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Get yourself a boat.
Go where you want, fish for food and no planners sticking their nose in. We lived on a boat for 7 years, not completely off grid as I still worked to pay for the boat renovations etc. but regretfully had to get rid of her. Were now looking for another one as living on land is so claustrophobic in comparison.
Go where you want, fish for food and no planners sticking their nose in. We lived on a boat for 7 years, not completely off grid as I still worked to pay for the boat renovations etc. but regretfully had to get rid of her. Were now looking for another one as living on land is so claustrophobic in comparison.
*have you had a look at this site not to far from you maybe a option http://www.livinginthefuture.org/index.php/1
If you don't mind being called a woofter take a look here. It's working on organic farms throughout the world: you get to travel (good for the soul) and pick up organic farming, and possibly other skills. You could try it out in the UK first before venturing abroad. This could be stepping stone to the project of your own that you indicated.
I wish you luck with your plans...
I wish you luck with your plans...
It is perhaps worth mentioning that this is the chap who planned to walk to India but gave up at Calais. There are quite a few people who full good intentions and great plans give up on their dreams because a little discomfort or difficulty. Things will be difficult, it will be uncomfortable, strangers will 'strange' but press on and you will find that the good times will outweigh the bad times.
It's a very brave decision you have made and I wish you all the best.
However, your money will dissapear in a heartbeat and it'll be a constant struggle for the things that society views as necessary or essential.
Mention has been made of holding some cash in reserve incase you need to rejoin the mainstream, but it's very easy to be lured into dipping into that reserve to fund "a little bit more" until there's nothing left.
I know that individuals have lived your dream but please don't think its going to be an easy ride.
Ogri the trog
However, your money will dissapear in a heartbeat and it'll be a constant struggle for the things that society views as necessary or essential.
Mention has been made of holding some cash in reserve incase you need to rejoin the mainstream, but it's very easy to be lured into dipping into that reserve to fund "a little bit more" until there's nothing left.
I know that individuals have lived your dream but please don't think its going to be an easy ride.
Ogri the trog
If i were you id go for it, but depending on how i was going to live i would take at least one ferret preferably two and a decent dog. a lurcher would be my first choice as it would provide me with rabbits and other game or a terrier that could "mark" occupied warrens. Where would i go it would have to be either Caithness or Sutherland. The locals up there are a friendly bunch and although they may view you as a tad eccentric you will be left pretty much alone.
Good luck but it will be a up hill struggle ,why dont you get a narrow boat its a lot easier that way,but i wish you lots of luck
I'm going to make a totally different suggestion.
Put ten grand of your cash somewhere safe. Take the other five grand, get yourself a rucksack and your passport , and go. Big old world out there, go and see it. If you've no ties, no wife and kids, no career, no mortgage etc etc then go travel . That five grand will get you a long way , especially if you do bits of jobs here and there. The woofter suggestion earlier was a great one in my view. You can get food and lodging round the world in exchange for some labour.
I'll be amazed if you don'tfind somewhere on your travels that you find what tyou're looking for.
As for a stealthy caravan , hidden by bushes or buried underground, I'd leave that idea well alone.
I have a lot of admiration for you and what you are aiming to do. But look at what it is you are trying to achieve ( freedom, escape from the rat race) and ask yourself if you can achieve it a different way.
Put ten grand of your cash somewhere safe. Take the other five grand, get yourself a rucksack and your passport , and go. Big old world out there, go and see it. If you've no ties, no wife and kids, no career, no mortgage etc etc then go travel . That five grand will get you a long way , especially if you do bits of jobs here and there. The woofter suggestion earlier was a great one in my view. You can get food and lodging round the world in exchange for some labour.
I'll be amazed if you don'tfind somewhere on your travels that you find what tyou're looking for.
As for a stealthy caravan , hidden by bushes or buried underground, I'd leave that idea well alone.
