Congratulations! Your debt free homestead is proof that someone wiling to do hard work and labor for it, much can be accomplished. By not waiting for a handout you guys created a comfortable healthy safe environment. What a feat!
Talked my kids into getting a shell cabin, they picked up a repo 2 bed 1 bath for 20k nothing has been done and they decided an addition was needed for a eat in kitchen so they built a 14x14 that was 5k now we’re running electrical and plumbing it’s all slow going they are only 19 and 22 and living with me so they can just concentrate on saving for each project and paying cash for each project, home was bought on 4 year loan they pay 250.00 each a month tax’s only 190.00 a year 980 sq ft . I know how hard you guys worked doing this and I think your awesome
That's awesome.....sounds like a good start at a young age and learning a lot. If you guys ave any pictures or documentation of your process share them with us on out email or Facebook, we always like to see how our followers are following their dreams as well.
Linda and I will never be able to do the off-grid life, we're both too old, with pretty major health issues. But it's great to see you doing it, and it's fun to watch the two of you, the way you work together and your humor are an inspiration. I'm going to retire in a year and a half or so, but we'll be doing an "urban homestead." To us, that means a small house, with a yard and a garage. We'll do some gardening, preserve the veggies and fruits we grow and buy, and I'll be the handyman. Robert Heinlein had a long quote, the last words of which are, "Specialization is for insects." If we don't do it ourselves, we will have to have others do it for us, so it makes sense to do all that we can. You two are a pleasure and an inspiration to watch. All the best to you.
So glad you are here, I think you are going to love the Urban Homesteading life, It has so many of the perks and joys of life without having to stretch yourself thin. Being the handyman is very satisfying, UA-cam makes being one very easy too....I have fixed MANY a things with the help of it. Best wishes my friend
My husband and I are in the same position you are. We are looking at semi rural but still close enough to a good hospital and doctors. We were set to make the move a few years ago, before everything went crazy but my husband became very ill . it took months of medical care and physical therapy for him to even be able to walk again. Now prices are crazy. We are !looking again but I will not overpay for properties that are asking double what they were few years ago. I'm hoping to find something suitable so we can make the move by next summer.
That was absolutely the best, hands down, cost breakdown video on a project like this. So many other videos sugar coat the costs, or just leave out high dollar expenses such as the sawmill, tractors, and land, that you never get a good sense for whether a lay person can really afford to do it, or not. That definitely didn't happen with your video. I really appreciate all of your honesty. I also like the fact that you always admit you aren't a professional and you "just go for it." You're not afraid to tackle the tough challenges. Thank you!!!
Hey, glad you enjoyed and appreciated it. I figured it was better to include everything and if people want to follow and trim things out they can certainly do that. But to not include a tractor, sawmill, or even the Mule would be misleading. Glad to have ya here
My wife and I purchased 18 acres of mostly timber about a year ago. Since then we paid cash for a local electric cooperative to bring in power, paid cash for a local excavator to clear a camp space and build a gravel road to the campground. I have coincidentally been working on the plans for a 16 x 24 cabin. I'll start the build in early spring. Our 22' travel trailer currently serves as shelter and recreation. The parallels of your situation are quite similar, but we are in our 60s. You did it right. Don't wait. If this is what you want to do, yours is a model to follow. Nicely done. I have learned much from your videos. Continued best wishes for you.
Thanks Mike, sounds like we are two very blessed guys. Jen and I wish you and your wife the best on your adventure/journey. We are never guaranteed to a .......someday or down the raod situation, So we made the move ASAP. Thank you for your support here Mike
I like when they do cost videos and go into details. I think this was relatively inexpensive considering the cost of the land$16.5K and all the out buildings, the trailer, the saw mill, and the tractors. You might have $15K in that so the cabin is coming it at less then $20K. I would consider that a very successful project. Congratulations.
Hey guys, I love the channel, I love the humor and your willingness to share your life with us. I'm watching from Alberta Canada, my family is preparing for the move to the offgrid life. We are so excited and we appreciate your channel in helping with the budget and how you source things :)
That is so exciting Owen......Jen and I wish you guys the Best. Keep us in the loop and let us know how you are doing. It's not all butterflies and rainbows but living for yourself has a special feeling
Yes it is, we can't wait !! Thank you so much :) No that it isn't, but you're right living life on your terms is so much more fulfilling even with the hard days and set backs :) That is something I admire about you guys is how you just roll with the pouches and find something good out of it.
Jay, I just sold my house and property the day before Thanksgiving so my adventure starts now. I penciled my cost to run between 45-50,000 in one years time start to finish but of course I will never finish, just keep adding to. Ha ha ha. Your video is confirmation I am in the ballpark, thanks for sharing it!
Well worth the money , I know people who payed some contractor around 50 K for a kitchen install now you folks have gained the experience of building and making this great spot with a cabin to enjoy , my compliments to you for a job well done .
Thanks Mike, Your way of looking at it is like the way we look at it. There are a lot of people who spend 50K like it is nothing, they probably make more money than we do too, but it is still is a lot of money. Thanks for being here with us
Y'all! I am a Michigan derived born and bred, now living in Virginia. Grew up in Detroit and then Western suburbs of Canton and Novi. Just lovin' your channel and eager to watch your story. Because of my age and health, the most I can do is to urban Homestead where I am, but I keep dreaming. We have family land w camp in the UP bit since it's 20 hrs from our VA home, we never get there. It's a hike to land between Marquette and Iron Mountain. What a blast to see you w your Massey Ferguson Tractor. My Dad spent his CAreer in Southfield at MF as a quality control inspector, that thing is STILL RUNNING STRONG DUE TO HIS HARD WORK! Keep on keeping on. Just wondering where you are in N Michigan. Great work!
