# New guy wants to begin



## h4nj0hn (Feb 6, 2013)

For most of my life something's been bugging me and I have finally discovered what it is. For the past year and a half I've been working for an apartment corporation who wants to act like they put people first, but the longer I work here the more I discover that what really matters to them are numbers. The name of this beast is corporate greed and it has ravaged America in ways that we will never recover from. So I want to go off grid. I have almost no money, but I have plenty of time and resolve. My question is where do I start? Right now I live in an apartment in a big city. This project seems so big it makes me dizzy but I'm dtermined to get to be self sufficient.


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## alwaysready (May 16, 2012)

Welcome Home!


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Welcome! I would think the first step is to find a place to live so you can set it up any way you like.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

I disagree with your basic premise of corporate greed being the problem, (it is government that is the root of our problems), however I sympathize with your situation.
There is no particular path to an off-grid self sufficient life style, there are many. Do you have money? If so you can look for a small piece of land to purchase and start building. There are just so many factors to consider.
What kind of work you can do, what sort of lifestyle you want to maintain, etc.


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## iceeyes (Jun 25, 2012)

Welcome to the forum!


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

h4nj0hn said:


> For most of my life something's been bugging me and I have finally discovered what it is. For the past year and a half I've been working for an apartment corporation who wants to act like they put people first, but the longer I work here the more I discover that what really matters to them are numbers. The name of this beast is corporate greed and it has ravaged America in ways that we will never recover from. So I want to go off grid. I have almost no money, but I have plenty of time and resolve. My question is where do I start? Right now I live in an apartment in a big city. This project seems so big it makes me dizzy but I'm dtermined to get to be self sufficient.


It would be good to have more details about where you live so that we can figure out what kind of weather-patterns are common in your area, maybe use GoogleMaps to see what is surrounding the city you live in to see what might be available around your city for areas to maybe do some guerilla gardening.

To just get out of the city and off-grid takes alot - we have members here on the board who have been working at it for 20years and are still learning about it all, even while living off-grid!

There is no quick-n-easy answer, it is hard work, but, in the end, only you will be able to determine if it is worth it.


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## memrymaker (Dec 12, 2012)

:welcome: to the forum. I always say that there is a TON of detailed info here, and I mean it sincerely. Good luck on your personal quest to become self-sufficient, it's a awesome goal.


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## phxrising (Jun 24, 2012)

Welcome! I'm fairly new at this too and finding its a process, but one that has great rewards and brings a lot of personal security. 

The main thing is to keep working at it and before you know it, bits and pieces become a lifestyle. For example, I've been at this for about 8 months now and having a food storage is the norm. Can't imagine ever NOT having it. Although that it only one small aspect, the more you learn **and these folks on this board are fantastic to learn from:2thumb:** the more natural it is. Ideas will come, questions, thoughts, etc.. this is the place to be. Ask away if you have any questions, most likely quite a few will have answers.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

h4nj0hn said:


> For most of my life something's been bugging me and I have finally discovered what it is. For the past year and a half I've been working for an apartment corporation who wants to act like they put people first, but the longer I work here the more I discover that what really matters to them are numbers. The name of this beast is corporate greed and it has ravaged America in ways that we will never recover from. So I want to go off grid. I have almost no money, but I have plenty of time and resolve. My question is where do I start? Right now I live in an apartment in a big city. This project seems so big it makes me dizzy but I'm dtermined to get to be self sufficient.


Welcome home....what you describe is pretty much anywhere in our society unless you own your own business (then IRS takes your money) or work for a small business owner, which I highly suggest... You are going to be up against this mentality. I'll leave it at that...

Now, no sure we can help ya get out of that situation except to encourage ya to look for something else, but there are a lot of 'city dwellers' here ready to help in your preps!

Glad you are here (home)!


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

It would be helpful if you outlined your goals. Do you want to be off the grid on a homestead in the middle of nowhere? Do you want livestock, gardens, etc? Or do you want to live on the edge of suburbia, but have an off-grid home and work in the city? When you say you have no money, do you mean you are mired in debt or just living paycheck to paycheck? 

I could tell you how I did it by private message if you want, but most people are not willing to give up the "necessities" and make the sacrifices that I did.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Welcome to the long road. It's nice here


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Don't get too upset about corporate greed, it is providing your paycheck. I have never been hired by a pauper. 

In "The Man from Snowy River" they tell the young man that he has to go down to civilization and earn the right to live in the mountains. You need cash to accomplish your goal. This means that you need to spend less each month than you make. Find the best job that you can. That means sell your time for as high a profit as the market will bear. Do as good a job as you are capable of so that you A: keep your job, C: have a chance to advance, and C: have a good reputation to follow you. 

I do not know your job title but I do know that your job is to make a profit for the company. Nobody hires you with the idea that they will just break even. A friend of mine is a low level manager. She had to let some people go because they were not doing a good job. She had to sit the rest down and point out that if they didn't do way better then the company would lose the contract and none of them would have a job. When I had employees the paycheck was less than half the cost of the employee. Today with all the additional regulations and taxes it is well over that.

So, you want to get off grid, make as much as possible and spend as little as possible.


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## cengasser (Mar 12, 2012)

Aaahh! The awakening! Welcome!
I've learned plenty from the folks here on the forum. Read, I can't say enough about that. There's a wealth of information here and in books. Ask questions, folks will always have an opinion, you may not like the answer, but you'll get one.
Start off slow, I've learned if you try to look at it from where you are now to the end game it seems impossible. Take steps, make plans and set goals. It's great when you reach a goal, even small ones. 
Good Luck & Happy Prepping!


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## Bobbb (Jan 7, 2012)

Nice = money.
Convenience = money.

If you want the niceties and convenience of civilization then you're going to have to pay to play. This means that you're going to face a trade-off decision. If you have little money then you're going to have to create a life for yourself in which you simply don't engage wit the niceties and convenience of civilization. 

For instance, you'll have to move to the middle of nowhere in order to find land which isn't part of a cohesive community, meaning that taxes are low, schools are few and far between, there is no sewer system, there is no garbage collection system, there are no rec centers, etc. Because of this isolation the land costs will be lower. Also, because of isolation there are no jobs to be had in the vicinity (Jobs are part of civilization.)

It's entirely possible to live on very little income and to build yourself a place with very little wealth backing you up but be aware of the trade-offs. Buying 10 acres of land for $1,500 is not going to buy you a hobby farm within easy commuting distance of a nice city where jobs are easy to get and where you can have cable tv, internet, and the amenities of civilization.


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

It's very, very difficult, if not impossible, to be 100% self sufficient. Start by cutting your expenses and getting out of debt.

We do need more info to give specific advice though.


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