We need more videos on how to be SAFE. My daughter turned 18 and jumped into this lifestyle. She had a moderately successful channel for over 2 years that paid the bills. Things happened to her in the last few months of her travels that caused her to quit. My top advice for beginners: have a gun or knife handy and get some self defense training. Everyone talks about the planet fitness membership, I think the #1 membership people need is a Karate membership BEFORE they go on the road. #2 Park in safe places EVERY NIGHT, don't get too comfortable because nothing happened for hundreds of nights, all it takes is one bad night. A little advice from a heart broken father.
So sorry to hear that dad. I'm a mom and I get it. Sadly, daughters are often not safe housed either. One needs to be able to protect oneself anywhere. I could have really used martial arts in my youth. I did learn a tiny bit just from watching my boyfriend go from white to black belt. Dropped an inappropriate guy at a party once. That was satisfying. May your daughter heal well and have lots more happy adventures in her life. Bless your family.
What happens if your female AND old? That's not gonna work. How about bear spray that stuff is beyond nasty and you don't kill anybody. Sleep with it by one hand and your phone by the other. never sleep anywhere without cell service.
I am so sorry to hear that! My first thought was to maybe get informations from 'shewalkstheearth' her name is Angela Maxwell. And if you go for it, i hope deeple her story and what happened to her on her journey, and how she dealed with it can serve your daughter well ❤ All the best🙏
I work at a hospital and you can always park overnight at a visitors parking. Just make sure you’re quiet and clean. Best part is we have cameras and armed security. Also make sure you’re at a busy trauma center. Those places are so busy that no one will even notice you. I work at one and we have an army of helicopters and ambulances rolling every 10 min. Make sure it’s a car and not RV.
@@collinkattengell5724 at this point in life it’s not about what you want man sometimes you gotta sacrifice one thing for another aka safety for a little noise
@@jodywheeler915 family only helps who they want , it’s not that bad fam living out ya car get a gym membership, take free showers everyday , park in wal mart parking lot or anywhere that’s public like only thing is food gotta keep spending , just save certain amount for that
if you're living in a car, and you need somewhere inside and free to visit during the day, like if working a remote job or even during extreme weather, a public library is usually a safe bet. They typically don't care how long you stay, in my experience. Plus they have free resources, like computers, bathrooms, water fountains, and super helpful librarians.
Love this suggestion, but I have two small elderly dogs I chose to live in a car instead of being separated because no shelters accept dogs and no one wants us.
Agreed. If your respectful you can stay all day everyday. I did that for months M-F studying for my license. I’d even plug all my devices in their outlets nobody ever said anything to me.
Just got out of the Military and am staying in Texas, i dint have family here so i plan on staying in my car with my dog till i get on my feet. Wish me luck.
@@agarrikr2996 They recently just started helping me out, the VA takes a while for things to process, i get some benefits now from them when it comes to BAH(Housing) but only because i started going to college.
@@reysardina7573 I was planning to enlist into USMC or USCG for a job of interpreter but only got discouraged by others telling me how it would be a mistake and wouldn’t help me in my life, can I get insight from you an actual military men who served ?
@@agarrikr2996 id say being in the military will help you while you’re in because they give you everything you need and the money is not that bad, but once you get out you get alittle bit of a identity crisis and dont really know what path to take, which is why most vets are homeless first couple years out of the military.
I work 12 hour days in construction and I go back every night to sleeping in a ball on my driver’s seat, and I can confirm it sucks!! Listen to her and figure out a good bed setup before moving in to your car. Also, do small workouts and stretch a lot, your body will thank you.
@Anton I worked at a job where I was scheduled 12 hours a day and we constantly went over and worked 13-14 hours a day since we had to finish. You’re lucky and naive if you think this isn’t normal for many people.
I took the seats out of my Camry, the wntbto Camping World and bought a 4 inch gel/foam mattress, then got a fitted cot sheet from Ebay. I put a Luggable Loo in the back to pee in, in the middle of the night. Then I go to a manual car wash in the AM, and wash it out. I never get out of my car at night either. I scoot over the console into the back. I put a rod between the upper handles of my doors in the back, to hang my clothes.
@AntonWhat... are you 12, or just privileged? Don't speak on things you don't know, or on someone else's reality. I've worked 16 hrs days in healthcare.
Have a 12vdc fan. Sun roof to let in fresh air with a fabricated bug screen. SUV like a Kia Soul. they have a lotta room for their size & they'll hold an air mattress.
@@leecowell8165do you have any suggestions on what to do for heat in the winter? I have a rechargeable fan for summer but now it’s getting really cold, I can’t find any kind of rechargeable heater (which idk if that would even be safe)
@@BigMFront I mean ambulances always haven’t o be parked the CLOSEST to the hospital since that’s the most important usage outside of the physical hospital. I normally see them with their own Parking spots by the emergency 🚨 entrance for the emergency room. I’m considering doing this myself.
I agree “rotate sleeping spots”. Ppl be keeping track. I lived in my car during nursing school and finding a bathroom in the city was more difficult than I thought. So I purchased a female urinal. Be safe in these streets!
@Outdoor Life 4 Me I'm stuck between wanting to know your son's mysterious backstory or just letting my imagination go wild. I am just assuming secret spy.
I have a Big Gulp cup that I use lol. It takes skill, but if there aren't any options, it works. My windows are dark tint, and this usually happens late at night or early morn But thank you! I'll definitely check into this!
@@princessvivianna Selling this house. I didn’t have money to rent while it was being shown so I lived in my Explorer for a couple weeks. My friend’s ex-wife got mad and said I couldn’t stay with my buddy. I have half a house in my hometown, but my half brother rented it out and has been trying to take my half. I tried getting a loan but I have no credit and have no debts or credit cards.
I will add one thing here, Truck stops can be good places to stop and park over night. 24/7 access to bathrooms, showers, food and both free and paid wifi. Quite a few of them have cameras and security. If you get their rewards card, gas/food and other purchases you make can earn you points for free showers, food etc. Often times they will have spaces you can park in over night away from the trucks.
Yes @willdrivesu7914 , I absolutely agree with this! Loves, Flying J’s, Pilot’s, and TA’s (Travel Centers of America), get setup with rewards programs for each of these four for sure! Granted rhe showers can be a bit expensive these days at $12-16 each but most commercial truck stop showers have great pressure and water temps for great showers. Not too mention, truck stops generally have some sort of hot foods going 24/7, won’t bother you ever really even if you must stay for days at a time so long as you are not causing any problems of course, and most the truckers love having good conversation and have some really cool, harrowing, sad, and amazing stories from life on the road and lastly truck stops have all kinds of cool gizmos and gadgets for living on the road. Wouldn’t necessarily buy these things from the truck stops as they can be a bit overpriced but definitely a great spot for great ideas nonetheless! 💯
Hey girl, I was scammed by two roomates and now I’m homeless, so I got two jobs and I’m waiting to get paid. I already pawned my tv and now I’m about to go pawn my Apple Watch to get me by with gas the next two weeks, last pay check was change bro! Went to bills, debit, and money borrowed, then the gas that is in my tank and some dog food for my babies. They are up north with my uncle and I gotta buy them food and send it up north. Now that my mom isn’t helping me I’m trying to figure it out.
I’m sorry to hear that. It must be really hard. I want to give you some advice. When you do get back on track and have money saved up, invest A PORTION of that into a good dividend stock or a safe stock like Walmart or J&j. That way you have some passive income coming in. Good luck. I wish you the best.
You and me both. Brother went crazy and decided to stop paying rent and couch hop after stealing my card and emptying my account. Well long story short I get payed in a few days and I'm looking to stay in the car. I'm so scared I won't be able to take my dog baby with me. I live in Texas and the heat is so bad :(
@@carloscandias6518 Do NOT give up your dog! You’re in a vehicle. You can leave Texas. You can visit Texas, but you don’t have to live there. Keep your Dog Baby…
I lived in my truck for a couple months. The first month I slept in different places. For the rest of the time I slept in a 24 hour walmart parking lot. I felt safe because I know they have cameras and security patrolling all night. I know some don't allow this so as a tip, if you see tractor trailer trucks or RVs parked all the way towards the opposite side of the parking lot they are probably sleeping there overnight and u can too! ✌
@@Twelly93 I live in LA,but desperatelytrying to get out of here for better opportunities.I took a homeless trip to Dallas from Austin to see where I wanted to live.I was in a rental for a week.I was kind of counting on Walmart ,but had to sleep at a lot of Planet fitnesses.
@@tishreni5183 I see. I'm up here in the Philadelphia metro area. Also I was living in my car right before covid hit. I know they switched up their hours for the pandemic but they still may have been letting people sleep in their lot. Did u cruise around and look trucks and RVs once the sun went down?
@@Twelly93 No,I didn't even bother because I was only there for a week,but maybe would gave if I stayed longer.With no bathrooms overnight it would have been pointless.I did go to a few Walnarts first thing in the morning though to sleep a few hours more in the parking lot.
I’m going through this right now for the past 3 months. I’m 5’9’ and trying to sleep in the backseat of my Ford Fusion is causing pains that were never there before due to being forced to live in my car. It is setting in depression. I’m on a fixed income and cannot afford a hotel. I’ve run out of gas and money, until October 1st so I cannot even buy hot foods and as a result, I’ve lost weight. And all I do is to eat is junk foods like cookies.
I lived in my car for a while, especially in Walmart parking lots, but today I have a really good job and own my own home with 2.5 acres of land. You can always come live with me
I tried to camp out in my car just for fun but a few people couldn't mind their own business and looked around my car anyway. One person that came up to my car said I was just some homeless guy right outside my window to their friend. I was just doing this for fun. They also blocked my car off for 10 minutes and didn't find a parking spot first. Living in a car sounds awesome until others won't leave you alone making assumptions.
