Moving from city to village for permanent residence. Why is it worth going to live in a village and an eco-village? Moving to a village

I want to live in the village. This idea still haunts the minds of many city residents. I'm tired of the city, I want new sensations, joy in life. Clean air and real products. In a word, we want to live in the village and that’s it. But, questions. Oh, these questions and thoughts! They stay, don’t want to leave, and every day there are more and more of them. There are also doubts. Is it worth giving up the well-functioning city life and heading into this rural unknown? The village is dirty. The toilet is outside. What about work? What to live on in the village? Can I handle it or not? Oh, how grave are these fears! Very I want to live in the village, but something stops. This happened to me too. I also doubted and constantly did not know what to do. In the morning - that's it, I'm going to live in the village. In the evening - no, I won’t go, it’s hard there, I can’t cope, I’ll stay in the city. In one wonderful moment, all thoughts flew very far. The decision has been made - correct and final. And now I have been living in the village for more than 3 years. To be absolutely precise - today there are 3 years 4 months 20 days of village life. To be honest, I’m proud of it. After all, a real city man was going to live in the village, not even knowing how to plant potatoes correctly, not to mention everything else. But before, oh, how I worried and doubted.

This was a short introduction. Starting today, I begin answering questions from readers of the Russian Village website. I will post all questions and answers for general information. I want all the people who have a dream that begins with the words “I dream of living in a village” to move closer to their goal or, conversely, to move away from it faster. So that you always make the right and thoughtful decisions and don’t regret anything in the future. My village experience, I hope, will help a little with this.

Questions - answers.

Victor. City of Balashikha (Moscow region).

Question: I'm at a crossroads now. Vlad, what craft would you master before moving to the village, if you had time?

Answer: He advised me to take up programming, learning PHP, Javascript and other languages. Good programmers are in demand and will be needed in the near future. I am now studying closely myself, replenishing my knowledge.
Business in the village in livestock farming, beekeeping or vegetable growing has its pros and cons. Not everything depends on us, ordinary people: crop failures, changes in food prices, the introduction of import substitution, the unclear situation in the country and in the economy. It should also be taken into account that urban residents who are not even familiar with the basics of animal husbandry and agriculture come to the village to live and engage in agriculture. No experience working on the ground. To know and be able to do everything, you need time, you need to devote not a single year of living in the village to study. Therefore, my advice to everyone who dreams of getting involved in agriculture is: don’t rush, you still have time, first learn. And then take a risk, start!

It seems to me that at first it is better to look for a craft that is not related to rural life, which will feed you for many years.

Agriculture should not be abandoned. You need to study, try yourself, hone your knowledge and skills.

Question: I read about the German National District where you bought a house. Why did you choose a house there? Are you from there or are German houses good?

Answer: German houses are really good and large. The presence of barns and yard outbuildings decided a lot when choosing a house.

My distant ancestors were among the first to develop these lands more than 100 years ago.

Question: Did you look in a certain place or for 500 (750) thousand rubles, or would you have found it near Barnaul - Novosibirsk and bought it there?

Answer: Choosing the right village is very important. On the one hand, the closer huge cities are to the countryside, the easier it is to sell your village products. The downside is the environment. And vice versa, the further the village is from the big city, there is a problem with sales, but the environment is wonderful. From my village to the nearest industrial cities there are more than 350 kilometers. There is only clean country air around. Product sales leave much to be desired.

You can read in detail how I looked for a house in the article

Question: You write that you began to pay for yourself (if I understood correctly) when the moment came (if it came).

Answer: As for my payback, I don’t even remember where I could write.

During my village life, my view of the world has changed. I stopped thinking about money. I gave up all dreams of hoarding. Enough for life and good. It's not enough and that's okay. So it's no longer needed.

Where to put the money? Hide it under a pillow or bury it in the garden? What awaits us ahead - no one knows or even guesses. I am very sorry for my relatives, the older generation. All their adult lives they saved money in accounts in the Sberbank of the USSR, in that bank that recently turned 175 years old. They tore themselves and their children away and saved. They saved money for their old age. They constantly said: “When I’m retired, I’ll live off the interest from the deposit. I have enough for a comfortable life.” What happened in the end? The pensions are not the same, there is 0 on deposit. They live out their lives in poverty. The money that they had collected all their lives was gone. I personally don’t want to live like that. Collect, save, dream and then give away everything you honestly earned, lose and deprive yourself of everything in an instant. This is not why I was given life. Not for this.

Therefore, I am not going to do business in the village. I don't see the point at the moment.

Currently, I fully provide myself with all vegetables, eggs, and meat. If you calculate how much money a city dweller and I spend on food, we can say that we pay for ourselves almost completely with food, not counting flour, sugar, butter, and cereals. It took 2 years. I eat well and don’t skimp.

Some of the crops and poultry were sold. In the summer I sold mushrooms and berries.

Today is December 21, 2016. And I take great pleasure in preparing dishes from my zucchini and pumpkins. There are still a lot of them left, look how many:

There are potatoes, beets, carrots in the basement. Started slaughtering rabbits.

