Anybody Live Off the Grid?

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...

why you wanna live off the grid?

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.

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

what are the maintenance costs for solar? and how about wind?

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.

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

pad what will you do for internet? satelite?

will you be far from civilization?


public libraries usually have web access.

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.

What about social life?

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.

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.

Off the grid. I'm off the chain.

I'm living in a van down by the river.