One golden rule I have always followed in life, but also when starting our little homestead is to NEVER borrow, get a loan or use credit. Part of our homesteading life is to be debt-free.

Aside from paying state or local taxes ( for schools, etc which are mandatory) we don't want a mortgage. All that money spent on interest is wasted when it could be going for improvements on the chicken coop, the updated rain collection system or the new battery bank for the solar panel storage.