I have a lot of admiration for you and what you are aiming to do. But look at what it is you are trying to achieve ( freedom, escape from the rat race) and ask yourself if you can achieve it a different way.
You can't 'escape the rat race', even living off grid you will rely on society for support whether it be medical (you will need it sooner or later), new solar panels, spare parts for your methane generator, the clothes you wear, education, pots, pans, fuel (of some sort in the end) the list goes on. Even if you barter for goods you are still relying on society to provide them.
Use some of your money and do as others have said...travel. When I was forced to take medical retirement and received a rather nice cheque my first thought was "Portugal... villa" but reality kicks in and like it or lump it the chances of you living the dream is slim in the extreme. Perhaps a skill that would allow you to work abroad would be more useful at this stage of your life, something like Nursing (Train in the UK now and you can work in Spain or Cyprus or Finland for three months all paid for as part of your course). My nephew did just this, took the advice of the wife and I and now lives in New Zealand, works three twelve hour shifts a week and has four days off for camping, climbing, canoeing or just chilling out.
Instead of letting society grind you down use it to fund things you want to do. A job is only a tool to provide you with things but if you enjoy it thats a bonus. I'm starting to travel more now my mobility is improving so age is no barrier (Portugal and Gran Canaria before the end of February).
Its OK people saying "Try it out, go for it" but trust me, coming home without a pot to pee in ain't fun nor is starting all over again; I've been there, done that and its a cold world without a few coins in your pocket.
Good luck with whatever path you pick.
Use some of your money and do as others have said...travel. When I was forced to take medical retirement and received a rather nice cheque my first thought was "Portugal... villa" but reality kicks in and like it or lump it the chances of you living the dream is slim in the extreme. Perhaps a skill that would allow you to work abroad would be more useful at this stage of your life, something like Nursing (Train in the UK now and you can work in Spain or Cyprus or Finland for three months all paid for as part of your course). My nephew did just this, took the advice of the wife and I and now lives in New Zealand, works three twelve hour shifts a week and has four days off for camping, climbing, canoeing or just chilling out.
Instead of letting society grind you down use it to fund things you want to do. A job is only a tool to provide you with things but if you enjoy it thats a bonus. I'm starting to travel more now my mobility is improving so age is no barrier (Portugal and Gran Canaria before the end of February).
Its OK people saying "Try it out, go for it" but trust me, coming home without a pot to pee in ain't fun nor is starting all over again; I've been there, done that and its a cold world without a few coins in your pocket.
Good luck with whatever path you pick.
EdS
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I love your ambitions, I think we all have them. I can understand your desire to leave the race completely but as other have mentioned that is much harder than we think, council tax, fuel, equipment, clothes etc all costs and while you have some income through your part time IT work that will just mean being a in a different part of the race.
The fact you have some basic knowledge is also a good starting ground.
My advice would be to look into a chap called Ben Laws who lived in a wood for about 10 years, built his own house, grew his own food and was completely off grid. I believe you can pay and have a look around his woods, house and way of life. He was featured on Grand Designs and it worked out for him.
The other thing would be to look into wwoofing, no it's not some dodgy backwoods activities! http://www.wwoof.org/ is the website, its basically where for bed and board you can work at peoples smallholdings and farms which will get your practical hands on skills improved and an improved view of the type of life you are looking to lead by the people you meet.
I would also say look into small holding as a way of life, river cottage have an ok forum with the road to river cottage quite relevant for this conversation.
I would imagine that you are thoroughly sick of the day to day grind, my feelings are that if you do enough of what you enjoy you can make life bearable. For me thats my allotments, the outdoors and occassional camping along with my full time work. For other people that isn't enough.
Good luck with your plans, whether that is home or abroad.
Stephen
The fact you have some basic knowledge is also a good starting ground.
My advice would be to look into a chap called Ben Laws who lived in a wood for about 10 years, built his own house, grew his own food and was completely off grid. I believe you can pay and have a look around his woods, house and way of life. He was featured on Grand Designs and it worked out for him.
