Living Off the Grid
Out of context: Reply #78
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- jatrick2
I moved from a big city in the UK to a small mountain town in BC, Canada about 6 years ago. Lots of people living like that here, or very close to it. I live in a cabin, not off the grid, but on 6.5 acres, although just renting.
If you're actually serious (and to confirm, OP isn't talking about 'off-the-grid' if they intend to freelance from home- wifi?!), highly recommend going half-way first: move somewhere truly rural and rent – learn to live rurally, or on the land, before you commit to anything. Housesit on farms even, that'll give you a taste.
If you're from the city and yer all over that cabin porn website and own an axe and all that shit, great, good for you, you lumbersexual. But you better know your shit when it comes to gathering, splitting, drying and storing firewood, and which wood burns best. And you better know your way around engines and stoves. And basic plumbing/electrical shit. And rodents.
All these homesteading blog posts about a guy who built his dream home for $2000 – bullshit.
Let alone cost of the bare land (choice of which could fuck you from the start - flooding, natural light etc), and the basic structure of the house, what about amenities – solar panels aren't cheap, neither is bringing in power lines. Where's your water coming from? Water rights off creeks can be difficult/pricey to secure and need a bunch of maintenance, and digging a well could set you back an extra $50k easy. Sewage? Septics cost a ton to dig and maintain, and a composting toilet/grey water recycling system will take time and money to get by inspectors.
Either way, sounds to me like OP fancies some rural small-town living, not off-the-grid homesteading. From my 50% experience, I imagine real off-the-grid would be fucking tough, and mentally challenging. Cabin fever is a real thing. If you really want to work long physical hours sun-up to sun-down just to exist, then you're a better person than I.
Sweet cabin pictures doe.
- +10000
Don't be such a purist, he just meant having a bigger yard.ORAZAL - "You won't believe how this man built his dream bigger yard with only $5 and a tonka truck, click to find out how!"jatrick
- my 90 year old grandparents are 90% off the grid, and did it all themselvesmonospaced
- +10000