earning money off grid

[retired profile of WrethaOffGrid]

Soooo, for those of you who are living off grid, or who have lived off grid previously, how did you earn money and still have time to work on your own stuff? I find that if you work full time, then you have much less time to work on your own stuff, even to the point of potentially having to pay someone else to do some of your work… if you work (outside your home) less, then you have less money but more time to work on your projects…

How does everyone balance that?

For us, we just have very few bills, so it doesn’t take much money to survive, so we can earn enough to live on by working odd jobs and bartering.

Wretha

[mountaindawg]

When I went off-grid 4 years ago I cashed out of my real estate investments with the exception of 1 rental house. The money I got from the sale of those assets and the passive income from the rental were enough to set me up with land, a vehicle, shelter, and money to work with for about 4 to 5 years. While I still receive income from the rental property, my cash reserves have been exhausted, due in large part to medical bills. This year I have worked as a carpenter’s assistant, roofer, and dog trainer. I now have a part time job at the local animal shelter. I started at less than 12 hours/2 days a week and will soon be to about 20 hours/3 days a week. I find that when I am not working, I can put off doing projects around my place because I think, “I have time.” When I have outside responsibility, I find that I am much more productive with the time I have to do my own projects as I know my time is limited. I am working to establish a dog rescue shelter/boarding/training center so my property can be an income stream for me as well.

[wirerat123]

Our goals at the moment involve mostly selling excess fruits and veggies at the local farmers market. Hopefully we can make enough from that to pay our property taxes. Outside of that, for extra money to play with and buy luxuries and such the excess livestock, eggs, milk, etc will also be sold off. But not until our food storage is full. Me and Jess both will be working toward doing some arts and crafts type stuff to sell at flea markets and other events in our area. As soon as the girls are both old enough we’ll hopefully be able to intigrate them into our arts and crafts stuff to help us make a little more money and earn some pocket cash for themselves as well.

[centralpafarm]

For me its taking care of the elderly. Its also keeping my buildings old looking and decrepit to keep the taxes low. I even built new buildings that look old. They look like they were here 100 yrs.. I used old wood etc etc.. I also have no indoor plumbing and when i do get a bathroom it will have a composting toilet verses a flush one. The balance will be grey water that goes into the septic system. Taxes go way up with fancy homes all decorated etc etc and indoor plumbing. Yes if you take care of the elderly you may need a modern bathroom. I happen to be my moms caregiver and her Dr has approved my care. She has actually lived yrs longer than they had thought possible with my care and clean water and air. There are also disabled who would love to live in the country and would pay to share your homes..

[puppymama]

when i get set up, i will be doing bead weaving. anyone wanting a custom beadword woven design, i do barter as well as sell. i first started weaving beads age 12 or 13. there is native american on both sides of my family, but i was not raised in traditional indian home.

i also crochet, make blankets/afgans,

 

[offthegridinok]

I am researching e-books.  to make a little residual income.   Been in contact with several E-book authors and they say its a good way to get a few hundred bucks a month.   With my military knowledge and farming knowledge  and the research I have on off grid and alternate power I could write a few.   Been working on one book already on the basics to transferring from modern life to off grid life.  Its a bit of work but I think well worth it when I get done.

[Nightowl]

I am new here and this is my first post. I do not live off the grid yet but it is in the works. I make a little extra money selling Alpaca products, such as survival socks and gloves made from my Alpacas fiber.  I am also going to be getting some bees soon to sell the honey and wax, I am also going to be building wood products to sell.

[jaydentyler25]

For me personally its fostering of the elderly. Its also getting my buildings past times looking as well as decrepit to keep the income taxes low. I even built brand new structures that look past times. They seem like these people were right here 100 years.. I used old lumber etc and others.. I also have virtually no inside plumbing and also when i do get a bath room it is going to have a composting toilet verses a flush one. The balance will be grey water that goes into the septic system.

[Dustoffer]

I started my off grid experience with reading the “Solar Living Sourcebook” and “Earthship” in 1993, from the Public Library.   I bought the land with a loan in Apr97, and worked after work and on weekends for the next four years.  First it was the small frame cabin base(1BR, 1Ba), then the rammed earth tire retaining walls and addition(15x 25 garage, 16 x 15 BR, 3/4 Ba./Ldy, Cl), then more rammed earth tire walls and the Earthship (2 “U” modules, cmpst toilet, 450 gal RW catchment, 100 sq. ft. gardens, futon, storage).  All with solar electric, all self built with the help of my young son and wife, tools, tricks, and gumption.

At first I was working 35 miles away, then in ’99 started working up here, working as foreman on custom homes within 18 miles.  In 2003 after 23 years as multi-tradesman/foreman/sup’t I could no longer physically handle the pain I had lived with since being shot down flying Dustoff in RVN in 1970.  My unit friends got a hold of me and helped me get more than the 10% disability I had.  I can still do the maintenance and my grown son can help.  I can no longer climb the mountains, backpack, and go boating/fishing like before.  When I was building this eco place, I knew something was going wrong and I had limited time to complete.  It turns out it was my lower 5 discs gone and traumatic arthritis setting in.

If you do all your own work, building, gardening and maintaining, and are financially astute—the monthly bills equivalent can be very low, so you don’t need to earn much, and can still live well.

 

[centralpafarm]

WOW JAY YOUR JUST LIKE ME :0

 
jaydentyler25
Participant

For me personally its fostering of the elderly. Its also getting my buildings past times looking as well as decrepit to keep the income taxes low. I even built brand new structures that look past times. They seem like these people were right here 100 years.. I used old lumber etc and others.. I also have virtually no inside plumbing and also when i do get a bath room it is going to have a composting toilet verses a flush one. The balance will be grey water that goes into the septic system.

[caverdude]

Earning off-grid might be bartering, meaning off the money grid. Need tools and skills and products to do that though.

One thing I suggest is that you learn to use online auction sites and use the shipping system.

https://blog.larrydgray.net

[Author]

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