People are strangely judgmental over you living in your car. The worst insult I got when I was living in my car was from a lady furiously tapping on my window at 12 am in a 24 hour Walmart parking lot. I had woken up quickly and cracked open my window, before I could even finish saying “what” she was yelling at me for being trashy, shitty, worthless, etc but what really pissed me off the most was when she said “what kind of fucking loser lives in their car? Get a job instead of sleeping in a Walmart parking lot, dumb bitch.” It’s so ridiculous that people are so dead set in the belief that living in any situation besides nice house/apartment=lazy trash without a job. It’s so hateful towards homeless/poor people, what do you even get out of hating those types of people? You have no idea why they’re living the life they are. Maybe listen to them before hating them. It still gets under my skin whenever I think of that moment.
@@elliefuller3667 bro I literally wouldn't pay people like that old lady any mind. If she is that hateful towards you without knowing your situation the imagine what a shitty life she lived
Thank you so much for this video! My ex is kicking me out and I start school this month so I was really stressed about what I was going to do... but you made this seem like it can be okay..... it will definitely be a journey but like you said BIG CHILLIN... lol ... honestly you made me feel a million times better about it
I just started living in my car 2 weeks ago here in Tennessee. My only device is my phone and I already had my Crunch Fitness membership. I use bath towels to cover my windows. By the way, there is no law that says you can't live/sleep in your vehicle. It's just something cops harass you about.
I did this when I was 18. The cops were very understanding and knew I didn’t feel okay at home. They told me they wouldn’t bother me again. They were very kind when they saw my situation. Due to current situations, I’m going to rough it a little more long term now while I work full time at 2 jobs in a new area. I’m literally going to rough it long term till I can put down for a little home just for me. That’s all I’ve ever wanted… is a home. But this time, I’m just going to rough it till I’m secure . My situation is awful. I wish I knew all of this when I was 18 and I could do it all over again .
Cops may not be as nice sometimes and things will go wrong, but I did it when times were rough. I’m going to plan it out this time and do it long term renting and struggling was too much. I wish I could go back to 18
I sleep in my car Good place I sleep at is at my job, it's a warehouse and runs 24/7 with 300+ employees so cars come and go so I never get noticed Shower at the gym And during the days off at work , I literally go to the public library. A/C and I can charge all my usb charging devices
You can use your refrigerator at work to keep food for the week and also charge stuff in a back pack at an area in your warehouse. Got to constantly be thinking of strategies ❤
Thanks for the video. Owning a vehicle while homeless is a huge advantage because it provides a level of shelter and security. Although living in a small vehicle is not ideal, planning and preparing can increase your level of comfort by far. Being equipped with enough blankets and pillows and creating small kits that include what you need and things you may possibly need like eye drops in case something gets in your eye and there's no water nearby, tweezers, bandages, pen & paper for writing down helpful Information, lighter or matches a small flashlight, pocketknife for opening packages and self defense, mase and napkins in your pocket in case there's no tissue in the bathroom. A small cooler for snacks and leftovers helps save money. Weather you just been evicted or you're traveling cross the country your travels are much more enjoyable when you're prepared ☺️
Kia Soul's have a LOT of room for their size. two people could sleep in the back of those things on 2 air mattresses. Or if you're alone you could just leave it set up even during the day. Have your cooler in the passenger seat along with your laptop, stuff like that. Planet Fitness has free wifi that's a must for entertainment and connectivity.
Tinted windows during daytime will help. Also use sun shades even at night when there are bright streetlights. Using extra shades all round will alert someone that you are sleeping in your car . I also lower the driver’s seat to as low as possible and lower the backrest . AKWAYS KEEP YOUR KEYS IN THE IGNITION. Just in case . Phones always charged up . I have only had “ the knock” by a policeman twice in Pittsburgh urging me to go to a hotel. This was at a Walmart that was 24 hours open. Luckily , I had an alternative parking spot mapped on my phone: A expensive hotel parking lot.
Ahhhh I'm literally in this spot of just starting my car life journey 🚘 I think I'll definitely invest in the custom window covers. Thanks for the tips! 🥰
Thankfully I'm 5'4 and I work 12-16hr night shifts at various hospitals/SNF. So being short I can sleep in the back with no problem I have '14 Escape (SUV) In May itll be a year doing this and I switch things up a lot. It's all on you and how you live. I will admit at 1st it was a bit rough and had to finagle things because of the plandemic but I'm still at it and it's crazy how I dont miss having neighbors and the money I saved etc..I use black poster boards from dollar tree I cut out for my back/rear window. I don't cover my fronts looks less obvious especially for nights I do sleep in my car. I take a black sheet and hang it across the front seats and my car is dark you cant see me at all or can tell I'm in my car..trust me one time police had their high beams on my car one night and couldn't tell and kept it moving lol
Lol I get interested about half of the time.....it's not uncommon for me to be half asleep and be woken up to an extremely bright beam of light...use to make me squirm....now I just lay still....to be honest it's actually been quite awhile since they approached me ...in fact about a month ago I had a really strange encounter.....Friday night after a LOOONG week....I passed out unintentionally with my windows down....I woke up at 2 am to hear "sheriff's office..your not in trouble I just wanted to make sure your ok." But what was weird when I woke up he was like in plain clothes and the suv he was in wasn't a regular cop car either but it was mark d with the insignia of the county I live in...I know he was official but nnevwr seen dress or a car like that for LE...HE literally just made sure I was ok..stepped back told me to have a good night and went on his way...never seen him again.
I’ve been living in my car for 3 months and I’ve never covered my windows 😊 I feel like the more anxious you are, the more likely it is that bad things are going to happen.
Same....I use to put up a sun screen in my front window....up until this last 2 months inconstantly had to move spots at night and I ALSo noticed that if your visible covering your windows can bring you the wrong kind attention as well....law enforcement..emergency personel...managers..etc. I only use it now when I'm really feeling I need a little privacy.....other then that my windows are always unvovered.....shit I've even accidently fallen asleep with my windows down (would not reccomend firnsaftey issue) a couple times and wokenup with the sun to realize both of them were still down and nothin happened....I'm in recovery and have lived the street life and I think because of that I tend to draw alotnof the wrong people....people soliciting themselves, drugs, trying to I sell stolen property things of that nsturem..which I obviously have no interest in but I seem to encounter it much more then the usual car dweller...andninwork full time too so that shows how common it is....I'd get it if I was in my car 24/7 but I get approacjed evennij the few hours I'm in it sleeping.
Bathroom = saw dust ,pellets or natural pet bedding and a 3.5 -5 gallon bucket. 3.5 g for smaller car or 5 g for larger suv or van . It's basically a composting toilet 😁
I just came across your video and I'm trying to get a van but it's a complicated situation. I have a car that's paid for and I literally started looking on UA-cam today about living in a car. My reason for wanting to live in a vehicle is financially. I'm ready to get started today!! Thank you so much ❤
I am in same situation. I own my car but want a minivan for comfort but not sure when that will happen. Started our slow to make sure I can do this. I am 62 and disabled. Cost of living is horriblr
@@kathybailey4532 I totally understand! I've been getting discouraged because the person who owns the van is being very controlling. I'm able to pay my bills but I have no money for savings. 🤟
@@kathybailey4532 I'm going to start out too. I'm very scared due to my age and disability but it's this or just give up and die. My meds are horribly expensive and I have a couple little dogs I love and they are all I have. So I'm going to give it a try. Maybe you and I could chat online and support each other a bit.
My visually impaired almost 30 year old daughter and I didn't move to Florida to live in my car, but things are what they are, and we have made the best of it for the last 2 months, almost 3 months
I'm 54, had some big medical issues, one being spinal fusion surgery this past December. Boyfriend of 4 yrs kicked me out while i was in the hospital, daughter took me in but me and her husband didn't get a long, he's just a bad person so they kicked me out. No family that's willing to help in the sense of what i need, they just wanna dish out advice, act like they know all about this lifestyle yet not one has ever lived it. But now im living in my car, i do work a full time job thank God but with everything so damn expensive it's hard to find something i can afford on my own. Staying positive is a challenge at times, actually a big challenge but it's an absolute necessity. I've only been doing this for about 2 weeks and I'm pretty proud of myself for what I'm enduring and refusing to throw in the towel. Everything is temporary and so shall this be. Good luck to everyone, WE'VE GOT THIS!!!
Just wanted to say a quick thanks, i had to spend a while in my car recently and watching your videos first, really helped a lot, made it more comfortable and bearable. God bless you and your travels, wish you all the best.
About to move into my car in 2 weeks getting a portable solar power generator and a few other things Was really worried about it and didn’t think I was gonna make it but now I see all these videos of you and everyone else making it!! Here’s to the nomad life❤
I say this as a 16yr old, my plan since I was 6 was to live in my vehicle and travel, I can't even imagine staying in one town for the rest of my life, and this video was so helpful, thank you💗, and please anyone else that sees this comment, any more advice you have I would love to hear!
As a dad said earlier, learn some self defense. I mean physically. Not arming yourself. Also don't buy too many camping things. Just the basics. People tend to start out with tons of stuff and realize they have too much clutter, not enough space and don't use half the stuff.
@@LiseWrigley yeah, I am a make do with what I have person so I don't truly need a lot of stuff, and I got brothers and male cousins, I've been taught how to kick some ash😂
i lived in my car last summer, and seems like i'm about to do it again. i've been trying to find a studio apartment for myself, but it's so hard to get approved with so much competition. i'm here watching to inspire and motivate me again. im gonna get the urinal thing. i used to just pee in wide mouth jars, or disposable cups and just open a door and pour it out. i'd make sure to dump it on grass. i would also try to stop drinking liquids after 8 or earlier if i could. my biggest challenge will be making food, because i drive for amazon and i need to take my own meals. otherwise i'll eat junk, or i'll have routes in the country in the middle of nowhere.
You can purchase a urinal bottle they have lids and they make them for both genders. Then just dump it somewhere unobtrusively. I'm an invalid and haven't got up to pee at night for years I just use the bottle.
