There is a way to start to sensibly live the off-grid survivalist lifestyle even if you have lived your entire life in the city or suburbs, however it is important that you understand that living off-grid is a major lifestyle change.
Starting out with this kind of lifestyle does not need to be an exhaustive process however.
There are plenty of ways to start living the off grid survivalist lifestyle today wherever you currently live.
Here are a few changes you can begin to work on to achieve your goal of living the off-grid survivalist lifestyle.
Realize What The Survivalist Lifestyle Really Is
Discard all romantic notions of walking by a picturisque farm or sitting by a brook and relaxing.
Nothing could be further from the truth – unless you can hire all the work done for you and that defeats the purpose of living a survivalist lifestyle.
If you thought life was hard in the city, it is a lot harder out in the sticks.
The types of stresses you are sure to face are different and you will need to overcome them if you are going to live a true survivalist lifestyle.
The Good News About The Survivalist Lifestyle
The good news is that once you are used to off-grid living, your stress levels will go down considerably.
You will live in peace in a world where everyone is running a rat race.
The secret to making the switch is to do it gradually and get used to the life before you immerse yourself in it.
Let’s look at how you can get ready to become an off-grid survivalist.
Start Living Without Conveniences
For starters, you won’t have the usual electronic devices or if you do you won’t be using them like you currently do.
Many off-grid homes have no internet, no TV, no mobile phones – or if they do have them, access is limited.
Whether you choose to use a refrigerator is up to you.
Whatever the case may be, you still need to stop relying on these devices.
So many people are addicted to social media and the internet is a way to entertain themselves.
Without it, they are lost.
If you are one of them, you will need to wean yourself off this addiction because even if you do have access, the limited electricity you have most likely won’t support non-stop computer or mobile phone use.
You will also need to learn to socialize less because you will be alone or with your immediate family members most of the time when living the rural life.
If you constantly need to go out with friends and socialize, living off-grid is sure to seem very lonely – and while your friends might think it is cool at first, when they realize the work and sacrifices involved they may stop coming around as often.
Important Skills Needed To Live The Survivalist Lifestyle
Skills like cooking, gardening, hunting, treating water to make it drinkable and raising livestock are just a few of the survivalist skills you need to live off-grid.
You can try indoor gardening to get a feel for growing some of your own food, even if you live in an apartment.
Learn how to fire a gun.
Practice at the range.
You may need to go hunting when you live off-grid and even if you don’t there are sure to be wild animals you are going to need to deal with even if you choose to use live traps to capture them.
Declutter And Live Like A Minimalist
Get rid of most of your possessions and try to live with as little as possible.
While you can store more items in you home in a rural area, it is good training to be a minimalist when living in an urban area – and let’s face it, if you ever have to bug out you simply can’t take a lot with you.
Try Off Grid Living Before You Move
Go camping often at primitive camp sites.
Try hunting for your own food.
Camping for a week or two without the usual amenities like electricity, the internet, etc. will give you an idea of what it’s like to live off-grid.
The prepper who can live outdoors for a month or two, will find that living off-grid is a cake walk.
Nothing beats surviving in the wilderness.
It is more difficult than off-grid living because your shelter is flimsy, and you don’t have a proper bathroom.
Camping is one of the best ways to train yourself.
Location Is Important For The Off Grid Survivalist Lifestyle
You need to find a good location to build a house that can be powered by alternative energy, unless you are lucky enough to find one that is for sale.
Most of the time you are going to need to pay money upfront to get solar panels installed to power the house.
If you are harnessing wind power or water power, turbines may have to be set up unless they are already there.
There are a lot of things to consider when doing this including if you ever intend to go on-grid even if it is only for supplemental power for things like extra refrigerators or freezers.
Speak to a qualified engineer or professional when building a house that suitable for off-grid living or you might try to convert an existing house into one that is powered without electricity from the grid.
It may take a while to get it done, but once it is done, it is less likely you will be affected by power failures during natural disasters, blackout situations, etc.
Let People Know About Your Survivalist Lifestyle Plan
Once all is done and you are ready to embark on a survivalist lifestyle, start informing your friends and relatives about your plans so that they don’t panic if you suddenly disappear or don’t respond online or answer your phone the way you used to.
Let a few people know where you are staying so that they can find you if there is an emergency.
Even Survivalists Need A Backup Plan
To conclude, even if you live off-grid, ensure that you have a backup plan should you face a crisis.
If there is a hurricane approaching your home or if there is a wildfire coming your way, you will need to evacuate and go somewhere safe.
You must have contingency plans in place so that you can take immediate action.
While off-grid living keeps you relatively safe from health disasters, terrorist attacks, etc. there are still natural disasters like tornadoes, earthquakes, blizzards and other events that can affect you.
There are also potential health issues that might also impact your off grid survivalist lifestyle in the future.
It is always wise to plan ahead of time, so if something happens you are prepared, after all that is the point of living a survivalist lifestyle.
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