Off-gridder explains how they made dream come true without buying land: 'Sometimes it's not about saving up enough money'
A TikTok video is showing viewers a refreshing path to off-grid living — one that doesn't require buying property or going it alone.
In the video, river (@a.river.dreaming) walks through her everyday setup on a rural compound, where she lives in a cozy yurt, cooks in an outdoor kitchen, and shares the land with her dog and a close-knit community.
She explains that she spent a decade living in a major city before realizing she could build a simpler, more sustainable life in a place where she already felt connected.
"I pay rent here, but I only pay $500 a month, which is cheaper than I paid for rent anywhere in my entire life," she says in the video. That lower cost of living allowed her to finally "live within [her] means" and pay off roughly $15,000 in credit card debt.
Crucially, none of it required owning land. Instead, she joined a friend's family community after years of volunteering on the farm, expecting nothing in return.
When she later went through a divorce, she was invited to move out and build a life there. "Sometimes it's not about saving up enough money to buy the land," she explained. "Sometimes it's about figuring out who already has … acres, and connecting with them."
Her story highlights a growing trend: people finding stability, affordability, and purpose through communal or shared-land living.
Off-grid setups typically use less resources and consume far less energy than conventional housing — helping support a cooler, cleaner future.
Her experience is part of a wider trend of people finding creative ways to live simply and sustainably.
One artist on a remote Caribbean island has shared how they rely on rainwater stored in large cisterns to stay resilient through long dry seasons, while a couple living in a converted school bus have shown how an efficient mini-split system helps them stay comfortable using far less power. These examples highlight how many people are rethinking what's possible outside traditional housing.
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Commenters were all in.
"This is the coolest thing ever," one person wrote.
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"I'm doing the same thing … I would be on the streets if I didn't live here," another TikTok user shared.
One commenter summed up the spirit of the clip simply: "It's the best ever!!"
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