I sleep in a hammock in my jeep.... I super recommend window tint and I went into walmart and got some black cloth and some Velcro to make window shades. This is something that I highly recommend I don't want people to know that I am sleeping in my car when I am in here. With the shower thing it is much harder to figure out with covid. I've found places that will let you shower like the ymca and gyms and truck stops. Places to sleep you can park in the same place the more you don't look like you are living in your car. If it is packed to the Windows with stuff that belong in a house or trash or looks gross people will complain. Most of my friends and co workers have no idea that I live in my car until I tell them.....i love to brag about it though because it's an adventure. Also being normal is lame.
I hear ya, but It’s not an adventure for me. It’s a nightmare especially since I’m alone and broke. It’s been days since I had a hot meal. And I can’t afford to lose anymore weight. I’m already 5 ‘9 in height and 101 pounds.
I loved every second of this video! Thank you for taking your time to bring to light the details of car life. This made me feel much more confident in my decision to start my new journey. I lost it when you said “raw dog the outside light” Keep up the awesome work🤘🏽
I live out of my car and my well one of my spots is a hotel parking lot..a pricey one…and I have window tint dark so I’ve been fine and doing it for about 8 months..
I agree with everything she says, also I got a bathroom designer trash can with handles at top. I use this as a trash/pee only toilet. I put my drivers side seat as far back as it will go, I sleep with no bottoms on. That sleeping bag I drag with me from the back to the front. I sit on my center console and start the car get/ heat or a/c going (Keep your trash can emptied before finding your sleep spot) I pull out my container of wet wipes to get one out to wipe down there after. I grab the trash can situate it under the sleeping bag on my car seat lower my self on to the top carefully and pee. When finished I put the container back in passenger seat wipe put used wipe in a grocery bag./trash liner not in can. Open my driver door just wide enough to dump out pee from can then put can back on passenger seat. Take another wipe and clean my hands until I go somewhere and wash them better. This saves me and is much more convenient then getting redressed to go out in the cold every time you have to pee. Wash the trash can out at car washes once in a while, spray Fabreeze and change your diet if your pee smells strong it should not. Drink more water too. 😁
Loved this! Hope you are well. I'm about to start my journey because I have a weird car and the HOA kept trying to tow it, and instead of dealing with that non-sense, I'm just gonna transition to car life. I only lived at this house for two months, and i refuse to live with my crazy family. So it seems living in my car will be the move. Plus i cut my bills down to $200 a month, so i'm gonna have $1800 a month of disposable income. more than enough to survive comfortably and try to get some proper gear. Unfortunately I have a weird looking super noticeable car, so I'm gonna have to find safe places to sleep. But I'm excited for the challenge, and i wont let anyone or anything stop me.
@@clanaoaarmyofallah2557 look up PSRJ17191438 on insta: i've not been able to make my car work unfortunately. been staying with friends. also been perfecting my survival backpack and doing camping. taking more of the Shiey route
As soon as you can, try to trade it in for something newer and basic, like the same like every other cars out there. It will keep you off the radar, especially with cops I had an older car with out of state plates and the police were on me for a little bit But I didn't ever let them shame me, the police, the manager of the store (admittedly I should have been more stealth and got too comfortable at one store. She's right, you got to move around) - anyway the thing is WE WORK!!!! I ain't going to let them treat me like a criminal when I work full time and pay taxes I actually went off on a cop and said as much, said I'm paying your salary. The store brought in the cops to run off the Working Homeless I wrote a terrible scathing review (they did this right before Christmas too:( in the review I said the manager was a heartless idiot - that he lost @$300-500 per person per month in revenue from the Working Homeless because we patronize the store. A couple of weeks after that review, the police left I also wrote to the Governor of Florida suggesting they rent out secured parking lots for the Working Homeless until affordable housing is brought back I feel like we should all come together politically. Because we're just trying to survive. It's the government's fault this is happening. It shouldn't be illegal, we shouldn't get criminalized
Just a heads up on charging your phone in your car. You definitely do not need to take a drive just to charge your phone. Assuming the car battery had been fully charged before the engine turned off, you should be able to charge your phone many many times over without killing the car battery. Just think of how big a car battery is and compare that to a phone battery, that might help it make sense to you. Your car battery is strong and as long as you recharge it after draining it over the course of a week or so, you should be fine. Unless you can only charge your devices when the auxiliary mode is turned on by the key, you don’t have to worry about your phone killing your car battery.
I have an '02 Subaru. Once the vehicle is turned off, it cuts the power to the car charge outlet (cig lighter port??), so charging my phone while the Suby is off wouldn't really be an option for me.
@LeoS it charges for a little while then it says “iDrive will shut off “ or whatever then the steering wheel goes back up to original position . Who has to lie about the car they drive? I should’ve got a Kia 😂. I own a F10 2014 535i , just changed the damn electronic water pump and thermostat 🥱 keep hating Mr. 3 series😂😂🤡
@LeoS those old ass platforms you’re driving 😂😂😂 do you even have LED headlights? Do you even have Bluetooth ?😂 can you even throw your gear selector to the left to activate Sports mode? 😂
Put additional alarms on all of your doors. I ordered my costume made window covering from Amazon. They come in silver. I ordered black adhesive felting and attached it to the oneside. Make sure you attach the side you want. This stuff doesn't come off. Once you apply, that is it. PF shower water is COLD🥶 I have a PECRON Generator 2,000w /Solar panels 500w. I put these on the top of my Toyota Sienna Limited Van. I run the connector through the Moon Roof. I put the bungee cord over them. To hold them down when driving or on a windy day. It works 👍 In the summer, I put my solar 20 gal. Water bag on top, so I can take a shower anywhere.😊 Even in a parking garage 😂 done it.
Been on the road years now and I know the top two questions are where do you sleep and where do you shower. For showers, get a gym membership to a major gym. Best bet is planet fitness or anytime fitness. They are everywhere and you'll have a shower everywhere they are. If you are not near a city pretty much every state park or nice campground has showers. Pay for a day pass to get in then go take a shower. No one will care. Shower issue solved........for sleep, you can sleep basically anywhere you want as long as you follow this one major rule DO NOT LIVE WHERE YOU SLEEP. Anywhere you sleep is to be used only for sleep. Go there when you're ready to go to sleep, wake up early when the sun is coming up and leave. Do nothing else in that location but sleep. Do that and you can sleep anywhere. I've slept in places you'll never think like next to the golden gate bridge, south beach Miami, a block away from bourbon street in New Orleans, and literally any residential neighborhood in the country. Pull up, go to sleep, leave.
Tinted windows are a plus. Check if your backseat goes down for leg stretch when sleeping. Find a library. Exercise at least twice a week. Find a food bank. Shovel snow. Cut grass. Hustle for that gas money cause every time you start that car it costs
I lived in my car for a week when I went to Yellowstone. I slept in the driver seat with a blanket. Didn't have covers for windows. I slept in Walmart and Albertson's parking lots. My wake up call was the customers.
Love your tips! Used I to do this when I worked for a ride share and now I'm homeless so it's a necessity. Only thing I would add is a eye mask for easier sleep and a little portable loud keychain siren alarm just in case. With the eye mask I was able to get a pretty good sleep in the front seat
I took apart my back seat in my 2006 Toyota Corolla, bought a sleeping pad and sleeping bag, packed up a day’s worth of clothes and hygiene (pee funnel) and spent the night in my car. My feet were in the trunk, my hips hit the back seat and I realized I was too tall! I was hoping to live in my car as an alternative to sleeping on the streets, while waiting for my van to arrive (van conversion). I was 100% comfy with the idea of staying in my car but I just couldn’t sleep comfortably so I put my backseat back together and have since figured out Plan C. It was fun to try though!!
If you can afford one the 3rd generation(made between 2010-2016) Toyota Prius has plenty of space for a 6' individual assuming you fold down the back seats, it is also one of the most reliable cars ever made assuming you avoid the 2010 model year(bad head gaskets) and doesn't burn as much gas as most other cars even if you leave it on for AC. A Prius made during a different year might be just as good, but I only have experience with the 3rd gen.
Don't forget your mini camping toilet for emergencies (+if you're a girl, a urinal cup too)! It can be an investment but get you some ecogel/portapotty powder for when you really got messy for smells and such. Also, eco-friendly bags are great too. May not be something you use all the time, but whew, when you need it.. 👍
i live in brooklyn new york at coney island. even rents in this ghetto area (there are projects here) are very high. car life is the way to go if you can make it work. the homeless firefighter bought his house in cash living in a pickup
i love sleeping in my car, best equipment to have for me is: 1) sleeping bag thats good until 32F, if its too hot i bunch it up under my legs so i can sleep with my legs stretched out instead of bent & use a jacket or smaller blanket to cover up 2) sunshield and tinted windows for privacy 3) taser, knife, emergency seatbelt cutter/ window hammer for protection 4) my favorite books to keep me occupied 5) witch hazel & cotton rounds to clean or freshen up skin bonus shoutout: adapter plugin for car so i can use my curling iron for my hair for sleep or bathroom i chose my works parking lot, gas stations, jack in the boxes, walmarts
I am a commercial pilot and the reality of our profession is most jobs always require you to relocate. I have a family of 4 and can not move my family at this time. My wife and I did agree that we could do 1 year apart and I feel that living out of my vehicle would be the best option.
You could also look into Airbnb and just rent a room and then just stay in that room for when you need that, but you could either go back to your real home or get your work to pay for a hotel most times!
@@tonykartracer8032 if he is 1) working therefore not staying in his place his work says he lives or 2) any time he gets a real break wants to see his family and goes to his real home he may barely use it
I've been living in my car for almost 4 years.. I'm gonna go back to nursing school in January and am building my credit since everything is based on credit now here in California 🙄.. I don't want to live with no one just me and my future snake. I'm sick of people kicking me out so I feel like a hippie 🤷♀️.
Anytime Fitness Gym as well. They’re open 24 hours. When you’re a member it’s statewide, nationwide and worldwide. I’m a member of AF Gym and 24 Hours Fitness Gym.😊
Thank you for these tips. I bought my own shower and toilet for my car. I'm starting to collect all my things now and move in when I'm I will have wifi in my car as well. I just love everything on you channel.
