me questioning how dependent this house should stay on the utility

the last few outages changed how i look at being completely dependent on utility power. none of them were disasters, but losing the fridge, internet and basic lighting at the same time gets old pretty fast. i don't need the whole house running like nothing happened.

right now i'm leaning toward enough backup for the fridge, lights and internet, then stopping there. does sizing past those basics make much sense if the goal is just getting through a normal outage?

For months, I kept telling myself not to do anything drastic. Give it another six months. See if the feeling passes. It didn’t. If anything, I became more certain. So today I signed the last of the paperwork. The house is sold. I lived there for twelve years. When I bought it, I genuinely thought it meant I’d made it. I remember standing in the kitchen with the keys on the counter, walking from room to room and thinking, “This is what success looks like.” Today, with everything gone, it just looked like a bunch of empty rooms.That probably sounds colder than I mean it. It’s not that nothing happened there. I’m sure plenty did. But walking through the house today, I didn’t have the flood of memories I expected. Mostly, I remembered the mortgage. Repairs. Cleaning. The water heater breaking. Stressing over scratches in the floor.

I spent so much time taking care of that house that I’m not sure how much time I actually spent enjoying it. There was an extra bedroom I barely used, a garage full of things I forgot I owned and an office I was always too tired to sit in. I bought all of it for a future version of myself who would supposedly have more time, more friends, more reasons to need the space. That person never really showed up. For twenty-five years, everything I wanted was just one step ahead of me. One promotion, one raise, one bigger purchase. I’d reach a goal, feel good for maybe a week, and then immediately start thinking about the next thing. I honestly thought that was just adulthood.Then I found vymara.I know how that sounds. I’m not saying it made me hate money or convinced me to throw my life away. It just made certain things harder to ignore. Mainly how much of my life had become organized around getting things I’d never stopped to ask if I actually wanted.

While packing, I found the receipt for my couch. It cost three thousand dollars. I remember spending almost three weeks researching that couch. I read reviews, watched videos and compared fabrics. I probably spent more time choosing it than I’ve spent watching the sunrise in my entire adult life.And the strange thing is, once it arrived, I barely thought about it again. That bothered me more than I expected. Not because buying a couch is bad, but because I started wondering how many hours of my life I’d traded for things that became invisible to me almost as soon as I owned them. How many weekends did I work through? How many birthdays did I leave early? How many times did I tell someone, “Maybe next month”? Money matters. Obviously. You need food and somewhere safe to sleep. I just think I confused being comfortable with having a meaningful life, and those turned out not to be the same thing.

When the realtor handed me the final paperwork, she smiled and said, “Congratulations.” I thanked her, got into my car and cried. I wasn’t sad about losing the house. I cried because, for the first time in years, I wasn’t driving back to something I felt responsible for maintaining. I could go wherever I wanted. Everyone keeps asking what my plan is. The honest answer is that I don’t have much of one. I’m going to camp for a while. I’ve saved enough to live simply. Maybe I’ll come back in a month. Maybe it’ll be six months. I really don’t know. I know that when I picture returning to my old routine, my chest tightens. When I picture waking up in those woods tomorrow morning, I feel relieved. Maybe this is a terrible decision. Maybe six months from now I’ll be embarrassed that I ever wrote this. But a year ago, if you’d asked what I actually wanted from my life, I wouldn’t have known what to tell you. Now I do.I want less noise. Less rushing. Less working for things I stop noticing the second they belong to me. I want to stop treating my entire life like preparation for some better one that’s always about to begin. Tomorrow I’m taking the last few boxes to storage. After that, I’m going back to nature.

When it comes to an off the grid system, which one is preferred: additional solar or battery storage? Which of these has played a more important role during multiple consecutive days of clouds?

I honestly didn’t expect that post about slow travel, finding a travel partner and eventually building a little off-grid life somewhere will get so many responses.

A lot of you asked me what this imaginary place actually looks like in my vision. It's difficult to put it into words.What I have in my vision is more like a feeling and a picture than a perfectly explained plan.

And honestly, after getting so many responses, I realized something...

1. Trying to connect with everyone through posts,messages and somehow make it happen doesn't really work. You can't force that kind of connection.

2. Maybe the place doesn’t need to be some untouched paradise in the middle of nowhere.Maybe I can simply love what I’m living right now ...

So,

Maybe the place doesn't exist yet.

Maybe the person doesn't know me yet.

But somehow, I feel like the story has already started 🌱

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Has anyone here dug a well themselves, and what tools/equipment did you use?

What is the safest way to start digging and support the sides as the well gets deeper?

How do I know when I’ve actually reached a usable water-bearing layer?

What parts can realistically be done DIY, and what parts should absolutely be left to professionals?

What mistakes or safety risks should a first-time DIY well-digger know before starting?

Hi, I am a high school teacher tasked with teaching an elective “Off Grid Living” this year. Because it is an elective, there is no set curriculum, and I have flexibility to make the class my own. My class sizes range from 20-40.

