What it is Really Like Living Off the Grid
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Regina Cal.
We all have different visions about what off grid living really is like. For some of us, we envision a beautiful, pastoral setting where we grow our own food, have goats, cows, and chickens, and sip percolated coffee on the porch of our rustic log cabin. Others envision off grid living by planning all the systems that must be setup; the parts and pieces for plumbing, solar panels, cabling, and batteries, fencing, gates, outbuildings, and the list goes on and on. I have found that idealism gives way to necessity very quickly. Yes, I've had all of those dreams of the beautiful homestead, frolicking around with a basket full of carrots and tomatoes, and petting adorable baby goats in the sunshine. And I do get to live those moments from time to time. But the reality is that off grid living is all about the systems you build, it is all about the strong foundations that you set up, so you can achieve self-sufficiency. And those systems take time, money, and engineering to correctly deploy. The main off grid systems that must be addressed are: • Land • Shelter • Water • Energy • Waste Management Living off the grid is all about the quality of life you want to have. Many people forgo a lot of the niceties that we have become accustomed to in municipal dwellings. Air conditioning is one of the biggest comfort systems most off-gridders live without. Another big one that folks tend to do away with is traditional waste management, such as sewer systems and trash pickup. These are all the unsexy topics that are not talked about that much, but must be addressed. Others choose to live a very simple, cheap off grid life. This could be parking a conversion van on a small parcel of property, living in a tent or a shed, and basically roughing it. A lot of people that go off grid start in these types of situations and slowly build their systems up over time. ### How to Get Started Living Off the Grid This is the reality of the situation: you either have the money to hire people and buy the materials and supplies necessary to build out your homestead, or you have the strength, time, and knowledge to build it yourself. Going off grid can be VERY expensive and drain your bank account quickly, especially in the economic environment we are in. When we went off grid in January 2021, the cost of building materials, solar equipment, and supplies skyrocketed to the moon. Lumber was the worst, followed by steel, fencing materials, and appliances. The moral to the story? Expect to pay three times more and expect it to take three times longer than you have planned to build up your off grid systems!
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