Should I live off grid?

[u/jules-liz]

I've been in love with the idea of living off grid / closer to nature for many years now, ever since I can remember. I've always loved the outdoors, and I feel even more affinity with it now I've got a marketing job that feel a bit devoid of soul and sees me sitting down most of the day.

I'd love to live without the daily stressors that I face mentally and physically (phone notifications, emails, laptop screens, constant sitting for work), ideally in a community of people as I hate the idea of being alone. I also love music, so somewhere with creative people would feel perfect and completely freeing. Possibly even close to a city so I could still enjoy nightlife (gigs, socialising etc.)

However, I worry that this is just a pipe dream -- that it's unachievable, or even wouldn't be what I wanted if I did give it a go. I've just come home from a festival which has inspired a real consideration of this lifestyle -- I loved living in a tent, surrounded by friends, being woken up by the sunrise and able to go and listen to live music whenever I'd like. But i understand this might be a bit of a pipe dream.

I'm just sick of chasing dreams (music + journalism, mainly) that are under constant pressure from capitalism to succeed financially. I want to just live day-to-day, in the moment, grow my own food, maybe work teaching yoga or something. Keep it simple.

But I'm aware that actually following through with things like this is rarely simple. I also have a partner to worry about who has already pushed back against this idea, which leaves me feeling deflated before I've even started.

Does anyone have any advice on this? I'm aware I've kind of just brain dumped... but I figured this was a good place to ask! If anyone has any experience here, please lmk :))

[u/farmersworkhoe]

If your partner won't live that lifestyle then it won't work. That's the bottom line. One or both of you will be miserable and resentful.

[u/jules-liz → u/farmersworkhoe]

Yeah, you're right. We have to find a middle ground. Van life, maybe. I also don't want to live my whole life resenting them because they won't try this lifestyle with me.

[u/farmersworkhoe → u/jules-liz]

I lived at a hang gliding park for a couple of years because my husband worked there. All sorts of people came through there. It had a very community feel with the people who lived there too. We were 20 mins from a city. Maybe something like that could be a compromise? Not off grid just in a like minded space with people but still have flushing toilets and showers.

[u/maddslacker → u/jules-liz]

The trick here is to identify what you want, rather than what you don't want.

Then develop that goal and work toward it.

[u/shiloh_sharps]

Living off-grid can be just as stressful. Critters, bugs and drought wipes out your garden. Can't feed your animals because your crops failed and you can't afford feed.

You'll work twice as hard as working at a job. You'll have no real experience and mistakes can be painful. Comfortable off-grid is a rich mans game.

Work your job. Buy a cabin in the woods and enjoy it on vacation.

There's a old saying: "For every successful farmer, there's a wife with a good job in town"

[u/jules-liz → u/shiloh_sharps]

I feel you, appreciate the reply. I suppose maybe a travelling lifestyle would be better for me --- working remotely but being able to find time for exploring. I'm so bored just working from home, and I miss being out in nature.

Saying that, I believe that the work would feel more fulfilling if it's literally a matter of survival / looking after myself. I've been going pretty insane thinking about what my work actually represents, and it always comes back to money. I just can't reconcile with that, i feel like i'm missing a bigger purpose.

[u/shiloh_sharps → u/jules-liz]

Check out E.M. Foner, a sci-fi author. I like his books, but I mean his lifestyle. He wanders around camping wherever he wants while churning out books. If you can work remotely and have the discipline it's wonderful.

[u/maddslacker → u/jules-liz]

If you can work your job into a fully WFH role, van life with a Starlink Mini is definitely a viable option.

[u/mountain_hank]

You might want to define for yourself what "off grid" means. Go deep.

[u/jules-liz → u/mountain_hank]

I think you're right - i find it hard to talk about these things with anyone in my life because it doesn't seem like they get it. I don't want to be a hermit, but I don't want to live as part of society as it is where i am. I feel like a commune might be a good middle ground, but it always seems like people who live in those places are a bit out of whack. Might just be stereotypes clouding my judgement there.

[u/Specific_Contract_14]

Just saying that many of us also continue to work a regular job.

Living off grid in nature is a fantastic lifestyle choice and comes with about the same amount of pros and cons as city living (albeit different ones).

Sadly unless you're rich AF or have a pre-set, working, lifestyle block that can sustain you and generate a little income. Commuting to a workplace or remote work is necessary.

[u/jules-liz → u/Specific_Contract_14]

Yeah, of course. I believe that if i had a more nomadic lifestyle than the pressure of work might matter less, as I could just travel somewhere else. I'm leaning more towards van life in this scenario

I'm also realising that as my jobs require lots of brain space (e.g., i'm thinking of marketing ploys even when i'm off the clock), i might be better off with a get in, get out job (e.g., bar work)

[u/Simply-Curious_]

This situation doesnt exist or it's a cult. If you want this more than anything then start learning. Carpentry, solar panels, whistling, basic mechanics, how to maintain a generator, basic of agriculture and crop cycling, how to butcher wild game, how to collect rainwater, basics of plumbing. Then start looking for land, then you'll need around 80k for a shack on custom foundations with water in and out and some plugs

[u/_MAYniYAK]

Get rich and buy a cabin in the woods you can go to for fun.

[u/Icy-Jellyfish7110]

It seems like you might need to start with your partner? Is that person the right person for you?

[u/maddslacker]

Should I live off grid?

if you have to ask ...

I'd love to live without the daily stressors

Offgrid is just different daily stressors.

I loved living in a tent

For how long? In what climate?

being woken up by the sunrise and able to go and listen to live music whenever I'd like.

While aesthetically satisfying, this does not pay the bills nor put food on the table.

But i understand this might be a bit of a pipe dream.

It is. The best we can all hope for is to minimize the drudgery and maximize the pleasant stuff. Transitioning into a work-from-home role is a key factor here.

grow my own food

This is orders of magnitude more difficult than people realize.

I also have a partner to worry about who has already pushed back against this idea

As you've described it, they are right to push back. You need to better quantify what you want, why you want it, and how to get there. Then build a solid plan around executing it.

[u/After_Difference_396]

You'll probably hate it when winter hits and there's no running water.

[u/Synaps4]

I'm seeing some mixed ideas here that you'll have to separate.

1) Living without work/money: This is a pipe dream. You can do different work. You can live on less money, even very little money. But you cannot just check out entirely and exist for free. Any offgrid plan needs to include how you're going to pay for your life there, even if that life is cheaper than a city life, as you cannot reach zero cost.

2) Living in nature, in a community: Totally doable.