The idea of being self-sufficient is not new. The increase in energy prices and household stress has brought back the natural desire for self-sufficiency. Coming from a past that is almost forgotten, when centuries ago families would care for their food and needs, going off-grid can be appealing. For anyone who is trying to make ends meet and is struggling with national taxes and household providers, being in a position where you don’t need to worry about any of that is exciting. However, you need to be prepared for the hard truth about off the grid life. Indeed, while it might be liberating in many ways, you need to put in the work and the money to make it happen. Self-sufficiency comes at a price. Is it a price you’re ready to pay?
The Hard Truth About Off The Grid Life
Your home may not be suitable
First of all, you need to be realistic. You can’t embrace a self-sufficient lifestyle if you’re still trying to maintain your Internet connection and keep your favorite TV channels. In fact, going an off the grid life means that you’ll have to give up a lot of modern hobbies and facilities. You might also find that your home may not be best equipped to sustain itself. The reason why a lot of self-sufficient properties are new builds is that it’s a lot easier to build something to fit your unique lifestyle than to try to make the house fit retroactively. Consequently, you might need to find a realtor or an investor who buys homes to be able to move on rapidly. You’ll also notice that building a tiny home is often the best option.
You need to generate your own energy
How do you generate the power you need for an off the grid life? They are thankfully many options you can implement. You can use geothermal heat to keep your home warm. You can also convert this heat into usable power. But it’s best to work through the option with a professional. Solar energy and hydroelectricity are other popular choices. The best choice is to combine several sources of power to cover for most eventualities.
The easiest part: Generating your own food
Can you grow your own food? There’s a big difference between having a vegetable garden which serves as a hobby and developing food self-sufficiency. You need to establish precisely how much space you need before you can build your perfect off-grid home. Indeed, without a sizable garden and a pantry or cellar to store preserved foods, you can’t provide your family with year-round food. Thankfully, most households utilizing an off the grid life use gardening skills and food preservation to create an effective food strategy.
The risks of self-sufficiency
Many have tried and failed before. Self-sufficiency is a noble but hard to achieve goal. Richard Wallace shares his experience of going off-grid in rural England. As he points out, you need to sort out your water supply. This is tricky to organize by yourself. Additionally, some homes require a building permit, which comes at a cost too. Finally, the infrastructure makes it also impossible for people to sort out their own bathroom facilities legally and safely. All of these factors need to be considered when choosing an off-grid life.
The ultimate question everyone asks is: is it possible to go entirely self-sufficient? Can you live an off-grid life? The answer is yes. But you need to balance what you’re ready to give up against what you’re gaining. If you want to maintain an integrated life in your community, you probably need to opt for a hybrid solution, such as producing your energy or your food but keeping access to the local infrastructures. Are you ready to take on an off the grid life?
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Thank you for posting this to the Homestead Blog Hop, planning is so important to becoming more self-sufficient!