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Hank MercerAn Almanac

I cut my living costs to $40 a week, off the grid

Nine years ago I retired to 12 acres in Idaho with no power line and no debt. I built every system myself for under $8,000. Now I live on $2,080 a year — and I'm going to show you exactly how I did it.

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93PROVEN METHODS
$40WEEKLY COST
9YEARS OFF-GRID
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Hank Mercer
No power bill for nine years. No regrets. Just systems that work.Hank Mercer · Northern Idaho
Power Without the Grid
01 · Power Without the Grid
Water: Harvest, Store, Filter, Heat
02 · Water: Harvest, Store, Filter, Heat
Heat and Insulation
03 · Heat and Insulation
Food Production
04 · Food Production
I.
The manual

Everything I built, in one book

This manual gives you 93 step-by-step methods to eliminate utility bills, grow and preserve your own food, build and repair essential systems, and live comfortably on a fraction of what most families spend — all tested over nine years on…

93numbered methods, each with the materials, the steps and an honest note
14areas covered, each with its own numbered methods, from power without the grid to security and resilience
111pages. Read it on any phone or computer, or print it for the kitchen table
What you get for $47
The $40 Off-Grid Manual$47
Off-Grid Startup Roadmap$29
Tool and Material Sourcing Guide$21
Solar System Sizing Calculator$19
Weekly Budget Tracker$17
Total value$133
$47$75launch price
GET THE MANUAL · $47
111 pages · Instant access · Lifetime updates · 7-day refund
II.
The math

What it costs you now — and after.

Before — a typical year
Electric bill$1,680
Propane heating$1,400
Water & sewer$840
Groceries (family)$9,600
Fuel & vehicle$3,200
Maintenance & repairs$1,800
Internet & phone$1,200
Annual$19,720
After — running the methods
Electric bill$0
Propane heating$200
Water & sewer$0
Groceries (family)$2,400
Fuel & vehicle$1,200
Maintenance & repairs$600
Internet & phone$600
Annual$5,000
$14,720Kept: about $14,720 a year, at these numbers.

Based on my actual spending over nine years on a 12-acre homestead in northern Idaho. Your numbers will vary by family size and location.

III.
What's inside

Exactly what you get for $47.

93 numbered methods across 14 sections. Each one: the materials with current prices, the step-by-step, and an honest note on what it does and doesn't do. Pick the methods that fit your place — you don't have to do all of them.

Power Without the Grid — 8 methods

Run your home year-round for under $3,000 total investment

  1. 01The 400-Watt Starter Array That Powers a Cabin
  2. 02Battery Bank Sizing for Three Cloudy Days
  3. 03The $90 Charge Controller Rule
  4. 04Mounting Panels on a Ground Rack with Salvaged Pipe
+ 4 more in the book
Water: Harvest, Store, Filter, Heat — 7 methods

Catch, filter, and heat water with no monthly bill

  1. 01Gutters and Downspouts That Catch 600 Gallons per Inch of Rain
  2. 02The 275-Gallon Tote Tank System
  3. 03Whole-House Filtration with Two Canisters
  4. 04The Solar Batch Heater That Saves Propane
+ 3 more in the book
Heat and Insulation — 7 methods

Stay warm all winter for $200 using wood and insulation

  1. 01The $400 Barrel Stove That Heats 800 Square Feet
  2. 02Cutting and Stacking Three Cords for Winter
  3. 03Thermal Mass: The Concrete Floor That Stores Heat
  4. 04Window Insulation with Shrink Film and Quilts
+ 3 more in the book
Food Production — 8 methods

Grow most of your food on a quarter-acre lot

  1. 01The 2,000-Square-Foot Garden Layout
  2. 02Soil Building with Compost and Cover Crops
  3. 03Seed Saving and the $12 Annual Seed Bill
  4. 04Drip Irrigation on a Gravity Timer
+ 4 more in the book
Food Preservation — 7 methods

Keep your pantry full all winter without waste

  1. 01Pressure Canning Meat and Beans
  2. 02Water-Bath Canning for Tomatoes and Pickles
  3. 03Solar Dehydrating Apples and Jerky
  4. 04Fermenting Sauerkraut and Kimchi in Jars
+ 3 more in the book
Building and Shelter — 7 methods

Build sheds and coops from salvaged materials for under $500

  1. 01The 10×12 Tool Shed from Salvaged Lumber
  2. 02Post-and-Beam Framing Without Power Tools
  3. 03Metal Roofing That Lasts 40 Years
  4. 04The Pallet Chicken Coop
+ 3 more in the book
Waste and Sanitation — 6 methods

Eliminate septic costs and turn waste into resources

  1. 01The Sawdust Toilet That Doesn't Smell
  2. 02Hot Composting for Pathogen Kill
  3. 03Greywater Branched-Drain System
  4. 04The Burn Barrel for Burnables
+ 2 more in the book
Tools and Maintenance — 7 methods

