We sold everything and bought £5k shed to live off-grid – its amazing

11/25/2023

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A couple decided to sell all of their belongings and live in tiny, off-grid "shed" in the woods instead – and now live debt-free.

John Kernohan, 61, and his wife, Fin, 44, met online in 2010 and fell head over heels in love, despite living more than 4,000 miles apart. John, from Miami, Florida, US, asked Fin, originally from Thailand but living in London, to join him in the States after they tied the knot in 2012.

Fin, who's always up for an adventure, had previously lived on a narrowboat and in an attic, as well as being a keen camper. She suggested they sell John's roomy Miami property and move into something cosier – like an off-grid cabin.

READ MORE: 'We ditched our jobs to live off-grid in snowy paradise – it saves us £2k on bills'

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They flogged nearly all their stuff and moved into a 304 square-foot shed that cost them $6,500 (£5,200). The couple then splashed out another $6,000 (£4,800) kit it out with furniture and electrics – plus some special features.

Even though it's only 304-square feet, their quirky home has a bathroom that doubles as a greenhouse, and an outdoor kitchen with a pond full of Koi Carp.

John and Fin have been living their unique off-grid life for 12 years – expanding their land as they go. The couple, who now host short-term getaways and organise events, want to show that "it's possible to live off-grid without roughing it."

John said: "Fin made it clear when she came over to the States that she didn't like how big it was. She said she wanted us to build our own home together – when she sets her mind to something, that's the way it is.

"We sold pretty much all our belongs we had in Miami and in London and bought our first shed."

After six months, John thought they'd made a mistake due to lack of space, but now, 12 years later, he loves their tiny home.

The couple, who lived on opposite sides of the world, travelled between Miami and London while dating. They once rented a narrowboat to live on together in the UK, which they enjoyed.

When Fin visited John's three-bed Miami home, she wasn't keen on the size. John recalled: "We had a joke conversation where she said 'I don't know where this relationship is going, but I'm never going to clean this place'."

John joked about hiring a housekeeper, but Fin suggested getting somewhere smaller. "The seed was planted," he said.

In 2013, Fin moved to the US to live with John permanently. She convinced him to go off-grid by saying 'I love the man you are when we're out in the woods'. They started by leasing a plot of land for $1,200 (£960).

Soon, they were moving into their first shared home. They splashed out $6,000 on the cabin's plumbing, electrics and insulation, before decking it out with furniture and moving in for good.

The couple live off-grid, relying on solar and thermal energy, and even use a biogas system to create cooking gas from non-compostable waste like leftover meat.

Despite its size, they've made their home uniquely theirs, adding personal touches over the years like a greenhouse bathroom and kitchen. Their kitchen even boasts ponds filled with seven Koi Carp and eight other tropical fish.

Over time, they bought their land outright and snapped up adjoining plots as they came up for sale. They now own a whopping 16 acres of land, having spent $83,000 (£65,000) on it, which included an extra building and a well.

As their space expanded, they started adding separate cabins, domes, tiny houses and a yurt – which they now rent out on Airbnb. This has become their main source of income, raking in between $3,000 (£2,400) to $5,000 (£4,000) a month.

It's been 12 years since they moved in and they couldn't be happier, living debt-free without the need for a mortgage. They even host 'tiny house festivals' for fellow off-grid enthusiasts, as well as workshops and other events at their homestead.

John admitted: "When we started out, I thought we made a mistake because we were always on top of each other and never had any space. She said 'if you want space, we have acres and acres out there, go take a walk'.

"I realised she was right, it's what you make of the space, not its size – personal space doesn't have to be a room.

"If we ever get annoyed at each other, we just get over it real quick – we resolve the negative vibe and move on. We have friends in big houses near us on the lake and we go there for parties – but now I can't believe we used to live that way."

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Fin added: "When I met John I already knew how I wanted to live my life and it wasn't that hard to convince him. As a hunter he's always in the woods, so I sort of knew he'd like it.

"If he didn't, he'd have to! When I have a vision, you're with me or you're out! Every single morning when I get up, I'm like 'Man, I am living a dream – this is how I envisioned I'd live my life'."

* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up Daily Star's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]

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