The family of four who 'went off the grid' to become fully self-sufficient, spending just $45k a year... and that INCLUDES vacations

By Olivia Fleming

PUBLISHED: 12:00 EST, 5 November 2012 | UPDATED: 16:27 EST, 5 November 2012

A couple who decided to unplug themselves from consumer culture have revealed how they became fully self-sufficient, spending less than $45,000 per year while raising two young children.

Shannon Hayes from upstate New York decided the family needed to cut costs when her husband Bob Hooper was fired from his job as a county planner.

Together, they can fruits and vegetables, make their own clothes, barter, go to the grocery store once a month while raising their own grassfed lamb, beef, pork, and poultry, and homeschool their daughters.

Radical homemakers: Shannon Hayes from upstate New York decided her family needed to cut costs when her husband was fired from his job as a county planner

Radical homemakers: Shannon Hayes from upstate New York decided her family needed to cut costs when her husband was fired from his job as a county planner

Ms Hayes, who idles their one car, a Toyota RAV4, several days a week, told Phily.com: 'I burn wood, use solar panels, I'm usually barefoot.

'It is essential for everyone to be at least halfway radical,' she added. 'By not being that, that's how our country got into trouble, by everyone thinking someone else would take care of things.'

 

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The author, who has even spent some six-months vacationing in France over the last two years with her family on their $45,000 budget, added: 'It's joyful. We have time for vacations, canoe trips, afternoon swims and naps, and even evening cocktails.'

According to the Economic Policy Institute, annual living expenses for a four-person family in New York State averaged $71,913 in 2008 - not including luxury expenses, such as vacations.

Self-sufficient: Ms Hayes, who idles the family's one car, a Toyota RAV4, several days a week, said, 'I burn wood, use solar panels, I'm usually barefoot'

Self-sufficient: Ms Hayes, who is married to Bob Hooper (middle) said, 'I burn wood, use solar panels, I'm usually barefoot'

Joyful life: The author, who has spent six-months vacationing in France with her family in the past two years, said 'We have time for vacations, canoe trips, afternoon swims and naps, and even evening cocktails'

Joyful life: The author, who has spent six-months vacationing in France with her family in the past two years, said 'We have time for vacations, canoe trips, afternoon swims and naps, and even evening cocktails'

This average is made up of necessities for a family with two children, covering housing costs, food, child care, transportation, health care, and taxes.

In contrast, Ms Hayes' family of four have been 'off the grid' since 2010, hope that the way they live - where $45,000 a year covers all these necessary expenses, plus luxuries - will start a movement.

Ms Hayes is the author of four books: The Grassfed Gourmet; Farmer and the Grill; Radical Homemakers and Long Way on a Little: An Earth Lover's Companion for Enjoying Meat; and Pinching Pennies and Living Deliciously.

She then decided to self-publish a book called Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture, which includes lessons in self-sufficiency in a modern age.

Back to basics: The family can fruits and vegetables, make their own clothes, go to the grocery store once a month, barter and homeschool their daughters; Ms Hayes wrote about the experience in a self published book
Back to basics: The family can fruits and vegetables, make their own clothes, go to the grocery store once a month, barter and homeschool their daughters; Ms Hayes wrote about the experience in a self published book

Back to basics: The family can fruits and vegetables, make their own clothes, go to the grocery store once a month, barter and homeschool their daughters; Ms Hayes wrote about the experience in a self published book

For the book, the couple travelled around the U.S. with their children, interviewing hundreds of men and women in all age demographics who were living without the consumer comforts many people think are necessary.

Ms Hayes said: 'Some gardened in city plots or suburban backyards. Some were wizards at car repair. They sewed, made furniture, played music or wrote. All of them could cook. None of them did everything.'

Following four specific pillars, 'ecological sustainability, social justice, family, and community,' the book aims to inspire others to follow in Ms Hayes' ecological footsteps.

The book's description writes: 'It explores what domesticity looks like in an era that has benefited from feminism, where domination and oppression are cast aside and where the choice to stay home is no longer equated with mind-numbing drudgery, economic insecurity, or relentless servitude.'

 
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$45,000 is actually a nice sum to live off of per year in this recession.

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Okay, what the heck did they spend $45 thousand dollars on, then?

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I don't understand what the big deal is. I have lived on less than $45K a year for my entire adult life and I had a family, a car, a home AND shoes. This story isn't remarkable. Lots of people live on much, much less.

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45k is a lot of money if you live in another country. With this money, you can take vacation in a paradise in Thailand for the entire year with all food and fun you can get!!

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Just 45K a year? How frugal.

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Since when is 45k self sufficient ? - Llamalove , Ca, United States, 05/11/2012 23:28 Since Ben Bernanke devalued the dollar with QE 1, 2 and perma-QE, faux Stimulus etc, but I take your point. Even debased $45,000. is not exactly living in an Amish paradise.

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Living on that amount in upstate New York is nothing to be proud of. Many in upstate New York live on a lot less without any government help.

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This article is hilarious. Try being in my brother's shoes. He & his wife, twin 15 year old sons & an 8 yr old are getting by on $25,000/year after paying health insurance premiums and taxes. No help from the gov't. Then there's the house payment, groceries, car insurance, and so on.

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We are ON grid and get by just fine on about $14K a year after taxes (we own a small business) and we live very well indeed. Home paid for, vehicles paid for, and no debt other than the few meager utilties we use, some insurance, and basic healthcare. Like someone else here said, where's MY story? No, we don't take exotic vacations around the world, but we do travel some around the US on our earnings. We also raise much of our food, can/dehydrate, I sew and recycle, refurbish, and reclaim everything I can. My husband is an excellent mechanic and welder/fabricator. We have learned how to build things. But most importantly, we are extremely careful with how we spend our money. So why is no one beating a path to my door for an interview? Guess I'm not earthy-crunchy enough. Maybe if I take off my shoes and go barefoot all the time...

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Since when is 45k self sufficient ?

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