There are many assumptions about living off the grid. Many think it sounds great in theory, but find it personally unrealistic. Here are some tips to move you in the right direction.

You can have a debt-free life
Imagine building a small house on your own in a piece of land you own. You can add to it whenever you feel the need, but without incurring any debts. You will be free of the stress of making enough money to pay off debts. Any money you make can go towards funding travel or other activities that you enjoy. You can even save up a bit for exigencies.

You can turn this dream into reality. Downsizing is a definite step you can take towards freeing yourself from debt.

Master necessary survival skills
It is essential to know how to use some basic tools and weapons. If you intend to grow vegetables and fruits, you may as well teach yourself some food preservation techniques like drying and pickling, which are more cost effective than refrigeration. Learn to make wine and vinegar and to preserve vegetables and fruits by pickling and drying.

If you plan to keep goats (here are 20 reasons why you should), cows, and chickens for milk, meat and eggs, make the best of it by learning to make yogurt and cheese from fresh milk and live culture, and to cure meat and dry it for later use. You can also learn how to use herbs to heal yourself and your animals of common diseases and injuries.

No need to work all day to pay the bills
Between working full time to have a decent salary and paying off all the bills and mortgages, you may rarely get time to live life. If you didn’t have to pay for these utilities, you could get out of the job that you don’t enjoy, and spend your time doing something that you do enjoy. Off-grid living avails this opportunity.

You are no longer dependent on a water supply because you have your own private source of water. You dispose of your own waste in an environment-friendly way and have no need to be connected to the sewer lines. You are relieved from power bills since you generate your own with solar panels and use alternative fuels or wind power to make up any deficit.

 Get rid of unnecessary items
To some people, this is the hardest part. Too many possessions can stand in your way when you want to downsize, not to mention shifting to off-grid. You don’t need fine china and expensive furniture to entertain guests in your new setup. Assess just what you need, the essentials.

Get rid of non-essential possessions by donating them or selling some stuff through yard sales, eBay or Craigslist. Take some pictures of sentimental stuff and gift some to loved ones who would value them. This purging will not only lighten your load, but may even provide you with some handy cash.

Find the best way to learn
This includes learning how to grow vegetables and rear animals, water management and responsible waste disposal methods. If you are not sure of a perennial water source, it pays to know how to harvest and store rainwater and how to conserve it as you go about your daily chores. Making compost with almost all the agricultural waste, curing manure, and implementing natural pest control will make your off-grid living both sustainable and environment-friendly. Check books out of the library, attend workshops, practice in your own backyard, whatever it takes to be prepared. Be sure that all members of the family understand what it will take to be successful off-grid.

Initiate some dietary changes
Most people opting to go off the grid aim for a healthy and wholesome lifestyle. That includes sticking to a natural diet and avoiding processed foods. The dietary changes are best initiated before making the shift so that all the members of the household get used to them.

Your diet is the most important criteria when you decide on the foods you want to produce. For example, cow manure can be great asset to your vegetable garden, but if you’re vegan, and do not utilize milk or consume meat, keeping cattle is a waste of precious resources.

Grain based diet is not sustainable unless you undertake large scale agriculture. On the other hand, you can have a nearly self-sufficient homestead in as little as 1-2 acres of land if your diet consists mainly of vegetables and animal protein.

Travel to less populated areas
Before you zero in on the right location for the off-grid homestead of your dreams, explore your options by traveling far and wide. Get firsthand experience of different places by making several road trips. While mountainous terrain or wooded areas appeal to some, others prefer the plains which offer an open feel.

You don’t have to be a social recluse
Escaping from the hustle and bustle of city living need not necessarily mean cutting off all your social ties. We can maintain our connections to friends and family over the Internet and social media and on occasional visits to town. You will have unique stories and experiences to share; they might even inspire the city folks to come out and visit your place and have a taste of the rustic life.

Sharpen your skills to increase earning potential
You might have already acquired some skills for making a living in the modern society, but you may need to have a different set to make things work while living independently. It would be perfect if you could completely do away with cash, but unfortunately, you do need some. The good news is that you can make money living off-grid. You don’t have to aim for a huge income since your living expenses are very low.

Consider turning hobbies into money-making ventures. It could be anything from painting and sculpture to making herbal cosmetics or organic food products. You will have plenty of time to try your hand at composing music or writing that novel you have always wanted to. You can even sell useful practical knowledge of off-grid living to those who toy with the idea. There are many options, but you may need to sharpen your skills or learn some new ones to make the best of it.

Work hard, but work for yourself
You might have seen pictures of some people living in ramshackle huts somewhere out in the wilderness and lazing away their time. It is their free choice, but these images have caused many people to associate off-grid living with laziness. But it is far from truth.

Most off-gridders are industrious people with a definite mission. They work hard; but they do it for themselves, and at their own pace. You may not have targets and deadlines dictated by someone else, but you will make your own. Having a definite goal helps you focus on the important things.

From reducing your footprint to reducing your monthly expenses, living off the grid has all kinds of benefits. And no, you don't have to abandon everything you know and become that social recluse. It comes with challenges, sure. But think about how rewarding that simple life would be! For more tips on living this dream life, check out Natural Living Ideas.

Featured Image via Jody Claborn/Flickr