Are You Ready for Off-Grid Living?

For some, going off grid is a way out and maybe something that is glamorized a little. It can seem like a simpler life where you spend most of your time doing the kind of work that powers and builds a home. That sounds great, right?! But going off grid is hard work. If you are seriously considering going off grid like we were, you may think you’re ready for it. And you might be! But let’s talk through some things you may want to think about before taking the plunge.

For us, going off grid was a lot like hiking the John Muir Trail (but hopefully with a better ending). We thought we were prepared for the hike. We researched and prepared for months. We planned everything out. We started the hike and after a week we had to stop due to things we just couldn’t totally plan for. I have Type 1 diabetes and could not get my blood sugars under control and Savannah never really slept the entire time we were on trail. We were messed up! Being at a high altitude can cause both of those things especially because we didn’t have the benefit of training in high altitude to train our bodies beforehand. There were some other factors as well and we are still glad we completed a week and it was an experience it will never forget.

Okay so what does this have to do with going off the grid? Well, it is one of those things that you don’t know if you are cut out for until you really do it. Like how we couldn’t really try out high altitude backpacking beforehand, most people don’t have the opportunity to spend several months off grid to see if they can hang. Even if you had the privilege of living off grid on someone else’s property, it’s not the same as building one from scratch. And that’s the hard part- building your off-grid homestead from scratch. So here are some things to deeply consider about yourself before taking the plunge. 

Why do you want to go off-grid? This is it. This is what’s going to keep you strong when it’s freezing outside and your solar power isn’t working and neither is your generator. I’ve noticed lately that the off-grid lifestyle is really romanticized and people leave comments on our social media platforms expressing how they wish they could have our lives. Who wouldn’t want to live off the land and have virtually no bills? You see homesteaders frolicking through fields and you see the off-griders’ dreamy outdoor showers. There are undoubtedly beautiful moments in living this lifestyle but there is a lot of ugly too. Your “why” will help you power through.

We have a video here explaining our decision to move out of the city and start living off the grid. We wanted a more environmentally and financially sustainable future. Living in a big city you’re either paying rent or you’re paying a mortgage. Nowadays it seems fewer people are able to buy a house outright. And when you’re grinding to pay all those bills you often lose the chance to live life. That’s certainly not the case for everyone but we hated the idea of renting a house to make someone else rich. We also hated the idea of paying a mortgage for the next 30 years- not that we could have afforded to have one in Nashville anyway. We have chosen to lower our expenses so we can do minimal working for other people now and in the future, and so we can live a life growing food, caring for animals, and enjoying nature. Both life options are hard, so you’ve got to choose your hard.

Do you have the money to go off-grid? I’m in a lot of off-grid Facebook groups and there are always questions about people trying to figure out how people afford to do it. I think there is the misconception that going off-grid is inexpensive or a solution for living paycheck to paycheck. I have heard stories of people moving off grid and it was their solution for getting them out of financial trouble. Ultimately, it does end up being a relatively inexpensive way of living but the start up costs can be a dealbreakers for a lot of people. I think a lot of people want to move off grid and have all the infrastructure in place, all the hard work done, and all the uncomfortable parts taken care of which is unrealistic unless you’ve got lots of money. The reality for us and for a lot of people is that if you don’t have a lot of money to get started you are going to have to make some sacrifices.

To get started you’ll need money to buy land, have a shelter, and build an infrastructure to get water, electricity, and some sort of waste management system. All of those things can be costly and the more comfortable you want to be, the more it’s going to cost you. We worked for years to be able to afford to start our off-grid journey. We took a lot of risks, and we moved away from a city and people we loved to find more affordable land. We sold nearly everything we owned, and we’ve been without a lot of comforts. I wish I had an easy solution for people to tell them- hey do this and you can afford to buy land and live off grid. If you own a home and have some equity built up in it, you probably have enough to get started. Also, a lot of off-grid folks still work their regular jobs in order to fund their lifestyle. There are lots of ways to do it.

Who is going off-grid with you? This is just as important as the other two considerations listed above. If you’re really into going off-grid but your companion/friend/partner is half-heartedly into it, you could have some serious problems on your hands. You’ve got to have a partner who wants it as much as you do. If you are going off-grid alone, try your best to get to you know your neighbors or find some sort of support system. Even though Savannah and I have each other we’ve already had multiple instances where we had to rely on someone else for help. Thankfully we have been blessed with good neighbors.

Do you have it what it takes to go off grid? This one is really hard to decide for yourself. Sometimes I’m not sure I have what it takes. You really need to like the outdoors and have critical thinking skills. Can you figure stuff out? If you’re in a pinch, are you the person that people look to to find out a solution? Are you flexible? These are traits that are really important for someone wanting to live off grid.

If you’ve never camped or gone backpacking before definitely try that first and try that multiples times. Renting a van and giving van life a try for at least one week is another way to dip your toes in the water. Camping and van-life-ing will really help you see if you can deal with limited resources. You’ll get to experience what it’s like to have limited resources- energy and water being the main ones. You’ve got to get comfortable with the idea of not having all the comforts of home. Although, it is possible to incorporate some comforts! But how long can you tolerate it if you don’t have all the comforts? That’s the true test.

Do you like gardening, animal husbandry, canning and preserving? None of these are necessary for off-grid life but they are all major components of homesteading. Most people who live off-grid live further away from cities and towns so being able to grown and preserve your own food is really helpful. As I write this it is pouring snow outside. We live on a tiny mountain but for the next couple of days we are stuck up here. We aren’t within realistic walking distance to any supplies if we needed them. Of course, we knew this snow storm was coming and we were able to plan accordingly but that’s not always the case. I do know that we have enough canned food to last a long time. We have a rainwater system to make sure we have water. That is the beauty of being off grid and homesteading- you are un-phased when everyone else around you is without power or a way to get resources. The good news is these are all easy enough skills to learn. They take trial and error but are very doable.

The truth of the matter is it takes a lot of soul searching to decide if you are ready to live off grid. We are in the thick of the hard parts. It’s in the middle of winter and we are low on money to finish the projects to get us in our home to be more comfortable. If we can get through this time, we’re going to be fine! And I know neither of us is anywhere near ready to quit.

Choose what kind of “hard” you want? Do you want to work hard to maintain a life of comfort or do you want to work hard to maintain a life of self-sufficiency? Give that a lot of thought and your answer will really help you decide if off-grid living is for you.