Do you live Off The Grid? List your area here so others will know Where they can move to

a reply to: nOraKat

How do you guys living in remote locations make a living .. that is make a da dinero?

You gotta buy some stuff right?

Do you have to hunt?

Also after you buy the land, do you have to keep paying taxes on it?

Great question and imo it's why so many fail.

First off you've got to lower your standard of living. We don't need most of the crap we buy.

In our area grazing/firewood/landscaping materials, live trees/moss rock can be sold to pay taxes.

We moved here with very little debt. We were saving for a home in our previous life but massive layoffs killed that dream. We took the money and ran.

Set a budget and try like hell to live way below it and make it a damn celebration when you do. You begin to develop a very different perspective. Things that once seemed so vitally important become almost laughable in your new life.

We don't hunt but our friends do. It seems the poorer someone is the more generous they become. I know exactly where the saying "giving the shirt off their back" comes from.

Aside from bartering with each other we are frequently gifted fresh eggs, wild game/jerky/fish, homemade jams/jellies/wine and produce. I garden but I don't keep chickens/livestock. If the need arose friends would give me chicks/laying hens in a heartbeat.

I've been offered calves/goats but I've got my eye on a burro. I need a worker more than I need food. Guess we could eat him in a pinch so it's a win/win.

If you don't have many bills and little debt you can live on a lower income. The hubby and I always worked outside the home. He's in biz for himself now but he did local seasonal ranch/construction work prior.

Wearing many hats/being adaptable helps. My hubby's a land surveyor, amongst other things. He traveled/worked outside the area for awhile at first. I held down the fort/worked for low wages in town and raised the kids but that wasn't how we wanted to live. He came home and I never let him leave again, well he did go to Sturgis.

Life is easy when ample resources/opportunities are there for the taking, the real challenge comes when you have to find them for yourself. You have to reinvent yourself/find your niche.

Don't shut yourself off from locals they can be a great source for inside knowledge/barter. We're all here for each other whether we're socially attached or not. Country folk like their alone time so social norms are a bit different out here.

A recent arrival/co-worker friend told me she started a Walmart list when she first moved here. We don't have one and depending on where you live it's an hour/more away. Work schedules kept them from getting away and the list sat there. After awhile it occurred to her they were living just fine without it and she threw the list away. I told her it's official "you're a keeper."

We aren't "off-grid", but if SHTF we should be ok. My husband I found our place quite by accident. My advice to you would be to start taking Sunday Drives. Every city radiates outward, and the further you go the less people per acre. We just came across a For Sale By Owner written on a plank with white paint. We called, looked at the place, looked at each other and said SOLD!". Of course we did our due diligence, and had it surveyed and checked deeds, etc.

a reply to: MOMof3

Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

a reply to: Morningglory

Thanks for sharing.

It's really interesting to hear about life off the grid.

I was out by you actually.. not too far, on the other side of the Great Sand Dunes and San De Cristo range. Went hiking in some of those mountains. Really nice over there. The sky is BIG, and never saw the Milky Way quite like that.

a reply to: nOraKat

So glad you made it out this way. Love the Dunes. I've got a great view of the Sangre's and the Spanish Peaks.

The sky is BIG, and never saw the Milky Way quite like that.

I agree the sky is one of our best features.

Hope you find a nice spot. Just remember the first step is the hardest.

MorningGlory I happen to come across this post and noticed that you live in huerfano county, co. I just recently purchased land near gardner, co and have been wanting to go off grid, but it seems like the more information I gather the more expensive this is going to be. For a permanent structure to be set up it has to be over 600 Sq ft. and from the looks of it to get that you have to have a slab foundation, and permits and it just really started to add up to a lot when I just want something basic and structural sound. What are some ways I can try and do this as cheaply as possible and still be legal. I thought about using a connex as a house but don't know if there are any laws restricting that or if they would try to consider it a permant structure. I have been trying to look up the laws but they are all geared towards people with permanent structures. Just as an FYI I will have my girlfriend and a child living on the land. My plan is to have it set up with in the next 5 years. Please any help would be greatly appreciated

a reply to: JohnPhoenix

Would this not defeat the whole purpose of living in an isolated area, off the grid?
I live in just such a setting and really would not like any more people moving in.

a reply to: Morningglory what part of huerfano county do you live at?

Most govts dont allow it. You have to get deep into the woods to escape them.

How about Expatting?

What's a good country to "disappear" to? Preferably with year round moderate temps & decent living off the land via fruit trees & whatnot (I've heard India).

a reply to: metroidhntr

LOL small world. As a matter of fact we were in Gardner today, bought a used Subaru. With all the rain we've had it's beautiful here. We're down hwy 69 a bit on a county road. We're neighbors!

Starting from scratch isn't cheap. I'm not sure if you have to install utilities if you're building a structure but if you carry a mortgage/home owners insurance they're picky. Start up costs are never ending, that's why we have so few neighbors but lots of land owners.

To keep it cheap most folks bring in 5th wheel camper trailers, saw one come in today. They do whatever is the priority/affordable. A good driveway/access road is definitely worth the cost.

