How Live Off The Grid handles the limited information you share: in plain terms, I collect only what I need to reply to you and send the newsletter you asked for, I never sell your data, and I keep things deliberately minimal.

Last updated: August 24, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Live Off The Grid (liveoffthegrid.com) collects, uses, and protects information when you visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter, or send me a message through my contact form. I am an independent information website focused on off-grid living topics such as solar power, water systems, homesteading, and self-sufficiency skills. I am not a service business. I do not provide quotes, bookings, installations, or any home services, and I do not have a "service area." This policy applies to liveoffthegrid.com and the email newsletter I send from it.

Who I Am and Scope of This Policy

Live Off The Grid is an independently run website and newsletter that publishes articles, guides, and resources about off-grid and self-sufficient living. I also participate in affiliate marketing programs, which means some links on my site may earn me a commission if you make a purchase through them. This policy covers the personal information I collect through the website itself (including my contact form), my email newsletter, and general technical data gathered as visitors browse the site. It does not cover the practices of third-party websites, retailers, or services I link to, which maintain their own privacy policies.

Information I Collect

I try to keep the information I collect to what is reasonably necessary to run the site and communicate with readers. This generally includes:

• Contact form messages. If you use my contact page to send me a message, I collect the name, email address, and any other information you choose to include in your message so I can read and respond to it.
• Newsletter email address. If you choose to subscribe to my email newsletter, I collect the email address you provide, along with the date you subscribed and, where available, general engagement information such as whether an email was opened or a link was clicked.
• Technical and log data. Like most websites, my servers and service providers automatically log certain technical information when you visit, including your IP address (which can indicate an approximate geographic location such as city or region, not a precise address), browser type, device type, referring page, pages viewed, and timestamps.
• Cookies and similar technologies. I and my service providers use cookies and similar tools to support basic site functionality, remember preferences, and gather aggregate analytics about how the site is used.
• Aggregate analytics data. I review traffic and usage statistics in aggregate, meaning I look at overall patterns rather than trying to identify individual visitors.

I do not knowingly collect sensitive categories of personal information, such as financial account details, government identification numbers, or health information, through my site.

How I Use Your Information

I use the information described above for straightforward, limited purposes:

• To reply to messages you send me through the contact form.
• To send my email newsletter, but only to people who have affirmatively opted in to receive it.
• To understand, in aggregate, how visitors find and use the site, so I can improve content, fix technical issues, and see which topics are helpful.
• To maintain the security, integrity, and normal technical operation of the website.
• To comply with legal obligations where applicable.

I do not use contact form submissions or newsletter sign-ups to build detailed personal profiles, and I do not use your information for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects on you.

Legal Bases for Processing (EU/UK Readers)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or another region with similar data protection laws, I rely on the following legal bases under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or UK GDPR to process your personal information:

• Consent. When you subscribe to my newsletter, you are giving consent for me to email you. You can withdraw this consent at any time by unsubscribing.
• Legitimate interests. I rely on my legitimate interest in operating, securing, and improving my website when I process technical log data and aggregate analytics, and when I respond to contact form messages you have sent me. I consider these interests balanced against your rights and have taken care not to use intrusive tracking beyond what is reasonably needed.
• Legal obligation. In limited circumstances I may process information to comply with a legal requirement.

I do not rely on automated profiling or special category data processing that would require additional legal bases.

I Do Not Sell Personal Information

I do not sell your personal information, and I do not share your contact form messages or newsletter email address with third parties for their own independent marketing purposes. Any sharing I do is limited to the service providers described below, who process information on my behalf, or as otherwise described in this policy.

Cookies, Analytics, and Your Browser Controls

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help websites function and help site owners understand usage patterns. I use cookies and comparable technologies for basic site operation and for aggregate analytics, such as understanding how many people visit particular articles or which pages are popular.

You can control or limit cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View which cookies are stored and delete them individually or all at once.
• Block third-party cookies while allowing first-party cookies.
• Block all cookies from being set, though this may affect how some site features work.
• Browse in a private or incognito window that limits cookie retention after your session ends.

Because browser settings vary, I recommend checking your specific browser's help documentation for exact steps. Blocking cookies entirely should not prevent you from reading my articles, though some preference-related features may not work as expected.

Affiliate Links

Live Off The Grid participates in affiliate marketing programs. This means some links in my articles point to retailers or product pages, and if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. When you click an affiliate link, the retailer (not Live Off The Grid) typically sets its own referral or tracking cookie in your browser so it can attribute the purchase back to my site. I do not control these cookies, and I do not receive your payment details or other personal purchase information from the retailer beyond, at most, confirmation that a referred transaction occurred.

Once you leave my site through an affiliate link, the retailer's own privacy policy governs how they collect and use your information. I encourage you to review the privacy policy of any retailer or service before making a purchase or providing personal information.

Member Accounts and Community Areas

If you create a free membership account, I collect and store the account information you provide: your email address, a display name, a password (stored as a salted hash, never in plain text), and any optional profile fields you fill in. If you use the community areas, I also store the content you submit: forum posts and replies, classified ads, real estate listings, personals profiles, and any photos you attach.

What is public. Content you post in the forum, classifieds, real estate, and personals areas is public: anyone on the internet can read it, and search engines can index it. Your email address is never shown publicly. Treat anything you post as public information, and do not post details (your exact address, daily schedule, photos that reveal your location) that you would not hand to a stranger.