It's getting really difficult to find apartments that don't have waiting lists up to 3 years & where I'm currently staying is drawing to a close so I'm having to rethink some things. Although I did manage to find an apartment that had only a 3 - 6 month waiting list it's way out in the middle of nowhere with NO shopping & there's no guarantee that when it does open up that I'll be the one they call so that said my plan B is to live in my car. I already have a storage unit back home & that's where I really want to be. I recently bought a Mercedes 320 it's a station wagon (front seat back seat & a two seater in the very back that folds down) & I didn't think about it when I got it it's just something that I'm slowly beginning to accept that THIS might just be what I end up doing! I know sleep is important I've done it before in my other car & it was too small cramped & filled with my entire life the foot traffic was constant & so were the lookie loos.The car I have now has tinted windows & enough room for a twin foam roll up mattress some plastic organizers & an ice chest .My real issue becuz I always said if it comes down to it ( living in my car again) I'll HAVE to have a health club membership I don't want to be asking friends to use their shower I want to keep my independence and my dignity. I've already been mapping out my plan of where I'd sleep (I know enough to know that you can't stay in one place too long you have to stay on the move. & I've already chosen Walmart becuz of the truckers & the RVs but over all for me the challenges are as follows: safety keeping clean laundry being close to a bathroom that stays open all nite & what to do during the day especially if I get a dog ( Im retired ) I think the dog will help me feel safe but then unless they're small & trained to a stroller ( I've passed my little Chihuahua off as a sleeping baby before) then you have the issue of being limited on where you can go so I've got some things to think about & work out but it's nice to know that I do have an option besides homelessness or shelters.
In terms of showers, I would also suggest using truck stops! I had a gym membership for the purpose of using their showers/working out, but truck stops also allow anyone to use their showers for a $10-15 fee. Very helpful as well 👍
I am currently 3rd night living in my car due to eviction. I am so paranoid I can't sleep there are no shelter or housing I can get into due to having a health concern.
i like to cover my front and rear windshields but leave my door windows. Covering the front and rear tells most people that there is someone sleeping in the car but leaving the door windows will make them think twice about just sneaking up to the car. If the person inside happens to just look up, they have a much better chance of getting away or calling for help before the person finds a way to enter. But if all the windows are covered, someone will feel more confident about slowly and quietly sneaking up to start working on your door. Another tip is to carry an air horn or better yet, a really loud portable speaker that you can play someone screaming for help out of, you can download a woman’s voice screaming horrifically. This has worked for me three different times, i have my pistol and keep it right by my pad but have never used it. Loud noises will attempt to ward off the intruder before you have to use the weapon. You may all think you’d be prepared to just so easily use the weapon as soon as someone starts to intrude but i can guarantee you that it’s much different when you’re in that situation. A working dash cam alongside many other broken cameras mounted around the car. An inflatable dummy in your front seat. There’s allot of different things you can do to make someone think twice about choosing your car.
Good move mentioning the power banks! They're extremely useful when you aren't driving or need to charge your phone while you sleep or something. Very useful video. I'm going to be saving up for a car to do car living. I realized that to have a home and the usual "American dream", I'd have to leave my job I love to have it. I won't sacrifice my happiness for possessions. I may only work at a Dollar General but I get a lot of hours and whatnot. I'm a stocker and the boss is chill, my coworkers are chill, very helpful, and the work pays well for someone who does in car living. Why would I sacrifice the already comfortable potential situation for what society says is right? You're doing an amazing job. I do have a question though. What car companies should I buy from that I don't have to worry too much about maintenance wise? I'm not a skilled mechanic myself.
@@AWholeVibe96 Yeah I bring home like $400 a week but lately things have been slow! Thank you very much! Yeah I'm considering a 2005 Honda Accord a friend is selling for $1,500. Mechanic owned too and lowish miles. Thank you so much for being so kind! 😁
@@AWholeVibe96 Yeah I surely won't! I always get money back from taxes so that's cool! I'll end up putting taxes in savings probably, or use it for vehicle maintenance. 😁
Starting my road life this coming spring, getting rid of all my belongings and going on the road for 3 years maybe 4 but will see how it goes. Cant wait.
I LOVE YOU GURL! Your videos are so informative and you have such a positive attitude and your expressions are priceless and funny. Thank you for replying to my post. I do want to camp part time with my Mazda eventually and your videos are AWESOME 💖
HAHAHA. I have no window covers yet. But leave early. 1st week . Walmart parking lots let you stay. Its summer, I have my 2 dogs with me. 14 years old, but great protectors. Spend my day at parks for dogs. Hardest part is the summer heat. I have to make sure my dogs are cool. I'm in Florida
It’s so weird that it’s illegal to sleep in your car but you can go sleep on the sidewalk and have your entire camp set up with garbage strewn everywhere but God forbid you go to sleep in your car
Sitting in the hospital parking lot now watching this in my cat life. Being small is handy - 4 months now. LA fitness is amazing and they are everywhere - I rotate mine often -
I think it's ridiculous that sleeping in your car is illegal especially with how expensive housing is. Luckily a lot of law enforcement don't care as long as you aren't bothering anyone but you never know.
Love the video. I'm currently homeless and I work overnight and I'm having a hard time finding a place to park and sleep during the day. Every place is so loud. Plus I live Texas and I have no air conditioning in my 2003 Lincoln. Its literally horrible!!
Ohhh good luck to you Traci, I know how that Texas heat can be! Are there rest stops around you? Those are good for when I want to chill during the day, I park off in a shaded corner. Also, I have two USB fans that make a huge difference! Blessings to you 💕
I live in Texas, too, and the heat is the worst. I broke down and bought a fan that plugs into the USB port in my car. It has been a life saver!!! Bought at Walmart for less than $10.00. Good luck.
If u need some place free for the day use library’s or gaming cafes or their parking lots also McDonald’s Starbucks are great post up spots use cheap gyms to shower if ur alone in ur car just remember ur not alone we will all get through this and prosper even more! Stay positive car peeps 🐥
@@AlyssaVanilla thank you! I’m excited but nervous AS HELL. the limitations seem like a lot, but I’ve been wanting to do this for years. But 😮💨 it’s gettin real lol
@@Awaredo I'm just starting this lifestyle, gradually going longer and longer. I'm up to 3 consecutive days and in a few weeks I will do my 1st full 7 days. I was concerned about showering too. A lot of people do gym memberships but that doesn't work for the places I'm visiting (at least not to save gas and money). What I do is use a pop-up shower tent (costs $30-40 for a good one) and a bucket of water and a canteen. The bucket of water has an air-seal lid I bought from Home Depot. I fill up the bucket with water from Primo Self Service Water places (located at many Walmarts, which is convenient because Walmart is where I'll sleep usually). You can find the Primo kiosks on their website as they have a map of all the locations. Then I use the canteen to pour water over myself in the shower tent usually in a wooded area near a hiking trail (but a bit off the trail itself). There's videos on youtube on how to clean yourself with a bucket shower. It's also great for conserving water in general. Alternative to Primo stations, you can also get water in 1 gallom jugs at water fountains for free to fill up your bucket. I also keep a 5 gallon Jerry Can on hand for extra water when I run out. This way I'm filling up my water about once every 3 days (I use about 3 gallons a day including showering, laundry, and drinking). In terms of cooking, I'm still learning 😂 I'm trying to plan meals to spend less than $100 a month. I'm receiving a mini fridge that I paid $40ish for that I'll keep in the car and power it with a Jackery. I'm still preparing what exact foods I'll buy every week -- this is one of the harder parts of the planning process for me as I'm a terrible cook. I do have a little compact stove and pot and mini camping stove that all fits in a little compact bag. The camping stove hooks up to isobutane fuel which is cheap and compact. It's what I used to use to make beans and pasta on past camping trips. The hard part with the car is figuring out how to store the isobutane fuel as the car can get very hot and potentially make the isobutane explode. I'm doing research to see if it'd be safe to store the fuel in the mini fridge if I have the temperature set so it's not too cold. And you didn't ask about laundry, but I found a cheap, effective way to do it! I use a Scrubba wash bag which is a traveling, compact little bag for doing laundry. Takes 3 minutes to get a load of laundry done, and it can fit between 1-2 outfits for a single load. I use that to do laundry every morning. I'll usually dry the load in a beach towel right after, spread a beach towel over my back seat, and then hang the clothes to dry by a makeshift clothesline in the car above the beach towel. By the end of the day, so far it's always been completely dry. I do crack the windows an inch to get any smells out of the car and get some good ventilation. Let me know what habits you've been forming! I'm still new to this and would love to know your routine hacks to save space, time, money, etc.
My 5
1. Dash cam
2. Gym membership
3. Solar/battery setup
4. Portable stove
5. Several type of protection
How do you maintain fruits and vegetables especially in the summertime
How do you get the batter solar setup I will be homeless Oct 1st?
@@Siouxnami links please !
@@DanielGonzalez-jg9tw don't be nervous bro everything will be fine!
@@Siouxnami maybe get a cooler and put it in the truck
My top 3
1. Dark tint
2. Gym membership
3. Good phone with plenty of data
We need more videos on how to be SAFE. My daughter turned 18 and jumped into this lifestyle. She had a moderately successful channel for over 2 years that paid the bills. Things happened to her in the last few months of her travels that caused her to quit. My top advice for beginners: have a gun or knife handy and get some self defense training. Everyone talks about the planet fitness membership, I think the #1 membership people need is a Karate membership BEFORE they go on the road. #2 Park in safe places EVERY NIGHT, don't get too comfortable because nothing happened for hundreds of nights, all it takes is one bad night. A little advice from a heart broken father.
❤
So sorry to hear that dad. I'm a mom and I get it.
Sadly, daughters are often not safe housed either. One needs to be able to protect oneself anywhere. I could have really used martial arts in my youth. I did learn a tiny bit just from watching my boyfriend go from white to black belt. Dropped an inappropriate guy at a party once. That was satisfying.
May your daughter heal well and have lots more happy adventures in her life. Bless your family.