Question: Approximately how much money was spent at first without crops and poultry.

Answer: I have not been without a harvest since the first year of my life. I arrived in the village on August 1, 2013. The former owners of the house left me the entire vegetable garden they planted. My task was to collect everything and somehow preserve it. In the fall the following were collected: tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, cabbage, dill, sorrel, potatoes, beets, carrots. I had to buy regular glass jars, lids for preservation, and a sealing mechanism. I, a man, needed to learn, to comprehend the mysteries and secrets of winter preparation recipes.

In the fall, I bought a 55 kilogram pig for meat from my neighbors (at a price of 120 rubles/kg). I had my own lard and also bought geese. The freezer was completely full. From that moment on I stopped buying sausage.

There wasn't much money coming out. I don’t remember exactly how much. So the prices were almost two times lower than at the present time.

Question: There are three of us - me (43 years old), my wife and son (9 years old). Approximately how much money do you need for the first year or two?

Answer: It all depends on what kind of house you buy. How much will you initially need to invest in it? There was no hot water in my house. I had to immediately purchase an electric boiler and install it. Replaced water pipes in the house. Installed a toilet and washbasin. In the second year, I had to pay for the repair of the water supply from the highway to the house (unforeseen expenses), this is written about here. In the farm yard I installed poles, made partitions, bought chain-link mesh, and so on. I started remodeling the sheds to suit myself and my wishes. Purchased: piglets, ducklings, geese, chickens, feed, coal, firewood, shovels, rakes, pitchforks, axes, chainsaw, grain crusher.

Cabinets, tables, chairs, freezers, a washing machine, a stove, a bread maker and more were purchased for the house.

In village stores, prices for products do not differ from city ones, some have more, others have less. The local population is also different. Some sell their homemade products without increasing the price too much, while others, on the contrary, strive to make it as high as possible.

I’d better describe my expenses today during the winter season. Food, chemicals (detergents, washing powder), other = 2,000 rubles. Electricity = 1,500 rubles. Cold water = 100 rubles. Telephone, Internet = 1,000 rubles. Total per month 4,600 rubles.

Question: If you choose Halbstadt, Protasovo, Podsosnovo, where would you choose - the village or where the house is better?

Answer: The further the village is from the regional center, the cheaper the houses. And vice versa, the closer to the regional center, the more expensive the houses. If I were looking today, I would choose the middle between the price and condition of the house. I would buy a house with a smaller area to reduce heating costs. Of our villages, my favorite is the village of Podsosnovo. Good roads, there are several operating enterprises, good shops, gas stations. The district center is 20 kilometers away. I posted several photos of the village.

But, as in every village, there is no work, people are leaving. The colorful information about our villages that is on the Internet is relevant for the past years, and not for the present. Today everything is more complicated, not so bright.

In the regional center, the village of Halbstadt, the houses are also good, but prices have increased greatly in recent years, and the plots of land are small - no more than 10 acres (mostly 5).

There are good houses in the village of Grishkovka (formerly the village of Alexanderfeld). The advantage is that it is only 19 kilometers from the city of Slavgorod.

Hermann. Prague (Czech Republic).

Question: You went to a completely unfamiliar village and did everything on your own, without help?

Answer: Yes, I went on my own, to an unfamiliar village, which I had only seen in photographs. Lately, living in the city, I couldn’t wait to leave. There was no point in delaying the move too much; autumn and winter were approaching. It was necessary to prepare for them.

I don't recommend doing this. It’s better to drive through all the villages first, see everything for yourself, ask the price, and it’s important not to rush.

There were no acquaintances and relatives in this village. There was no help from anyone. He relied only on his own strength. From the very beginning I was somehow confident in myself. The main thing was to lose weight. Get rid of shortness of breath, heart pain. Improve your health.

Question: Of course, I wanted at least a minimally familiar person nearby who could tell me what and how. The Internet still does not completely replace local experience. And many jobs, it seems to me, are not easy to do alone. Yes, at least even carry a log.

Answer: Over time, after about a year, I met one family in the village, then another. We found common interests. True, some guys moved to the city, others stayed. We communicate and help each other as much as we can. I don’t really count on help, I try to do everything myself, and gain experience from my mistakes. If I don’t know, I ask the locals. They always suggest and explain. There is no problem with this.

Question: Are there any houses for sale in your area with good plots?

Answer: There are a lot of houses for sale. Almost all are good. The plots are not large - from 7 to 30 acres. In my opinion, more than 30 is not necessary. It is not so easy to cultivate even this amount of land.

Once again, it’s better to travel for yourself, look at everything carefully and not rush. I do not recommend using the services of realtors. Cause? They don't know the houses and plots. They charge a lot of money just for information about the address of the house. Now they say that their services in our area cost 50 thousand rubles. There is no point in these expenses. Money will already be needed during future life in the village. You yourself will better choose a house for yourself and your needs.

How to buy a house in our area? Almost every house for sale has “For Sale” signs. You can ask around the local population: people know everything, they can tell you which house is better and which is not so much, tell the pedigree of all the residents. You can look at the website avito.ru, many people post their ads there. If you search in our German region, you must select Altai Territory, Slavgorod in the search. The houses of the city of Slavgorod, districts: Slavgorodsky, German National, Znamensky, Tabunsky will be presented.

