I think the majority of people living off grid are preppers.

I think off grid is using rain water. having solar panels. Growing vegetables and fruit trees. Hunting, if you eat meat. Raising chickens/ducks for eggs. Raising your own cows/goats, other= for milk and meat. You have to butcher those animals. It's a lot of work.

That's being self sufficient. Off grid is a bit different. I think it's like an Amish/Mennonite type thing, ones just a bit more strict basically.

You don't want to pay for water or electricity.

totage, what is living off grid to you?

Living off the grid would be living with no paper trail, no social security number, no bills, no credit, no record of you or your existence on paper anywhere including in digital form, the internet. It's a bit impossible to truly live off the grid. Some do it though.

Self sufficiency would be generating your own power, obtaining your own water, living off the land, raising livestock, etc. You can still have the internet and all, but you don't need to buy anything to survive.

Prepping is building bunkers, collecting guns and ammo, stocking up on emergency food, etc. You at least have a means of being self sufficient if needed, growing food and what not.

At least that's how I see it.

not bad simple explanations totage

Many do this daily and not off the grid. Other then the solar panels it's my place.

I’ve heard people use the term “off the grid” for totally different circumstances; not on Uncle Sam’s radar but still living with every modern convenience, taxpayers who grocery shop like city dwellers who are simply not hooked up to public utility sources, or people with completely self sustaining property who own the land, but have turned it into a self sustaining livelihood, requiring nothing from stores after setup purchases...unless disease stikes the chicken coop, of course.

Yeah, that's pretty accurate the way I see it too.

Most people are oblivious to how much of a paper trail they leave behind.
If someone wants to find you bad enough, there are ways to locate you.
Unless you go off-the-grid.
Even if you lose the credit cards and pay for everything in cash, there are still cameras all over the place that can track your movements. Plus, with the advent of facial recognition software, just being in a public place puts you back on the grid.

Many 'preppers' think that stockpiling supplies is prepping.
I disagree with that idea.
When SHTF, the best prep will be to know where things are located and how to use them. What happens when your stockpile runs out? Knowing which plants in your area are edible and how to plant edible crops will assure your survival. Stockpiles and bug-outs are nice but in a true scenario, they may not be accessible, then what will you do?
Knowledge is the best prep.

I grew up in Pennsylvania.
There are a lot of Amish communities in PA.
They are 90% self-sufficient.
They are also on the grid.
They are required to pay taxes, have social security numbers and register births and deaths with the county.
During the draft, their young adults are required to register with selective service and their children are required to have scholastic credits.
This information is documented in a different way, but they are on the grid.
These types of communities exist around the country but each is on grid.
Even the swamp, mountain and bayou residents are tracked. They might be harder to locate but they are still registered somewhere.

Bunkers make great storage facilities,
storm shelters, and conversation pieces.

I've been sort of urban off grid (temporarily) since I moved house and have no services connected for a while.

Charge spare car batteries with solar panel; burnt out my home made voltage converter and bought a pure sinewave inverter to run computer and small electrics; no town gas so using bottled LPG (propane) on camping fridge and cooking burner; 12 volt fluoro and LED lighting; rain water tank but no water heater (brrrrr); charge phones and other batteries while at work; but at least I can go to the local shops.

Electricity is the hardest thing to store; batteries are expensive and eventually fail.
A petrol/diesel generator is a good emergency power backup; diesel engines can run on pure coconut oil if it stays runny - no good if cool or freezing.

I'm still looking for my cave woman!

All native / indigenous peoples were off grid and self sufficient, until Europeans arrived, and showed how civilized they were.

I like the idea but would probably die after 2 weeks...Lol.
And yes, it's a lot of work, preparation and always thinking a season or more ahead. Knowledge, experience and, if alone, a very strong mental stability.
But I'm not talking about having planes, snow mobiles or otherwise be dependend on having petrol... I mean living off the grid without having to earn or spend a dime to survive. Money free.
Fascinating in my opinion.

I've been homeless, if that counts as being off grid.

I would ask the managers of restaurants and stores for food. They'd give me something when possible. It was good food that would have went in the garbage anyway, but still edible and it got me through.

There was a park that we called shanty town, all the homeless people would go there and setup tents or whatever shelter they could. There were grills and fireplaces in the pavilions, we'd use to cook meals and stay warm.

Of course a lot of them were into things I didn't want to be a part of, so I didn't associate with too many, but we did the best we could with what we had and we looked out for each other.

Not necessarily off grid I guess, just surviving.

Wow... I seriously admire that. totage, you're a tough dude.
Total respect.
I've been homeless too.

Thanks,

It was an adventure for sure. lol

It's in our nature to be dependent on each other in at least some capacity. Even off grid, you still depend on at least some people to some extent.

I don't think I need to go the extreme of being truly off grid, but I do want to have my own farm,livestock, make my own energy, etc. so that I'm less dependent on others for my survival.

I don't need a bunker or a crazy collection of guns and ammo, just a handful of cows, chickens, a few hogs, and a nice farm to sustain us all would be nice.

Not necessarily a simpler life, but the work would probably be more satisfying than working for some faceless corporation that is probably trying to kill you anyway.

Yeah I've seen that program. Guy had to take a piece of foam with him when he went to the crapper so his butt wouldn't freeze to the seat.

Nope, no "off grid" B.S. for me. I like having a nice warm place for my morning "sit down".

we're on the same page... I like the way you think.
That's exactly what I mean.
You work for yourself... literally....effing literally, for survival.
And at the same time you're giving the government the finger, as in : "I can live without you and your corrupt BS."
"Stealing the taxpayers money as politicians or bankers or the effing 10 or 1 percent, so eff you."
Sorry my languague.. I know I could've expressed myself better, but.. Well, you know, I'm talking straight as a middleclass dude.
I could go exquisitely and become a more Shakepearian version, but I think it would be a bit out of date although most woman might think it to be more appealing and poetic..:)
As of now, I'm talking to a man.

I am currently living in an igloo, using a phone I built out of fish bones, my next door neighbour polar bear allows me to use her electricity to power it , I'm not allowed to divulge the way she gets it, but I am allowed to say that she's called Tesla