A woman that lived out here bought a small house and had it moved to her land. Not sure what kind of inspections/permits were involved but she got the house cheap. I think the electric cost more.

The man that built our house demolished a barn in Texas for lumber, bought used/salvaged materials, hauled it up here. He and his sons built it over a few summers.

One guy lived in an old converted school bus. Another brought in an older single wide trailer. He has no electric, uses generators for basic stuff. Gas fridges/appliances are another option. I don't think single wides require a slab, double wides do. I imagine they also need inspections/permits to put them together.

Lots of old single wide trailers out here. You can get them pretty cheap. We've seen folks use wood stoves in them. They're not very well insulated, gas could get expensive but the heat from a wood stove will chase you out. Freezing pipes is something you really have to prepare for with them.

As long as you don't build anything I don't think you need permits. Septic systems require inspections/a soil test etc. Water wells require permits but you can haul water from town. The only other restriction I've heard about is under 40 acres you're limited to 1 single family dwelling. Over 40 I think you can have several.

I've seen little mobile cabins for sale in Walsenburg. Some are bigger than others and they have porches. Not sure what they cost. Looks like you can hook it up/haul it away.

I like the conex houses. I don't see why it would require a permit except for the slab. I think someone told me as long as it's considered mobile or has axles you're good to go but you'd have to check. Try calling the Huerfano county court house, they're really nice/helpful.

I wish you the best. Baby steps is best, biting off more than you can chew right off the bat is the reason there's so many half built homes out here. Keeping the budget low makes it a lot less stressful/more doable. Stick to the basics at first, luxuries will come as finances/ingenuity allows. Having a plan B helps too. There's fairly cheap housing available, some people rent/work in town for awhile while making things livable on their land.

Feel free to PM me and good luck.

Colorado has lots of places to go "native" and you could disappear forever in these mountains. You have to know how to live off the land of course, but yeah, there are some spectacular places out here. Especially out toward the Sangre De Christo's and places like Uncompahgre National Forest. Primitive.

I won't tell anyone where the quiet bathrooms are at work. The quiet bathroom is a wonderful place, where you can freely do your business with out disturbance.

If I won't even share that... I doubt someone will give you the exact numbers, although some may send you to the middle of a swamp just for S & G's.

Beware... I sense Deliverance in the air!

originally posted by: fitnessguru
Is there anybody doing this in the UK ????

Unfortunately, the UK is not a good place to bug out or live off grid.

You can buy some land and make a hut on wheels, but you are not allowed permanent residence in them. Also, in the UK you are never too far away from civilisation so someone at some point will find you.

I caught a train from London to Leeds and there were buildings along the whole journey. No spots without people. The UK is far too populated now for any real chance of living off grid.

Maybe scotland would be better but cold.

Also not many forrests in the UK anymore. The ones that are left are very small compared to other countries.Thank the iron age for that.

I would find somewhere else if poss.

a reply to: justnotnormal

Frankly I'm not worried about scads of people overwhelming us.

People know we're down here. Tourists come through all the time. For years land salesmen brought people in wined/dined them. This area was all about land sales, still is but there's very few residents because of building expenses/employment opportunities and the fact there's not much here.

There's jobs but pay is low. The problem seems to be more about lifestyle. People want to transplant their way of life to the boonies and it doesn't work. No malls, no walmart etc. We have nothing that even closely resembles how the rest of you live.

We finally got a nice, new grocery store in town. It's nothing like the mega-walmarts/targets in cities. For the most part outsiders come in make fun/laugh at us locals then go back to their comfy homes in the city.

With so much interest lately I'm beginning to think we're going to have the last laugh. When we came out 20 years ago things were a lot cheaper. It's still doable but starting out requires lowering your standard of living considerably and people are resistant to that. It's especially hard on women/teens but I can give you lots of examples of women/teens who manage just fine.

We're like one big man cave. It's typically the man's dream to live out here, women not so much. I have roots/family here, my dad grew up here. I was the camper/outdoors woman my hubby was the city boy. He's done great and with his biz everyone in town knows/loves him.

As far as "Deliverance" there's rowdy drunks, don't act like a tough guy/stay out of local bars and you're fine. We have a mixed population and we all get along pretty good. If anything it can get boring if you don't like the great outdoors but no we're not hog tying, raping and abusing people. There's eccentric types but they either keep to themselves or we learn to avoid them. Land sales can get tricky, do your homework.

a reply to: Morningglory

thank you for the information. My plan is to start of slow. Getting as many of the essentials as possible before making the move. I already know I have to lower my standard of living, which I am fine with but I do have a standard I do intend to adhere to lol. I am a computer nerd so electricity is a must. I have been drawing up on ideas to save as much electricity as possible and using other resources for other things, like wood stoves and heaters. I would like to have a well drilled but I am also thinking about rain collection system. I still have a lot more planning to do and have to save a lot more money. I want to move out on the property in about 5 years. So I want to have as much finished before making the move.

a reply to: Expat888

lol ^^ that is gold same reason i moved out where i am after i was in the navy