Awesome...Virginia is beautiful....and a little more mild during the winter so that sounds like a plus, lol. We love that old MF tractor....it's a beast, quality control kept it going all these years 😊😊😊
U guys are so awesome. I totally appreciate your openness with your channel. Definitely more open the most channels on your personal journey. I live in Michigan & I've followed u since ur beginning. I am also saving up for property in upper Michigan. I've been saving everything ill need to be able to stay & build a cabin in a month. My home will be going on the market soon but ill be renting it out till it sells. But i know i can do it because I've seen so many people's journeys doing the same thing. Love ur property & again thx for sharing your journey 🙏
Thanks for following along SF.....we wish you the best of luck. Just make sure you give yourself a little extra time, just in case of unexpected situations popping up. I know I was going to be done in six months 😊 Keep us in the loop and know how it is going. Facebook messaging works well for us. best wishes bud
Been watching you guys for a while, finally subscribed . You are the real deal , not polished and phony just for the subs or views . Nothing worse than watching a off grid channel that claims to do everything by hand and see a chainsaw in the back ground ! Love your honest trial and error figure it out as you go videos . Which is the true demonstration of off grid living. What's the plan with the batteries though the winter ? Are you worried about them freezing ? Or do you have a plan ? Great channel and video guys .
Hey Tim'r we Appreciate the Support. We try to Keep it real....hoping that shines through with the channel and it helps people realize ANYONE can do it. With the batteries I was honestly just leaving them in there as they are. I have read AGM batteries while fully charged can handle -80 degrees. I'm sure it is less than ideal for them to be in those conditions, but with the solar charging them I'm hoping for the best.
Hello Jay hello Jen great video on the cost breakdown really appreciate it especially the fact that you’re debt-free . Enjoy watching all your projects and hard work. For a couple your age you have really accomplished a lot on your off grid property, Great job !
Great breakdown on both the budget and time. Your initiative is inspiring and motivational! I know you’re not doing all of this with any intention to sell, but your sweat equity has added at least twice if not three times the value of what you’ve spent. Keep up the good work - it’s been a blast to watch everything come along.
Hi Jay, Hi Jen, great video and great breakdown of the cost, no one can say you two havent worked hard for what you have and it really looks good and its been a pleasure to watch you both get as far as you have, and I will look forward to the next one..Best wishes to you both...
Thanks so much! People don't always like to talk money.....but it might help someone to see what is possible and what you need and don't need when going on a journey like this. Best wishes Kevin
Pretty amazing what you two have done in the last 3 to 5 years. I have enjoyed getting to know both of you (and the pups). Thank you for sharing your journey, it has been entertaining, educational, and inspiring. I look forward to all your future videos and the rest of the story of Jay, Jen, and Timber off grid. Take care my friends 🇺🇸
Great advice on buying and growing your acreage and building with cash and no debt over a bit of time. Find deals and you don’t need the greatest and latest to get’er done and make it happen!
That is awesome....we wish you best of luck with your journey. We keep things real Herr so if you go back and watch all our videos I think they will be of some help. Thanks for being here with us. Happy holidays
Loved the cost breakdown. You seem to have a knack for finding stuff that is low cost. I always have to put the brakes on because it seems easier sometimes to go get the new shiny object then to find a low cost alternative. Looking for tractors right now and it would be great to have the brand new John Deere but I just can't see paying the price for it when there are so many used tractors out there that work great but they are a little banged up. I can live with that. Plus - the single biggest cost savings is doing the work yourself - that saved a fortune.
Dang wish id'a done that that like 30yrs ago too freakin old and broke now 😆 50k was an average years income most of the time at the time the (i use the term loosely) significant other🙄would have had nothing to do with off grid"n you guys rock it and at dang near 70 I'm a little envious but happy for the 3 of you I'll live vicariously through the tiny screen at all the off griderz 😆 well done and thanks for the share❤🙏👍✌😁
Hey buddy.....the tiny screen of off gridders can be enjoyed in a warm comfy chair with a warm beverage....We are happy to have you here with us. Best wishes
You guys have a lot for $50,000.00..I look forward to seeing the next video. Thank you for investing in the UP! I love all your videos! My wife complains about me saving or buying things that I don't need. But I agree with you on buying things ahead of time, and saving them for when you need them. It saves a lot of money when you spread it out!
Thanks Dennis, I've done it that way my whole life. Buy cheap and get your monies worth out of it. Sell it later if you have to. Just don't buy things on a whim right??
Love that you have a saw mill! Simple is good and nothing wrong with being frugal! That’s a dang good price for 15 acres and love that you have been able to grab up neighboring property. You are right about that bath house! Important stuff!! Happy Wife Happy Life!!
Thanks guys....glad you liked the video. Laura....I'm sorry you have to watch me cut down trees on my vids, I feel good about preserving the the ones I ont cut down....so the ones I do, I feel less bad about. Just saying. Lol
Glad to hear this, you much be very excited. Check us out on Facebook, we chat with people on our page and through messages about their journey....be fun for us to see some pics and such when you start.
Hi Jay and Jen 😀 Interesting to know how much it all costs. You should be proud of yourselves with what you have achieved. I always love watching you 😄 my favorite couple without acting...just being yourself. greetings ❤ Ellen
that is great prices and you both done a great job very nice i love something like that i used to have when i was younger but not as good as yours mine was a tin shed i decked out with paneling i had one room and a bathroom with bath and shower and basin also there was a sink in the kitchen and also fridge and also very important a wood stove as it was in the country always fire wood around and old sleepers from the rails way line big jarra wood was great and 47 acres of just rocks hahha lots rock was pastures before
Yes Kathleen, we have bought somethings we could have lived without. But there is value in having tools that make progress happen more quickly. thanks for being here
Well done! I appreciate your smart budgeting strategy. I’ve really enjoyed watching your progress. Thank you for sharing and letting us come along for the fun.
Another great video, thanks for the transparency on the costs of your amazing journey! No big deal, but I didn't see the link on the video you referred to at the 2:20-mark. And wow, up to 15 acres...very nice! Looking forward to your continued adventures.
