{"id":27662,"date":"2018-02-26T11:21:11","date_gmt":"2018-02-26T19:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/?p=27662"},"modified":"2023-10-31T22:39:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T05:39:21","slug":"livingoffthegrid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/livingoffthegrid\/","title":{"rendered":"Living Off the Grid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Living off the Grid: What it means, How to Do it, and Everything You Need to Know about the Lifestyle <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some people living off the grid is more than a lifestyle; it\u2019s a dream or a picture of a dream they are trying to attain. While the average everyday drone may call it strange, even try to paint offgriders as weird loners trying to escape responsibility, the truth is those who dream about going off the grid are anything but weird. And they are most definitely not trying to escape from life; they are trying to capture it and live it to its fullest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1845, at the age of 28, Henry David Thoreau traveled to Walden Pond, Massachusetts where he built a simple cabin and began writing some of the most inspiring literature of our time. In his book Walden<\/a>, he captured the essence of what so many are looking to find when they \u201cgo off the grid\u201d when he wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Just like today\u2019s offgriders, Thoreau wasn\u2019t attempting to escape from reality; he was trying to live his life to the fullest, to break away from what modern society tells you is living and discover the real meaning of life and what it means to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does going off the grid mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The term off the grid generally means living a self-sufficient lifestyle in a home or shelter that doesn\u2019t rely on public utilities. People who adopt the off-grid life usually take on other aspects of the lifestyle including moving away from urban city centers, rejecting traditional employment and instead working for themselves, and not relying on the government for any type of assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Offgriders themselves are a little harder to pin down and define, as their political beliefs and lifestyle choices can be as different as the homes they choose to live in. While many might be coined as libertarians, trying to place a label on them often goes against the spirit of going off the grid, which for many also means rejecting labels and other constructs of modern society and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ralph Waldo Emerson may have summed up the \u201cwhy do it\u201d part of the question in his essay Self-Reliance<\/a> when he said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI am ashamed to think how easily we capitulate to badges and names, to large societies and dead institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

He is right; stop worrying about what society says you should be, or how so-called authorities say you should live or act. Like Emerson, Thoreau, and so many other great thinkers who realized life was not about the destination, but the journey, take your first step into the off-grid lifestyle and simply understand that real life is not about conformity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living off-the-grid means living independently, not only from municipal services but often independently from what society expects of you. In such a lifestyle, individuals aim to reduce their reliance on energy supply companies and other vital utility services that most city dwellers depend on. But they also cut off from government interference, public school indoctrination, and the trappings of modern-day life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will delve deep into what living off-the-grid means, what you need to know before going off the grid, what it takes to live off-the-grid, and essential tips to living off-the-grid successfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you need to live off-the-grid?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Living off the grid will require a significant change in your lifestyle, and it will take more than your willpower to pull it off successfully. Here are some of the things you will need to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source of water<\/strong> – When living off-the-grid, you have to ensure you have access to a clean and reliable water source. For example, you could drill a well, build a rainwater catchment system, or tap into a natural spring if you have one on your property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternative power sources<\/strong> – Living off the grid means no power from the grid. Instead, you would need to invest in solar panels, wind turbines, or another alternative energy source to meet your electric energy needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Energy storage<\/strong> – Once you have a power source, you will need a way to store that power. This is where the importance of a good battery bank comes into play. You can read more about off-grid battery systems here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food<\/strong> – Typically, the off-the-grid lifestyle involves being self-sufficient in feeding yourself and your family. That means researching things like local hunting and fishing opportunities, farming and crop rotation, and raising livestock on your land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communications<\/strong> – It’s essential to have a reliable communication system, even when living off-the-grid. From off-grid internet and satellite options<\/a> to ham radio and other forms of communication<\/a>, make sure you have a plan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding the Right Land<\/strong> – For a lot of people who come to the site, off-grid living is something they\u2019ve been dreaming about for as long as they can remember. Unfortunately, the dream of living off the grid is something that sometimes causes them to overlook the many challenges associated with the lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living off the grid often means living on a rural property, and living in rural areas presents a number of safety issues that you must be aware of before choosing a property. When it comes to finding the perfect piece of land to build your off-grid paradise, there are some things that you should keep in mind. Check out our article on finding the fight land<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shelter<\/strong> \u2013 Off-grid homes are often constructed much differently than your typical city home. There are several alternative options like Tiny Homes<\/a>, Earthships<\/a> and Strawbale homes<\/a>, but really the most important consideration is making sure your home is as energy efficient as possible to maximize your alternative power sources and battery systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you should also keep in mind that for many people, shelter doesn’t mean being tied to a piece of land. In fact, a growing number of off-griders have decided to forgo the traditional home and opted to be nomads, either living in a boat out on the sea<\/a> or traveling the world in an off-grid RV or van<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out more alternative off-grid living options here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you power an Off-Grid Home?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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There are some who take the lifestyle to the extreme; insisting on living without any modern conveniences in homes that have little more than wood stove heaters for warmth, and no real electricity to speak of. I\u2019m not going to pretend that I would want to do anything like that long-term; and to be honest, most of the people I talk to who embrace the lifestyle may shy away from certain luxuries, but most realize they can live the best of both worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is, most offgriders just want to be free. We’re not looking to live in a hut like a modern day caveman, we’re just looking to live life the way we choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to modern society and technology, you can now have the best of both worlds. Yes, you can move off into the middle of nowhere and still have access to the internet<\/a>, watch your Netflix, and live in a home that has appliances and everything that you would expect to find in a big city home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a couple of articles that will help you figure out the technical aspects of living off the grid, and how to power your dream home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n