Moderation and retention. I keep moderation records (what was removed and why) so decisions can be reviewed. Account data is kept while your account is active. If you delete your account, or ask me to, your profile and login data are removed promptly and your posts and listings can be removed on request; short-lived backups age out on their own schedule.

Where it lives. Account and community data is stored in this site's own database on its hosting provider's servers in the United States, alongside the rest of the site. It is not shared with or sold to anyone, and the third-party services described elsewhere in this policy (email delivery, analytics) do not receive your community content.

The Email Newsletter and Unsubscribing

My newsletter is sent only to readers who have opted in, typically by submitting their email address through a sign-up form on the site. Every newsletter email includes a one-click unsubscribe link. Clicking it will remove you from my mailing list, generally within a short processing window handled automatically by my email delivery provider. You will not receive further newsletter emails after unsubscribing, though I may still need to retain a minimal record (such as a suppressed email address) to ensure I do not accidentally re-add you later.

Third-Party Service Providers

I use a small number of third-party service providers to run the website and newsletter. In general terms, these providers fall into categories such as:

• Web hosting. A hosting provider stores my website files and serves pages to visitors, which involves processing technical log data such as IP addresses.
• Email delivery. A third-party email service sends my newsletter and manages subscriber lists, unsubscribes, and basic delivery statistics.
• Analytics. An analytics provider helps me understand aggregate traffic patterns, such as page views and general visitor locations.

These providers process information on my behalf under their own security and privacy practices, and I choose providers that offer reasonable safeguards. I do not name every provider here because vendors can change over time, but I aim to work only with reputable, widely used services.

How Long I Keep Information

I retain information only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy:

• Contact form messages are generally kept long enough to address your inquiry and for a reasonable period afterward for my records, then deleted or archived.
• Newsletter email addresses are kept for as long as you remain subscribed, and for a limited period afterward in suppressed form once you unsubscribe, so I can honor your opt-out.
• Technical server logs are typically retained for a limited period for security and troubleshooting purposes before being rotated out or deleted.
• Aggregate analytics data may be retained longer since it does not identify individuals.

How I Protect Information

I take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the information I hold, including limiting who can access contact form submissions and subscriber lists, using reputable service providers with their own security practices, and avoiding unnecessary collection of sensitive data. No website or email system can guarantee perfect security, but I work to keep the information I hold reasonably safe and to minimize what I collect in the first place.

Your Choices and Privacy Rights

Regardless of where you live, I aim to honor reasonable privacy requests from all my readers. Depending on your location, you may have specific legal rights, including under the GDPR and UK GDPR (for readers in the EU and UK) and various US state privacy laws (such as those in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, and others). In general, these rights can include:

• Access. The right to ask what personal information I hold about you.
• Correction. The right to ask me to correct inaccurate information.
• Deletion. The right to ask me to delete your personal information, such as removing your email from my newsletter list.
• Portability. The right to request a copy of certain information in a portable format.
• Opt out. The right to opt out of marketing emails at any time, and, where applicable under state law, the right to opt out of certain data "sales" or "sharing," though I do not sell personal information.
• Non-discrimination. The right not to be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights.

As a matter of practice, I extend these same choices to all readers who contact me, not only those covered by a specific law, because I believe reasonable privacy practices should apply consistently.

How to Make a Privacy Request

To make a request regarding your personal information, such as access, correction, deletion, or unsubscribing, please email me at mike@liveoffthegrid.com or use the contact page on my website. To help protect your information from being disclosed to the wrong person, I may ask you to confirm the email address associated with your request before I act on it. For most requests, such as removing an email address from my newsletter list, this confirmation step is simple and quick. I will respond to legitimate requests within a reasonable timeframe.

Complaints and Supervisory Authorities

If you are located in the EU or UK and believe I have not handled your personal information properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority. I would also welcome the chance to address your concern directly first, so please feel free to reach out to me using the contact details above before or alongside any formal complaint.

Children's Privacy

Live Off The Grid is intended for a general adult audience interested in off-grid living topics. My site and newsletter are not directed at children, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 13. If you believe a child has provided me with personal information, please contact me so I can delete it.

Links to Other Sites

My articles often link to other websites, including affiliate retailers, tool manufacturers, government resources, and other independent publishers. I am not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. I encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit after leaving liveoffthegrid.com.

Where Data Is Stored

My website, email newsletter platform, and related service providers generally store and process data in the United States. If you are accessing my site from outside the United States, please understand that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your home country.

Changes to This Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practices, my use of service providers, or applicable law. When I make changes, I will update the "last updated" date on this page. I encourage you to check back periodically if you would like to stay informed about how I handle information.

Contact Me

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how I handle your information, please email mike@liveoffthegrid.com or use the contact page. I am happy to help.

Related Pages on This Site

This policy sits alongside three other documents that together describe how the site operates. The Terms of Use cover the rules that apply when you read, post, or take part in the community areas. The Affiliate Disclosure explains in full where this site earns a commission and how that does and does not affect what is published. The Accessibility Statement covers how the site is built to be usable and how to report a problem with it.

If you are considering an account, the join page sets out exactly what is asked for and why: an email address that is never shown publicly, and a display name. Reading anything here needs no account at all, including the journal, the laws research, the calculators, the spec database, and the free course.

Two further pages describe how the published material is produced and corrected, which is a related kind of transparency. The methodology page sets out how research is done and sourced, and the corrections log records every change made to published material, with the date, rather than editing quietly.

This page is provided as general information about my privacy practices and does not constitute legal advice. If you have specific legal questions about your rights or my obligations, please consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.