We moved to a farm in rural Maine because we thought homesteading would save us money. It didn't.

The author still keeps goats on her farm, even though she's no longer a homesteader.

Courtesy of Kirsten Lie-Nielsen

• About 10 years ago, my husband and I decided to try homesteading.
• We wanted to be self-sufficient and moved to a 93-acre farm in rural Maine.
• Over time, we realized that it was harder than we thought and didn't actually save us money.

In 2015, my husband and I packed up our belongings — including half a dozen geese and a library of self-sufficiency how-tos ...