What happens if your female AND old? That's not gonna work. How about bear spray that stuff is beyond nasty and you don't kill anybody. Sleep with it by one hand and your phone by the other. never sleep anywhere without cell service.
So sorry to hear that.
I am so sorry to hear that! My first thought was to maybe get informations from 'shewalkstheearth' her name is Angela Maxwell. And if you go for it, i hope deeple her story and what happened to her on her journey, and how she dealed with it can serve your daughter well ❤
All the best🙏
I work at a hospital and you can always park overnight at a visitors parking. Just make sure you’re quiet and clean. Best part is we have cameras and armed security. Also make sure you’re at a busy trauma center. Those places are so busy that no one will even notice you. I work at one and we have an army of helicopters and ambulances rolling every 10 min. Make sure it’s a car and not RV.
where?
Why would you want to sleep next to loud ambulances all night long?
@@collinkattengell5724 at this point in life it’s not about what you want man sometimes you gotta sacrifice one thing for another aka safety for a little noise
Ide take that parking lot over the middle of the woods any day
Shit goes from calm to super super scary when your alone in the woods at night
Went from homeless to now living in my car , thank you for this video ! Feels good to know I’m not the one making this possible
Your not the only one trust me
Have you found somewhere else yet? 🙁
Shakari if you live in your car you not exactly homeless since you live under a roof.
I'm About to be living in my car too I'm scared but no where to go and no family or friends praying for everyone
@@jodywheeler915 family only helps who they want , it’s not that bad fam living out ya car get a gym membership, take free showers everyday , park in wal mart parking lot or anywhere that’s public like only thing is food gotta keep spending , just save certain amount for that
if you're living in a car, and you need somewhere inside and free to visit during the day, like if working a remote job or even during extreme weather, a public library is usually a safe bet. They typically don't care how long you stay, in my experience. Plus they have free resources, like computers, bathrooms, water fountains, and super helpful librarians.
The library saves my sanity
Love this suggestion, but I have two small elderly dogs I chose to live in a car instead of being separated because no shelters accept dogs and no one wants us.
McDonald’s playplace
Agreed. If your respectful you can stay all day everyday. I did that for months M-F studying for my license. I’d even plug all my devices in their outlets nobody ever said anything to me.
I love this idea
Just got out of the Military and am staying in Texas, i dint have family here so i plan on staying in my car with my dog till i get on my feet. Wish me luck.
Hey Rey! Thank you sir for your service to our Country! Best of luck to you
Didn’t military help at all ??
@@agarrikr2996 They recently just started helping me out, the VA takes a while for things to process, i get some benefits now from them when it comes to BAH(Housing) but only because i started going to college.
@@reysardina7573 I was planning to enlist into USMC or USCG for a job of interpreter but only got discouraged by others telling me how it would be a mistake and wouldn’t help me in my life, can I get insight from you an actual military men who served ?
@@agarrikr2996 id say being in the military will help you while you’re in because they give you everything you need and the money is not that bad, but once you get out you get alittle bit of a identity crisis and dont really know what path to take, which is why most vets are homeless first couple years out of the military.
Legit started my car life journey yesterday unintentionally but you made me feel better about this
Good luck to you girl ❤️
How is it?
How's that going?
She lost her house because she didn’t wanna put her tongue in some ashhhhole
I’m in the same spot now. it’s been 8 months how has it been
I work 12 hour days in construction and I go back every night to sleeping in a ball on my driver’s seat, and I can confirm it sucks!! Listen to her and figure out a good bed setup before moving in to your car.
Also, do small workouts and stretch a lot, your body will thank you.
Omg Andrew ☹️ you can’t take your seats out?
@Anton I might be working 4 12 hour days at Millennium print group in Raleigh NC as of now working cash gigs off craigslist.
@Anton I worked at a job where I was scheduled 12 hours a day and we constantly went over and worked 13-14 hours a day since we had to finish. You’re lucky and naive if you think this isn’t normal for many people.
I took the seats out of my Camry, the wntbto Camping World and bought a 4 inch gel/foam mattress, then got a fitted cot sheet from Ebay. I put a Luggable Loo in the back to pee in, in the middle of the night. Then I go to a manual car wash in the AM, and wash it out. I never get out of my car at night either. I scoot over the console into the back. I put a rod between the upper handles of my doors in the back, to hang my clothes.
@AntonWhat... are you 12, or just privileged? Don't speak on things you don't know, or on someone else's reality.
I've worked 16 hrs days in healthcare.
1. Good bed set up
2. Window covers
3. Power
4. Gym membership
5. Places to sleep
And your car 🚗
Have a 12vdc fan. Sun roof to let in fresh air with a fabricated bug screen. SUV like a Kia Soul. they have a lotta room for their size & they'll hold an air mattress.
@@leecowell8165do you have any suggestions on what to do for heat in the winter? I have a rechargeable fan for summer but now it’s getting really cold, I can’t find any kind of rechargeable heater (which idk if that would even be safe)
I think Hospital parking lots are the best sleeping spots
i would think ambulances and etc would pull up n shit would they not??
@@BigMFront Not in the parking lot.
@@chuckhines459 yeah but the emergency exit and enter does that’s where they drop people off in the ambulance
@@BigMFront I mean ambulances always haven’t o be parked the CLOSEST to the hospital since that’s the most important usage outside of the physical hospital. I normally see them with their own Parking spots by the emergency 🚨 entrance for the emergency room. I’m considering doing this myself.
Not if they have a surveillance camera and there’s a guard
I camp in my car rn working 2 jobs. I enjoy it so much, I live by the beach, buy cheap food to eat, travel, go places I never thought I'd go
Sheesh
Wow nice~~~👍
What jobs do you work or recommend?
I agree “rotate sleeping spots”. Ppl be keeping track. I lived in my car during nursing school and finding a bathroom in the city was more difficult than I thought. So I purchased a female urinal. Be safe in these streets!
Girl especially as women! You really never know who’s watching. I love my female urinal, life saver!!
@Outdoor Life 4 Me I'm stuck between wanting to know your son's mysterious backstory or just letting my imagination go wild. I am just assuming secret spy.
Nursing school that's great,did you graduate?
I have a Big Gulp cup that I use lol. It takes skill, but if there aren't any options, it works. My windows are dark tint, and this usually happens late at night or early morn
But thank you! I'll definitely check into this!
I’m 2 months away from being homeless. I’m prepared and experienced but it still makes me feel vulnerable.
@K1ngStatic What happen that your going to be homeless?
I found it to think of it as an adventure. Helps me to feel better about it.
@@princessvivianna
Selling this house. I didn’t have money to rent while it was being shown so I lived in my Explorer for a couple weeks.
My friend’s ex-wife got mad and said I couldn’t stay with my buddy.
I have half a house in my hometown, but my half brother rented it out and has been trying to take my half.
I tried getting a loan but I have no credit and have no debts or credit cards.
@@coffeebotography I pray John your situation gets better, I know many people that are going through the same thing.
Well John if it makes you feel any better, I was evicted today and yeah so lol
I will add one thing here, Truck stops can be good places to stop and park over night. 24/7 access to bathrooms, showers, food and both free and paid wifi. Quite a few of them have cameras and security. If you get their rewards card, gas/food and other purchases you make can earn you points for free showers, food etc. Often times they will have spaces you can park in over night away from the trucks.
And some have gyms!!
Thanks for the pointers.
Yes @willdrivesu7914 , I absolutely agree with this! Loves, Flying J’s, Pilot’s, and TA’s (Travel Centers of America), get setup with rewards programs for each of these four for sure! Granted rhe showers can be a bit expensive these days at $12-16 each but most commercial truck stop showers have great pressure and water temps for great showers. Not too mention, truck stops generally have some sort of hot foods going 24/7, won’t bother you ever really even if you must stay for days at a time so long as you are not causing any problems of course, and most the truckers love having good conversation and have some really cool, harrowing, sad, and amazing stories from life on the road and lastly truck stops have all kinds of cool gizmos and gadgets for living on the road. Wouldn’t necessarily buy these things from the truck stops as they can be a bit overpriced but definitely a great spot for great ideas nonetheless! 💯
Hey girl, I was scammed by two roomates and now I’m homeless, so I got two jobs and I’m waiting to get paid. I already pawned my tv and now I’m about to go pawn my Apple Watch to get me by with gas the next two weeks, last pay check was change bro! Went to bills, debit, and money borrowed, then the gas that is in my tank and some dog food for my babies. They are up north with my uncle and I gotta buy them food and send it up north. Now that my mom isn’t helping me I’m trying to figure it out.
I’m sorry to hear that. It must be really hard. I want to give you some advice. When you do get back on track and have money saved up, invest A PORTION of that into a good dividend stock or a safe stock like Walmart or J&j. That way you have some passive income coming in. Good luck. I wish you the best.
Get a van or car, stop paying rent,the house is not yours and never will be. Yes it’s hard but if this girl and other people can you can do it too
You and me both. Brother went crazy and decided to stop paying rent and couch hop after stealing my card and emptying my account. Well long story short I get payed in a few days and I'm looking to stay in the car. I'm so scared I won't be able to take my dog baby with me. I live in Texas and the heat is so bad :(
I hear you sister. Mine was greedy and narcissistic. The Demons are getting worse but the Lord will save us
@@carloscandias6518 Do NOT give up your dog! You’re in a vehicle. You can leave Texas. You can visit Texas, but you don’t have to live there. Keep your Dog Baby…
This is the future for half of America
Yep that’s true. Or living in a tent
I lived in my truck for a couple months. The first month I slept in different places. For the rest of the time I slept in a 24 hour walmart parking lot. I felt safe because I know they have cameras and security patrolling all night. I know some don't allow this so as a tip, if you see tractor trailer trucks or RVs parked all the way towards the opposite side of the parking lot they are probably sleeping there overnight and u can too! ✌
I was in Dallas a few weeks ago and all the Walmarts from Dallas to Ausyin closed at 11pm..that really messed things up badly for me.
