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May 2015

Community

Living in small camper vans

campervan2
I am learning more and more about people who live nomadic lives, driving and living in smaller camper vans rather than buying into the larger campers and such. The nice thing about these smaller camper vans is they can park in more places, they have less problems with stealth camping in town, they are unobtrusive, low profile and fit in just about anywhere.

I think the hardest thing (for me at least) would be not having so much stuff, though honestly that would probably be a good thing. These 2 videos show a couple and a single guy, it probably wouldn’t work so well with kids, but for the singles or couples, younger and empty nesters, it would be a doable thing.

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5u3thpouPM


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRX9kRQy2P0

Could you live this way? Do you live this way? What do you think? Be sure to comment below :)




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Why be debt free?

outofdebt

Why is it so important to be debt free when you go off-grid? I can answer that because I’m living it and reaping the benefits of being debt free, it means that you can live on so much less, when you are in debt, you are a slave to whoever you owe money. Often debt is a big hole that is nearly impossible to dig yourself out of, especially if you are living paycheck to paycheck and paying the minimums on your debt.

Before moving off-grid, my hubby and I worked our behinds off to earn and save money, we lived on the cheap even then, preferring to live in an old single wide mobile home (paid for), we only had the lot rent, we didn’t do credit cards, we didn’t spend excessively, we ate at home most of the time, we didn’t have cable or satellite TV, we chose to live a simple life so it was all the easier to transfer our lives and lifestyle when we did move off-grid.

We looked for and found cheap land in an area that has few rules and building codes so we could do more ourselves like build the house (sky castle), cheap land meant we didn’t have to go into debt to buy it, nor did we have to go into debt to build on it. We started out small, a 16×16 room was our whole house, little by little we added on, building the rooms we needed and wanted as we could.

We got to know our neighbors, letting them know we would take most anything they were throwing away that could be reused, materials from buildings being remodeled or torn down, left over building materials from new projects, over the years we have ended up with quite a few old metal water tanks, they make great storage, think a big closet if they don’t hold water anymore.

I can’t impress upon you enough, get out of debt, don’t go further into debt, do what it takes to get yourself free from credit cards, car notes and the such, do this even if you don’t plan on living off-grid, do it for your own security. I am speaking from experience here, I’ve been in debt, I’ve had mega credit card debt, I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck, it’s not a good place to be, I am much happier living like I do now.

Here is a video I found this evening, it is about how this family went off-grid while being debt free, it is from a Christian point of view (I’m a Christian so that doesn’t bother me), just letting you know before you click play. :) There is a lot of good info here.


https://youtu.be/AQeo5mcWelQ




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BBC series has a laugh at self-sufficient lifestyle

Former member of 1990s boy band 5ive, Abz Love, has swapped a life of singing for a farm in Wales in a new BBC2 series “Country Strife: Abz on the Farm”.

Abz, who to be honest comes across as “a bit of an iriot”, and his partner Vicky leave the music business behind them and head to rural Wales to live off the land as the two novice farmers set about buying and renovating their very own smallholding.

The series is played for laughs and whatever the TV execs told Abz, it is laughs at him rather than with him, although you could say the same thing about the music

With a little help from their new neighbours, they’ll take on a world of mud, rain, livestock and vegetable planting and learn what it takes to survive in the countryside on a shoestring.

Abz and Vicky are determined to realise their dream of self-sufficiency, but with plans bigger than their pockets and very limited farming know-how, will their ambitions and enthusiasm withstand the harsh reality of living off-grid?

Abz says “Moving to Wales was a complete shock to the system – the house, the chickens, the horses, the foxes, the cats, the splinters, the leaks, the grass, the gates, the fence, the rain. This being said, I have met some wonderful people with beautiful insights – I currently love my life.”

Head of Natural History and Specialist Factual Formats Commissioning, Tom McDonald says “Country Strife is a warm, engaging series following a charming, open-hearted couple try to live the good life against all odds.

“With no knowledge of country life, very limited funds and a series of increasingly outlandish ambitions and plans, Abz and Vicky are in for an often hilarious reality check as they touch down in rural Wales.

“Through their eyes, the BBC Two audience will get a real sense of what it really takes to make a go of the countryside dream.”

“Country Strife: Abz on the Farm” will air on BBC Two this summer.

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Big guy, tiny home

When Joel Fleck moved home to after college, he wanted his own place, but he didn’t want to pay the steep Sonoma County rents, so he decided to build his own tiny home on a trailer. Inspired by wee house pioneer Jay Shafer (also from Sebastopol), Fleck bought an abandoned trailer from a neighbor for $300 and began building without plans.

To make up for his lack of construction experience he “over-engineered” the build, though the entire build cost him just $25,000. He found a lot of salvaged material and this didn’t include the cost of his labor of two years. Many of the details are custom hacks, like the swinging ladder up to his loft crafted from steel cables, chunks of 2 by 4s and “in order to eliminate the swaying I made it so it clips into the floor on these little airline clips”.