This was an amazing cost breakdown and explanation of cost. We are glad to here that the wood stove install video is still cranking the views out. Property is looking really great with all the work you all have done to get the perfect view when drinking your coffee. You are absolutely correct, its best to shop around to get what you need. The out house cost caught our ears 👂. Nicely done. Great video as well, we will see you guys on the next one. Enjoy deer hunting 🤩 🦌
Wow. Such an awesome video. Thanks for your transparency of what it actually cost, and sharing with us your journey and the fruits of your hard work. So inspiring! You both are awesome! I look forward to watching more videos.
Hi, Jay and Jen. Good shopping. You are very hardworking people, you do everything yourself. As a result, your house cost relatively little. Having your own equipment and tools is very important. You are a great couple. 👍💞
Hey, welcome Steve. Thanks for coming over and checking us out. We have a lot of videos of all the things you see in the video, so check those videos out if you have time. Hope you enjoy them. Best wishes
LOTS of HARD work yes...Jen Teaches online and I am somewhat seasonal at my work.....and we live super simple lives so we don't need to work extra hours. Although this Channel is occupying a lot of my time now.
Awesome job guys 👏 I'm knee deep in my own build right now. I wish I had the land you've got but for now she'll do where she is. I built a 16x20 "Tiny House Cabin" built on a foundation that technically is able to be moved just like a shed. I did a shed style roof that is just a smidge above the legal height @ 14ft in the front and 9ft in the back. I've got her in the dry, roofed, siding, trim externally and am now starting to work on the inside framing, electrical and plumbing. She will be off grid as well with rain water catchment and solar. I'm just a single chick who decided to jump in and try. Although I have sooo much ahead of me and made so many more mistakes, I am excited and proud of my accomplishments so far. I am using your videos and other's for insight and idea's and couldn't have done it without your help 👏 so thank you 🙏. I have been recording my journey and am working on creating content that I can be proud of. I hope to be able to make great videos like you guys. Thank you both for the help and I look forward to seeing what's in store. - Lo from SC
You made me smile my friend.....so happy to hear your story and kind words. Please do me a favor and send us a message to our Facebook and or email so you can send us some pics and we can help encourage each other and help keep motivated. It is a lot of work to do what we are doing and doing a UA-cam Channel has his learning curve so best of luck in your journey. But I would love to see pics and chat. Best wishes Lo Duke
What a great video, we love your honesty. Our intention was always to video our cabin adventures. We know how much it can cost.you have done a remarkable job on a budget, be proud of what you have accomplished 👏
Thank you guys 😊 Having this channel is a wonderful blessing. Interacting with other like minded folks and having documentation of our journey is great. The time involved can be a little overwhelming at times and makes me question myself....but hoping it will be worth all the hard work. Best wishes guys
Awesome property Awesome Cabin great Job Both of you. My wife are planning to do this to. Thank you for the video’s. Awesome merry Christmas and happy New Year’s
I live in central Alberta, Canada, so the cost of everything is different though $50,000+ is certainly reasonable. I enjoyed several of your videos tonight, Liked, Subscribed and commented. Keep smiling Jen and keep making great deals Jay.
Very interesting info guys. We paid way more for our sawmill. We were trying so many different manufacturers in 2021 and unfortunately everyone was backordered. We finally found TMG which is a lesser known company from BC. At that point we didn't even care anymore and had it delivered within 10 days! So expensive...but it's more than paid for itself now so I try not to think about it! lol
Ya we wanted a woodland mills originally, but they were back ordered too and that was the trend that year. So we got the frotnier....but very happy with it
Nice breakdown on the whole build so far. Tools are a must but I don't see any toys but the snowmobile, even that was a tool at one point! 50 grand ain't bad at all!!! Really what I would like you to figure out is the labor bill for the work y'all put into this very nice and unique "HOMESTEAD"! Try figuring that cost out!? Good presentation on y'alls build+ 🐶 👋 👍 😎 🚜 🚜
HA!!! Labor Bill....ONE MILLION DOLLARS, lol....maybe TWO MILL. I'm glad you know that these machines are tools my friend....you can make it happen without, but it would take twice as long.
Very good info, thanks. Without being too specific, perhaps you could touch on both your regular jobs. Did this help with your cabin building knowledge, experience etc? Cheers from north of the border.
Hey James....Thanks for watching. Jen and I both work for ourselves. Jen Teaches online and works here at the off grid property very often. I'm a service tech and my business is somewhat seasonal here so I work more in the Spring, part time in summer and more in the fall. This build has taught us a lot.....Things are way more Simple in your head than in real lIfe, LOL
You guys are doing great! What a great deal on your land, much more expensive over here in NW Wis. we paid close to 3k per acre for ours but also have a nice little trout creek running through.
Thanks guys, That is one thing we are missing and wishing we had is water. The river is not too far from us and all on public land....but still would be great to have easy water feet away. 3k per acre is still manageable if it is nice land and offers you what you want and need right??? Having Timber/mature trees was something that was important to us....you can buy clear cut land here for a thousand per acre if it is cleared, but that is no fun, LOL
Thank you both of you for you hard work and being an example of motivation to build a dream. My wife and I have the same and somewhat similar plan to to do the same except on a tropical island, which the process has somewhat begun, same hard work and planning, different temperate zone. Mahalo for all your efforts. *Aloha
Off grid with Jay and Jen if you search thru the youtuber, Bushradical, he talks about their three? Properties in Alaska, two properties in da U P! And property in upper lower peninsula Michigan. All purchased with cash
awesome...so glad you found it. We make sure to search hard for cheap materials. So if you are planning on a a build then start collecting when you find good deals, it helps a lot.
18 acres on the river near Big Rapids and Grand Rapids $54k including the Right of. Way that connects both parcels into one big parcel ! 480 foot of river frontage and a log cabin with Polebarn on 18 acres private right of way
Good info on costs. I love your sawmill and want to get one for my property to help with cabin build. Only issue is my property is really hilly with only access by a side by side.
