I'm unofficially off grid, for good, as I don't pay for tv phone or Internet

I've canceled my android service and moved to the iPod side. What does this mean with three months left in two thousand twelve? Many things.
It means never again will an Internet or telephone bill cross my desk, yet not only do I retain my Maine phone number that ones I love can call me on, or like often occurs in the world, as life is unrelenting and all consuming, they may leave me a voice mail, which unlike a fifty two cent stamp in the mail box, I'll receive an instant alert about on my iPod, we're I unable to take that free call.
I have a website & blog, it cost less than two cent a day in advance; email too and all free over my wifi connected iPod touch, which currently works at my kitchen sink or in my bed, when connected, as well as where I am buying gas, lunch, groceries and even at work.
I can access Facebook twitter google Espn yahoo any website. Free. I'm off grid now, and not going back, so feel free to reach me like before, yet free to me; I wonder what you pay to reach out?
Sure gas for heat and hot water, and electricity, along with various property owner taxes and water usage rights I'm now in for $100 a week in over all expenses. Add two dollars a day in advance (for the excise and registration on my 4 year old mazda with nominal fuel costs included) and for less than five hundred a month I'm as connected yet off grid as the next guy growing his own tomatoes too, and with the device that solar charges my iPod, I'm always Connect Ed

If you have Facebook.

You are totally on the grid connected and still plugged in.

reply to post by Frankenchrist


Only things that aren't free can be on a grid like I'm alluding to. My favorite person on the planet, who is my four year old nephew is even and basically only available to muah via facebook, do you pay for tv phone or Internet would be my thought and as you must, please read the post again and then reply, someone else might be watching, for free

Originally posted by AlchemistSwami
I can access Facebook twitter google Espn yahoo any website. Free. I'm off grid now,

Contradictions, lol

I think you're confusing "off the grid" with "I don't have many bills".

reply to post by DaTroof


Then you meant to state your definition of off the grid varied drastically from the spirit of my definition by said post. With out I might add sharing which of my three avoided (utility) bills you still donate too. I do appreciate you reading and reacting too, thank you.

reply to post by AlchemistSwami


Ya I like your style great idea. I thought about that too. I might try it at some point. But the truth of the matter is that there's a few things. First we can't trust Apple. Any apply device could be hacked and have back doors built in. So by carrying it they know your location. They could tap your camera they could tap your mic, any communication you do using it could be tapped whether that be phone, email, txt etc. And if you use it for facebook and twitter, again two additional issues.

I think if one wanted to be completely off grid you just get a calling number tied to a voice mail box which you can rent off tons of companies online for as little as 10 dollars a month. Then you just use payphones. Alternatively you use skype, but now that it's bought by msn then there goes your privacy with that. The other way might be to buy one of these phones from china, like a knock off iphone type deally, then use that in the same way you use your ipod. But don't bring it with you. Just leave it at home so that they can't track your location threw it.

But really people have gotten into this mode of way over communicating. Leaving the phone alone in some way is best. That way you might talk to a friend once or twice a week and it's more meaningful. The way it is now your txting them 24/7 and it's really overkill often times.

One last thing. If you have no problems and your not into anything risky then you shouldn't have as much to worry about being on the grid. At least in the ideal world one would think. But generally speaking you should be okay.

Ha, who knew all this time I was paying for android. Using my home wifi. Never having shed a cent.

I never knew, thanks OP. I'll sell my $90 10" tablet and buy me a spanky $500 9" ifangle.

Do you think it'd be a worthy step to sell my second monitor? Or just invest in a solar powered car?

reply to post by AlchemistSwami


www.urbandictionary.com...

Now, which one are you? None of them? Then you're not off the grid.

Off the grid is simple, it means no paper trail of any kind, no known address, no internet, no facebook, no nothing.

It means youre set up in the middle of nowhere living off the land or something like it. No ties to you, no connections to who you are...no credit cards, no nothing.

Thats off the grid hoss, just because your saving money doesn't mean that they can't still find you. it just means your cheap.