Fleck is 6’4” so much of the home was custom-built for him. He gave himself just an inch or so clearance in his kitchen and a few inches while sitting in his lofted bedroom. His bathroom is a tighter fit: the shower is just 6’2” so he had to build a special box above it to fit his head. Fleck doesn’t see his 150-square-foot home as a sacrifice, but a right-sized home and study space.





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Tiny home, big amenities

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This tiny home on wheels packs real stairs, not a ladder, 2 lofts and a tub bath, things you don’t normally find in a tiny home. I am surprised at having a real set of stairs in this small space, I see that they have made them steep to conserve room, I also appreciate the storage under the stairs. I like the opening sky light, it’s situated next to the solar panel on the roof so you can easily access the solar panel to clean it. I wouldn’t want or need the tub, give me a shower that encompasses the entire room (it can still be small) with a drain in the floor and I’m happy. Another thing I’d want different is the fridge, I know that those front opening fridge designs are poorly insulated AND they lose all their cool air every time you open the door, I’d want a top opening fridge, a freezer-fridge conversion would work much better. Other than those 2 things, this is a great design, I would love o see it with furniture, enjoy the video.


link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ7JINuGT2Y




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Friends in small places

Welcome To “Bestie Row”: Lifelong Friends Build Row Of Tiny Houses In The Middle Of Nowhere.

Some friendships last forever. You hear of lifelong friends often living in the same towns just so they can socialize whenever they wish, be a part of each other’s family lives, and finally grow to be the grey-haired besties who rock on the porch and talk about the “good ol’ days”.

Four couples who had been best friends for 20 years decided they were going to trump living in the same town. No way were they going to let the business of life keep them from enjoying that special connection that they’d grown to love. So they decided to literally create their own “Bestie Row.” They all were fans of the tiny house movement, and decided to build their own little compound based around that idea.

Because when you can say, “We’re going to be grey-haired friends,” you know you’ve found a bond that can only strengthen.

They employed the assistance of architect Matt Garcia to make their dream come true.
They purchased land along the Llano River, just outside of Austin, Texas.

At first they considered one large house. However, they realized that personal space is necessary for even the closest of friends.

Still, they wanted a space to commune together. So they built a 1,500 sq. ft. community building with a kitchen, dining area, and space for guests and activities.

Their individual homes are 400 sq. ft. cabins, running around $40,000 each.

Their community, dubbed “Llano Exit Strategy,” was designed to handle the harsh, arid Texas climate.

These buildings were designed for low environmental impact, and sustainability.

The solar heat is dramatically reduced by galvanized metal siding and spray foam insulation, which also helps keep heat in during the winter.

The roofs are sloped to angle rainwater runoff into water catchment tanks. In this kind of climate, every drop counts!

The “Hill Country” terrain is a beautiful place for raising families.

The interiors of the homes are designed to look like a cross between modern and rustic. The corrugated sheathing gives the modern feel.

The rustic, cozy feeling comes from barely treated wood which shows off all it the grainy details.

The 400 sq. ft. cabins have no trouble containing the needed living space and bathroom. A little creative space management goes a long way in making a tiny home comfortable.

After seeing a “Bestie Row” like this, I won’t be surprised to see more popping up in the near future!

Images Via Alexander Stross

Source https://lightersideofrealestate.com/real-estate-life/cool-stuff/tiny-house-bestie-row





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Fort Knox as seen in Goldfinger
Energy

Fort Knox Army base goes fully off the power grid

The First US Army base in the Continental USA to go completely off the grid has been announced, with huge cost savings.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for May 6 at Ft. Knox, KY, to celebrate the installation’s “complete energy independence,” the Army announced April 30.

Its a hugely symbolic moment because The United States Department of the Treasury has maintained the Bullion Depository on the post since 1937. This is the heavily guarded gold bullion stock of the US government.

Using natural gas mined from underneath the base, Ft. Knox is the first military post to go “completely off the grid,” according to the service. A 2009 ice storm in Kentucky helped spawn the project, as much of the state, including Ft. Knox, was without power for several days. The Army estimates that the base’s energy independence will bring annual cost savings of $8 million.

The United States Bullion Depository, according to Wikipedia, “is a fortified vault building located within the United States Army post of Fort Knox, Kentucky, used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and occasionally other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government. The exact contents of the United States Bullion Depository are unknown as there has never been an approved full audit since the early 1930s. It is estimated to have roughly 3 percent of all the gold ever refined throughout human history.”

The 109,000 acre (170 sq mi) site south of Louisville dates back to 1871.

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Do what you love, love what you do…

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I love my life, it wasn’t always that way though, I used to live like most people in the middle-lower echelons of working and living, I did pretty well, but worked ALL the time for not very good wages, in fact I worked 2 jobs most of the time, and on rare occasions, I worked 3 jobs. I did all of this just to keep myself in a mediocre apartment, driving a mediocre vehicle. I didn’t hate my jobs, I was thankful to have them, but I wasn’t going anywhere and had little prospects.

