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Living Off-Grid on a Budget: Our Financial Journey

The question we get asked most often is, how do you afford to live off-grid? Many assume you need a trust fund or a massive inheritance to make this lifestyle work, but our story proves otherwise. Today, we’re sharing the raw financial details of how we made off-grid living a reality, including real numbers. Spoiler: You might think we’re crazy when you see how we pulled this off.

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Starting Point: No Wealth, Just Determination

When we began this journey, we weren’t swimming in cash—and we still aren’t. We were renting a house from Casey’s parents at a great rate, but we knew renting wasn’t our long-term plan, and they didn’t want to keep the property forever. Contrary to rumors, we didn’t get a dime when Casey’s parents sold their house—it was their property, not ours. Our financial game-changer came during the pandemic with our business, Stock Tank Pool Authority.

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Building a Business from Scratch

Stock Tank Pool Authority was born out of our existing venture, Hey Wanderer, a blog, Instagram, and YouTube platform we’d been building for nearly a decade. Ten years of consistent content creation—hundreds of videos, thousands of photos, and nearly a thousand blog posts—laid the groundwork. It wasn’t an overnight success; it was a decade of hard work with little reward that finally paid off.

In 2020 and 2021, when everyone was stuck at home, our stock tank pool business took off. We sold and installed around 230 stock tanks across the U.S., saving $40,000 over two summers—an incredible sum for us. But in today’s housing market, $40,000 is barely a down payment. We knew a traditional mortgage wasn’t an option, nor did we want to be tied to one for 30 years. Instead of chasing more money, we focused on needing less.

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Buying Raw Land: The Ticket to Freedom

Needing less meant getting creative. We decided to buy raw land and live off-grid. We purchased our property for less than $30,000—cheaper than many new cars. But there’s a catch: it’s remote. Really remote. Hours from friends, family, and conveniences like grocery stores or restaurants. Limited resources, job opportunities, and everything that makes life easy. That’s why it was affordable.

We spent $6,000 of our savings on forestry mulching and installing the first part of our driveway, as raw land comes with nothing—no access, no utilities. This left us with $4,000 and no safety net. We had two months to move onto the land before our savings ran out, as the stock tank pool season had ended.

Sacrifices and Tough Beginnings

We borrowed a camper from friends for the first few months, but permanent housing was uncertain. After weeks in the cramped camper, we bought a building to convert into a home, costing $11,000. We took out a $10,000 line of credit and covered the rest by selling nearly everything we owned—furniture, clothes, art supplies, and our houseplant collection—for about $10,000. This was five months into the journey, after Casey’s parents sold their house, which we’d staged with our belongings.

Living in a shed in the middle of winter with no insulation, plumbing, or electricity was brutal. We were essentially camping in a wooden box, running a generator for power. Before the building arrived, we spent 75% of our time outside in 90% humidity, relentless rain, and mud. Our tools were constantly at risk, our outdoor bathroom kept collapsing, and summer brought no-see-um bugs with bites worse than mosquitoes. We sacrificed comfort, convenience, and proximity to civilization. Grocery runs and restaurants, once minutes away, now require careful planning.

There were moments we questioned everything and wanted to give up. But we kept our eyes on the life we envisioned if we could push through.

Current Finances: Low Expenses, Multiple Income Streams

Living off-grid slashed our expenses. We no longer pay rent, electricity, or water bills—our water comes free from rainwater collection and a neighbor. Our only utility cost is gas for the generator, far less than our old utility bills. We drive old, paid-off cars and plan to keep them until they die. Ongoing expenses include:

• Groceries: We buy from stores but aim to grow more food.

• Health Insurance: $436/month through healthcare.gov.

• Medical Costs: ~$200/month for Casey’s type 1 diabetes supplies, doctor visits, and insulin.

• Internet: $80/month.

• Animal Expenses: Pet insurance, food, meds, and vet visits.

• Debt Repayment: From the line of credit.

• Propane and Gas: For our stove, water heater, and generator, we use less than one 20-lb propane tank monthly.

Our income comes from multiple streams, which fluctuate wildly:

• Blog: $300–$4,000/month after 14 years of consistent work.

• YouTube Ads: $0–$3,000/month; in 2024, we earned $1,200 for the year, as we only resumed posting in the fall.

• TikTok: Up to $2,000/month with viral videos, but rare.

• Affiliate Programs: $200–$8,000/month, with high earnings being outliers.

• Stock Tank Pool Authority: Minimal now, as we stopped installations due to burnout and low demand in our remote area. We sell a guide and stickers instead.

Casey left her nursing job in August 2020 when the pool business boomed but returned to nursing for nearly a year in 2023 to fund projects. She left again in summer 2024 as our online platforms grew, but nursing remains a fallback.

Debunking the Wealth Myth

The biggest myth about off-grid living is that you need to be wealthy. Our story shows you don’t. You can find land for $10,000 or less, but it’ll likely be remote. Prices rise closer to cities. Owner financing is common for land purchases, as traditional loans are hard to secure. You don’t need a fancy solar setup to start—our used solar panels cost $1,500, and we bartered for our battery system through 11 years of content creation credibility.

Bartering is key. We’ve traded eggs for ice or pet care with neighbors and leveraged our platform for equipment like cabinet doors and a greenhouse. Most off-grid folks aren’t wealthy; they work hard and endure tough conditions to make it work.

Still a Work in Progress

Three years later, our shed-home remains unfinished. We tackle projects when funds allow—some months we make big progress, others we just maintain. This isn’t about having everything figured out; it’s about choosing a different path and adapting as you go.

Practical Advice for Aspiring Off-Gridders

If you’re dreaming of this lifestyle, be realistic about sacrifices: convenience, comfort, and proximity to services. The less money you start with, the more you’ll give up. You don’t need all the answers or funds upfront—just determination to problem-solve. When money comes, be ready for projects. For those curious about costs, know that off-grid living is possible without wealth, but it requires creativity and resilience.

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