Today’s economy is incredible in many ways. The average person is so productive - thanks to the combination of education, technology, and organizational know-how - that they can produce enough income to feed an entire village in your average developing country. The last two hundred years have been a whirlwind of rapid progress, taking us from mud huts into a technological paradise that is reminiscent of the Jetsons.
There’s just one tiny, little problem: the work.
For some people - about twenty percent of the workforce - work involves creating something, be it music, art, poetry or science. But for everybody else, it’s mostly process-based; doing things like repairing machines and filing invoices - hardly life-affirming stuff.
As a result, lots of people are asking whether it’s worth moving off grid. After all, what they’re doing right now seems utterly futile. They go to work to earn a paycheck, but once they’ve paid the mortgage and the bills, there’s not much left over for the family to actually enjoy and the cycle starts all over again.
Moving off-grid is about escaping all that. Here are some ideas to make it happen.
Live Small And Get Rid Of Your Debt
The main reason people get into debt is that, even after they’ve received their income, they’re not able to pay the inflated prices for basics like food and shelter. Because of this, they get trapped in a cycle of debt, taking on more credit every month to make ends meet. Before they know it, they’re in the hole for tens of thousands of dollars. According to True Activist, for the same amount, you could have a house and be living on your own land, growing your own food if you wanted to.
Done properly, living off the grid can be as cheap as $2000 a year - possibly less with the right solar panel technology.
Buy A Small House
Is it worth selling your soul, working day after day in a job you hate, just so that you can afford a house with a slightly larger footprint? Almost certainly not. Your time is precious: square footage isn’t. Go for a small house or a log cabin. Look out for used mobile homes for sale if you’re looking for a real bargain.
Find a way to bring the costs of housing down, your primary expense, and you'll soon find yourself moving out of debt.
Be Willing To Relocate
Land in your local area probably won’t be all that cheap so you might have to relocate if you want to live off grid. You can buy small 1-acre or 5-acre plots for very little in some parts of the US. For instance, it’s possible to pick up an acre of land on which you can grow food for as little as $1000. But even if it costs $10,000, that’s still cheaper than living in some grotty apartment in the middle of Manhattan. If you plan on traveling to see friends and family, however, it might be worth picking a piece of land closer to home.
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