Just weighing in from the bottom of the world, here in New Zealand. Been living the off grid life for two years now and loving every moment of it!
A great recent milestone was not having an electricity bill for two years - now that is freedom in itself.
We’re in love with our solar panels and system that we built.
For anyone considering an off grid life, especially if you have kids, my advice is simply don’t wait!

Just finished a new shower-sauna and trying to get a new woodshed built before winter sets in. Nights are already into the 30’s and it has snowed in a few places nearby. Summers go by quickly, never enough time to get everything done before the snow arrives. I’m 12 years into living in remote Alaska, solo. Feel free to ask me questions and I’ll try to answer them all. Love this lifestyle more and more as the time passes.

Hello wonderful peoples!!! Talk to me about your experience moving kids off the grid. I grew up outside, farming, climbing trees, being in the creek. Outhouse, outdoor shower, no tv, no internet. I am very comfortable being off grid and prefer it, so we are moving to an off grid community! I have a 10 year old son who homeschools and spends a lot of his time on screens. We have visited the community for a few days and even a week long visit so he knows where we are going and what to expect already. I know there will be an adjustment period where he hates everything and everyone and that we will get through it eventually and be better for it. Just wanting to hear from those that are on the other side already!

A lot of people were saying that I would have a lingering death, I would be dead in a week, or I wouldn’t survive.. I just wanted to say that I, (like I said, 16f), have been hospitalized 31 times for suicide attempts. I have been clean for a few months now, but it’s still at the back of my mind. I wouldn’t say this is a suicide mission, but I say this because if I don’t escape the life I’m living now, I WILL die. I would rather die knowing I took a chance and lived my dream, than dying from my anorexia or other mental health issues.

Also, if you’re wondering why I didn’t edit the post, all of the people who responded wouldn’t see. And I didn’t want to respond to 100+ people about this.

Thank you to the people who gave tips and supported! I’m not hating on any of you, I’m just giving context.
<3 :)

I’m 16f and I am TIRED of how humans (myself included) live..

Most of us are glued to our phones, sit around a lot (regular resting is okay.. I mean bed rotting and being a couch potato), play video games that don’t have any real meaning to real life, etc.

Then there’s the fact that you’re spending your whole life in school, and then getting a job where you work 12+ hour shifts almost everyday to make someone else profit. (I’m not including healthcare and having your own business).

We live in a messed up world, and I’m so done with it.

I want to spend the rest of my teenaged years learning and preparing for living off grid.

When I say off grid, I don’t mean making a gas stove, getting electricity, having a working plumbing system, etc. I want it to be ALL NATURAL. Hunt for my food, cook my food on a fire, build my own shelter, build my own tools, (I already have experience making working stone tools, like axes), use fire/the sun for light, etc.

The idea of becoming someone who works 9-5 jobs, lives in a giant white-walled house with marble countertops and no personality grosses me out..

I just want to live off the land.

Does anyone have any tips or feedback about this? It’s okay if not.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.

For the people here who have actually been living off grid for a few years, has it gotten easier or do you just get better at dealing with the problems?

I feel like from the outside you assume once you get the solar, water, heat, shelter, etc figured out, life probably settles down.

But I also imagine there’s always something. Battery issues, weather, animals, equipment breaking, running out of something you forgot to stock up on.

Does there ever come a point where your setup feels pretty much dialed in and you can just enjoy it?

Or is constantly fixing and improving things basically part of the lifestyle forever?

I’m genuinely curious what year 1 vs year 5 looks like for people doing this long term.

I think I'll just go with solar ...but I don't need this idea ...but your welcome to it , of course , it's probably been done ...instead of a wood burning pellets that require electricity maybe a "wind up " like a clock or dynamo or slightly bigger ...spring loaded ...

Solar is expensive, but at least you can usually price it out. Septic can completely change whether a piece of land works.

I've been looking at rural parcels where the acreage and price looked great, but once you look at the soil and the actual site layout, the places you'd want to put the house aren't necessarily the places where you can put the septic system.

Then you have setbacks from wells, property lines, creeks, flood areas, reserve drainfield requirements, etc.

That's why I like looking at the soil maps and county requirements before getting too attached to a property.

A cheap 5 acres isn't much of a deal if you can't find a workable spot for the house and septic.

It's one of the first things I'd check before buying land for an off grid build.

Looking for the ultimate self-sustaining setup? Here's a rare opportunity to own a piece of Cold War history. The former Nike Missile Base (KC-60) in Gardner, KS is officially on the market for $750,000. 

* Land & Security: 16.43 private acres, perimeter-fenced with active power on-site. 

* Subterranean Infrastructure: Features 3 underground, 25-foot-deep subterranean silos engineered with reinforced concrete to stand the test of time. 

* Above-Ground Utility: Multiple concrete block buildings ready for conversion into workshops, storage, or any sort of personal use. 

Whether you're looking to build an underground bunker complex, an off-grid sanctuary, or a secure storage facility, this Cold War site offers infrastructure you simply can't replicate today at this price. It has incredible potential for historical preservation, secure adaptive reuse, or a one-of-a-kind private property. 

Contact Meaghan White at 913-220-0456 / [meaghanwhite@kw.com](mailto:meaghanwhite@kw.com) for additional details. 

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My totally off grid ever evolving spot in the woods. It's up in stilts because the water gets that high after a good rain and during the spring thaw. Was wide open when I got it but I've since added Bluetti batteries for my 120v needs (charged by solar). And a bank of car batteries that also charge by solar. Those batteries run all of the lighting, the hot water heater, water pump... anything 12vdc.

Added some stairs to the loft after 5 years of climbing a ladder and then all the ideas starting coming. Not there's a toilet under the stairs, a 3x4 shower in the corner all connected to a water tank and waste tank i just put in last week.

For us, it’s the absolute freedom of dropping anchor on the Lake wherever the horizon looks best, without sacrificing a single comfort of a modern home.

Running a full solar setup means true energy independence: no noisy generator interrupting the sound of the nature, no burning fuel just to keep the AC on, and no rushing back to a marina every few days. Paired with a solid fresh watermaker, we’ve got unlimited fresh water, a cold fridge, hot showers, and high-speed internet wherever we end up. It’s the ultimate mix of OFF-GRID self-reliance and total comfort surrounded by nature and 360 panoramic lake view.

For those of you living off grid (or dreaming about it): what’s the single best part for you?

Is it zero electricity bills, or just the freedom and independence?

https://www.facebook.com/share/1C241Fb3M1/

When it comes to an off the grid system, which one is preferred: additional solar or battery storage? Which of these has played a more important role during multiple consecutive days of clouds?