Saw mills are an awesome asset, but would be a bit tough to take back that far. You could definitely take it back in multiple trips before assembling it
Very smart not to cheap out on your stove and pipes, can be life saving in more than 1 way guys, luv how open u are about ur costs too Jay & Jen, solar seems to be one of the bigger expenses I figure, here in Nova Scotia Canada I have to pretty much double the prices in my head lol, luv ur vids as much as Jeremy & Ashley in NB MBF
Hey, thanks Daryl.....you are right, solar was a big chunk of money. You could do it cheaper but we didn't want to regret buying smaller stuff and have to rebuy stuff
Thanks for the breakdown there eh! and putting everything into perspective... some ppl spend and waste money on different things I think it's important to spend money on tangible assets, I have been buying and stock piling the same things as you guys for the past 6 years and glad I did as the cost of everything is going crazy... even used stuff is insane looked a 1984 1 ton truck today asking price $9500.00 and it will be gone in no time... you guys where smart to start accumulating when you did congrats...
You got that right buddy. Getting Tools and anything Tangible ASAP put us in a little bit of a crunch....I knew the market was going to go crazy so buying things a couple years ago ended up being the right move but it is always hard to part with money.....especially when you are lower income like Jen and Myself. Everything is working out though. 40 year old truck for nearly 10 K.......insane
Love what you guys are building. We are from MI as well and love the views you have. As you know most of MI is flat and very few nice areas like yours. Can you say which city is near by? We have been looking in the Grayling area for land.
Congratulations! Your debt free homestead is proof that someone wiling to do hard work and labor for it, much can be accomplished. By not waiting for a handout you guys created a comfortable healthy safe environment. What a feat!
THank you, I'm always amazed what can be accomplished when you're not afraid to work......thanks for understanding. Best wishes
Talked my kids into getting a shell cabin, they picked up a repo 2 bed 1 bath for 20k nothing has been done and they decided an addition was needed for a eat in kitchen so they built a 14x14 that was 5k now we’re running electrical and plumbing it’s all slow going they are only 19 and 22 and living with me so they can just concentrate on saving for each project and paying cash for each project, home was bought on 4 year loan they pay 250.00 each a month tax’s only 190.00 a year 980 sq ft . I know how hard you guys worked doing this and I think your awesome
That's awesome.....sounds like a good start at a young age and learning a lot. If you guys ave any pictures or documentation of your process share them with us on out email or Facebook, we always like to see how our followers are following their dreams as well.
@@OffgridwithJayandJen will do that !
Linda and I will never be able to do the off-grid life, we're both too old, with pretty major health issues. But it's great to see you doing it, and it's fun to watch the two of you, the way you work together and your humor are an inspiration. I'm going to retire in a year and a half or so, but we'll be doing an "urban homestead." To us, that means a small house, with a yard and a garage. We'll do some gardening, preserve the veggies and fruits we grow and buy, and I'll be the handyman. Robert Heinlein had a long quote, the last words of which are, "Specialization is for insects." If we don't do it ourselves, we will have to have others do it for us, so it makes sense to do all that we can. You two are a pleasure and an inspiration to watch. All the best to you.
So glad you are here, I think you are going to love the Urban Homesteading life, It has so many of the perks and joys of life without having to stretch yourself thin. Being the handyman is very satisfying, UA-cam makes being one very easy too....I have fixed MANY a things with the help of it. Best wishes my friend
My husband and I are in the same position you are. We are looking at semi rural but still close enough to a good hospital and doctors. We were set to make the move a few years ago, before everything went crazy but my husband became very ill . it took months of medical care and physical therapy for him to even be able to walk again. Now prices are crazy. We are !looking again but I will not overpay for properties that are asking double what they were few years ago. I'm hoping to find something suitable so we can make the move by next summer.
That was absolutely the best, hands down, cost breakdown video on a project like this. So many other videos sugar coat the costs, or just leave out high dollar expenses such as the sawmill, tractors, and land, that you never get a good sense for whether a lay person can really afford to do it, or not. That definitely didn't happen with your video. I really appreciate all of your honesty.
I also like the fact that you always admit you aren't a professional and you "just go for it." You're not afraid to tackle the tough challenges. Thank you!!!
Hey, glad you enjoyed and appreciated it. I figured it was better to include everything and if people want to follow and trim things out they can certainly do that. But to not include a tractor, sawmill, or even the Mule would be misleading. Glad to have ya here
👋😎👍!
The mule, is literally a mule!! Handy dandy!
Have a great weekend folks!
Thanks! You too!
My wife and I purchased 18 acres of mostly timber about a year ago. Since then we paid cash for a local electric cooperative to bring in power, paid cash for a local excavator to clear a camp space and build a gravel road to the campground. I have coincidentally been working on the plans for a 16 x 24 cabin. I'll start the build in early spring. Our 22' travel trailer currently serves as shelter and recreation. The parallels of your situation are quite similar, but we are in our 60s. You did it right. Don't wait. If this is what you want to do, yours is a model to follow. Nicely done. I have learned much from your videos. Continued best wishes for you.
Thanks Mike, sounds like we are two very blessed guys. Jen and I wish you and your wife the best on your adventure/journey. We are never guaranteed to a .......someday or down the raod situation, So we made the move ASAP. Thank you for your support here Mike
I like when they do cost videos and go into details. I think this was relatively inexpensive considering the cost of the land$16.5K and all the out buildings, the trailer, the saw mill, and the tractors. You might have $15K in that so the cabin is coming it at less then $20K. I would consider that a very successful project. Congratulations.
Yes, thanks. About 30K for 15 acres and the cabin. the rest is Tools to help build. Best wishes. Thanks for being here and commenting
Thank You for being so open and sharing with us your costs!! Great that you are debt free. Love your channel.
