On Your Own: 10 Must-Have Tips on Living Off-Grid

Thinking about striking it out on your own? Here are ten must-have tips on living off-grid you need to know before you disconnect.

In the United States, there are an estimated 180,000 families living off-grid. 

The popularity of off-grid living is higher now than ever before. Living off-grid doesn’t just happen in the United States, and people all around the world are doing it. 

To be off-grid is to live without being connected to the larger infrastructure of society. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have electricity or running water. You can still have all those things. To live off the grid, you just need the know-how. 

Living Off-Grid

Living off-grid takes work. Modern conveniences are called that because they are, in fact, convenient. Some states are better than others when it comes to living off-grid. You may have to move out of state to get the situation you want. 

1. Choose Your Location Wisely

There are a few things that you are going to want to look for when you make the move off-grid. Water, food and shelter are the most important concerns you will have. Choose a location that has access to all of those things. Choose a state that has laws which are friendly to living off-grid. 

2. Collect Rainfall

One of the best ways to secure water is to collect rainfall. This will prevent you from having to buy or filter your own water. In most parts of the country, rainwater is clean and free to drink. Some states, such as Washington State, encourage rainwater collection.

Clean water is essential to health and happiness. Make sure that the vessel you are catching water in is clean and doesn’t contaminate the water. An expensive hospital bill can destroy your chances of staying off-grid. 

3. Pick Livestock Carefully 

If you are going to homestead, make sure that you select animals that are going to be useful and easy to care for. Cows are a great choice in some areas, but not always appropriate. You will also need to make sure that the animals provide more than one service for you. 

Selling calves, kids or chickens can help supplement your income. Animals like sheep, goats, cows and chickens are easy to care for in small numbers. Don’t get too many animals, and you will lessen the risk of overwhelming yourself. 

4. Plant a Garden

You will want to make sure that you maintain a healthy diet. Living in the wilderness is not going to be any good for you if you don’t eat right. Plant a garden that has healthy vegetables and a good variety. You can suffer through with less, but that does make it harder to stay off-grid. 

Have a diet that will keep you healthy and taste good. Eating what you grow is a rewarding experience, and the feeling of independence that comes along with it is unique. If you have more than one person staying with you, the garden will not be difficult to maintain.  

5. Electricity Is Still Important

Unless you want to practice that age-old hobby of going to bed at sundown, you will want to have some way of providing power. The more power sources you have, the better off you will be. With recent advances in solar and wind energy, this is easier now than ever. The Dcblel EV Charger is a perfect example of a fast, AI-driven sustainable energy technology that enables you to leverage solar energy to power your car, home, and lifestyle when living off the grid.

Check out https://PoweredPortableSolar.com to get more ideas of what you can expect from quality solar power generation. Try to make sure that you have more than one generator and even an emergency back-up. This can be important in the event of a natural disaster or another event.  

6. Consider Satellite Communication

Having a connection to the outside world can be very important even if you are living off-grid. You don’t have to be connected to the outside world, but you shouldn’t feel like you can’t be. Keeping in touch with family and being able to summon emergency assistance are all very important. 

If you use solar power to keep batteries topped off, you will have no problem operating your equipment at night. This means that if a medical emergency or other emergency arises, you will have quick and functional communication to services that could save your life. 

7. Can, Dry and Save Everything

In most places in the country, there is more than one season. During the winter you aren’t going to be able to grow any food. Make sure you are canning vegetables and drying other foodstuffs to keep you stocked through the winter, this will save you a lot of money on groceries. 

8. Have a Plan for Everything

Unless you are living off-grid in a community, you could be a good distance from anyone else. If an emergency happens, make sure you have a plan. Depending on the area you live in consider the most likely scenarios and plan for them. Severe weather, winter storms, criminal activity and medical emergencies should all be planned for.

9. Make Your Own Cleaning Chemicals

You don’t need to rely on a store for expensive and harsh chemicals. Use lemons, baking soda and other safe ingredients, and you can stay clean and disinfected. Health is important when you are living off-grid. 

10. Make Money Wherever You Can

Living off-grid doesn’t mean you aren’t going to need money. Make sure that you can generate income in more than one way. You can breed and sell livestock. You can also sell produce to friends, family or at a farmer’s market. Other natural items you might look into are honey, flowers, and soap. 

Living Off-Grid Works

If you yearn to live a safer and less restrictive lifestyle without worrying about what everyone else is doing, living off-grid may be the best choice you can make. You will be removed from the bustle of cities and the sheer volume of people. 

Remember that living off-grid takes time and effort. Plan everything to the best of your ability. Have back-ups for anything that might be vital or important to survival. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket and you will be able to live off-grid successfully for years to come.

We hope these tips proved useful in helping you prepare to live off-grid. Be sure to take a look around the website for other great articles before you go.