Off Grid/Subsistence Living: Could/Would you do it?

NOHOME wrote: I think you nailed it. Heroin comes in a lot of flavours ...Mansions, Jewelry, Luxury Cars, Fine Dinning, Private Schools and Expensive Vacations. And they are all just as addicting. The thing about the rat race is that it is an illusion. If you don't get on the wheel you don't have to play the game. And you don't HAVE to get on the wheel. Watch it from the sidelines. Two white collar incomes, while living in a blue collar hood in a paid for house does wonders for your ability to care less and less about the rat race. Not off the grid perhaps, but under the radar.

Well said. Thats sorta what I was hinting at above.

ProDarwin wrote:

PHeller wrote: I still think we American's are forced into working way too many hours with far too little vacation time, but that's my drum and I'll continue beating it.

Agree and disagree. Yes, our standard work weeks/years are pretty intense. It is annoying that I can't search for a job that pays 80% what mine does and only requires me to work 4 days a week. But how else do corporations compete with societies where people can put in 60+ hours/week? At the same time, our spending habits are nuts and in general we burn through our income at alarming rates. With a more reasonable approach to spending, most people would find themselves retired like 20+ years earlier, where the situation you described above is much more achievable.

Uh, our economy is mostly dependent on people spending money. That circulation is what we get.

If people spent less money, fewer would be buying the goods we all make or services that we all supply. Which would mean fewer jobs, and less money moving around.

It's great that we all think how we can live as small as we can, but at some point, without consumers just spending money, there would be no reason to make stuff.

Before going off the grid make sure you have a good source of potable water.

Often overlooked.

And since you are going to have to devote significant time to farming no matter how you look at it, you might as well farm something that will provide a bit of cash. Or barter.