The other thing would be to look into wwoofing, no it's not some dodgy backwoods activities! http://www.wwoof.org/ is the website, its basically where for bed and board you can work at peoples smallholdings and farms which will get your practical hands on skills improved and an improved view of the type of life you are looking to lead by the people you meet.
I would also say look into small holding as a way of life, river cottage have an ok forum with the road to river cottage quite relevant for this conversation.
I would imagine that you are thoroughly sick of the day to day grind, my feelings are that if you do enough of what you enjoy you can make life bearable. For me thats my allotments, the outdoors and occassional camping along with my full time work. For other people that isn't enough.
Good luck with your plans, whether that is home or abroad.
Stephen
Most of what I had to say has been said but I can add that I just read that the Polish government is planning to sell (farm?)land in the coastal areas for around 1550£/ha.
Also I find a lot of tips and info on off grid living on sailing forums. You don't get more off grid than living on a small boat and there is tons of good info about foodpreservation, living without refrigeration etc. Stuff you can try at home.
Finally, as many have said, there is a difference between complete selfsustainability, living off grid and getting off the rat race. If you lower your standard of living and maybe work part time you can perhaps work 3 days and go camping or grow veg 4 days each week and maybe get the quality of life you are looking for?
Whatever you do, good luck!
Also I find a lot of tips and info on off grid living on sailing forums. You don't get more off grid than living on a small boat and there is tons of good info about foodpreservation, living without refrigeration etc. Stuff you can try at home.
Finally, as many have said, there is a difference between complete selfsustainability, living off grid and getting off the rat race. If you lower your standard of living and maybe work part time you can perhaps work 3 days and go camping or grow veg 4 days each week and maybe get the quality of life you are looking for?
Whatever you do, good luck!
Here's a movie about an off grid community in america.
I don't want to say anything with it, just share it.
http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/off_the_grid_life_on_the_mesa/
I don't want to say anything with it, just share it.
http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/off_the_grid_life_on_the_mesa/
My partner and I lived on a bus for three years. Moved into the bush. Lived on our land in the bus for one more year renovating an old cabin which we live in on. This is our 14th winter.
We grow our own food, collected rain and snow water until we dug a well 7 years ago. Completely solar powered 7 1/2 months a year. The other 4 1/2 a combination of back up power and solar. Raise our own meat chickens, trade and hunt for other meat. By the satellite connection to the internet we are intouch with the word.
(At, http://aki-and-scott-fireweed.blogspot.com/ I just wrote an article on our back up power in the winter.)
We both travelled for 2 or 3 years in different parts of the world. Definitely help set the foundation to the way we live now.
We've been raising a child here.
Living of a grid, by your own means...Man, it is the best. Don't hesitate.
Scott
We grow our own food, collected rain and snow water until we dug a well 7 years ago. Completely solar powered 7 1/2 months a year. The other 4 1/2 a combination of back up power and solar. Raise our own meat chickens, trade and hunt for other meat. By the satellite connection to the internet we are intouch with the word.
(At, http://aki-and-scott-fireweed.blogspot.com/ I just wrote an article on our back up power in the winter.)
We both travelled for 2 or 3 years in different parts of the world. Definitely help set the foundation to the way we live now.
We've been raising a child here.
Living of a grid, by your own means...Man, it is the best. Don't hesitate.
Scott
Thinking the exact same thing!
Hire a large digger, sell the spoil as clean top soil. Job done!
Personally Id buy a boat/yacht, £15000 will get you a good starter or you could get a cheaper one to fix up which could be fun. Then you have the freedom to go all over the world for free...ish
Personally Id buy a boat/yacht, £15000 will get you a good starter or you could get a cheaper one to fix up which could be fun. Then you have the freedom to go all over the world for free...ish
But food and paying for mooring would be a problem.