Thanks my friend. It has been a lot of work to get here, but worth the effort. We live very simple which makes this possible
Hey guys,
I love the channel, I love the humor and your willingness to share your life with us. I'm watching from Alberta Canada, my family is preparing for the move to the offgrid life. We are so excited and we appreciate your channel in helping with the budget and how you source things :)
That is so exciting Owen......Jen and I wish you guys the Best. Keep us in the loop and let us know how you are doing. It's not all butterflies and rainbows but living for yourself has a special feeling
Yes it is, we can't wait !! Thank you so much :)
No that it isn't, but you're right living life on your terms is so much more fulfilling even with the hard days and set backs :)
That is something I admire about you guys is how you just roll with the pouches and find something good out of it.
Thanks for sharing some of your wisdom! You have a wonderful place there!
Thanks JL I really hate sounding Preachy but I like to share the little I can, LOL
Love your videos!! I can't ever focus on what you're saying though, because of her smiling creepily for no reason. Keep up the good work!!
Jen has lots of reasons to smile.....never for no reason, lol
YEP, that is exactly why my wife and I love watching. She ALWAYS keeps it entertaining. See her flying the drone lol
😊
Jay, I just sold my house and property the day before Thanksgiving so my adventure starts now. I penciled my cost to run between 45-50,000 in one years time start to finish but of course I will never finish, just keep adding to. Ha ha ha. Your video is confirmation I am in the ballpark, thanks for sharing it!
Nice, very cool Randy. Congrats. You looking for land now or you already have a spot for building?
@@OffgridwithJayandJen Thanks Jay, I have 7 acres in Central Arizona I'm looking at...I will know for sure when I get there.
Well worth the money , I know people who payed some contractor around 50 K for a kitchen install now you folks have gained the experience of building and making this great spot with a cabin to enjoy , my compliments to you for a job well done .
Thanks Mike, Your way of looking at it is like the way we look at it. There are a lot of people who spend 50K like it is nothing, they probably make more money than we do too, but it is still is a lot of money. Thanks for being here with us
Pretty good ... that was my original guess 50 gs give or take ... love it
NICE, Kind of crazy that the Tools/equipment is so much of the cost, but you need tools to get work done. Thanks for being here
I am very happy with all you do to make my life a little more happy and content. love you guys for what you do.
Josephine......glad you are here with us.
Love you two, so down to earth and not putting on! J, we all make mistakes in our craftsmanship
Thanks for making me feel better bud =)
great job guys. wish i could do something like that. mbf off grid sent us over .
Hey HD, thanks for coming over. Hope you enjoy our Channel. =)
Y'all! I am a Michigan derived born and bred, now living in Virginia. Grew up in Detroit and then Western suburbs of Canton and Novi. Just lovin' your channel and eager to watch your story. Because of my age and health, the most I can do is to urban Homestead where I am, but I keep dreaming. We have family land w camp in the UP bit since it's 20 hrs from our VA home, we never get there. It's a hike to land between Marquette and Iron Mountain. What a blast to see you w your Massey Ferguson Tractor. My Dad spent his CAreer in Southfield at MF as a quality control inspector, that thing is STILL RUNNING STRONG DUE TO HIS HARD WORK! Keep on keeping on. Just wondering where you are in N Michigan. Great work!
Boy, I hate spell check and the lack of an edit button now. Type native and spell check turns it into DERIVED? GO FIGURE.
Awesome...Virginia is beautiful....and a little more mild during the winter so that sounds like a plus, lol. We love that old MF tractor....it's a beast, quality control kept it going all these years 😊😊😊
U guys are so awesome. I totally appreciate your openness with your channel. Definitely more open the most channels on your personal journey. I live in Michigan & I've followed u since ur beginning. I am also saving up for property in upper Michigan. I've been saving everything ill need to be able to stay & build a cabin in a month. My home will be going on the market soon but ill be renting it out till it sells. But i know i can do it because I've seen so many people's journeys doing the same thing. Love ur property & again thx for sharing your journey 🙏
Thanks for following along SF.....we wish you the best of luck. Just make sure you give yourself a little extra time, just in case of unexpected situations popping up. I know I was going to be done in six months 😊 Keep us in the loop and know how it is going. Facebook messaging works well for us. best wishes bud
Been watching you guys for a while, finally subscribed .
You are the real deal , not polished and phony just for the subs or views .
Nothing worse than watching a off grid channel that claims to do everything by hand and see a chainsaw in the back ground !
Love your honest trial and error figure it out as you go videos . Which is the true demonstration of off grid living.
What's the plan with the batteries though the winter ? Are you worried about them freezing ? Or do you have a plan ?
Great channel and video guys .
Hey Tim'r we Appreciate the Support. We try to Keep it real....hoping that shines through with the channel and it helps people realize ANYONE can do it.
With the batteries I was honestly just leaving them in there as they are. I have read AGM batteries while fully charged can handle -80 degrees. I'm sure it is less than ideal for them to be in those conditions, but with the solar charging them I'm hoping for the best.
Hello Jay hello Jen great video on the cost breakdown really appreciate it especially the fact that you’re debt-free . Enjoy watching all your projects and hard work. For a couple your age you have really accomplished a lot on your off grid property, Great job !
Thank you very much......hoping we have gotten ahead of the curve and can enjoy it for an extra decade or two, LOL. Best wishes
Money very well invested, little by little you have been buying what you need, and everything is looking great, much love for the both of you ❤
Thanks Irene....its been process but worth the effort
Great breakdown on both the budget and time. Your initiative is inspiring and motivational! I know you’re not doing all of this with any intention to sell, but your sweat equity has added at least twice if not three times the value of what you’ve spent. Keep up the good work - it’s been a blast to watch everything come along.
Thank you my friend
Thank you for sharing very much appreciated.
Our pleasure!
Great commitment and journey!
Thank you Richard
That is a great price on the shed. Man. Good job on everything. Smart to piece it together. Building wealth.
