This week, the self-reliance report is about the resources and strategies I've used for setting up a prepper's homestead quickly and inexpensively. A lot of research went into swapping environments – I moved from a low country rather dry farm to a cabin in the mountains to set up a homestead in the forest. As always, I followed a thrifty budget to get things done.

The Self-Reliance Weekly Report is a collection of strategies, made up of the articles, books, DIYs, and products that I found useful on my own little prepper's homestead.

Prepping

I recently spent a great deal of time searching for the perfect prepper's retreat. This article discusses my search and offers some tips for finding your own perfect retreat. If your plan is to rely on your homesteading ability to survive when the S hits the Fan, it's essential to get started now. There's a steep learning curve and many will fail.

Following, find a collection of some of the most interesting prepper resources around right now.

On a budget? (Who isn't?) Here are 25 Prepper Items To Look For at Flea Markets and Thrift Stores

Our grandparents lived through some truly difficult times: 12 Frugal Lessons from the Great Depression

Have you read my book on building a whole foods pantry on a half-price budget? Find it here.

Do you live in a tornado-prone area? Learn how to prepare for tornado season

25 Emergency Uses for Plastic Grocery Bags

Be warned if you're trying to simplify: HUD wants to make living in a tiny house or RV illegal.

Homesteading

When my focus was on getting my new homestead set up as quickly as possible, here are the resources that I found pertinent.

The first two projects were fencing for my dogs and shelter for my chickens. I was able to acquire a lot of the supplies for free just kicking around the shed of the place I rented (with the landlord's permission, of course). I had to purchase a couple of gates for the fences and my handyman put together this super-cool swingset chicken coop from almost entirely found items. (I used some of the tips from this guide to make my coop predator-resistant.) Just for fun, here are some beautiful, inspiring coop designs.