Anybody Live Off the Grid?

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budsmoker87

New Member
The more I research it, the more appealing it becomes


I'm looking at locations in the northeast US...and looking at modular homes/log cabin kits to start...as cheap as $20,000


looks like solar power systems aren't as expensive as I thought...the most powerful residential systems costing all but $10,000


Land...let's say 5 acres for $15,000



and those are the primary expenses. Of course I'm at the beginning stages of looking into this...
 
Padawanbater2

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
Right there with you man! The 30 year mortgage is for the birds! Slavery to the system your entire working career. The house mortgage is the main reason most people waste away at jobs they hate just to survive. My dad did it his entire life and was always broke.

Look into the tiny home movement, it's exploding right now because of the economic crisis. You really don't need much to actually live, and once it's paid for, all your money can be used or saved however you want. That's the best part about it.

I'm subscribed to a dude on youtube who lives off the grid completely, gets his electricity from solar panels, plenty to support himself and his needs, compost toilets, running water for a shower and cleaning, it's beautiful and he's happy.

That's literally my goal in life, live off the grid on land of my own in a house I built myself that's 100% self sustainable. I'm actually really surprised most Americans would rather lavish themselves with bullshit than take that route. What do you need a 5 bedroom house when more than half the time it's completely empty?

One of the biggest scams going right now..
 
lokie

lokie

Well-Known Member
i looked into solar to get my house off the grid and decided the cost would not be worth my while.
initial cost + maintenance would be more than what the little savings may return.

providing solar for a personal use grow would be costly for start up. stealth of
being off the grid would be your advantage over the savings you may or may not realize.

it can be done. open your purse. Solyndra 's competitors need business.
 
Padawanbater2

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
rainman36 said:
why you wanna live off the grid?
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Because I find people in general to be terrible creatures, so I don't have to spend upwards of 60% of my salary every month to a bank that lent me the money to buy my house on interest, so that I can ensure if anything ever happens to the grid, I'll still be able to survive, so that I don't have to work a job for some greedy corporation everyday that destroys me inside a tiny bit every shift, so that I don't have to rely on other people for my basic needs of survival, so that I can raise a family without obstruction the way I see fit, so that my eventual kids get a decent education...

In short, so I can do what I want with my own life without having to rely on anyone or anything, ever.
 
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budsmoker87

New Member
cuz i wanna be as energy independent as possible with as few costs as possible. i wanna wake up every morning, tend to my animals and gardens and live freely
 
dvs1038

dvs1038

Well-Known Member
Well 1st if someone was truly living off the grid they wouldn't be coming online talking about it, someone that is actually living off the grid wouldn't have a computer with internet access, off the grid to me means no drivers license or SSI # none of that stuff. Someone that doesn't want the government or anyone else to know where they are or to be able to track them down, that is off the grid imo. Now what it sounds like ur talkin bout is being self-sufficient but when you start talkin bout having running water that is not cheap especially if you are buying undeveloped land with no previous structures, cause then ur talkin bout having to dig a well and even before they they would have to come and find if there is an underground water source, none of that is cheap.
 
Padawanbater2

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
I'm not really worried about the costs of maintenance or to actually build the house or incorporate running water, when I say 'running water', what I mean is water that runs, not water attached to the public's system. Easy enough if you live near a water source.

I'd definitely have internet, running water, a working stove, my shit is going to be awesome, I've already planned quite a bit of it out. Quality, not quantity.
 
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budsmoker87

New Member
it doesnt cost a lot to drill a water well. you're talking max $5,000


and you're talking to a guy who works in the oil field



but if i plan this shit accordingly, I'll save what i need to make this a reality, and leave...and rarely "work" again
 
Padawanbater2

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
budsmoker87 said:
pad what will you do for internet? satelite?
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Satelite or figure something else out, by the time the goal is eventually reached, I'm sure there will be something decent around. I'm planning on making the move in about 10-15 years from now, and there are already providers that would work, so by then, I'm not expecting an issue with that.

How are the oil fields? I might get into that soon. Decent money? Long hours?
 
lokie

lokie

Well-Known Member
Solar is cool for the AC.

if you want to conserve and be off the grid look into underground housing.

the energy savings may be worth looking into.
 
rowlman

rowlman

Well-Known Member
Im really regretting not looking into solar panels more for out here.....at least for the grow. But it was like 20k to get started at the time....I use well the water but there's an artisan well that runs into the lake. I can run that thru the house if needed.

Im not in anyway off the " grid"....but the address doesn't show up on any gps,garmins. No mailman, and nothing but lakes and farms for like a half hour from the highway.
 
420God

420God

Well-Known Member
Don't forget about a septic system, that's a few thousand. You can buy your own pump to empty it for a couple hundred.

If the water levels high enough you could do a shallow well pump and save a lot instead of having a well drilled.

Keep in mind that up north we only get like 6 hours of direct sun in winter so the solar panels will have trouble producing power at times.

Find a state with no property taxes also or you'll never be off the grid.
 
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