The 30 tools you need and how to keep them sharp

  1. 01The $200 Hand-Tool Kit
  2. 02Sharpening Chisels and Plane Irons on a Stone
  3. 03Chain Saw Maintenance Every 10 Hours
  4. 04The Anvil and the Forge You Build from Scrap
+ 3 more in the book
Cooking and Baking Off-Grid — 7 methods

Cook and bake for $15 a month using propane and wood

  1. 01The Two-Burner Propane Stove
  2. 02Baking Bread in a Dutch Oven on Coals
  3. 03The Solar Oven That Reaches 300°F
  4. 04Cast-Iron Cooking and Seasoning
+ 3 more in the book
Livestock and Land Management — 7 methods

Raise meat and manage pasture without breaking the budget

  1. 01Rotational Grazing with Portable Fence
  2. 02The $300 Hog Tractor
  3. 03Rabbit Breeding for Meat
  4. 04Electric Fence on Solar Power
+ 3 more in the book
Vehicles and Fuel — 6 methods

Keep one reliable truck running for under $100 a month

  1. 01The $3,000 Diesel Truck
  2. 02Oil Changes and Fluid Checks Every 5,000 Miles
  3. 03Running Biodiesel from Waste Vegetable Oil
  4. 04Propane Conversion for Backup Fuel
+ 2 more in the book
Money and Barter — 6 methods

Track every dollar and eliminate debt in two years

  1. 01The Envelope Budget System
  2. 02Debt Snowball: Pay Off the Smallest First
  3. 03Barter Network for Skills and Materials
  4. 04The $1,000 Emergency Fund
+ 2 more in the book
Communication and Connectivity — 4 methods

Stay connected in remote locations for under $50 monthly

  1. 01Satellite Internet for Remote Locations
  2. 02The Cell-Signal Booster That Works
  3. 03Ham Radio for Emergency Communication
  4. 04Low-Data Browsing and Offline Maps
Security and Resilience — 6 methods

Build redundancy into every system and prepare for failures

  1. 01Perimeter Fencing and Gate Locks
  2. 02The Backup Plan for Every System
  3. 03Three Months of Shelf-Stable Food
  4. 04First-Aid Kit and the Skills to Use It
+ 2 more in the book
IV.
Reader results

What people did with it.

★★★★★
I followed Hank's solar setup in Section 1 and spent $780. My power bill went from $140 a month to zero. The system paid for itself in six months.
— Tom R., Kalispell, MT
★★★★★
We built the root cellar and preserved 400 pounds of potatoes and carrots. No more $200 grocery runs in January — just walk downstairs and fill a basket.
— Linda K., Asheville, NC
★★★★★
The barrel stove heated my 900-square-foot cabin all winter. I burned three cords and spent $200 total. Hank's plans are clear and they work.
Hank Mercer
V.
About the author

Hank Mercer

I'm Hank Mercer. I spent 22 years in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before I retired to 12 acres of timber in northern Idaho. I built my cabin from reclaimed materials and installed every system myself — solar power, rainwater catchment, wood heat, and a quarter-acre garden. I haven't paid a power bill in nine years. I live on $40 a week and I don't owe anyone a dime. I share what I've learned on my YouTube channel Off-Grid Veteran. I believe in doing things once, doing them right, and never buying what you can build yourself. This manual is everything I know, tested over nine years.

VI.
Order

$47 once. No subscription. Yours forever.

Read the manual for 7 days. Build a system. If it doesn't work or save you money, email me and I'll refund every dollar. No forms, no questions.

🔒 Secure checkout · Visa · Mastercard · PayPal · 7-day refund

What you get for $47
The $40 Off-Grid Manual$47
Off-Grid Startup Roadmap$29
Tool and Material Sourcing Guide$21
Solar System Sizing Calculator$19
Weekly Budget Tracker$17
Total value$133
$47$75launch price
GET THE MANUAL · $47
111 pages · Instant access · Lifetime updates · 7-day refund
VII.
Questions

Before you decide.

Do I need to own land to use these methods?

Most methods apply to any rural property — rented or owned. Start with the power, water, and food-production sections. Building projects require landowner permission.

How much does it cost to go off-grid?

You can start with $1,500 for basic solar and water systems. A full setup — power, heat, water, and food production — runs $5,000 to $8,000 if you build it yourself. Hank shows you how to source materials used and phase the work.

Can I do this without construction experience?

Yes. Hank writes for beginners and includes step-by-step instructions, measurements, and photos. If you can use a drill and a saw, you can build these systems.

Will this work in my climate?

The methods are tested in Idaho (cold winters, hot summers) and adapt to zones 3–8. Hank includes climate notes for southern and northern readers.

How long does it take to see savings?

Immediate. The first week you'll cut your power or water bill. Within six months, most readers save $300 to $600 a month. Full energy independence takes 12 to 18 months.

Is this book about survivalism or prepping?

No. It's about reducing costs and living independently using proven systems. The focus is daily life, not disaster scenarios.

Last call

Launch price ends at 500 copies

After that, the manual goes to $67 and the bonuses disappear. Get it now for $47 and start building your off-grid systems this weekend.

GET THE MANUAL · $47