sorta of "semi-preppers" in the sense that we are prepared for extended power outages and things like that. That is our mindset probably not exactly what the OP is wanting to discuss. What got us on this path was in 2017 winter we had a storm and were out power for 8 days in below freezing temps. So we do have the ability to keep the house warm and have plenty of shelf stable foods stored in the downstairs pantry. We also have 3.5 acres of land and live in an area zoned agricultural. A kitchen garden in the back yard and chickens but these are really as a hobby not serious self-sustainment. We are considering getting rabbits and if things were to go south would look to acquire a few goats however not planning on doing that right now as we don't have the time to care for them.
While having a garden is nice it is quite a bit of work and even our garden which measures approx 100' x 110' is difficult, actually impossible to grow enough to feed ourselves years round from it so hence the pantry with items from the grocery store. To give an idea we have about 300 pounds of rice and 150 pounds of dried beans, 100s of cans of veg and fruit, canned hams, pasta, pasta sauce, pickles on and on (and on). This took a lot of time to develop didn't happen overnight and we eat from this pantry and every week we buy something to restock it. We have a diesel generator runs off our fuel oil and that gives us enough power to run our well and boiler plus we have a wood stove, propane and two kerosene heaters with plenty of fuel and 5 or 6 oil lamps and fuel for that also. Having said all of this and we have been at this a long time, the best thing anyone can do to enjoy efficient/frugal living is to carry no debt and live below your means, saving some of your income every payday. I don't think any of us can become totally self-reliant these days, so in good times and not so good times, we need to be in a position to barter with neighbors. Know who to trust, be generous but also be prepared to defend your place.
As other have mentioned there are lots of books on homesteading and backyard gardening so considering getting some of them. Another thing to read are books on life during the great depression and how people coped during that time. And keep in mind that frugal living is not just about buying less and saving more, it is also about using things until they are worn out. People throw things out that have plenty of life left in them so a set of tools and fix-it books are good to have. Have a great day!
= new reply since forum marked as read