water purification tablets, and a LifeStraw. If you find yourself without a tap water source, you need options.
Heating, Energy & Lighting: Be Ready When the Grid Fails
I used to think losing power was just an inconvenience. Then we had a tornado that knocked out power for a week, and I realized most people have no backup plan.
14. Know How to Light a Room Without Electricity. Candles, oil lamps, solar lanterns... pick your poison.
15. Have a Backup Heat Source. If you rely on electric heat and the grid goes down, you’re screwed. Get a propane heater, a wood stove, something.
16. Get a Power Bank. Even a small solar charger can keep your phone running in an emergency.
Practical Skills That Keep You Self-Reliant
17. Learn Basic Sewing. I don’t make my own clothes, but I can fix a ripped seam, replace a button, and patch a hole. And if you want to be a seamstress? Awesome.

18. Learn to Fish & Clean a Fish. Because fresh-caught trout > grocery store tilapia every freaking time.
19. Learn Basic Car Maintenance. Oil changes, flat tires, jump-starting a car. If you drive, you should know how to keep it running and fix shit in an emergency.
20. Learn Basic First Aid. Stitches, burns, sprains. Google won’t help you if you have no signal.
21. Barter & Trade. Money isn’t the only currency. Skills, food, labor... all of it has value.
22. Stay in Shape. If you can’t carry a bag of flour, haul water, or hike a few miles, your survival skills don’t mean much.
Old-School Skills That Actually Matter
23. Learn How to Start a Fire. Not just with a lighter. Know how to use flint, steel, or even friction methods because matches get wet and lighters run out of fluid.
24. Have a Backup Cooking Method. If the power’s out, how are you cooking? Lighting a gas stove? Or do you need to resort to a wood stove, camp stove, grill, or even an open fire. Pick a couple and get comfortable using them (even if it's just lighting your gas stove).
25. Make Your Own Candles. Not for the aesthetic, but because knowing how to turn animal fat or beeswax into a light source is a lost skill.

26. Keep Rechargeable Batteries & Flashlights. Candles are great, but a headlamp and some rechargeable batteries will save your ass in a blackout.
27. Learn to Live Without Running Water (Temporarily). Try going a day or two without using your taps. It’ll teach you real quick what you’re missing.
28. Learn to Ferment Food & Drink. Sauerkraut, kimchi, mead, vinegar. Fermentation is a lost art, and it’s one of the oldest ways to preserve food without all this modern hoopla.
29. Keep Bees for Honey & Wax. Most “honey” in stores isn’t even real honey. While not for the faint of heart... bees give you honey, wax, and pollinate your plants. Win-win.
30. Preserve Food With Salt. Salt-curing meat and fermenting vegetables has kept people alive for centuries. Learn how to do it before you need it.
Simple Life Skills That Make You More Independent
31. Mend & Repair Instead of Replace. Fast fashion is garbage. Learn to sew a rip, patch jeans, and fix a zipper.
32. Read More, Scroll Less. The more you know, the less dependent you are. Old survival manuals, wild food guides, homesteading books. Just pick something useful.
33. Navigate Without GPS. Know how to read a map, use a compass, and recognize landmarks. Google Maps won’t save you if your phone is dead.
34. Walk More. Drive Less. Not everything requires a car. Your body is meant to move. Bonus: You’ll save money on gas.
35. Build or Fix Something With Your Own Hands. A shelf, a fence, a simple piece of furniture. Know how to use basic tools and make things functional again.
36. Own Less Useless Junk. The more crap you have, the more you have to manage, clean, and pay for. If it doesn’t serve a purpose, why own it?
37. Have a Backup for When the Internet Goes Down. We rely on the internet for everything from navigation and recipes, to even knowing what the weather is. Keep physical copies of important info (maps, books, first-aid guides) so you’re not screwed if the Wi-Fi dies.
38. Learn How to Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient. You don’t need to live off-grid, but small changes add up. Better insulation, thermal curtains, efficient wood heating, or even just knowing how to weatherproof your space can cut your bills and increase your resilience.
39. Learn the Basics of Herbal Remedies. You don’t need to be an herbalist, but knowing how to use garlic for immunity, ginger for nausea, chamomile for sleep, or yarrow for wound care can make a big difference. Start with a few simple remedies and build from there.