If you were truley off the grid....no one would miss you.

Originally posted by Kastogere
Off the grid is simple, it means no paper trail of any kind, no known address, no internet, no facebook, no nothing.

It means youre set up in the middle of nowhere living off the land or something like it. No ties to you, no connections to who you are...no credit cards, no nothing.

Thats off the grid hoss, just because your saving money doesn't mean that they can't still find you. it just means your cheap.

If you were truley off the grid....no one would miss you.

edit on 3-9-2012 by Kastogere because: (no reason given)

Indeed. And when his neighbors finally block his IP, then whose internet will he leech?

reply to post by DaTroof


McDonalds has free wifi and I hear they have locations off the grid too =P

Teasing but yea you're still on the grid and VERY traceable if the need arose.

reply to post by AlchemistSwami


@OP

And you're posting on ATS.... Hardly off the grid LOL.

You do realize that posting here (or anywhere for that matter)
makes it possible to be tracked? So I'm just saying if you really want to get off
the grid, none of us would hear from you. I'm not sure there's any way to be partially off the grid.
It seems like an all or nothing thing to me, but that's just my opinion.

Originally posted by AlchemistSwami
I have a website & blog, it cost less than two cent a day in advance; email too and all free over my wifi connected iPod touch, which currently works at my kitchen sink or in my bed, when connected, as well as where I am buying gas, lunch, groceries and even at work.
I can access Facebook twitter google Espn yahoo any website. Free. I'm off grid now, and not going back, so feel free to reach me like before, yet free to me; I wonder what you pay to reach out?

I have done the same thing. I use my android and wifi for everything. As for the facebook, twitter etc, you are not off the grid. Those very sites are becoming spy central and I believe they are actually worse than the others you mention whether you can contact your loved ones or not..

I agree with the volontary simplistic lifestyle you chose, other than that..
"But Grandmother! What a big mouth you have," said Little Red Riding Hood her voice quivering slightly.

reply to post by AlchemistSwami


I've never heard anyone classify themselves as "off the grid" when their whole routine simply involved budgeting and being frugal. What you're talking about is just "being smart." To be "off the grid," to me, was always someone who lived without modern amenities. No electricity, no phone, no car, no electronics, no use of the internet, etc. Just what they could build and grow themselves, in an uninhabited place where they depended solely on themselves for sustenance.

~ Wandering Scribe

If youe paying for a service (I'm assuming your iPiod has some kind of fee) then you are still on the grid but probably less so.

To truly get "off the grid", one would need to eliminate all debt, have no bills/accounts in their name: mortgage, credit cards, loans, bank accounts etc.

One could not own property. Even if your home is paid in full, the property is still being leased and hence you are in the system.

And finally you would need to remove yourself from all government databases: social inecurity, IRS, census etc.

In no way, shape, or form is this anywhere close to being "off the grid"

To be off the grid means you don't have a residence listed, you don't have a phone number, any bills being sent to you, basically nothing in your name, and if anyone wanted to find you they would have to rely upon physically tracking you.

Off the grid means zero footprint. You still have a very large footprint.

Now, if you are just randomly changing the meaning of the word, then I don't really see what the point of this thread is? Being cheap really isn't interesting, special, or brag-worthy on ATS. Being off the grid would be, but then again it would be pretty difficult to post on ATS if you were really off the grid.

Hey guys I'm a billionaire! And by billionaire I mean I have less than 50 grand to my name!

See how that looks? Doesn't really make any sense. A billionaire is a billionaire, someone with a net worth of over a billion dollars. Someone off the grid is off the grid, not just living on the cheap.

I'm most confused....

Off the grid isn't exactly just cutting costs of living expenses you know...try thinking Amish style and if you must have modern appliances then you generate your own electricity instead of hooked up to the power GRID...that's where the term came from...

reply to post by AlchemistSwami

I've canceled my android service and moved to the iPod side. What does this mean with three months left in two thousand twelve?

That in the end all in such a short time it won't make an iota of difference?