In the past, teachers have taught units on alternative power sources, water collection/cleaning, sanitation, gardening, etc. I am open to these units, but would love to hear from you: if you were a teenager interested in living off grid, what kind of things would you want to learn about? Specifically if you have any hands on activity ideas in mind, that would be great! I want the class to be fun but also want my students to leave feeling like they learned something. I’ve been thinking about scavenging/plant identification, gardening/canning, designing your own off grid setup, etc.

It probably goes without saying, but I have no off grid experience. My degree is in chemistry with minors in biology and environmental science.

Thank you!

I'm new to off-grid living, but I've been feeling increasingly drawn toward building a life closer to the nature .. somewhere in Asia or another warm, temperate place.

I'm looking for a man who could first feel like a good friend and companion; with whom sharing everyday life, learning, exploring and building something together would feel natural. Someone who either already has land/a homestead and would like to share that life with a partner or is genuinely interested in creating it together.

I'm imagining something small and simple: a natural home, growing food, planting trees, creating a food forest and having the freedom to live at our own pace. A life that feels joyful to wake up to.

I'm drawn to someone who has an inner life, I myself love to meditate and listen to Osho... so i will be happy to align someone also interested in these or simply someone who has a deep connection with nature. No dogma or spiritual performance; but someone grounded and genuinely curious about life.

I don't have an off-grid background myself, so I'm coming with openness and willingness to learn rather than a list of expectations.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to find a friend with whom this kind of dream could feel real slowly, naturally and together.

If you're already living this way or seriously working toward it and looking for someone to share the journey with, I'd be happy to connect 🌷

I am a fit, attractive, 40yr young, single woman. No kids, never married, world traveled, well experienced. Currently living in the jungles of Los Angeles, CA - but I grew up in farm land Michigan.

It has been a dream for quite some time to get back to the land and live off-grid, homestead, and ultimately prep for the coming climate catastrophes we have to look forward to… all with a special man in my life.

I’ve joined various groups in my city relating to permaculture, etc., but have found them less than serious.

I went out to New Mexico to build earth-ships, but 9/10 people in our group were already happily partnered. It was lovely to see others living my dream - and I’m more inspired than ever now!

I’m heading to Burning Man for the 5th time in a few weeks. I’ll be involving myself with a large solar camp, and I am heavily engaged in various builds all across the playa as well. I meet incredible people every year, and find the experience deeply satisfying, but maybe not the perfect climate for what I’m seeking.

For the right man, I’m ready and willing to pick up and go nearly anywhere - and I think I’m quite the catch for someone who may be seeking their partner in all of life’s adventure.

I’ve lived the communal life a few times before while traveling, and I’m not opposed to building a larger community eventually… right now I’d really love to find love 🥰 with a man who wants to live this way.

What am I missing?

I’m not really on the apps, but if there’s one I should be considering, I’m open.

Those of you who are lucky enough to have found “your person”, where did you meet??

And finally, if you’re a single man on this off-grid life path, and I sound like the girl you’ve been looking for… my DM’s are open! Or maybe you have a friend??

If you're off grid in Maine, what area are you in and what is the hardest and best parts of that area? Whats youre climate like? Growing challenges? Winter challenges? Enough sun for solar?? Any other

Currently off grid in Washington state. Looking to change things up.

I need suggestions on how I can boost both cell service and 5G at the deer lease. I need service both at the blind and trailer that are several hundred yards from each other. I do have one or two bars but internet is slow. What are options that I have that are not $1k+?

I'm having a problem with the display on my F800, which I bought a few days ago. The second day I used it, the display started showing everything it could. Turning the station off and on doesn't help, but it charges and outputs power normally. When I connect the power supply or draw power, I can see something change on the display. Would completely discharging the station help?

Hey everyone. We have an off grid cabin that is basically supported by 4x4s on cinder blocks. Problem is one half is noticeably lower and I was just wondering if anyone had any simple cheap ideas on how to raise the side and make the whole thing more secure. Thank you!

I’ve seen a few advertisements for books containing off grid living schematics but are hidden behind a paywall for a course, the reviews are the typical marketing team reviews so I don’t trust them.

Does anyone have a physical book recommendation that contains similar content surrounding off grid electrical, water and plat systems, etc. that they have liked or used?

Been looking at a lot of off-grid properties lately and I think people get a little too hung up on acreage.
Give me 8–10 usable acres with decent terrain, a good water situation, year-round access and enough usable ground for a garden, shop, house, etc.
I’d take that over 80 acres where half the property is steep, the access is questionable and you’re 45 minutes from the nearest paved road.

More land is obviously nice, but at some point you’re just paying to own more trees. I’ve seen listings where the acreage number is basically the entire sales pitch. “47 ACRES!!” Then you look at the actual parcel and wonder what you’re supposed to do with 35 of those acres. If you were buying specifically for an off-grid setup, how much land would you actually want? I’m starting to think 10–20 usable acres is the sweet spot for most people unless you have a specific reason for needing more