Im thinking of getting off the grid ?????

S

sebenza4life

Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
4
Any ideas would be helpful. Im 35 with a net worth of $575,000. I live in nj and am tired of the whole rat race. Id like to move to a wilderness area, such as vermont or maine, and just live a simple life. My hobbies are simple and cheap, such as flyfishing and skiing. Does anyone know of a web site or some place i could go to find like minded people? I feel like im the only person who thinks like this, any help would be great. Thanks
 
I am sorry, I don't really believe you can fully retire from active life on $575K. It a real good start, but based on a 5% yearly pull you would live on $27,750/Yr. Now if you buy a house out of that nest egg you will have even less. You could find a relativly cheap place to live and then get a job, but in places where living is cheap, wages tend to be low. The other thought would be to develop your ability to Tele-commute and find a cheap place to live and take on consulting jobs. Just my take good luck!
 
If you're only 35 and have a half -million already, I'd say give it five more years. Save like crazy and keep earning compound interest on what you have. If you could get up to 750,000 you'd be set for a low-income, low-stress, low-frills life. Spend 150,000 on a small house or cabin and earn 5% on the remaining $600,000. That gives you $30,000 in annual income, which isn't bad considering you won't have a mortgage payment or save for retirement (two of the biggest expenses). $30k/year is well above average in many regions of the US, so you can fit in and not be in the lowest rung of the socio-economic ladder.

Good Luck!
-Bob
 
Backwoods Home magazine, backwoods home is one of the better magazines out there Mother Earth News used to be good but it turned into a glossy catalog, I haven't seen it lately so maybe it's changed.

Also if your lookin' to get off the grid, stay away from places like Vermont and Maine, they're tourist states, ya gotta go where the people don't wanna go, have ya thought about another country?
 
Grit was another magazine that's been around while that has lots of great self sufficiency articles.

Are ya ready to grow and raise yer own food and give up some of the more common common conviences?
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Grit was another magazine that's been around while that has lots of great self sufficiency articles.

Are ya ready to grow and raise yer own food and give up some of the more common common conviences?
Click to expand...

http://www.grit.com/

Wow i didn't think they were still around.

I think they used to be based out of Williamsport.
 
Easy to get off the grid in NM, AND live on 27000 a year (and ski and flyfish until you're blue in the face).
 
Well how "off the grid" you aiming for? Are thinking a self-sufficient house full of self sufficient gadgets like solar panels? Or really off the grid like a plywood hut in the woods all Unabomber style?
 
Easy to get off the grid in NM, AND live on 27000 a year (and ski and flyfish until you're blue in the face).
Click to expand...
I think that's true in some areas, but overall the New Mexico median home value is $108,000 and the median income is $38,000. $575,000 minus buying a home leaves $467,000, times 5% equals an annual income of $23,000 (before taxes). In most places in New Mexico, even Raton, a household income of only $23k places you in the bottom of the middle economic bracket, or top of the bottom bracket. You'd be on par with a man and wife who both work part time fast food jobs.

There are exceptions of course. Columbus, New Mexico has a median household income of $13,000. So you'd be an economic pillar of the community if you moved there. Or else everyone would resent you as the Richy Rich White Easterner and harrass you until you left...

Now if you're married and your wife keeps working while you're fishing and skiing, then you've got it made. Your income of $23,000 plus Wife's schoolteacher (or whatever) pay of $50,000 equals $73k. With no mortgage payment, you'll be economically independant almost anywhere. :D

Keep in mind, even living "off the grid", you still have to cough up cash regularly for taxes, transportation, groceries, insurance, and ski lift tickets. And you'll need to reinvest a certain amount each year so the interest payments you receive keep up with inflation.

-Bob
 
I'm with you, sebenza.

A couple of friends of mine spent some time living in Yurts. Both of them moved out and back into houses because they had young children/complaining wives. For this approach, you need to be hidden from the main drag because the code enforcement officer will be on you.

Another guy I know lived in a teepee for some time; but he now lives in an apartment.

Backwoods Home Magazine is a great resource and great entertainment. They sell it at my local Barnes and Noble. Also, Mother Earth News is great too. Both have websites. I now see that this info was posted above, but I'll leave it to stress how good they are.

I do know some people that have done the central america thing. One guys stays with friends in the states for a few months a year, works and saves money. He spends the rest of the year in Costa Rica at the rate of $100 per month. Last I heard, he has not come back (in a good way, I mean).

My wife's sister and her husband were able to buy a house and (somehow) secure their financial future in Panama with approx $700,000. They've been there for about a year now, and love it. They, however, live in an expensive part of the country, and they have a maid and all that. I'm sure you could do better if you get away from the coast.

If you want more info about how they did it, I would be happy to pry for you.

I'm thinking about going the urban-hillbilly route. But an empty lot, plant bamboo or whatnot around the perimeter, put up a chain-link fence with locked gate, wait till I've got a nice 10 foot evergreen hedgerow, and put up a yurt. I don't have the utilities figured out yet. I'll need some dogs, too - you could break into a yurt with a pair of scissors.
 
Thanks guys, for the help; what i mean by off the grid is , a log cabin by a lake, flyfish every day, ski twice a week in winter. Here in jersey every thing is what you drive and whats your job title. Im soooo sick of playin that game. Besides i dont care if i ever buy another polo shirt or go to a broadway play. Also dont get me wrong id still get a part time job maybe working in a bookstore or a camping store. Im just so done with the whole bmw driving, rolex wearing, poser jersey lifestyle:barf:.
 
patriqq said:
Backwoods Home Magazine is a great resource and great entertainment. They sell it at my local Barnes and Noble.
Click to expand...
Really? Backwoods Home is back on newstands again? I loved that mag i have the first two or three years of it but then they did the "we will only sell by subscription" and "we don't take credit card payment" thing and that was the last i saw of them. I'll have to check for it at Chapters (Canada's version of B&N) next time i'm there.
:)
 
There are a lot of places overseas where you can retire on your 500 plus. If you are interested PM me for more info.
 
Try Southern Colorado
In the San Luis Valley
I think it's around $500-$1000 an acre range
If he is gonna grow his own food/cattle and use wood for heating I think the monthly costs would be manageable
Get some solar panels or a windmill

but in places where living is cheap, wages tend to be low
Click to expand...
I agree Southern Colorado is pretty economically devasted
I don't think they have high speed internet though!!!!
Otherwise i would telecommute from my "bug out" house in Conejos County

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_living

I was thinking off living off the grid when i retire
Hopefully Social Security will still be around to pay me................
 
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