Affiliate disclosure
Some links on this site may be affiliate links. If you buy through one I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what I recommend, and I tell you plainly when something is not worth buying.
What this means
Some of the links on this site may be affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, I may earn a small commission. It costs you nothing extra: the price is exactly the same as it would be if you went to the retailer directly. Any commissions simply help keep the site free and independent, and support the time it takes to research things properly.
My promise
An affiliate link never changes what I recommend. Recommendations here are based on careful research and an honest assessment of the options, and I tell you plainly when something is not worth buying, even when I could earn a commission on it. I am also upfront about the limits of that research and about tradeoffs. A recommendation you cannot trust is worth nothing to you or to me, so I protect that trust above any single sale.
Prices and availability
Prices and availability change constantly, so always confirm the current price on the retailer's site before you buy. I do not guarantee any price shown on this site.
Questions
If anything here is unclear, or you would like to know whether a specific link is an affiliate link, just ask me. You can also read my privacy policy and terms.
What an affiliate link actually is
An affiliate link is a regular link to a product or retailer that includes a small tracking code identifying it as coming from this site. If you click that link and buy something, the retailer may pay this site a small commission out of its own marketing budget. That's the entire mechanism. There is no markup added to what you pay, no hidden fee, and no separate charge tacked onto your order. The price you see at checkout is the same price anyone typing that retailer's name directly into their browser would see.
I want to be clear about the mechanics because "affiliate link" gets treated like a dirty phrase online, and it doesn't need to be. It's closer to a referral fee than a sales commission in the used car sense. Nobody is negotiating a cut of your specific purchase. The retailer sets one commission rate for a whole category of products, and it pays out the same whether the recommendation is honest or not. That last part matters, and I'll come back to it.
It costs you nothing extra
Clicking an affiliate link and buying through it does not cost you a cent more than buying the same item any other way. In some cases retailers run promotions or discount codes tied to affiliate traffic, which can occasionally make it slightly cheaper, but that's the exception, not the rule. The baseline promise is simple: your price is your price. The commission, if there is one, comes from the retailer's margin, not yours.
Where this site stands right now
As of this writing, Live Off The Grid is largely reader-first content without affiliate links woven through it. Most of what you'll find across the blog, including sections like solar power, water systems, and sanitation, was written to explain how things work and what tradeoffs to weigh, not to route you toward a purchase. That may change over time. As the site grows, it's likely that some product mentions will carry affiliate links to help cover the cost of research, hosting, and the time it takes to keep information current. When that happens, this page will be updated to reflect it, and any page carrying such links will say so plainly near the top.
I'd rather tell you where things stand honestly, including the parts that are still evolving, than pretend a fixed policy has been in place from day one when it hasn't.
The firm promise: commissions never drive recommendations
A commission will never be the reason something gets recommended on this site, and that's not a soft aspiration, it's a hard line. If a product is mediocre, overpriced for what it does, or simply wrong for off-grid use, the plan is to say so directly, whether or not an affiliate relationship exists with the retailer selling it. Plenty of gear marketed to homesteaders and off-gridders is genuinely bad fit for the job, oversold on capacity, undersized for real winter loads, or built for RV weekend trips rather than year-round grid independence. Calling that out clearly is more useful to you than staying quiet to protect a relationship, and it's also just the honest thing to do.
The test I hold this site to is this: would the recommendation be the same if there were no commission at all? If the answer is no, the recommendation doesn't belong on the page. That applies to everything from a specific inverter category to a composting toilet design to a water filtration approach discussed in the water section.
What "not worth buying" looks like in practice
Sometimes the most useful thing a piece of content can say is "skip this." That might mean a whole category of product is overkill for most people's needs, that a cheaper DIY approach covered in tools and self-reliance gets the job done just as well, or that a popular gadget solves a problem most off-gridders don't actually have. Readers planning a self-reliant life are usually working with a real budget and no patience for gear that ends up in a shed. Being told plainly what to skip is worth more than another glowing review, and that's the standard this site aims for.
How editorial independence is protected
Content gets written first from research and general engineering facts, not from what any retailer offers. The starting point for any piece is always the same question a reader planning an off-grid setup would ask: how does this actually work, what are the tradeoffs, and what does the climate, budget, or site conditions change about the answer. Product mentions, if and when they appear, get added afterward, and only where they genuinely illustrate a category or answer a "what should I actually look for" question. No retailer or brand gets input into what's written, no one previews content before publication, and no company pays for placement, favorable treatment, or a guaranteed mention. If that ever changes for any reason, this page will say so.
Prices and availability change, always verify at the retailer
Any price, availability, or spec mentioned on this site should be treated as a rough guide, not a guarantee, because retailers change prices and stock constantly and this content is not updated in real time. Before buying anything, check the current price and specifications directly on the retailer's page. This is just as true for general product categories discussed here (a 100 watt panel, a LiFePO4 battery bank, a gravity fed water filter) as it would be for anything more specific. Treat this site as a place to understand what you need and why, and treat the retailer's own listing as the source of truth for what you'll actually pay.
How this site makes money and stays honest
Right now, this site is primarily supported by the time and effort put into free content, with the goal of eventually adding modest, clearly labeled affiliate links and possibly other transparent revenue sources as it grows. The guiding principle is that revenue should never be worth trading away trust. A reader who plans a solar array, a septic alternative, or a heating system based on something read here is trusting that the information was written straight, and that trust is worth more long term than any single commission. Readers who want to know more about the people behind this site can visit the about page, and anyone starting from scratch is welcome to begin with the start here guide, which has no product links in it at all.
Common questions
How do I know if a specific link is an affiliate link?
Ask, and you'll get a straight answer. Reach out through the contact page with the specific page or link in question, and the reply will state plainly whether it's an affiliate link, what retailer it points to, and whether a commission applies. As the site adds more affiliate links over time, the goal is to also label them directly on the page itself so you don't have to ask at all.
Does an affiliate link change the price I pay?
No. The price at checkout is set by the retailer, not by this site, and clicking through an affiliate link doesn't add anything to that price. Any commission comes from the retailer's own margin.
Will this site ever recommend something it doesn't actually believe in?
No. If a product is a poor fit, overpriced, or simply not needed, that will be said directly, regardless of whether an affiliate relationship exists with the retailer. Commission potential is never allowed to be the deciding factor in a recommendation.
What should I do if a price mentioned here doesn't match what I see online?
Trust the retailer's current listing over anything written here. Prices and availability shift often, and this content is not a live price feed, so always verify details directly on the retailer's page before buying.