Thanks Lou....buy low....sell....well Don't, lol
Hi Jay, Hi Jen, great video and great breakdown of the cost, no one can say you two havent worked hard for what you have and it really looks good and its been a pleasure to watch you both get as far as you have, and I will look forward to the next one..Best wishes to you both...
Thanks so much! People don't always like to talk money.....but it might help someone to see what is possible and what you need and don't need when going on a journey like this. Best wishes Kevin
Pretty amazing what you two have done in the last 3 to 5 years. I have enjoyed getting to know both of you (and the pups). Thank you for sharing your journey, it has been entertaining, educational, and inspiring. I look forward to all your future videos and the rest of the story of Jay, Jen, and Timber off grid. Take care my friends 🇺🇸
Glad you are here Jack appreciate ya
You two are the ultimate bargain shoppers. Good job.
Great advice on buying and growing your acreage and building with cash and no debt over a bit of time. Find deals and you don’t need the greatest and latest to get’er done and make it happen!
Awesome video! I really admire how you handle your finances. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks Kat.....we are far from perfect with money, but we make the best of what we have I think.
So happy I found your channel. Starting my journey in the spring and your videos will be of great help to me. Thanks for sharing!
That is awesome....we wish you best of luck with your journey. We keep things real Herr so if you go back and watch all our videos I think they will be of some help. Thanks for being here with us. Happy holidays
Loved the cost breakdown. You seem to have a knack for finding stuff that is low cost. I always have to put the brakes on because it seems easier sometimes to go get the new shiny object then to find a low cost alternative. Looking for tractors right now and it would be great to have the brand new John Deere but I just can't see paying the price for it when there are so many used tractors out there that work great but they are a little banged up. I can live with that. Plus - the single biggest cost savings is doing the work yourself - that saved a fortune.
Very true in all accounts
Great informative video!
Thank you!
Thanks awesome. Thanks for the update
Any time!
Great job doing the cost breakdown! Really enjoyed this video!
Thanks Linda
Dang wish id'a done that that like 30yrs ago too freakin old and broke now 😆 50k was an average years income most of the time at the time the (i use the term loosely) significant other🙄would have had nothing to do with off grid"n you guys rock it and at dang near 70 I'm a little envious but happy for the 3 of you I'll live vicariously through the tiny screen at all the off griderz 😆 well done and thanks for the share❤🙏👍✌😁
Hey buddy.....the tiny screen of off gridders can be enjoyed in a warm comfy chair with a warm beverage....We are happy to have you here with us. Best wishes
You guys have a lot for $50,000.00..I look forward to seeing the next video. Thank you for investing in the UP! I love all your videos! My wife complains about me saving or buying things that I don't need. But I agree with you on buying things ahead of time, and saving them for when you need them. It saves a lot of money when you spread it out!
Thanks Dennis, I've done it that way my whole life. Buy cheap and get your monies worth out of it. Sell it later if you have to. Just don't buy things on a whim right??
@@OffgridwithJayandJen You guys are REAL!
Love that you have a saw mill! Simple is good and nothing wrong with being frugal! That’s a dang good price for 15 acres and love that you have been able to grab up neighboring property. You are right about that bath house! Important stuff!! Happy Wife Happy Life!!
Thanks guys....glad you liked the video. Laura....I'm sorry you have to watch me cut down trees on my vids, I feel good about preserving the the ones I ont cut down....so the ones I do, I feel less bad about. Just saying. Lol
Nice job! I will have to go back and check out some of your earlier videos
Thanks Dave, the videos tell our story if you want to catch up. Appreciate the support
Thanks for the inspiration and insight..getting ready to start the same journey shortly
Glad to hear this, you much be very excited. Check us out on Facebook, we chat with people on our page and through messages about their journey....be fun for us to see some pics and such when you start.
Hi Jay and Jen 😀 Interesting to know how much it all costs. You should be proud of yourselves with what you have achieved. I always love watching you 😄 my favorite couple without acting...just being yourself. greetings ❤ Ellen
Thanks so much! 😊
Great job guys.
Thank you so much Marina
that is great prices and you both done a great job very nice i love something like that i used to have when i was younger but not as good as yours mine was a tin shed i decked out with paneling i had one room and a bathroom with bath and shower and basin also there was a sink in the kitchen and also fridge and also very important a wood stove as it was in the country always fire wood around and old sleepers from the rails way line big jarra wood was great and 47 acres of just rocks hahha lots rock was pastures before
Hey....it was somewhere to escape to right??? Sometimes the simpler the better. Best wishes Kriss
A lot of good advice. You have added many comforts and necessities in a short time. We learn as we go, eh?
Yes Kathleen, we have bought somethings we could have lived without. But there is value in having tools that make progress happen more quickly. thanks for being here
Well done! I appreciate your smart budgeting strategy. I’ve really enjoyed watching your progress. Thank you for sharing and letting us come along for the fun.
Thanks Danny for being here.
Another great video, thanks for the transparency on the costs of your amazing journey! No big deal, but I didn't see the link on the video you referred to at the 2:20-mark. And wow, up to 15 acres...very nice! Looking forward to your continued adventures.
Thanks Bel-a-Donna.....thanks for reminding me. That video of the cost of the cabin I will link it in the description box. Glad you are here with us
ua-cam.com/video/iN5zvX7d9lY/v-deo.html - here you are Bel-a-donna :D
This video was very helpful for my future journey! Thanks!
So Glad to Hear this.....good luck =)
You got a great deal on that shed! My Tuff Shed was $7k and it’s 10x18 with a reinforced floor for my little Casita travel trailer.
Things are getting expensive out there.
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Heute hast du wirklich ganz tolle Stiefel an
keeping the toes warm
Thanks for the video, loved it.
The tractor an mill need a roof i think.
It does! ASAP
Definitely enjoyed your video and congratulations on your off grid journey 👍
Thanks so much!