Question: Why is it better to go not in summer, but in winter or autumn?
Answer: In my previous correspondence with Herman, I had the imprudence to advise living in a village in winter or autumn, and not in summer. Why? I'm answering the question. In summer the village is very nice and everything is smooth. Nature and air will definitely turn your head. You can take a walk and relax, go pick mushrooms and berries. You won’t notice all the charm of village life. In winter it gets a little more difficult. In the morning, you need to clean the stove of ash, prepare firewood and coal for the night (personally, I do this), clear the yard of snow, go to the barns to feed and clean up after the animals. Prepare food. Decide what to do next. A villager I know, a former military man and now retired at 46 years old, complained to me how unbearable the village winter was for him. Doesn't know what to do with himself. He is also very bored and sad in rainy autumn weather. There is a big difference - walking in the mud along a village street in the fall or walking along a dry path in the summer.

If you like life in the village in autumn and winter, you find yourself, then in spring and summer everything will be just fine, you will get accustomed.

Elena. City unknown.

Question: The purpose of your articles about how bad everything is is not entirely clear. Do you live in a village yourself? What goal are you pursuing by describing the terrible and miserable life of the villagers? Do you want to dissuade city dwellers from moving to the countryside?

On the one hand, you, as a former city resident (as you write in the section “about the author of the site”) are happy that you moved to live outside the city and are not going to return. On the other hand, what is not an article is sheer blackness and despondency. Everything about “how bad it is bad” to live in the village, how difficult and hopeless it is... For what purpose do you write such articles?

Answer: Yes. I received such an amazing question. How can I answer?

When I was planning to go to live in the village, I got all the information about village life exclusively from Internet sources. I enthusiastically read village websites and forums. Village life there was mostly colorful and amazingly beautiful. How good it is to live in the village, there are no problems with earning money, and there cannot be, you just need to show your wits and you are joyful, wealthy, with money. Everything grows in the garden, the harvests are large, there are no problems with animals. You have created an online store selling village products and you have queues of hungry city residents begging you to sell them at least a little of your wonderful milk or sour cream. And you can simply spend your time in an amazing way, singing songs to the accordion and dancing in circles with the village population. Reading is one thing. But living in the village is a completely different matter. At first I had a high opinion of myself. I thought about the villagers: how lazy and illiterate they are. The city guy will come and he can do everything. He will do even better. I will breed pigs, sheep, and cows. I need 5 hectares of land, or better yet 10. And this is true. At first I looked for advertisements for the sale of houses with plots of at least 5 hectares of land. And when I arrived in the village, I took a shovel, went to dig up potatoes and that’s it - I was blown away. I was unable to harvest a potato field of several hundred square meters. I worked only a few hours and on the second day I came down with back pain. I couldn’t feel my legs or arms. I dreamed of hectares, but stumbled on one hundred square meters.

Came to live in the village in 2013. Resellers accepted pig meat for 165-180 rubles per kilogram. Feed cost: 1 ton of barley - 2,500 rubles, a bag of feed (40 kilograms) - 174 rubles. The villagers enjoyed breeding pigs. Three years have passed. The price of meat dropped to 120 rubles per kilogram. Now it's going up. At the moment, 145 rubles per kilogram. But the cost of feed has risen significantly: barley can be bought for 7,000 rubles per ton, a bag of feed - 400 rubles. Do you feel the difference? Local villagers have practically stopped raising pigs and poultry too. Everyone started counting money. And there are fewer and fewer of them left. If they breed it just for themselves. There is no work in the village, and if there is, they pay pennies. I think that today 7-10 thousand a month is not a salary, but tears. And farmers are in no hurry to pay their workers on time and complain about financial problems. People are leaving villages. But from there, where no one can leave well. Do you agree? Over the last three years of my village life, life in the village has become much worse. Should I, dear Elena, write how wonderful everything is, or is it better to tell the truth, so that those, the few who still want to move from the city to live in the countryside, who write and dream “I want to live in the countryside,” know the truth. I think the truth is better than deception. If there is despondency and blackness, this is the majority of today’s modern village. I am ready to write only everything good and positive about the village. Let it just begin. Show me when this will be or where it occurs? I'll definitely write.

There is no point in dissuading city dwellers from wanting to move to the countryside. I just want to convey to them what life in a modern village is really like without embellishment. Believe me, it’s simply unpleasant to watch when people come to the village, live for six months or a year and go back to the city. It turns out that this village life is not for them. And they broke down, moved, quit their jobs, sold their city real estate. The money was spent. Have you seen these people? And I saw them. People without dreams, with problems and sadness in their eyes. Therefore, it is better to clarify everything now before it is too late.

Why do I stay in the village even though it's so bad here?

(Continued in the next article -).

Dear readers of the site, I will try to answer all your questions. Don't be shy, write and ask anything that worries you. After my answers, I hope you will decide on your desire and choice, which consists not only of words - “ I want to live in the village" Tell yourself honestly: I’m going or whatever, I’d rather stay in the city.

