Is it possible to become self-sufficient without trading work for money? Possibly – but unlikely. Yup, I realize that’s a bold statement and it might ruffle the feathers of a few hard-core, minimalist, live-off-the-land types, but I can’t see any way around it.

It’s not that I am missing the true essence of what it means to be free of the system. I would love to find a way to get around the work-for-pay dependency. In fact, I have spent a considerable amount of time in the past year going over every possible scenario with regards to living a life free of the shackles of our modern system. Read the rest of this entry

My home sits on a 2.42 acre lot, in the country, on a concession road. It is about a 3 hour drive north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. To say that I live in a remote area is an understatement. Still, I do have electricity, telephone service, and my road is plowed in the winter time. Mind you, even though I’m in no-man’s-land, I am still expected to pay property tax (though it’s a fraction of what I’m used to). Read the rest of this entry

In the spring of 2007, I bought a house.

I began my search as I still occupied a room at my parents place. I knew I needed to get out; it was just a matter of where I wanted to live and whether I was going to buy or rent. I eventually decided that I wanted to purchase my own property (for cash, if possible). Once I had that, I’d have something that no one could take away – no matter what happened. Well, provided I didn’t fall behind on my taxes. Read the rest of this entry