For people dreaming of leaving traditional living behind, off-grid life can sound like a path to lower bills, greater independence and a simpler way of living.
But Brianne and Julius Bailey, a couple who built their home largely by hand and now live off the grid, say there is one major misconception people should understand before choosing the lifestyle: It is not necessarily cheap.
“It’s amazing to us how many people think living off-grid is dirt cheap,” the couple told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview. “The reality is that it becomes cheap or pays for itself in the long run.”
Their experience offers a reality check for anyone considering making the move. While living off the grid can eventually reduce expenses such as traditional water and power bills, getting there may require a significant upfront investment, extensive planning and a willingness to take on the responsibilities that come with creating and maintaining an independent home.
For the Baileys, building their life involved far more than constructing a house.
The couple was able to build on family land and received help from relatives, but they still had to account for the cost of materials, a well and the infrastructure needed to establish their homestead. The process also demanded considerable time and planning.
“As a result, certain expenses like water and power are virtually nonexistent,” they explained to PEOPLE. “But starting out, once you factor in land, materials for your home, a well, etc., to try and move off-grid in today’s world and economy is quite an expensive undertaking.”
That distinction may be important for people who are drawn to off-grid living primarily because they expect it to be an inexpensive alternative to conventional life.
The savings, the Baileys said, can come over time. Once established, they no longer face traditional monthly utility bills, allowing them to redirect money toward maintaining their property and dealing with unexpected expenses, including a recent repair to their vehicle's air conditioning.
But lower utility costs do not mean the work disappears.
For Brianne and Julius, independence has also brought a different kind of responsibility. The couple runs their own business and relies primarily on solar power, giving them independence from the electrical grid even when storms leave nearby homes without power.
At the same time, generating their own electricity means paying closer attention to how and when they use it.
“Sometimes you can find yourself working much harder and longer than a traditional 9-to-5,” they told PEOPLE.
Their work extends beyond maintaining the house and property. The couple also spends time responding to business inquiries, fulfilling contracts, connecting with subscribers and continuing projects around their homestead. They do, however, intentionally set Saturdays aside to observe the Sabbath without work or business.
That is another reality the couple's experience highlights: Choosing an off-grid lifestyle does not necessarily mean choosing an easier life.
Instead, it can mean trading certain responsibilities for others.
For the Baileys, that trade-off has been worth it.
Both had wanted a lifestyle outside the traditional 9-to-5 long before they met, they told PEOPLE. Their shared vision made pursuing an off-grid life together feel like a natural decision.
“Both of us had always wanted this kind of lifestyle even before we met,” they said. “Because we were on the same page, it was natural and easy to undertake the process once we began our relationship.”
Years into their journey, their property is still a work in progress. The couple is currently building a storage cabin that could eventually become a guest suite, adding another room to their home, expanding their driveway and planting a larger garden.
The constant projects reflect both what their lifestyle requires and the life they have chosen to build.
For people considering following a similar path, the Baileys' experience suggests that off-grid living is best understood as a long-term investment rather than a quick way to cut costs. It can offer independence and eventually reduce some monthly expenses, but those benefits may come only after substantial spending, planning and work.
For Brianne and Julius, however, the freedom they have gained remains worth the effort.
“We have the home and the land and the well,” they told PEOPLE. “Why would we give all that up just to go back to being more reliant on someone else? We are off-grid for keeps.”
(Courtesy of Julius and Brianne Bailey)
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