45. Learn How to Identify & Use Different Types of Wood. Not all wood burns the same. Some burn hot and long (oak, hickory), others burn fast (pine, poplar), and some aren’t safe to burn indoors at all. If you rely on wood heat or just want to know what’s worth hauling for firewood, learn the difference.
41. Never Stop Learning. The biggest difference between people who thrive in bad situations and those who crumble? Knowledge, adaptability, and grit. Keep learning.
The Bottom Line?
You don’t need a homestead, a bunker, or a cabin in the woods to be less dependent on the system.
You just need skills, resourcefulness, and the ability to adapt.
Start small. Learn one thing. Then another. Keep going.
That’s real self-reliance.
Want more feral, practical, no-BS seasonal skills? Follow along:
- Facebook at @the Rustic Elk
- Instagram @TheRusticElk.
More Wild Food & Hands-On Traditions to Check Out:
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says
Danielle, great list! I just came over from the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop. Happy to find your informative site. I'm now going to read the minimalist post you referred to.
Danielle McCoy says
Thank you, Jean! Glad you found me :).
Patty Haxton Anderson says
Thanks for informing us and giving us great information! Thank you for linking up at the LET'S GET REAL WEEKLY LINK PARTY.
Your submission is appreciated and will be tweeted or pinned or
both. Be sure to join us next week, Thursday Feb. 11th at 5 p.m.
EST
Lou Lou Girls says
Interesting! Pinned and tweeted! Thank you so much for sharing this with us at our linky party. We hope to see you next Monday @ 7 because we can’t wait to see your new creations! Happy Friday! Lou Lou Girls
Danielle McCoy says
Thanks for sharing! I will hop back by this week!
April J Harris says
These are fantastic tips, Danielle. Although I can't adopt them all, there are definitely steps here I can take to make my footprint on the world much smaller. Pinned and will share. Thank you so much for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Hop. Hope to 'see' you again this week. The hop is open now!
kirsten says
Great tips, thank you for sharing! It's amazing how hard it seems to do some of these things, versus how easy it really is. I look forward to checking off more!
Danielle McCoy says
I hope you get to check off all of them! It's just getting away from the thought process that you can't can't can't and realizing you can! Just take it one step at a time and before you know it, you're there!
heather says
AWESOME tips...especially asking for help! We need each other to make it really work! Thanks for adding this to From The Farm, this is one of our favorites! Hope to see you again soon.
Danielle McCoy says
I believe it's very important to ask for help, so many people try to do it all, and you just simply can't. Community is very important, especially when you're talking about homesteading endeavors!
Bonnie V says
These are great tips. I'm still working on most of them. Thanks for sharing on the Homestead Blog Hop. Your post was selected as one of this week's Featured Posts. Feel free to grab a Featured button to add to your post. http://www.notsomodern.com/homestead-blog-hop-68.html/
Danielle McCoy says
Thanks so much for featuring this. It's definitely a working list for us as well, but well worth the benefits of getting them all accomplished eventually!
Stillouthere says
Excellent tips, just one thing to add. About making your own clothes, if you buy fabric from a store, it is definitely NOT cheaper. Check out used places like goodwill, etc. For example, flannel sheets can be found there that are like new and make excellent material for pajamas, shirts, etc.
Danielle McCoy says
Good idea! I suppose part of it is definitely more expensive, but you'll also have higher quality clothes, that will last longer, despite the added cost. So many clothes anymore that you buy are "cheaper" than purchasing fabric and making your own, but they are thin and made with less than wonderful fabric, so they don't last. Your idea for checking goodwill is a great idea, though!
Manasi says
Thank you for this great list! So inspiring.
I'm learning to grow vegetable. I make my own 'ghee' (clarified butter) and also my own cottage cheese. I hope to learn to hunt.
I use turmeric & neem oil for my rosacea breakouts & they've already saved me $100 per month from having to buy the expensive metro gel tube my dermatologist prescribed.
My husband & I are also planning to make our own rain barrels.
🙂
Danielle McCoy says
That's great! It's amazing how much money the simple things can save and easy some of these things are to accomplish. Keep up the good work!
homesteadorgus says
Hello,
Excellent tips!
Thanks for sharing.
Mark Henry says
Excellent post ... Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jennifer G says
Love your ideas! I started down the natural path about 10 years ago and am enjoying learning to live more self-sufficiently. My start was with rosacea as well. Did you notice isopropyl alcohol is in almost all the off-the-shelf moisturizers? Alcohol is used as a drying agent. Why is it our skin products?
One thing I might add is getting a compost toilet. I have not made the switch completely because I am trying to learn how and still keep other people around. There are plenty of articles and even a few mainstream products (nature’s head), but this is a trial and error kind of thing. I also believe this is an important step because our vegetables are losing their nutritional value. We just stopped “giving back” to the soil growing our food.
Keep spreading the good word!
Danielle McCoy says
Hi, Jennifer! A composting toilet is a great idea. Not one we are personally ready for on our own property, but a great idea none the less. Especially in the future. I agree we have stopped giving back, monocropping and agrichemicals have completely destroyed our soil to the point all we have left is a little bit of dirt. All of the top soil has eroded away :(. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Annelle says
Thank you for putting this out there for people...We really need to start making an effort to live a self sustaining life now that we are using so much more than the planet can give back...if we all lived like the average American we would need 6 Earths!!!
Another way to live healthy (earth and body) is to eat less meat and eat the veggies that you would feed your meat...so much energy is wasted by how much meat people eat these days...i love the idea of growing your own food and eggs...
Skylar Williams says
I enjoyed your tip to not be afraid to ask for help when you want to become self-sufficient. I've been thinking of more ways that I could become self-sufficient whether that means growing my own garden or learning how to make a fire. I wonder if there is a webinar that I could take to learn more about it.
Marjorie Goodson says
Thank you for all the information that you are sending to us. I love it. Keep inspiring.
Danielle McCoy says
Awww... thanks for stopping by! This is why I do what I do 🙂
Dishita Singh says
Danielle,what you wrote above was so important for the world to read.We're destroying mother nature constantly but self sufficient living helps us to protect her too.You just gave me the solution from a lifestyle full of guilt.And great writing skills too!
Danielle McCoy says
Thank you! I'm glad it gave you some ideas :).
Catherine Ewers says
Wow. This is quite an extensive list! Give me a bunch of ideas I can try to incorporate into my own routine. A similar resource that comes to mind is the Sustainabilitist Hub, which tackles personal sustainability from the different angles of life.