@@tishreni5183 that sucks. Could be covid hours? Where were u sleeping before that?
@@Twelly93 I live in LA,but desperatelytrying to get out of here for better opportunities.I took a homeless trip to Dallas from Austin to see where I wanted to live.I was in a rental for a week.I was kind of counting on Walmart ,but had to sleep at a lot of Planet fitnesses.
@@tishreni5183 I see. I'm up here in the Philadelphia metro area. Also I was living in my car right before covid hit. I know they switched up their hours for the pandemic but they still may have been letting people sleep in their lot. Did u cruise around and look trucks and RVs once the sun went down?
@@Twelly93 No,I didn't even bother because I was only there for a week,but maybe would gave if I stayed longer.With no bathrooms overnight it would have been pointless.I did go to a few Walnarts first thing in the morning though to sleep a few hours more in the parking lot.
Driving and then sleeping curled up can lead to blood clots even in younger people. You were smart to make a "stretch out" zone.
Repent, Jesus christ is coming back. ,,
@@tinajsews2835 wtf? Shut up
I’m going through this right now for the past 3 months. I’m 5’9’ and trying to sleep in the backseat of my Ford Fusion is causing pains that were never there before due to being forced to live in my car. It is setting in depression. I’m on a fixed income and cannot afford a hotel. I’ve run out of gas and money, until October 1st so I cannot even buy hot foods and as a result, I’ve lost weight. And all I do is to eat is junk foods like cookies.
@@SilenceIsGolden64 omg good luck 🥺
I hope youre ok and it gets better✨
@@Strawberry143x 🌸🌼 to you for that Hanna. Thank you suga🙂
I lived in my car for a while, especially in Walmart parking lots, but today I have a really good job and own my own home with 2.5 acres of land. You can always come live with me
Hi which city and state do you live in?
@@prettywithapurposehappy8781 in the mountains of western North Carolina
Congrats Michael!!
Yes
I tried to camp out in my car just for fun but a few people couldn't mind their own business and looked around my car anyway. One person that came up to my car said I was just some homeless guy right outside my window to their friend. I was just doing this for fun. They also blocked my car off for 10 minutes and didn't find a parking spot first. Living in a car sounds awesome until others won't leave you alone making assumptions.
Lol
@@taylork1858 what’s funny about that? Smh
People are strangely judgmental over you living in your car. The worst insult I got when I was living in my car was from a lady furiously tapping on my window at 12 am in a 24 hour Walmart parking lot. I had woken up quickly and cracked open my window, before I could even finish saying “what” she was yelling at me for being trashy, shitty, worthless, etc but what really pissed me off the most was when she said “what kind of fucking loser lives in their car? Get a job instead of sleeping in a Walmart parking lot, dumb bitch.” It’s so ridiculous that people are so dead set in the belief that living in any situation besides nice house/apartment=lazy trash without a job. It’s so hateful towards homeless/poor people, what do you even get out of hating those types of people? You have no idea why they’re living the life they are. Maybe listen to them before hating them. It still gets under my skin whenever I think of that moment.
@@elliefuller3667 fuck em I got a job an live in my car.
@@elliefuller3667 bro I literally wouldn't pay people like that old lady any mind. If she is that hateful towards you without knowing your situation the imagine what a shitty life she lived
Thank you so much for this video! My ex is kicking me out and I start school this month so I was really stressed about what I was going to do... but you made this seem like it can be okay..... it will definitely be a journey but like you said BIG CHILLIN... lol ... honestly you made me feel a million times better about it
Are you okay?
How about staying on campus?
@@AWholeVibe96 creep
Same. Getting kicked out of my ex's place, only have a pt job.
@@SaintNic859Shit-bird.
I just started living in my car 2 weeks ago here in Tennessee. My only device is my phone and I already had my Crunch Fitness membership. I use bath towels to cover my windows. By the way, there is no law that says you can't live/sleep in your vehicle. It's just something cops harass you about.
I did this when I was 18. The cops were very understanding and knew I didn’t feel okay at home. They told me they wouldn’t bother me again. They were very kind when they saw my situation. Due to current situations, I’m going to rough it a little more long term now while I work full time at 2 jobs in a new area. I’m literally going to rough it long term till I can put down for a little home just for me. That’s all I’ve ever wanted… is a home. But this time, I’m just going to rough it till I’m secure . My situation is awful. I wish I knew all of this when I was 18 and I could do it all over again .
Cops may not be as nice sometimes and things will go wrong, but I did it when times were rough. I’m going to plan it out this time and do it long term renting and struggling was too much. I wish I could go back to 18
I sleep in my car
Good place I sleep at is at my job, it's a warehouse and runs 24/7 with 300+ employees so cars come and go so I never get noticed
Shower at the gym
And during the days off at work , I literally go to the public library. A/C and I can charge all my usb charging devices
bro we’re basically twins haha
You can use your refrigerator at work to keep food for the week and also charge stuff in a back pack at an area in your warehouse. Got to constantly be thinking of strategies ❤
Thanks for the video.
Owning a vehicle while homeless is a huge advantage because it provides a level of shelter and security. Although living in a small vehicle is not ideal, planning and preparing can increase your level of comfort by far.
Being equipped with enough blankets and pillows and creating small kits that include what you need and things you may possibly need like eye drops in case something gets in your eye and there's no water nearby, tweezers, bandages, pen & paper for writing down helpful Information, lighter or matches a small flashlight, pocketknife for opening packages and self defense, mase and napkins in your pocket in case there's no tissue in the bathroom. A small cooler for snacks and leftovers helps save money. Weather you just been evicted or you're traveling cross the country your travels are much more enjoyable when you're prepared ☺️
Kia Soul's have a LOT of room for their size. two people could sleep in the back of those things on 2 air mattresses. Or if you're alone you could just leave it set up even during the day. Have your cooler in the passenger seat along with your laptop, stuff like that. Planet Fitness has free wifi that's a must for entertainment and connectivity.
Tinted windows during daytime will help. Also use sun shades even at night when there are bright streetlights. Using extra shades all round will alert someone that you are sleeping in your car . I also lower the driver’s seat to as low as possible and lower the backrest . AKWAYS KEEP YOUR KEYS IN THE IGNITION. Just in case . Phones always charged up .
I have only had “ the knock” by a policeman twice in Pittsburgh urging me to go to a hotel. This was at a Walmart that was 24 hours open. Luckily , I had an alternative parking spot mapped on my phone: A expensive hotel parking lot.
Hospitals with a big ER. Major trauma center those places are so busy they don't care.
Ahhhh I'm literally in this spot of just starting my car life journey 🚘 I think I'll definitely invest in the custom window covers. Thanks for the tips! 🥰
Get some cool designed ones there’s tons!
@@SykeThrone where would you get them?
Thankfully I'm 5'4 and I work 12-16hr night shifts at various hospitals/SNF. So being short I can sleep in the back with no problem I have '14 Escape (SUV) In May itll be a year doing this and I switch things up a lot. It's all on you and how you live. I will admit at 1st it was a bit rough and had to finagle things because of the plandemic but I'm still at it and it's crazy how I dont miss having neighbors and the money I saved etc..I use black poster boards from dollar tree I cut out for my back/rear window. I don't cover my fronts looks less obvious especially for nights I do sleep in my car. I take a black sheet and hang it across the front seats and my car is dark you cant see me at all or can tell I'm in my car..trust me one time police had their high beams on my car one night and couldn't tell and kept it moving lol
Lol I get interested about half of the time.....it's not uncommon for me to be half asleep and be woken up to an extremely bright beam of light...use to make me squirm....now I just lay still....to be honest it's actually been quite awhile since they approached me
...in fact about a month ago I had a really strange encounter.....Friday night after a LOOONG week....I passed out unintentionally with my windows down....I woke up at 2 am to hear "sheriff's office..your not in trouble I just wanted to make sure your ok." But what was weird when I woke up he was like in plain clothes and the suv he was in wasn't a regular cop car either but it was mark d with the insignia of the county I live in...I know he was official but nnevwr seen dress or a car like that for LE...HE literally just made sure I was ok..stepped back told me to have a good night and went on his way...never seen him again.
@@drewchristenson6775 WTH that sounds weird af 😐 ‼️
I am 6' and can comfortably lay down in the back of my 14 Prius, you must have all kinds of space in that escape.
God bless you.
I’ve been living in my car for 3 months and I’ve never covered my windows 😊 I feel like the more anxious you are, the more likely it is that bad things are going to happen.
That’s amazing! I like my privacy, but I agree, never invite fear into your life :) good luck on your journey!!
Same....I use to put up a sun screen in my front window....up until this last 2 months inconstantly had to move spots at night and I ALSo noticed that if your visible covering your windows can bring you the wrong kind attention as well....law enforcement..emergency personel...managers..etc. I only use it now when I'm really feeling I need a little privacy.....other then that my windows are always unvovered.....shit I've even accidently fallen asleep with my windows down (would not reccomend firnsaftey issue) a couple times and wokenup with the sun to realize both of them were still down and nothin happened....I'm in recovery and have lived the street life and I think because of that I tend to draw alotnof the wrong people....people soliciting themselves, drugs, trying to I sell stolen property things of that nsturem..which I obviously have no interest in but I seem to encounter it much more then the usual car dweller...andninwork full time too so that shows how common it is....I'd get it if I was in my car 24/7 but I get approacjed evennij the few hours I'm in it sleeping.
@Phoebe Friday true its not good making it obvious
I'm going to try living in my Mazda tribute with my hubby and our Corgi
Really?? No one came to the comments to see the roasts over “Panorama”??? Where is 4chan when u need them
Bathroom = saw dust ,pellets or natural pet bedding and a 3.5 -5 gallon bucket. 3.5 g for smaller car or 5 g for larger suv or van . It's basically a composting toilet 😁
Human litter box
Lost everything in one day! Love ur car advise, thank god I can sleep in my car
I just came across your video and I'm trying to get a van but it's a complicated situation. I have a car that's paid for and I literally started looking on UA-cam today about living in a car. My reason for wanting to live in a vehicle is financially. I'm ready to get started today!! Thank you so much ❤
I am in same situation. I own my car but want a minivan for comfort but not sure when that will happen. Started our slow to make sure I can do this. I am 62 and disabled. Cost of living is horriblr
@@kathybailey4532 I totally understand! I've been getting discouraged because the person who owns the van is being very controlling. I'm able to pay my bills but I have no money for savings. 🤟
Hope you’re doing well. I’ll be out there someday.