So what changed? My life, it was time to make a change, to give up everything I had, my home, my jobs, my location, I traded it all in for 5.75 acres of high desert, unimproved, raw property on the side of a mountain. We moved some 500 miles away from everything we knew, including family and friends to make a fresh start. PB built a small box on stilts, it was 16×16, that was our new home, with a few solar panels, no running water, no flush toilet or shower, we did have heat, which was a good thing since it was about 14 degrees F on our first night.

One of the reasons we are able to live like we do is because everything is paid for, we have few bills and those are tiny bills, we live well below the poverty level, but we live very well considering. It’s been 8 years now, we have a bit more of a house around us, the Sky Castle, our bills are still few and small, absolutely no credit cards or loans, no debt.

Last year I started working a job as a merchandiser, I had done it for 10 years at a big box electronics store, but never dreamed I’d be able to do that kind of work again out here in far west Texas. Turns out that there are merchandising companies, some are rather large, servicing many large companies nation wide, I absolutely LOVE doing this work, it’s hard work sometimes, but often it’s pretty easy, I do come home with bruises and exhausted from long days and a LOT of driving around, but it’s the kind of work I love doing and feel so very fortunate to get to do it again.

I wondered how these stores could afford to pay what they must pay to have us come in and work, especially when their own employees often make minimum wage or just a bit more, I finally came to the conclusion that even though they pay US more, they don’t have to pay the other expenses involved in having employees, from insurance, to liability, unemployment and such, it’s really a bargain for them, they pay us to come in and do specific jobs, we are able to do the work with little …

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Battery company comes to aid of off-grid movement
Energy

Electric Carmaker To Sell Cheap Batteries To Power Homes

Here’s an inconvenient truth – solar power only works during the daytime. People who use it need to store electricity, which means a lot of batteries.

Last night, the electric carmaker Tesla offered to sell some. The company announced it will start selling enormous packs of batteries designed to power homes and businesses.

Tesla founder Elon Musk said this week: “You can actually go – if you want – completely off-grid. You can take your solar panels, charge the battery packs and that’s all you use.”

When JB Straubel was 14, he scraped together 1,500 bucks and bought an old Porsche 944 with a blown out engine. And then he converted it into an electric car. That electric Porsche had a top speed of 110 miles an hour – just not for very long.

“It had, like, 20 miles of range. It was totally impractical,” said Straubel.

Today, Straubel is the co-founder and chief technology officer at Tesla.

“So that kind of cemented it for me that OK, the focus here needs to be on energy storage and batteries to make, you know, this technology something that’s useful to the world.”

Today, Tesla’s cars have a range of more than 260 miles. And JB Straubel’s convinced if his company can make batteries cheap enough, it will be able to sell millions of electric cars. But Straubel says that’s not the only thing a cheap battery could do. He thinks cheap batteries could revolutionize the electric grid.

Think about it. There is no way to store electricity on the grid. If there’s a surge in demand and you run a power company, you have to fire up an extra power plant.

“It’s an entire market for energy transaction that has no inventory and no buffer,” says Straubel. “So every single thing is delivered, you know, instantaneously just in time.”

And that means there’s an enormous amount of waste. So Tesla wants to sell its batteries to consumers, businesses, homeowners – even utilities. But the question is for the homeowner, who has solar panels on the roof – what’s the value proposition?

Before last night’s announcement, one analyst I spoke with expected Tesla’s new home batteries would cost in the neighborhood of $20,000. The real price was much lower.

Elon Musk announced the battery cost would be just $3,500.

These batteries mount to your wall and don’t take up much space. But still figuring out if it makes financial sense to slap a Tesla battery pack up in your garage isn’t simple. You know, most people are not going to go off the grid. And even though it costs electric companies a lot more money to deliver power to you in the middle of a hot summer day than in the middle of a cool night, utilities don’t charge for power that way – usually. In most places, there’s no financial incentive …

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Manual washing machines – pre-electricity

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When going off-grid, things can tend to get a bit primitive, but you still need to get your laundry clean, there are many ways to do it, from washing by hand, to buying high tech off-grid washing machines. I have used a few different methods of washing my laundry. I often just toss what I need in the sink, wash it by hand and hang it out to dry, if I have a large load of laundry, I can use my neighbor’s washer and dryer (we trade out keeping his place up for such luxuries)… I have used a 5 gallon bucket with a long handled plunger.

 

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This video shows some of the old washing machines before electricity, all are hand powered, well one of them is apparently goat of dog powered. I like the ones with fly wheels or rack and pinion gears. Most of them are simple machines, using gears to turn what looks like a model of a cow’s udders to agitate the laundry. At least one of them had a set of wringers, also known as a mangle on the top to get out more of the moisture.

I hope you enjoy this video, I know I did, and be sure to check out the rest of the videos on this YouTube channel.




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