Ask your question to Vlad Pchelkin - .

Receive blog articles by email! Read them first!

Enter the required data to know where to send you a treat:

Letters with various questions about moving from city to village come quite often, but sometimes the following question is asked: “Is it possible live in the village without working anywhere? That is, working only on his small subsidiary plot and selling his products.

We have already discussed a similar topic here in the comments to the post.

But more often I am asked PM on VKontakte , and in order not to repeat myself, I’ll write my opinion here.

HOW TO LIVE IN THE VILLAGE

Is it possible live in the village, if you don’t work “for your uncle” on the side?

In my opinion, of course, it is possible to live, but to do it, you have to be a genius.

My husband and I are essentially homebodies and not businessmen at all, so agriculture is not close to us as a way of making our main income.

You can live anywhere, but first, it’s worth finding out what we mean by the word “live”? After all, everyone has their own views. For some, “living” means “plowing” from dawn to dusk, working with your own hands, and for others, it means working with your brains, controlling those very “hands”.

For some, the very meaning of life is in this work, but for others, it is a way to earn their living, hobbies and interests. And the last thing is about us.

In my opinion, you can only live in the countryside and not work outside if you invest a couple of million in household equipment. And be able to manage it. Those. build a farm, raise animals, set up sales. Or fields - rent, hire equipment, sow, water, harvest - sell.

It will be difficult for a city person who is not familiar with the underbelly of farming. There are a lot of nuances.

And, if you work on your own and don’t hire people for it, it’s also very difficult physically.

I judge by myself. In the first year I simply crawled on all fours after working in the garden - my back did not straighten. And note, no one forced me - I wanted it myself! But they didn’t know how to dig or how to hold a shovel... They didn’t know how, and they turned out to be physically weak - they just didn’t have the stamina. And when I was 1 year old, I made a very small garden, albeit from virgin soil pressed into stone.

MONEY IN THE VILLAGE

We need real and constant ones. Besides the fact that they themselves eat and settle in a new place - goats, chickens, cows - which everyone wants to have - they eat! A lot and every day! We take grains for our mini-farm for 4-5 thousand monthly. All year round. The amount can be smaller, it all depends on the livestock, but it does not come out less than 3 thousand. Not counting the hay.

Below my photographs capture a wonderful day))) The day when we buy hay.

A very exciting day! Probably because this is the largest purchase))))

We don't mow ourselves. There is nowhere and there is no particular desire. It’s much easier for us to pay and spend several hours unloading and covering than to wear out our nerves and health by making hay. However, it costs a lot to pay. And, besides, you can “buy a pig in a poke”: there was a time when we bought rolls of hay that had reeds inside. Yes Yes! Reed in its purest form! Not a blade of grass, just sticks and leaves! And it stinks of swamp too. But outside there is beautiful green grass wound... So now we inspect the rolls more carefully.

PHOTO IN THE VILLAGE

I have already written - we are not businessmen, we are not real peasants and not “ideological” farmers. We are former city dwellers “playing” farming. We do this simply for our own pleasure.

So to the question: “If your husband didn’t work for you, would you be able to live comfortably there?”- the answer is simple:

WE WOULD HAVE DIE OF HUNGER))))

And we, and our goats, and poultry...

The hay in the photo below cost 11 thousand this year. And this is not the end. We've already bought more. Hay in rolls costs from 750 to 1,500 rubles, depending on the season and harvest. This year we were lucky, we bought them for 750 rubles. roll. And doubly lucky! The rolls came very tightly and rolled well! For the first time in 10 years they were simply heavy! The husband alone had difficulty pushing him out of the place, but the three of us could barely push him onto the “second” floor!

SIMPLE LIFE IN THE VILLAGE

We bought a house in the village with a small plot just for living. We didn't even have any thoughts of farming. They couldn't. They didn't want to. This came in the form of a hobby, but not income. I don't like trading either. Although before children she worked in the trade as a merchandiser.

“Buy, sell, find clients, call, make an appointment, sell” - this is not about me at all. I’m not a huckster, and neither is my husband. We would like to sit quietly behind our high fence, isolating ourselves from the bustle and calmly tinkering with something handicraft in our workshop. Well, in between, go to the animal and poke around in the flower bed...

I LIVE IN THE VILLAGE

And we have been living here for ten years now. Goats, chickens, guinea fowl, milk, cheese, cottage cheese... We grow almost everything for ourselves in the refrigerator. Sometimes we sell, but to call it “earnings” is hard to come by! We mostly store for use.

Because to organize the sale of agricultural products, and even perishable ones... This, I admit, is a terrible horror for me! Although there is a dream and we are already doing something for this. But not particularly active. So, in small steps... “Hush, baby, hush... Take your time, everything will work out...”)))

ABOUT THE VILLAGE

In the meantime... So far we are happy with everything. And we are not going to change anything.

Doing “business,” getting on my nerves, not sleeping at night, not seeing my children, leaving their upbringing to strangers... Well, I don’t want that kind of life for myself.