Amazing. There is no way I could ever do that myself. Congrats
I didn't think I could either......but we did. Starting is the the hard part
This was an amazing cost breakdown and explanation of cost. We are glad to here that the wood stove install video is still cranking the views out. Property is looking really great with all the work you all have done to get the perfect view when drinking your coffee. You are absolutely correct, its best to shop around to get what you need. The out house cost caught our ears 👂. Nicely done. Great video as well, we will see you guys on the next one. Enjoy deer hunting 🤩 🦌
THanks guys
@@OffgridwithJayandJen of course
Great job Jay and Jen!!!
thank you
Awesome Job guys! It's been great watching your dreams come true 👍
Thanks so much!
Great video to watch, you two have done a tremendous job with everything 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you David
Wow. Such an awesome video. Thanks for your transparency of what it actually cost, and sharing with us your journey and the fruits of your hard work. So inspiring! You both are awesome! I look forward to watching more videos.
You are very welcome Stacey.....very happy to have you here with us
Howdy from Mid Michigan! Loving the channel!
Hey Boyd, welcome and thanks for joining us. 😀
Hi, Jay and Jen. Good shopping. You are very hardworking people, you do everything yourself. As a result, your house cost relatively little. Having your own equipment and tools is very important. You are a great couple. 👍💞
Thank you for the Kind words. Tools make jobs possible and help speed things up for sure. Best wishes to you both......and the PUPS
Good Video.... appreciate your opening the books etc. Learned of your channel through Martin Johnson Off Grid.
Hey, welcome Steve. Thanks for coming over and checking us out. We have a lot of videos of all the things you see in the video, so check those videos out if you have time. Hope you enjoy them. Best wishes
Thank you for all the details and advice. Not very expensive but a lot of hard work. How do you do if you have an extra full-time job?
LOTS of HARD work yes...Jen Teaches online and I am somewhat seasonal at my work.....and we live super simple lives so we don't need to work extra hours. Although this Channel is occupying a lot of my time now.
Awesome! Congratulations you two.
Thank you so much 😀
Awesome job guys 👏 I'm knee deep in my own build right now. I wish I had the land you've got but for now she'll do where she is. I built a 16x20 "Tiny House Cabin" built on a foundation that technically is able to be moved just like a shed. I did a shed style roof that is just a smidge above the legal height @ 14ft in the front and 9ft in the back. I've got her in the dry, roofed, siding, trim externally and am now starting to work on the inside framing, electrical and plumbing. She will be off grid as well with rain water catchment and solar. I'm just a single chick who decided to jump in and try. Although I have sooo much ahead of me and made so many more mistakes, I am excited and proud of my accomplishments so far.
I am using your videos and other's for insight and idea's and couldn't have done it without your help 👏 so thank you 🙏. I have been recording my journey and am working on creating content that I can be proud of. I hope to be able to make great videos like you guys. Thank you both for the help and I look forward to seeing what's in store. - Lo from SC
You made me smile my friend.....so happy to hear your story and kind words. Please do me a favor and send us a message to our Facebook and or email so you can send us some pics and we can help encourage each other and help keep motivated. It is a lot of work to do what we are doing and doing a UA-cam Channel has his learning curve so best of luck in your journey. But I would love to see pics and chat. Best wishes Lo Duke
What a great video, we love your honesty. Our intention was always to video our cabin adventures. We know how much it can cost.you have done a remarkable job on a budget, be proud of what you have accomplished 👏
Thank you guys 😊 Having this channel is a wonderful blessing. Interacting with other like minded folks and having documentation of our journey is great. The time involved can be a little overwhelming at times and makes me question myself....but hoping it will be worth all the hard work. Best wishes guys
Awesome property Awesome Cabin great Job Both of you. My wife are planning to do this to. Thank you for the video’s. Awesome merry Christmas and happy New Year’s
Our pleasure! thank you for the support. Happy holidays and best of luck to you two in your journey
hi, you spent your money the right way and moreover your little house is superb live well on your property, bravo, bravo
Thanks Michel
I live in central Alberta, Canada, so the cost of everything is different though $50,000+ is certainly reasonable. I enjoyed several of your videos tonight, Liked, Subscribed and commented. Keep smiling Jen and keep making great deals Jay.
So awesome Louise.....thank you for the support. Glad you enjoyed our videos. Best wishes
Super informative video. Loved it!! Thank you!
Thanks Jeff, glad to hear it
Very interesting info guys. We paid way more for our sawmill. We were trying so many different manufacturers in 2021 and unfortunately everyone was backordered. We finally found TMG which is a lesser known company from BC. At that point we didn't even care anymore and had it delivered within 10 days! So expensive...but it's more than paid for itself now so I try not to think about it! lol
Ya we wanted a woodland mills originally, but they were back ordered too and that was the trend that year. So we got the frotnier....but very happy with it
Nice breakdown on the whole build so far. Tools are a must but I don't see any toys but the snowmobile, even that was a tool at one point! 50 grand ain't bad at all!!! Really what I would like you to figure out is the labor bill for the work y'all put into this very nice and unique "HOMESTEAD"! Try figuring that cost out!? Good presentation on y'alls build+
🐶 👋 👍 😎 🚜 🚜
HA!!! Labor Bill....ONE MILLION DOLLARS, lol....maybe TWO MILL. I'm glad you know that these machines are tools my friend....you can make it happen without, but it would take twice as long.
Thanks for all the info.
Very good info, thanks. Without being too specific, perhaps you could touch on both your regular jobs. Did this help with your cabin building knowledge, experience etc? Cheers from north of the border.
Hey James....Thanks for watching. Jen and I both work for ourselves. Jen Teaches online and works here at the off grid property very often. I'm a service tech and my business is somewhat seasonal here so I work more in the Spring, part time in summer and more in the fall. This build has taught us a lot.....Things are way more Simple in your head than in real lIfe, LOL
@@OffgridwithJayandJen Thanks for the info. There's snow on the ground up here, stay warm!
