Living off Grid ?

Julie67

That's really interesting Dronid. I've been watching you tube clips of people converting buses to live in.
The cost of land is so much cheaper in Spain and France as well, combined with the warm climate it's definitely worth thinking about.

dronid

My sister's setup is compact but she can function on a tiny amount of the cost of my living and she seems to enjoy it.

My Mother and Stepfather have retired out there. They're currently managing on her NHS pension - his hasn't kicked in yet. They've got bottled gas, wood fires (though they could've had a wood range to cook on) and they're connected to the grid but have solar too. During the day with washing machine, fridge and freezer on they use virtually no power. With a bigger system and storage they could probably function off grid with no problems.

Also fuel (wood) gas, food and water is much more affordable. And, of course a holiday in Spain is good incentive for relatives to visit.

queengoth

Hello while I would hate to discourage anyone living on a boat is not as cheap as people believe it to be. I have a wide beam moored in Yorkshire and the cost is about the same as a running my house. On top of the cost of the boat and energy bills, We have moorings to pay (currently £1800 per year) river licence (£650) insurance (£250) and these are not residential mooring so I have no post box or address. You can continuous cruise but if you have a place you need to be for example work there is a limit to the distances you can move. If you want comforts like a pump out toilet it currently cost £15 to empty. Boats don't devalue as quick as cars but do not increase like houses. There are 4yearly safety inspections and maintenance like having the bottom blacked to consider too. I wouldn't swap it now but please don't think its a low cost lifestyle.

Topher

lemontart wrote: »

Not good on water so boat defo no no for me

I too am NOT GOOD ON WATER I mean seriously, terrified of it. However a trip on a friend's narrow boat completely changed my mind about being on a canal. For me it was a great experience, partly the boat, and partly the feeling of being confident about the waterwway. This hasn't changed my mind about any other experience on water, but at least try a trip, you might get the same conversion re: canals.

Julie67

I think we plan on having some practice runs in the near future. Try a few different adventures.
Queengoth I think your right, we definitely need to be realistic about costs. I think the attraction for many people with boats is that the initial outlay is much cheaper than buying a house, plus it's a very different experience.
We have a friend who is currently renting a smallholding for 12 months. She found it on Greenshifters.com so check it out if you haven't already come across it. It's giving her a very good idea of the work involved in looking after animals and becoming as self sufficient as possible, she has solar panels and a woodburner. We are planning a visit in the spring and shall thoroughly pick her brains.

sonastin

Topher wrote: »

I too am NOT GOOD ON WATER I mean seriously, terrified of it. However a trip on a friend's narrow boat completely changed my mind about being on a canal. For me it was a great experience, partly the boat, and partly the feeling of being confident about the waterwway. This hasn't changed my mind about any other experience on water, but at least try a trip, you might get the same conversion re: canals.

We have a narrowboat and OH likes to do a mock-safety briefing like they do on aeroplanes "in the event of an emergency, please step onto the green stuff" :rotfl:
In all seriousness, accidents can happen on the canals but their character is completely different from other forms of waterway - no waves or chop, no tides, etc.

However, as queengoth says, owning a boat is not a cheap option. They can cost as much as a house to purchase (if you're going for a top notch one) but they will depreciate much faster. There is a different type of maintenance required so you have to throw your old "DIY skillset" to one side and learn a whole new job list. I think the same will also apply to any sort of off-grid lifestyle - understanding 12V electrical systems, operating solid fuel boilers/stoves, etc.

We know a few couples who have elected to sell up and retire onto their boats and none of them seem to have a sensible long term plan. One of the couples is now starting to get too old for cruising the networks and the towpath is not a great place to be living when you start to get infirm and needing the extra social care that comes to most folks lucky to live to what we'd consider "elderly". All of their money went into their boat which is now over 10 years old and worth a fraction of what they paid for it. They'll probably end up living with one of their kids soon when they can't manage getting onto the boat any more as they can't really afford a home of their own now.

I think my message is by all means go and have the adventure and enjoy the freedom but don't tie up all your wealth in doing so without a plan for how to grow old later.

lostinrates

sonastin wrote: »

I think my message is by all means go and have the adventure and enjoy the freedom but don't tie up all your wealth in doing so without a plan for how to grow old later.

This is a good message.

As someone who lives on a small holding I'd say the same. We bought this as I have a background in the rural industry that straddles animal care/farming to a degree. We knew I was unwell, but I was getting better or stabilising. Things taking an unexpected turn last year knocked us for six. We're in our mid thirties, and simply cannot keep up with all the work needed all the time. My DH works away throughout the week while I tread water til the weekend when he returns and works flat out all weekend. We have a land based business, the profit of which all gets put back into the business or land.
Its fantastic when its going well, I love winter and rain, but when you are unwell, and you cannot get wood in for your only source of heat, or you are terrified you are going to be put in a cast in winter because you don't know how you'll feed and clean out animals In the wet months so you're risking permanant damage to your body......its less fun.

You need to be fit and energetic and have an even humour....things go wrong every season, at many prone to depression or sentimentality struggle immensely. There are times even if you are vegetarian the MOST humane course of action is to kill a bird you've grown to be great friends with, not take to the vet, but kill quickly at home for kindness.

joedenise

My DH and I thought seriously about selling up and moving into our motorhome and moving around but decided that although we can manage now once we are older there is going to come a time when we just won't be able to do it.

What we are now planning for is when my DH retires in a couple of years (I've already retired) we will go away for several months at a time but we will still have our bungalow to come back to in between trips.

We need to think about the longer term - who knows whether our health will last until we're much older? I think it's important to have a UK base for those times when we need a bit more comfort than a motorhome can offer us.

Denise

mrsmortenharket

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/mar/27/neil-ansell-my-life-as-hermit interesting article for you Julie.

I'd love to have a small holding and be a bit more self sufficient.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do x

RAS

This is one inspiration http://www.judyofthewoods.net/

But be aware that the cost per KWH is going to be a lot higher than on mains supplies