We live only on my husband's salary. There is only one hope for him, dear))) For his wonderful mind - at work, and his golden hands - at home. So far he’s coping))) And a huge thank you to him for not pushing me to earn money, believing that a woman’s place is at home, with children, doing needlework.

And in conclusion, I would like to summarize my thoughts.

A family with children moving from the city to the village for permanent residence, which does not have knowledge and experience of farming, must understand that for the first years they will have to live according to the usual urban pattern: the wife and children are at home, and the husband is looking for work in the city or the immediate vicinity , and provides for everyone. Even if there is work nearby, in the village, it is simply naive to expect decent earnings there... And it is the wife who will have to carry out the entire household on herself, if there is such a desire. The husband simply will not have any time or energy left. So, goats, chickens and a vegetable garden - this is our pleasant burden, girls))) The main thing is not to overestimate your strength...

After moving for the first time, it is worth “grabbing” any job - providing at least normal food. Well, then...

Appetite comes while eating))) Having lived on your own land for some time, there comes a moment when a strong desire arises to build something on it. And this is no longer an “apartment renovation” where you just need to re-glue the wallpaper... But put up a fence, a canopy, a bathhouse, a chicken coop, a garage, a gazebo, lay down paths and... - the list is endless... And everything requires money.

So, my husband is looking for a better-paying job, and we are running a reasonable household, trying to provide the family with at least food for the whole year and selling the surplus.

This is how our accounting works)))

Not everything always works out, but we try.

Sometimes we have to wait a very long time for what we want; there are always some urgent expenses that push our desires further away...

Only last fall we replaced the flat slate fence that we put up with “crooked” city hands in the first year. And which has pissed me off all these years!!! We installed a new reinforced concrete! And this summer I finally painted it!!! Sorry for the quality of the photos, the last ones are all from my phone.

My husband welded the gate and gate with his own hands, learning how to use a welding machine, which saved us more than 30 thousand. And what you save, consider it earned)))

Well, one last thing. We rebuilt the goat barn and covered over 80 sq.m. with a canopy. plot. Half for myself, half for the goats.

And now, only 10 years (!!!) from the date of purchase, our yard looks more or less decent from the street. And what happened... Disgraceful))) I’ll show you later, when I get around to making a post about building a fence. Now it's time to work on the house and roof. But these are already plans for next year.

That's all I have!

What do you think, living in the village and not working outside, could you sufficiently provide for yourself and your family? How do you make money in the village? What are you trading? Is there demand? How do you solve the issue of money in villages far removed from the city? Write! I'm very interested and would like to hear your opinion!

See you. Yours

Fresh air filled with the aroma of cut grass, berries and fruits in abundance, water from a well, the feeling of morning damp dew on bare feet and intoxicating happiness - this is exactly how rural life seems to many. Some residents of megacities dream of moving the fence to the countryside. Is this feasible? In what ways can this dream be fulfilled? Will rural life not be a burden for a city dweller?

The benefits are obvious!

People who spend their entire lives in a metropolis cannot boast of excellent health. Junk food from supermarkets, constant stress and fuss - all these factors destroy a person’s natural protective shell, making him vulnerable to various diseases.

A villager feels completely different. It has been proven that people living in villages have much better health. Constant exposure to fresh air, consumption of clean water and food have a beneficial effect on the human body, forming normal metabolism and powerful immunity.

Land, garden, vegetable garden

People who are not afraid of working on the land tend to move to the countryside from the city. Vegetables and fruits grown in your own garden are very tasty and healthy. You can also arrange your own garden and collect fragrant apples, currants, and raspberries every year.

A cozy gazebo made of wicker and a spacious hammock will look great between the fruit trees. Here you can relax in the shade of trees on hot days, enjoying the peace and quiet, and on weekends invite friends and have fun in nature.

New opportunities

After moving from the city to the countryside, some people cannot get used to the deep silence that lives in a rural home. There is no roar of cars, signals at night and noise from neighbors behind the wall. Silence reigns everywhere, you can hear the thin-voiced singing of birds and the rustling of leaves. Once in such an atmosphere, a person begins to feel freedom, the measured pace of village life and completely gets rid of stress and anxiety.

New opportunities appear that are inaccessible to city dwellers. Now you can get a dog, a cat and not really worry about whether they want to go for a walk today. Pets will happily run around the yard without interfering with your plans and worries. If you wish, you can start a farm: chickens, a pig or even a cow. Then the usual products in your monastery will be homemade eggs, fresh meat and milk.

Benefits for children

All parents know how good the child is in the village. The baby becomes more independent and calm, and clean air and fresh food have a beneficial effect on metabolism and strengthen the immune system. Constantly being outside, playing with friends, running around and cheerful exclamations - absolutely all children like the freedom of the village, away from the noise of cars and the dangers of the city.

In addition, here a child can constantly communicate with domestic animals, get a pet, and care for it. In summer, village kids look tanned, rosy-cheeked and absolutely happy. And how much fun they give in the village! Snow-covered meadows attract children with their steep slopes, and now you can hear ringing laughter and the fervent courage of little mischief-makers!

