Country Lore: How to Build Debt-Free

June/July 2007
By Mike Edwards 
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My whole home was built with used and leftover building materials. It sits on a bit of land my parents gave to me. Money was really tight, so my first house was a small, very used travel trailer, also given to me.

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To add more room to the trailer, I tore down a neighbor’s building and was able to reuse every part of it. I then bought lumber from an Amish sawmill and enclosed the trailer, adding a front room, bedroom and front porch. I bought tin roofing at a lumberyard for $200 — someone had not used all they ordered. After insulating, I covered the walls with drywall I bought at a discount — it had been slightly damaged in transit. I bought windows for $5 from a neighbor who was cleaning out his garage. The porch posts and railing were made from timber cut on the property. The concrete driveway was free — a friend who works for a concrete company gave me leftovers from other jobs.

My home isn’t completely done yet, and it won’t be a palace, but it’s made of hard work and fond memories. I wanted to share what I’ve been able to achieve with time, patience and help from family and friends.

— Mike Edwards
French Lick, Indiana

To learn more about debt-free living, read Rob Roy’s Mortgage Free! Radical Strategies for Home Ownership, which is available at www.MotherEarthShopping.com. — Mother

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