I live off-grid, AMA

[Toomanyparsnips]

If anyone is interested in what it's like to be living (or striving to live) a largely self-reliant life...

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

What are the best and worst things about the lifestyle?

[MrsDeadlock]

Interesting!

What prompted your decision to go off-grid?

Do you use money to supplement being off-grid? If so, how do you earn money/pay taxes?

Do you have children also living off grid?

[MrsDeadlock]

Also, surely being off grid means having no phone/computer/electricity/internets? How have you managed to get on here? Genuine question!

[Thehairyqueenofscots]

Did you need a lot of money to start off? What do you live in?

[CatVsChristmasTree]

Off grid, but not offline? Lol.

I grew up off grid, no water or electricity, it was pretty shit for a child. Do you have DCs?

[AgnesNaismith]

Well you don’t, do you?

[Leafyhouse]

Are you based in the UK? Is winter grim?

[LubaLuca]

@MrsDeadlock

Also, surely being off grid means having no phone/computer/electricity/internets? How have you managed to get on here? Genuine question!

Solar or wind energy, presumably. But yes, I too would have assumed 'off-grid' would include eschewing media.

[MrsLebowski]

What do you mean by off grid?

[WaxOnFeckOff]

How do you support yourself?

Is the Internet and the electricity required to use it not part of the grid?

[Notnownotneverever]

You sound like you live a self sufficient lifestyle not off grid. Off grid means no contact means without internet access or mobile networks, etc. I don’t think you live off grid. Your self sufficient lifestyle is probably interesting. I imagine it takes a lot of planning and brings a lot of satisfaction.

[DelphineWalsh]

How off grid?

[mistermagpie]

You can't be that off grid if you're on here! 😂

[TartanLassie]

I echo other posters. How can you be off grid if you're online? At a library? If you're at library how did you show identification?


I'd LOVE to be off grid. But can't see how it can be done nowadays. Even Jack Reacher has a Bank account and ID now ;)

[Toomanyparsnips]

By off grid I mean we aren't connected to any main services - we generate our own electricity with solar panels, a wind turbine and a back up diesel generator. We cook with propane gas bottles when the stove isn't lit, and we get water from a shared borehole. We have a landline and broadband, they're the only things we're connected to. We burn firewood from our coppiced woodland.

We converted a barn on land we'd owned for a while. By preference we would use the alt-tech to generate electricity for environmental reasons, but be connected to the grid too using a green energy provider - having a massive battery bank isn't really particularly green. But that was prohibitively expensive (tens of thousands) so we opted for this instead.

We have two children, they go to school and have a "normal" life.

Best bits - we enjoy practical work and being outdoors a lot, we live in a beautiful place, our life is pretty cheap and simple. We eat lots of lovely fresh vegetables. I love seeing our children learning about nature and enjoying a healthy life.
Downsides - it's hard work! There's always something to be done. We're always covered in mud.
We both work part-time.

[Toomanyparsnips]

Ok, clearly other people are using a very extreme definition of off-grid.

[alecguinnessgenuineclass]

What prompted you to choose this life? Do you ever have regrets?

[Toomanyparsnips]

Off-grid generally means, not reliant on major infrastructure for essential services. Not, we've dropped out of society and are not connected to the modern world!

[WaxOnFeckOff]

So yes, you have money to be able to fund, no mortgage etc?. Use propane and diesel, access schools, have jobs etc. I think what you meant is we aren't on the water (where does your waste go?) /electric or gas networks and like to grow your own veg? Do you buy other food? Buy clothes etc?

[Sprig1]

Where do you live? How much land do you have? What animals do you have?
I don't know why you are getting a hard time for your definition of off-grid. I would have taken it to mean what you did.

[IdblowJonSnow]

Have you ever been on Grand Designs?!
Did you have to live in a dilapidated caravan while your build was in progress?

Is your house full of spiders? Genuine question. Every converted barn I've stayed in has been crawling with them.

[Toomanyparsnips]

No to grand designs, yes to the dilapidated caravan and yes to spiders - although no more than most rural houses!

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Millions of properties have no mains gas and lots have no mains water or drains. So you are effectively generating your own electricity or using a wood burner but otherwise living a normal but eco friendly-ish lifestyle?

[Pluuuto]

Thank you for coming on here.
What prompted you to go off grid and how did you go about doing this?
How did you learn the gardening for food stuff? Do you keep livestock?
Pardon me, as a city girl through and through i have very few life skills.

[Austriana]

I'm interested about your clothes - do you make them yourselves? And general material possessions, like kids toys?

Do you have a private vehicle?

Good for you, we all need to do more to help the planet ( well, I do! )