For many, the dream of going off grid and homestead is the ultimate money saving adventure. They think they can leave it all behind and with little out of pocket create a living situation that will support a family and romantic lifestyle they always dreamed of. However what many think is a cheap dream may not be a reality at all. Just like anything else you have to spend money to make money or in this case save it. Thanks to an article out by Off Grid World the DIY lifestyle of off-grid living is exposed for what it is. So how much does it really cost to go off grid? Based on this article, a lot more than you think. Based on the article the first thing you have to ask yourself is what kind of lifestyle you want. Can you make due with primitive or do you require more amenities? After that, the question is where will you live.

This is the biggest expense for many people especially in high-priced areas like NorCal bay area. From their, things like building materials come into play. Many people who build tiny houses can spend $30k plus constructing a home, while other have found $50K reasonable for a log home kit. Still other find the idea of spending these amounts of cash outlandish for a simple lifestyle. Need power/ Be prepared to spend a min of around $5k for a solar system.

The biggest issues people can run into is permits and government regulations. Most area’s in the US nowadays have specific guidelines for building by the time you add in sewer systems and infrastructure along with required permits you could be spending upwards of $25K. This is where the tiny home movement does come into play. Building on a movable structure will eliminate a lot of these issues however some towns especially incorporated ones have created zoning laws that heavily regulate these types of structures.