In my country(Panama) it is legal to live off of the grid and there are many people that do so in rural areas. Many of them survive from collecting (and sometimes filtering) river water and cooking on gas grills. Propane cans are subsidized by the government so the rural poor do not cook on bonfires. Certain types of tropical fruit and root vegetables are easily grown in their back yards and big sacks of rice are cheap and also subsidized by the government. If you are OK with living like that you can also set up solar panels to charge your phone and laptop and use cellular Internet for $10-20 a month (depending on data usage and speed).
If you have a solar panel, it should last for many years, @Corzhens . They are made to be durable and to last. The initial expense might be a lot; but once you have done that , you can know that you are self sufficient and not have to depend on the power company for your electricity, or to pay a bill for the use of it each month. How many months of paying your bill would it take to equal that initial $300 outlay for the solar panels and the battery ? Out here we sometimes see solar panels that are powering the traffic signs along the highway; and you know that the government does not expact to have to replace them every year. One of the amazing new developments here is what is called "solar roadways". The solar panels are almost indestructible, and cars can literally drive on them ! People can put them right on the drieway, and it will power their whole home. If stores put the panels in the parking lot, then the solar power would run the store and they could save thousands of dollars on their power bill once the panels are installed. Watch this amazing video and see the possibilities of solar !
I really want to downsize and simplify my life, but I don't want to live off the grid. Nope. I considered living in a tiny house at one point. Many of those homes are off the grid. Using solar energy isn't a problem for me, but I did running water for a shower and a flushing toilet. Those things are non-negotiable for me. I am also very dependent on computer technology. I had to go a few months without a computer and it was just horrible. I felt cut off from the world. Lol!
I love this thread. I am always trying to find ways to be prepared. I am not as independent as I'd like to be, but as the question stated, provided I had what I needed, yes, I could live off-grid and I would welcome it. I'd do it even if I didn't have to, just for the satisfaction of being able to do for myself.