@@kathybailey4532 hi Kathy, hope you’re doing well. Praying for your future!
@@kathybailey4532 I'm going to start out too. I'm very scared due to my age and disability but it's this or just give up and die. My meds are horribly expensive and I have a couple little dogs I love and they are all I have. So I'm going to give it a try. Maybe you and I could chat online and support each other a bit.
Raw dogg the outside light 🤣😂🤣 that was hilarious
😂😂😂😂I know. Lol.
My visually impaired almost 30 year old daughter and I didn't move to Florida to live in my car, but things are what they are, and we have made the best of it for the last 2 months, almost 3 months
I'm 54, had some big medical issues, one being spinal fusion surgery this past December. Boyfriend of 4 yrs kicked me out while i was in the hospital, daughter took me in but me and her husband didn't get a long, he's just a bad person so they kicked me out. No family that's willing to help in the sense of what i need, they just wanna dish out advice, act like they know all about this lifestyle yet not one has ever lived it. But now im living in my car, i do work a full time job thank God but with everything so damn expensive it's hard to find something i can afford on my own. Staying positive is a challenge at times, actually a big challenge but it's an absolute necessity. I've only been doing this for about 2 weeks and I'm pretty proud of myself for what I'm enduring and refusing to throw in the towel. Everything is temporary and so shall this be. Good luck to everyone, WE'VE GOT THIS!!!
Just wanted to say a quick thanks, i had to spend a while in my car recently and watching your videos first, really helped a lot, made it more comfortable and bearable. God bless you and your travels, wish you all the best.
About to move into my car in 2 weeks getting a portable solar power generator and a few other things
Was really worried about it and didn’t think I was gonna make it but now I see all these videos of you and everyone else making it!!
Here’s to the nomad life❤
I say this as a 16yr old, my plan since I was 6 was to live in my vehicle and travel, I can't even imagine staying in one town for the rest of my life, and this video was so helpful, thank you💗, and please anyone else that sees this comment, any more advice you have I would love to hear!
As a dad said earlier, learn some self defense. I mean physically. Not arming yourself. Also don't buy too many camping things. Just the basics. People tend to start out with tons of stuff and realize they have too much clutter, not enough space and don't use half the stuff.
Give your youth to Jesus ❤
@@Heseesyou bro....not at all what I asked
@@LiseWrigley yeah, I am a make do with what I have person so I don't truly need a lot of stuff, and I got brothers and male cousins, I've been taught how to kick some ash😂
i lived in my car last summer, and seems like i'm about to do it again. i've been trying to find a studio apartment for myself, but it's so hard to get approved with so much competition. i'm here watching to inspire and motivate me again. im gonna get the urinal thing. i used to just pee in wide mouth jars, or disposable cups and just open a door and pour it out. i'd make sure to dump it on grass. i would also try to stop drinking liquids after 8 or earlier if i could. my biggest challenge will be making food, because i drive for amazon and i need to take my own meals. otherwise i'll eat junk, or i'll have routes in the country in the middle of nowhere.
Same here it’s not really that bad , I still wash my clothes showers & shit don’t really get to cook
You can purchase a urinal bottle they have lids and they make them for both genders. Then just dump it somewhere unobtrusively. I'm an invalid and haven't got up to pee at night for years I just use the bottle.
Idk where your at or if your still on this journey but you've inspired me sis. Was a little discouraged but I know I'm not alone in this battle. 💪🏾🔥
I sleep in a hammock in my jeep.... I super recommend window tint and I went into walmart and got some black cloth and some Velcro to make window shades. This is something that I highly recommend I don't want people to know that I am sleeping in my car when I am in here. With the shower thing it is much harder to figure out with covid. I've found places that will let you shower like the ymca and gyms and truck stops. Places to sleep you can park in the same place the more you don't look like you are living in your car. If it is packed to the Windows with stuff that belong in a house or trash or looks gross people will complain. Most of my friends and co workers have no idea that I live in my car until I tell them.....i love to brag about it though because it's an adventure. Also being normal is lame.
I hear ya, but It’s not an adventure for me. It’s a nightmare especially since I’m alone and broke. It’s been days since I had a hot meal. And I can’t afford to lose anymore weight. I’m already 5 ‘9 in height and 101 pounds.
I loved every second of this video! Thank you for taking your time to bring to light the details of car life. This made me feel much more confident in my decision to start my new journey.
I lost it when you said “raw dog the outside light”
Keep up the awesome work🤘🏽
I live out of my car and my well one of my spots is a hotel parking lot..a pricey one…and I have window tint dark so I’ve been fine and doing it for about 8 months..
Hi aAlyssa, I'm new to your channel. I'm a senior, and sooner or later I'm going to have to move into my car. You gave good tips. Thank you~
I agree with everything she says, also I got a bathroom designer trash can with handles at top. I use this as a trash/pee only toilet. I put my drivers side seat as far back as it will go, I sleep with no bottoms on. That sleeping bag I drag with me from the back to the front. I sit on my center console and start the car get/ heat or a/c going (Keep your trash can emptied before finding your sleep spot) I pull out my container of wet wipes to get one out to wipe down there after. I grab the trash can situate it under the sleeping bag on my car seat lower my self on to the top carefully and pee. When finished I put the container back in passenger seat wipe put used wipe in a grocery bag./trash liner not in can. Open my driver door just wide enough to dump out pee from can then put can back on passenger seat. Take another wipe and clean my hands until I go somewhere and wash them better. This saves me and is much more convenient then getting redressed to go out in the cold every time you have to pee. Wash the trash can out at car washes once in a while, spray Fabreeze and change your diet if your pee smells strong it should not. Drink more water too. 😁
"How was your day?"
*my day has been horrible my fish died*
"Oh thats great!"
LOL
😂😭 rip fishy!!!
Loved this! Hope you are well. I'm about to start my journey because I have a weird car and the HOA kept trying to tow it, and instead of dealing with that non-sense, I'm just gonna transition to car life. I only lived at this house for two months, and i refuse to live with my crazy family. So it seems living in my car will be the move. Plus i cut my bills down to $200 a month, so i'm gonna have $1800 a month of disposable income. more than enough to survive comfortably and try to get some proper gear. Unfortunately I have a weird looking super noticeable car, so I'm gonna have to find safe places to sleep. But I'm excited for the challenge, and i wont let anyone or anything stop me.
What car you got im seriously imagining so i can laugh at it because i cant imagine what it actually looks like. Lol. Please tell us we need to know.
@@clanaoaarmyofallah2557 look up PSRJ17191438 on insta: i've not been able to make my car work unfortunately. been staying with friends. also been perfecting my survival backpack and doing camping. taking more of the Shiey route
Please subscribe to my daughter's journey
ua-cam.com/users/AaliTv13
As soon as you can, try to trade it in for something newer and basic, like the same like every other cars out there. It will keep you off the radar, especially with cops
I had an older car with out of state plates and the police were on me for a little bit
But I didn't ever let them shame me, the police, the manager of the store (admittedly I should have been more stealth and got too comfortable at one store. She's right, you got to move around) - anyway the thing is
WE WORK!!!! I ain't going to let them treat me like a criminal when I work full time and pay taxes
I actually went off on a cop and said as much, said I'm paying your salary. The store brought in the cops to run off the Working Homeless
I wrote a terrible scathing review (they did this right before Christmas too:( in the review I said the manager was a heartless idiot - that he lost @$300-500 per person per month in revenue from the Working Homeless because we patronize the store. A couple of weeks after that review, the police left
I also wrote to the Governor of Florida suggesting they rent out secured parking lots for the Working Homeless until affordable housing is brought back
I feel like we should all come together politically. Because we're just trying to survive. It's the government's fault this is happening. It shouldn't be illegal, we shouldn't get criminalized
Your kindness nearly made me cry. Keep up the important work.
Just a heads up on charging your phone in your car. You definitely do not need to take a drive just to charge your phone. Assuming the car battery had been fully charged before the engine turned off, you should be able to charge your phone many many times over without killing the car battery. Just think of how big a car battery is and compare that to a phone battery, that might help it make sense to you. Your car battery is strong and as long as you recharge it after draining it over the course of a week or so, you should be fine. Unless you can only charge your devices when the auxiliary mode is turned on by the key, you don’t have to worry about your phone killing your car battery.
I have an '02 Subaru. Once the vehicle is turned off, it cuts the power to the car charge outlet (cig lighter port??), so charging my phone while the Suby is off wouldn't really be an option for me.
@@SpectraNyte dang that sucks a lot. Maybe you should start buying American cars then because none of them have that same issue.
@@mikeposner8563 nope, i drive German , 535i . I can charge device with engine off .
@LeoS it charges for a little while then it says “iDrive will shut off “ or whatever then the steering wheel goes back up to original position . Who has to lie about the car they drive? I should’ve got a Kia 😂. I own a F10 2014 535i , just changed the damn electronic water pump and thermostat 🥱 keep hating Mr. 3 series😂😂🤡
@LeoS those old ass platforms you’re driving 😂😂😂 do you even have LED headlights? Do you even have Bluetooth ?😂 can you even throw your gear selector to the left to activate Sports mode? 😂
Put additional alarms on all of your doors. I ordered my costume made window covering from Amazon. They come in silver. I ordered black adhesive felting and attached it to the oneside. Make sure you attach the side you want. This stuff doesn't come off. Once you apply, that is it. PF shower water is COLD🥶 I have a PECRON Generator 2,000w /Solar panels 500w. I put these on the top of my Toyota Sienna Limited Van. I run the connector through the Moon Roof. I put the bungee cord over them. To hold them down when driving or on a windy day. It works 👍 In the summer, I put my solar 20 gal. Water bag on top, so I can take a shower anywhere.😊 Even in a parking garage 😂 done it.