Moving from city to village

If you have finally decided that you want to give up city life, there is no need to rush. You need to think carefully about everything and decide on the area that is ideal for making your dreams come true. It is best to leave the city for a village where your friends or relatives live. You will have at least some support at first, and friendly advice or a little help has never hurt anyone.

When choosing a place to move, you should not focus on remote villages. There must be at least some kind of civilization in the village: a store, a school for children, a post office to receive or write letters. It can be difficult to get from a village to a city, so it is advisable that there be a convenient transport interchange and buses.

Choosing an activity

If the village you are moving to is far from your city, you should consider how you will earn a living. You will have to leave your main place of work, and finding a job in your specialty in the village is very difficult.

Perhaps you will sell homemade milk, eggs, or raise chickens in an incubator. All options for making good money need to be thought through and calculated, so as not to curse yourself later for making a hasty decision.

It’s good if you have some kind of passive income in a bank or a share in a business. Then you will have confidence in the future and stable financial support.

Warm and comfortable

We live in an age of progress and modern technology, so even in a village it is necessary to improve everyday life. All amenities, a bathroom and warm radiators must be present in your home, or immediately after moving you need to solve this problem.

Of course, if you like to chop wood and light the stove, the question disappears by itself. But it’s still better to just relax in a warm house and not feel inconvenienced, especially when it’s freezing outside.

Do you like to drive a car?

To quickly move from city to village and not feel disadvantaged, it is very good if the family has its own car, or even better, two. Transport communications are often very poorly developed in villages, so you will have to drive to get to school, hospital or bank.

It is very good if the wife is also a driver. Then she will not depend on her husband’s work schedule and will be able to take the children to school herself or go about her business at any time convenient for her.

Neighbors and locals

When moving from a city to a village, migrants are least concerned about the issue of communication. It seems that people are the same everywhere, and if friendliness is developed by nature, there should be no problems. But that's not true. more closed than city dwellers, and perhaps, at first, migrants from the city to the countryside will feel increased attention and tension.

A very unpleasant feature of small villages is that every resident is in full view of everyone. Any action or lifestyle is always discussed and very often not in a positive manner. Gossip and gossip arise, and if at first you try to pay attention to such little things, then over time the influence of the social environment becomes very noticeable.

Residents of megacities are accustomed to the noise and bustle, the crazy pace of life, and therefore, for the first time after moving from the city to the countryside for permanent residence, many feel boredom and loneliness.

Technical side

Another important circumstance that citizens are not aware of is the lack of some services and communications. The speed of the Internet in many villages leaves much to be desired; there are interruptions in its operation and a complete lack of coverage. This also applies to cellular services. In order to comfortably talk on the phone with relatives, some village residents climb to the roofs of houses or some elevated surfaces.

There are also power outages. This occurs due to breakdowns, hurricanes or other adverse weather conditions. You may be left without light for several hours, and if the repairs take longer, then for a longer time.

Hard labour

No matter how long-awaited your move from city to village may be, you need to understand that now your life will change. This mainly concerns personal time. Life in the village is, first of all, work, daily and hard. Work in the garden, in the garden, caring for the territory of the house, taking care of pets - all this will have to be done every day.

In addition, no one canceled the usual things either. Cooking, cleaning, ironing and washing - these women's worries are not going away, only now they need to be combined with other activities.

It's great if all family members help each other and strive for a common goal. This is especially true for the stronger sex. If your spouse loves football and a soft sofa, you need to think very carefully before moving to the countryside from the city.

Rough work requires male participation. In winter, you need to remove snow, clear paths, in summer, you need to fix something, chop firewood, and help in the garden. In order to create a cozy life and a comfortable environment, the participation of all family members is very important. Then it will bring joy, and the work will go quickly and easily.

If in doubt

Calm rural life attracts residents of megacities who are tired of the hustle and bustle and rigid daily routine. I want a carefree existence, unencumbered by problems, stress and the eternal “chase” for prosperity or a good position. However, relocating from a suburb to a village can be disastrous for people who:

• cannot imagine their life without theaters, clubs and active events;
• do not have a permanent source of income;
• any difficult work is a burden for them;
• not ready for difficulties;
• afraid of physical labor.

Desired freedom

Of course, not everyone can live in the city, but not everyone is comfortable in the countryside. When deciding to move to the outback, you need to be prepared for surprises, some difficulties and even conflicts. Rural life may look completely different from what many imagine.

An excellent option would be to live in a village you like for a while, for example, in the summer. Then you will be able to really assess the situation, meet someone, and learn about the social life of the village. If at the end of summer you do not change your decision, then feel free to move to the village.

Green meadows with tall grass, blooming fragrant gardens, scarlet apple trees and a cozy, well-appointed house - isn’t this joy? Several years will pass, and, sitting on the terrace under the quiet murmur of grasshoppers, you will think for a moment and realize that you are very happy, and your decision to move to the village was really the right one!

Bikes 01/04/18 41,850 3

City dwellers go to the countryside for fresh air, natural products and freedom.