You guys are doing great! What a great deal on your land, much more expensive over here in NW Wis. we paid close to 3k per acre for ours but also have a nice little trout creek running through.
Thanks guys, That is one thing we are missing and wishing we had is water. The river is not too far from us and all on public land....but still would be great to have easy water feet away. 3k per acre is still manageable if it is nice land and offers you what you want and need right??? Having Timber/mature trees was something that was important to us....you can buy clear cut land here for a thousand per acre if it is cleared, but that is no fun, LOL
3k per acre? That'd be amazing. Try 12k per acre in SC.
Ya if close to a more populated area waterfront is pricey.....out in the sticks on a random river.....3k is a good deal still
you are such nice people. what a nice house you have built. I looked at it with admiration. I am a carpenter in the Netherlands myself. 😁👍
Thank you! 😃 Best wishes to you Gio Gio. glad you enjoyed the video
I thought I was the only guy saving cash for good deals but you are blessed also your a good man !
Thank you my friend, not a money rich man, but blessed with lots of other things
New to your channel, love the content will for sure follow
Thank you so much Mary, appreciate the support. Merry Christmas
love you guys! Totally candid.
😊 glad you enjoyed it my friend. Best wishes
Well done guys - thanks for sharing
Thanks and your welcome Lance.....Best wishes
Thank you both of you for you hard work and being an example of motivation to build a dream. My wife and I have the same and somewhat similar plan to to do the same except on a tropical island, which the process has somewhat begun, same hard work and planning, different temperate zone. Mahalo for all your efforts. *Aloha
Sounds fantastic Lenny, please make sure you keep us updated once in a while. Thank you for being here and for your kind words. Happy holidays
Welcome to you too.
That was awesome budget great job I just jumped on your channel two days ago awesome channel👌
Thanks Dave, we have a lot of fun videos from the last couple years, hope you enjoy. Getting back on a normal schedule soon. Best wishes
That's dirt cheap for what you have. Resale would be considerably more!! Great investment.
Thanks buddy
Off grid with Jay and Jen if you search thru the youtuber, Bushradical, he talks about their three? Properties in Alaska, two properties in da U P! And property in upper lower peninsula Michigan. All purchased with cash
@@welderman1221 Hey.....we are big Fans of Dave and Brook. Their straight forward approach has helped us a lot in our journey here.
Loved the video! Thank you 😊
Thanks Paul
That is Great thank you for sharing. I live in Michigan, just subscribed. 😊
Awesome.....glad to have you here. ❤️
Good job 👌💕
Thanks 😄
Awesome job guys , love your property !!
That land price is unbelievable compared to the jacked up prices per acre here in north alabama for sure
Prices can be crazy here too....but the off grid, hard to get to part makes it pretty affordable.
Oh! I just asked about the cost. Thank you for this video
awesome...so glad you found it. We make sure to search hard for cheap materials. So if you are planning on a a build then start collecting when you find good deals, it helps a lot.
Very informative video! Again, very nice job. GOD bless. JC
THank you JC
We don't want to keep on paying bills. 😒 living simple and off the grid is way to go. Nice tractor by the way. Looks antique
Thank you....the daily grind of an in town life an get overwhelming, not that being off grid isn't a TON of work, but it is satisfying work
Good luck guys.
Thanks
18 acres on the river near Big Rapids and Grand Rapids $54k including the Right of. Way that connects both parcels into one big parcel ! 480 foot of river frontage and a log cabin with Polebarn on 18 acres private right of way
That sounds like the deal of a lifetime. Better buy it
Good info on costs. I love your sawmill and want to get one for my property to help with cabin build. Only issue is my property is really hilly with only access by a side by side.
Saw mills are an awesome asset, but would be a bit tough to take back that far. You could definitely take it back in multiple trips before assembling it
@@OffgridwithJayandJen Agreed. I looked into several a few months ago and everything was backordered 12-16 weeks minimum.
@@TheOffGridExperience if you have the extra money and the trees to mill..consider it. Maybe Santa will bring you one, lol.
Closing on 5.4 acres of woods next month.! 👍🦅🇺🇸
Woot Woot.....very exciting. Best f luck. Check us out on Facebook Facebook send s some photos, we love to share back and forth over there.
Love the cabin. You have a beautiful view.
Hey, thanks Bryan. Best wishes
Very smart not to cheap out on your stove and pipes, can be life saving in more than 1 way guys, luv how open u are about ur costs too Jay & Jen, solar seems to be one of the bigger expenses I figure, here in Nova Scotia Canada I have to pretty much double the prices in my head lol, luv ur vids as much as Jeremy & Ashley in NB MBF
Hey, thanks Daryl.....you are right, solar was a big chunk of money. You could do it cheaper but we didn't want to regret buying smaller stuff and have to rebuy stuff
Thanks for the breakdown there eh! and putting everything into perspective... some ppl spend and waste money on different things I think it's important to spend money on tangible assets, I have been buying and stock piling the same things as you guys for the past 6 years and glad I did as the cost of everything is going crazy... even used stuff is insane looked a 1984 1 ton truck today asking price $9500.00 and it will be gone in no time... you guys where smart to start accumulating when you did congrats...
You got that right buddy. Getting Tools and anything Tangible ASAP put us in a little bit of a crunch....I knew the market was going to go crazy so buying things a couple years ago ended up being the right move but it is always hard to part with money.....especially when you are lower income like Jen and Myself. Everything is working out though. 40 year old truck for nearly 10 K.......insane
Nicely done. With tne machines you have obtained and setting outside rusting. I would suggest a shop barn sooner than later.
Thanks, we are hoping to build something next summer. Best wishes
Love what you guys are building. We are from MI as well and love the views you have. As you know most of MI is flat and very few nice areas like yours. Can you say which city is near by? We have been looking in the Grayling area for land.
Great video!
Thank you Sir......glad you enjoyed it.