First impression? This is a pretty thin book. At 79 pages, there isn’t a lot of “book” here. But, what it lacks in length it does make up for in content.

M.D. Creekmore has tons of followers on his website TheSurvivalistBlog.net. Several years ago, he purchased a couple acres of what he calls “junk land” as a place for camping and hunting. Eventually, his life took a few turns and he ended up moving to the property permanently, living in an old travel trailer he fixed up. Living completely off the grid, he has truly been there and done that. And he’s done it all on a shoestring budget.

In Dirt-Cheap Survival Retreat, Creekmore shares with the reader the lessons he’s learned, many through trial and error. He shows the reader what works and what doesn’t in the real world. Covering everything from solar power to food storage, he discusses all the major topics of interest to anyone interested in setting up their own survival retreat on a limited budget.

I personally learned quite a bit from his chapter on solar and generator power systems. This is an area I’m exploring for my own use and found many of his suggestions enlightening and informative.

Living full-time in a travel trailer, Creekmore has become an expert on fully utilizing limited space. Having myself lived in a mobile home for a few years back in the day, I can truly relate to this dilemma and wish I’d have had access to this information back then!

Probably one of the most universally useful sections is on how to acquire land on the cheap. Creekmore explains in great detail exactly what to look for, and watch out for, when seeking your own home away from home.

The writing style is somewhat casual, which keeps everything from becoming too dry and sounding like a boring lecture. He does very well with answering reader’s anticipated questions.

Overall, I would recommend this book to folks who are looking to set up their own off-grid existence. As he readily admits, his own lifestyle isn’t for everyone. I know it wouldn’t fully work for me and my family. But with that said, there is enough information here to pick and choose from and customize for your own situation to make it worth the read.

Order it from Amazon here.