Maria Makeeva

rustic downshifter

Some remain: they become downshifters and rejoice at being freed from office slavery. But money in rural areas is no less important than in a metropolis.

Here are three stories of moving from city to village that confirm this.

Story one

Construction in an open field

Vadim and Olga moved to the village from St. Petersburg. Having received an inheritance, they decided to build their own house. We rented out an apartment, bought a car and went looking for a place.

We stayed in an eco-village and during the first summer we built a temporary hut suitable for wintering. Attracted by the availability of land: for 200 thousand rubles Vadim and Olga bought a 2-hectare plot and are now preparing to build their dream estate.

The money from renting out the apartment allowed Vadim and Olga to cover basic living expenses and prepare for construction. Without this source of income, life in the village would be impossible: there is no work nearby, and there is no knowledge or experience to open a business in the village.

The cargo-and-passenger gazelle helps Vadim save on the delivery of building materials and earn income from the transportation of associated cargo. Vadim finds customers and travel companions on “Blablakar”, masters the “Yu-du” service - selects those orders that he can fulfill during his next visit to the city.

What these settlers did not take into account.

Construction is expensive. Construction requires large expenses. It’s difficult to make money in the village, so you have to be torn between working on the estate and part-time jobs in the city, cargo transportation and landscaping. Because of this, construction is progressing slowly.

Lots of household chores. Life in a temporary hut requires a lot of effort. To wash the dishes, you need to go to the pump for water, light the stove and heat boiling water, and then wash the plates in a basin and pour the water outside. You have to wash in a bathhouse with friends, and wash by hand.

It takes more time to resolve any everyday issues than in the city. First you will have to complete the house and only then use the running water, shower and septic tank.

Strict ecovillage rules. The neighbors' principles turned out to be stricter than theirs: all residents must be vegetarians. They do not have the right to keep animals for meat, and are limited in soil cultivation methods and ways of earning money.

In some ways, Vadim and Olga have similar views to their neighbors, but internal principles are not external restrictions: they will have to live under constant supervision so as not to be expelled from the settlement. They were able to buy land after an interview and a general vote; by the same general vote they can be forced to leave.

Today, their results are not bad: a plot of land with a temporary shed, unfinished construction of a country house, a car for commercial use and an income-generating apartment in the city.

Story two

Business in the village

Denis dreamed of a happy family, a country cottage and his own business. He sold his one-room apartment in Tver and moved his wife and children to a small village in the Tver region. Denis was going to open a car service center in the village.

There was enough money for a cottage and a new foreign car. And in order to open a car service nearby, I had to take out a loan for 2.5 million rubles.

The business did not pay for itself, Denis was constantly at the car service center and “twisted the nuts” himself. Irina wanted more attention and the same level of comfort. The children were bored and complained about the lack of peers in the neighborhood. It was not possible to communicate much with the neighbors: they received income from previously accumulated funds and lived richly. Denis and Irina could not match: they did not have an ATV, they did not have a boat, and they were uncomfortable hunting without the appropriate equipment. And there was not enough time for entertainment.

What was the mistake of Denis and Irina?

Low income. The workers in the village are not particularly qualified; Denis had difficulty finding two auto mechanics who had recently graduated from technical school. But they could not cope with complex breakdowns. There was not enough money for expensive equipment, so the car service center could not service foreign cars. Village men repaired domestic cars themselves. There were few clients, the car service brought in almost no income.

Lots of debt. Denis took out a business loan, but there was nothing to pay it off with. The income level dropped because Irina stayed at home with the children. One loan led to others - for furniture and appliances for the home and for car repairs. A credit card has been added for everyday needs. Denis and Irina did not take into account all the necessary expenses in advance and, as a result, did not calculate their strength.

Heavy expenses. A personal car turned out to be too expensive to maintain: insurance, maintenance, winter and summer tires cost 150 thousand rubles a year. It turned out that a foreign car is not suitable for rural areas and a novice businessman with credit obligations.

No infrastructure. Irina was bored and had nowhere to go: within a radius of 100 km there was no cafe or cinema. There is nothing to keep the children occupied after school: there are no tutors, few clubs, and travel is inconvenient. Even for shopping I had to go to a neighboring town, because rural stores did not have the usual range of goods.

Bottom line. A destroyed family, 2,000,000 rubles of debt, a depreciated foreign car and a cottage, a car service that there is no one to sell. Denis and Irina also had no housing left in the city.

Story three

Farm from scratch

Dmitry and Dina moved from St. Petersburg to the village. Before the move, we spent several years planning: looking for a place, purchasing tools, choosing a suitable car. All savings - 300 thousand rubles - were invested in the purchase of an old village house and a domestic car.

We didn't go wrong with the location. They can reach the city in a few minutes, and be in St. Petersburg in a few hours. The roads are excellent, the regional center has developed bus and train services, and has all the necessary infrastructure - schools, hospitals, shops. Dima repairs the car himself; all spare parts for it are available in the village.

During the four years of living in the new place, they got animals and built a farm. They sell village products: once a month Dima delivers meat, eggs, honey to his regular customers in St. Petersburg. Earn money on the Internet: lead YouTube channel about village life. Dina knits to order and writes handmade master classes.

