Live Off The Grid

The amount of money you need when planning to live off the grid varies in part, depending on what sort of alternative energy installation you choose, whether it's photovoltaic (PV) solar or wind power based and how much energy you plan to use.

A certain amount of thinking is required for your change in order to rationalize your energy usage.  Your alternative energy project will need to match or exceed your proposed energy requirements.

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So you'll need to do some projections about your power use.  If you're particularly budget conscious (like most of us) then a mindful approach is clearly the best option. But above all, be realistic - if you're not sure you're better off planning for use more power than you expect - just for that rainy day.

As part of your budgeting also take into account the fact that you'll be cutting all ties with your electricity company, meaning that you won't have the opportunity to sell excess electricity back to the company.

Thinking laterally a little and planning towards moderating your energy usage is prudent. The general idea is that by cutting down a little on the amount of power you consume, you can reduce your required capacity and therefore your installation costs whilst at the same time helping our environment. For most people in the situation of wanting an independent lifestyle this will come naturally. But it does require a disciplined approach.

An example of this relates to using an ordinary washing machine. As people generally tend to use less power at night, you could commit to "making do" a little by using the machine only during the night, especially when preceded by a sunny day instead of using it "anytime" as most of us tend to do now with complete apparent disregard to energy use.

Purists may of course prefer to do all their washing by hand.  Conserving energy in small ways is just common sense really but it's not something many of us have ever really thought about unless prompted.

For those electrical devices you can't live without it also means trying not to use multiple appliances at the same time like you may do now. Don't run two televisions or the microwave, kettle and toaster simultaneously. Basically to save money we should be using less energy.

Of course, this begs the question as to whether or not you even need to own many electrical appliances when you live off the grid. The answer may well be that you can probably do without some - or perhaps most - of them.

In terms of heating you can install a solar heating system if you prefer. However, most people elect to use wood to keep warm. It might seem decidedly environmentally unfriendly to use wood for fuel but you do have to be practical in your thinking as well. Besides, if you insulate your house well and use your wood stove for cooking you'll be helping to offset any environmental impact.

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So if you're willing to compromise a little, your installation costs need not be large and you'll find that the initial outlay of your alternative energy system will be repayed many times over in future years. Put simply, to live off the grid is to live independently, save money and have peace of mind because you'll be helping not only your only personal finances but also our environment.