Living off the grid seems to be something that I hear a lot about these days.  Apparently it is gaining momentum. The number of people living off the grid is increasing. Additionally, the number of people that want to be living off the grid seems to be growing as well.  

But everyone seems to have their own impression of what that is and what it means.  This is even noticeable in threads of conversation in social media groups.  It is obvious that everyone interested in living off the grid has their own opinion. 

So, what does it mean to live off the grid.  Let’s start by defining, in the context of our modern culture, what is meant by “the grid”. 

What is “the grid”? 

Start by thinking in general terms about the definition of a grid. Now I realize that can mean many different thing in relation  to science, mathematics, utilities, or social structure.  But, what I am referring to in...

In a previous post titled The Off Grid Mindset  I pointed out a fundamental principle related to being self sufficient. First and foremost you have to accept that you are ultimately responsible for everything that you choose to do and everything that you choose not to do.

But, why do more people not have this mind-set? What does it take to actually master the off-grid mindset?

My Personal Observations

Many articles, websites, and other resources I’ve reviewed often malign the cost of going off the grid, the legalities, the physical difficulty, and numerous other reasons as to why few people actually do it.

Furthermore, in some social media groups that I monitor, I often see people asking such questions as “How do I set up a solar electric system?” or “How do I actually live off the grid?”.

When I read things such as this, the first thing I think is that many people in our culture like to skip over the learning curve and go...

Ask 20 different people why they chose to live off the grid and mostly likely you will get 20 different answers. This is because living off the grid means different things to different people. The reasons people choose to live off the grid are as varied as the people that make this choice. In many ways, your rationale and your personal goals for choosing this option will be a deciding factor in the type of off-grid lifestyle you develop.

Although some of the best experiences in life are the result of a spontaneous decision, the choice to live off the grid should not be one of those times. This lifestyle should not be approached with a cavalier attitude. In this particular situation, that kind of quick decision making has the potential of producing a lot of hardship and frustration. However, with a little forethought and planning, living off the grid is something anyone can achieve.

There are many, many reasons to live off the grid. The following discussion is by no means an...

We live in a culture of consumerism that keeps us spending money. Advertising is bent on convincing us that buying things will make us a better, happier,  healthier person. If you can’t afford it, buy now, pay later. There never seems to be any talk about actually living debt free. In fact, we are constantly pushed in the opposite direction. 

Many of us perhaps start out our adults lives with heavy student loan debt. We add to that debt by taking out a mortgage in order to have our own place.  We then upsize to accommodate a growing family and purchase a new vehicle as well.  As life would have it, along comes the unexpected expenses that have to go on a credit card. The end result is that a high percentage of us enslave ourselves to deep personal debt. We then work endless hours to support that type of lifestyle. 

Years down the road we realize we are living under a crushing load of debt. We start to think we are going to spend the rest of our...

Take a good look at your lifestyle.  I think it is safe to say that most of us live under such a cloud clutter that we have long forgotten what it is like to live a simple life. In fact, we are so far down that path that we no longer even think about simplifying our life. 

There are also many things that clutter our lives and yet produce no value. Our homes are cluttered with possessions. Our business lives are cluttered with busy work and meetings. Our personal time is cluttered with endless emails, voicemails, text messages, and phone calls. Furthermore, our personal and family lives are cluttered with an endless list of obligations. To make matters even more stressful, our financial lives are buried under a crushing load of debt.

There are so many things in our lives that cost us money every month and yet do not truly enrich us. Most people never even realize how much this clutter and the long list of meaningless obligations eats away our time and our back...

What is Self Sufficiency?

True self sufficiency refers to the ability to support yourself or produce that which you need without outside help. Think of true self sufficiency as a sort of personal or collective autonomy. You rely only on your own capabilities, judgments, and resources. You are responsible for everything that you do and everything that you don’t do.

So many people talk about achieving self sufficiency, which of course has a nice romantic ring to it.  Self reliance is also a term that you will hear.  There have even been times in the history of the US when remarkable numbers of people decided to reject “the system” and go back to the land.  Many succeeded while many others failed. What made the difference?

This brings up the question of whether or not true self sufficiency is achievable. You must also ask the question of whether or not it is even possible? Or are we really aiming for self reliance?

What is Different Now?

At one...

Having grown up with 2 working farms in the family, we were about as self sufficient as you could be. We raised cattle, chickens, pigs, rabbits, goats, and had an extensive garden. We hunted, fished, foraged, canned and preserved food in every way possible. We never really talked about self sufficiency. It was simply the way we lived. But, were we actually prepping? 

Practicality or Prepping?

When I was younger, I thought all the effort at self sufficiency was way to much work. I deemed it unpleasant if only for the reason that my parents made me do it. At the time, I knew little of how such experiences would shape my adult life.

For the past 20 years I have had a cabin that is 100% off grid. It is the usual story of the utility companies wanting to charge way to much money to supply services. I loved the property and the location so I dedicated myself to learning how to live off the grid.

I installed solar, high efficiency DC appliances, eventually LED lighting, and built a...

Just mentioning the possibility of voluntarily living off grid is almost guaranteed to bring blank stares and questions regarding your sanity. The reason for this reaction is that most people have a lack of understanding about being off  grid. Such a thought conjures up visions of being thrown back into the dark ages with little or no conveniences, bathing in a cold stream, perhaps using animal skins for clothing, using an outhouse (or not), and living by candle light. However, with modern technology, the reality of living off grid is actually quite different.

Choosing such a lifestyle does not necessitate being a Luddite. Modern-day folks that live off grid often have a lifestyle that is a marriage between “old -fashioned” country skills and modern technology. They are often creative thinkers that manage to recreate many of the modern conveniences associated with city life. Their only real limitations are based on climate, regional conditions, available...

Where did Patrick come from and why

should you listen?

Childhood

In my early childhood my family moved around a lot. Although we lived in numerous different places, it was mostly limited to northern Georgia and south eastern Tennessee. We eventually settled in a house in Chattanooga which is where I spent a great deal of my childhood. The house was very small. I had a brother and two sisters. Neither of my parents graduated high school because they quit in order to help on the family farm. They were the average blue collar parents that worked very hard to provide everything they could. We never really did without anything but we had very limited financial means and the little extras in life were few and far between.

There were two working farms in the family and none of us were strangers to hard work. I often spent months at a time helping on one of the farms. Starting when I was about 5 years old, both of my grandfathers began teaching me how to work the farm. Donning over-sized...