Why leave the neighborhood?

Why not go off the grid in the home we currently own?



1) Financial walls that can not be taken down.  With the current debt we owe on our home we would not be able to afford solar/wind that we desire to have in our new home. At this point we are pouring about $800/month just into interest.  We might as well be renting a 3 bedroom apartment!  I do think, on the contrary, that those who can go off grid in the city or town they live in is much more beneficial to everyone.

2) Old home=poor insulation=inefficient=Loss of energy.  It's not that we are seeking to redefine everything for everyone.  It's just that we are not satisfied with status quo.  We want the best for our children and a drafty bedroom is not healthy, among other things. Fixing the efficiency of our home is not really a financial step we can take among the many other repairs we need to keep up with on the house.  This is just one factor of many that make us desire to move to the country.

3) "If we lived in the country we could ___"  I can't say how many times we've said or thought this.  Yes, there are so many conveniences we may live with out in the country but the things we desire to do in the country are worthwhile beneficial things, not conveniences. Such as, but not limited to, bonfires to burn paper waste and resourceful animals (out door animals-I'm not a fan of animals inside our home.)  My 2 year old son agrees with me that we should have bunnies and goats. (We did have to clarify that the word was "goats" because it sounded like he wanted to milk "ghosts"!)

4)  We have striven in the last few years to eat less processed foods and more fresh produce.  The best organic produce we have found is in the country markets. Not only would we be able to grow some of our own, but we'd be able to more readily find the local farmers and friends who grow what we need.

5) Woods!  In the woods you have a) privacy b) cleaner air c) privacy.

It's not that we don't see the need for certain regulations to be in affect when there are many people living in close proximity to each other, we just see a need in doing the above things to enhance the quality of life and financial freedom. Which brings me to my next point.

6)  We find in the country the availablility and possiblity to make the financial decisions we need to without worry as much about "building code" or whether we can work on our own car in our driveway. Yes, our current city ordinances do not allow homeowners to work on their own vehicles in their driveway. This is just and example of how some people are not able to effectively use their money the best way they see possible.


Are there other reason you can think to move to the country?  I'm sure I could think of more if I thought more about it.