What are the difficulties for these migrants?

Low rate of economic development. Money is earned on the fly and everyone immediately goes into business. There is no way to immediately take and invest a round sum in everyday life and the farm. Everything moves slowly, and you have to choose every time: install a shower stall or buy a pig first.

The results of this approach: your own farm, several diverse sources of income, no debt and no savings.

Remember

1. You can move from city to village with any amount, the main thing is to manage it correctly.
2. Think about how you will earn money in the village and what could become an additional source of income.
3. Live within your means. Plan your family budget.
4. Don't get rid of real estate in the city: leave yourself an escape route.
5. Find ways to earn passive income.
6. Create a financial cushion for a rainy day.
7. Take out insurance against common risks: protect your house from fire, your property from flooding, insure your whole family against tick bites, and your children against injuries and accidents.

Today marks exactly one month since we arrived in the village for permanent residence. It was really a difficult decision, because in the city we had a good job, but in the countryside there was uncertainty. We made this decision painfully, for a long 1.5 months, leaning first towards one option (to leave), then to another (to stay).

I wrote many lists in which I listed for myself the pros and cons of moving to the countryside. But each time, in terms of the number of pros and cons, either one or the other option turned out to be the leader. As a result, they waved their hand: “it was not,” and reasoning that without trying it was impossible to understand what was better in the end, they decided to take this village move.

Among the advantages of city life were the obvious ones - developed infrastructure and the opportunity to earn money. Essentially, this is an opportunity to earn and then spend money. Everything would be fine, but in recent years, according to my observations, Muscovites have become addicted to this game, and it now occupies all their thoughts and time. We want to do something else, my husband wants to do science (there wasn’t enough time for that in Moscow), and I want to do agriculture (which I still don’t understand anything about))).

Only the lazy did not swear at Moscow traffic jams and crowds. I grew up and was born in this city, but recently, driving from my mother’s house to my own through the center, I realized that I did not recognize my native place. Billboards have already completely blocked the historical buildings, of which there are fewer and fewer, and you can now take a walk in the city center only early in the morning, when the majority of the population sleeps in multi-story boxes, and cars line up for work by 6 am. And I realized that I still wanted to leave, this city was no longer mine.

The advantages that village life promised us were very fragile, because how can you hope for something that you don’t yet know how it will be. Looking ahead, I will say that so far we have never regretted moving. And some of the disadvantages that we pictured in our minds turned out to be nothing more than myths.

So, the first myth is the lack of infrastructure. In fact, if we talk about shops, everything you need is within walking distance (we live on the outskirts of the village, and it takes about 20 minutes to walk to the shops in the center). Yes, they don’t have a huge selection of products, refrigerators or cabinets, but personally, hypermarkets and electronics stores with their gigantism and stupidity have always scared me. Finally, you can get in the car, drive to the nearest large city (it’s 100-130 km away) and buy everything you need if you need a metropolitan choice. By the way, I noticed that they try to sell things here that combine good quality and reasonable prices. In general, this transition from the 24-hour supermarket opposite to the village store went almost unnoticed.

The second myth is the intrusiveness of the local population. Haven't noticed yet. Of course, the conversation takes not 5 minutes, but at least 30, even if the neighbor just brought a can of milk, and we have already seen each other this morning. But you quickly get used to it, besides, we stopped constantly rushing, and we finally had time for idle and not so idle conversations. The people here are open and simple, so much so that you begin to suspect them of something bad. So far, none of our fears have come true.

Myth three - the village is hard work without raising your head from morning to evening. I can’t say anything yet, since we do not live in our own house, but in an apartment that is heated by a local boiler house. It’s too early to dig a garden; the snow has just melted. My husband works as he worked in the city - as a doctor, and I am going to continue making money on the Internet as soon as the opportunity arises. In general, I wouldn’t say that we work hard to feed ourselves. At least we do this no more and no less than in the city, while basic products cost the same or even a little cheaper.

Minus four - there is no money in the village. If you go to work, yes, there will be very little money. Local residents consider 7-10 thousand rubles a good salary. However, they spend much less compared to city dwellers; for example, they only buy bread, butter, fruit and delicacies from food. At the same time, they drive cars, buy clothes, make repairs in their houses, etc. I would not say that the local population is on the verge of poverty. So far, unfortunately, I have not been able to meet a single farmer or entrepreneur. I am sure that if you don’t sit in one place, you can establish a business here too; moreover, the competition here is much less than in the city, and you can also get a bonus in the form of support from the authorities.

As for the advantages, we get all of them in full. The air is clean, the forest is near the house, the rhythm of life is measured and leisurely (unless we come up with adventures ourselves, and we are quite capable of this), food is natural, no aggression from people or the environment, improved living conditions compared with what we had in the city, and many, many other advantages, which, in general, so far outweigh the disadvantages.

The plans for this month include an active search for a house in the village; so far I have chosen the farthest village with a forest and a river, but there are other options, closer to the highway, and some even on the highway (the highway is a relative concept). I’m still thinking how important this transport problem will be for me.