Been on the road years now and I know the top two questions are where do you sleep and where do you shower. For showers, get a gym membership to a major gym. Best bet is planet fitness or anytime fitness. They are everywhere and you'll have a shower everywhere they are. If you are not near a city pretty much every state park or nice campground has showers. Pay for a day pass to get in then go take a shower. No one will care. Shower issue solved........for sleep, you can sleep basically anywhere you want as long as you follow this one major rule DO NOT LIVE WHERE YOU SLEEP. Anywhere you sleep is to be used only for sleep. Go there when you're ready to go to sleep, wake up early when the sun is coming up and leave. Do nothing else in that location but sleep. Do that and you can sleep anywhere. I've slept in places you'll never think like next to the golden gate bridge, south beach Miami, a block away from bourbon street in New Orleans, and literally any residential neighborhood in the country. Pull up, go to sleep, leave.
Tinted windows are a plus. Check if your backseat goes down for leg stretch when sleeping. Find a library. Exercise at least twice a week. Find a food bank. Shovel snow. Cut grass. Hustle for that gas money cause every time you start that car it costs
I lived in my car for a week when I went to Yellowstone. I slept in the driver seat with a blanket. Didn't have covers for windows. I slept in Walmart and Albertson's parking lots. My wake up call was the customers.
I watched a lot of van life videos many years ! But this is the first CAR VIDEO ! Thanks !
Love your tips! Used I to do this when I worked for a ride share and now I'm homeless so it's a necessity. Only thing I would add is a eye mask for easier sleep and a little portable loud keychain siren alarm just in case. With the eye mask I was able to get a pretty good sleep in the front seat
Also microwaves at city colleges when they open back up and charging my phone or power bank at the public library discreetly
yep i am starting in 5 days and you have been very helpful
We are in a panoramic with the pizzeria going on LOL I love her
lmaaaoo i said the same thing out loud 😂
Cause we see covid everywhere its a panoramic;)
I took apart my back seat in my 2006 Toyota Corolla, bought a sleeping pad and sleeping bag, packed up a day’s worth of clothes and hygiene (pee funnel) and spent the night in my car. My feet were in the trunk, my hips hit the back seat and I realized I was too tall! I was hoping to live in my car as an alternative to sleeping on the streets, while waiting for my van to arrive (van conversion). I was 100% comfy with the idea of staying in my car but I just couldn’t sleep comfortably so I put my backseat back together and have since figured out Plan C. It was fun to try though!!
Hahaha at least you tried!
Thank you so much for this. About to start living in my car Saturday
Good luck to you girl ❤️
If you can afford one the 3rd generation(made between 2010-2016) Toyota Prius has plenty of space for a 6' individual assuming you fold down the back seats, it is also one of the most reliable cars ever made assuming you avoid the 2010 model year(bad head gaskets) and doesn't burn as much gas as most other cars even if you leave it on for AC. A Prius made during a different year might be just as good, but I only have experience with the 3rd gen.
Couldn’t agree with you more about the need to be comfortable while your sleeping in your vehicle.
Don't forget your mini camping toilet for emergencies (+if you're a girl, a urinal cup too)! It can be an investment but get you some ecogel/portapotty powder for when you really got messy for smells and such. Also, eco-friendly bags are great too. May not be something you use all the time, but whew, when you need it.. 👍
i live in brooklyn new york at coney island. even rents in this ghetto area (there are projects here) are very high. car life is the way to go if you can make it work. the homeless firefighter bought his house in cash living in a pickup
very true. NYC landlords are pure greedy
i love sleeping in my car, best equipment to have for me is:
1) sleeping bag thats good until 32F, if its too hot i bunch it up under my legs so i can sleep with my legs stretched out instead of bent & use a jacket or smaller blanket to cover up
2) sunshield and tinted windows for privacy
3) taser, knife, emergency seatbelt cutter/ window hammer for protection
4) my favorite books to keep me occupied
5) witch hazel & cotton rounds to clean or freshen up skin
bonus shoutout: adapter plugin for car so i can use my curling iron for my hair
for sleep or bathroom i chose my works parking lot, gas stations, jack in the boxes, walmarts
Girl you are so beautiful and so humble, your face structure and skin!! So pretty 🥺💙
I am a commercial pilot and the reality of our profession is most jobs always require you to relocate. I have a family of 4 and can not move my family at this time. My wife and I did agree that we could do 1 year apart and I feel that living out of my vehicle would be the best option.
Dude.... you're a freakin' commercial pilot flyin' high in them Boeing 747 man! You are a baller, why live in a car?
You could also look into Airbnb and just rent a room and then just stay in that room for when you need that, but you could either go back to your real home or get your work to pay for a hotel most times!
@@tonykartracer8032 if he is 1) working therefore not staying in his place his work says he lives or 2) any time he gets a real break wants to see his family and goes to his real home he may barely use it
@@laraantipova389 Or 3) He's actually not a pilot at all.... unless you count flying drones.
I've been living in my car for almost 4 years.. I'm gonna go back to nursing school in January and am building my credit since everything is based on credit now here in California 🙄.. I don't want to live with no one just me and my future snake. I'm sick of people kicking me out so I feel like a hippie 🤷♀️.
I felt this.
what do you mean that everything is based on credit? you mean more than for purposes of buying a car or taking out a mortage in CA?
@@designthinkingwithgian most places are based on credit now even finding a place to live.. They go by how much you make and credit.
@@minajan4316 yeah it's a scam. shouldn't be that way
@mina. What kind of snake is it? A Blaq sn@ke?
Anytime Fitness Gym as well. They’re open 24 hours. When you’re a member it’s statewide, nationwide and worldwide. I’m a member of AF Gym and 24 Hours Fitness Gym.😊
"How was your day?"
"My grandfather passed away"
"Oh, that's great!" Lol
rip grandpa!!
I was like shit but thanks
My 5 things would be:
1. Solar powered generator w/ panels
2. Ice chest
3. hygiene
4. Camping stove
5. Inverter for charging things while driving
I charge my phone with a solar charger. It charges in the daylight and it does a good job. Its the size of a wallet
0:17 no lie, about to start my plans to live in a car and I'm excited
I wish I had a friend that lives and travels in their car home so I won’t feel so lonely
I am on east coast and ready to start.
@@kathybailey4532 I’m in RI
@@FushiBars Im willing to be 🛌 to sleep on and a friend. 😳
I'm in California
@@minajan4316 Can I be your bed? Im in Texas.
I won't say that I'll ever need to do this but if I ever want to I am saving this video cause honestly I'm tired of hustle culture
It’s so funny how you just throw stuff around and have your mini rants 😂😂 You’re so animated!
Thank you for these tips. I bought my own shower and toilet for my car. I'm starting to collect all my things now and move in when I'm I will have wifi in my car as well. I just love everything on you channel.
How do you get wifi in your car?
It's getting really difficult to find apartments that don't have waiting lists up to 3 years & where I'm currently staying is drawing to a close so I'm having to rethink some things. Although I did manage to find an apartment that had only a 3 - 6 month waiting list it's way out in the middle of nowhere with NO shopping & there's no guarantee that when it does open up that I'll be the one they call so that said my plan B is to live in my car. I already have a storage unit back home & that's where I really want to be. I recently bought a Mercedes 320 it's a station wagon (front seat back seat & a two seater in the very back that folds down) & I didn't think about it when I got it it's just something that I'm slowly beginning to accept that THIS might just be what I end up doing!
I know sleep is important I've done it before in my other car & it was too small cramped & filled with my entire life the foot traffic was constant & so were the lookie loos.The car I have now has tinted windows & enough room for a twin foam roll up mattress some plastic organizers & an ice chest .My real issue becuz I always said if it comes down to it ( living in my car again) I'll HAVE to have a health club membership I don't want to be asking friends to use their shower I want to keep my independence and my dignity.
I've already been mapping out my plan of where I'd sleep (I know enough to know that you can't stay in one place too long you have to stay on the move. & I've already chosen Walmart becuz of the truckers & the RVs but over all for me the challenges are as follows: safety keeping clean laundry being close to a bathroom that stays open all nite & what to do during the day especially if I get a dog ( Im retired ) I think the dog will help me feel safe but then unless they're small & trained to a stroller ( I've passed my little Chihuahua off as a sleeping baby before) then you have the issue of being limited on where you can go so I've got some things to think about & work out but it's nice to know that I do have an option besides homelessness or shelters.
In terms of showers, I would also suggest using truck stops! I had a gym membership for the purpose of using their showers/working out, but truck stops also allow anyone to use their showers for a $10-15 fee. Very helpful as well 👍
@@elliefuller3667 and they’re showers are immaculate!!! 😊😍
I am currently 3rd night living in my car due to eviction. I am so paranoid I can't sleep there are no shelter or housing I can get into due to having a health concern.
Awesome video Happy to say I'm in my car at the moment untill I find a new apt but guess what I got a new job today that pays alot more than my last
i like to cover my front and rear windshields but leave my door windows. Covering the front and rear tells most people that there is someone sleeping in the car but leaving the door windows will make them think twice about just sneaking up to the car. If the person inside happens to just look up, they have a much better chance of getting away or calling for help before the person finds a way to enter. But if all the windows are covered, someone will feel more confident about slowly and quietly sneaking up to start working on your door. Another tip is to carry an air horn or better yet, a really loud portable speaker that you can play someone screaming for help out of, you can download a woman’s voice screaming horrifically. This has worked for me three different times, i have my pistol and keep it right by my pad but have never used it. Loud noises will attempt to ward off the intruder before you have to use the weapon. You may all think you’d be prepared to just so easily use the weapon as soon as someone starts to intrude but i can guarantee you that it’s much different when you’re in that situation. A working dash cam alongside many other broken cameras mounted around the car. An inflatable dummy in your front seat. There’s allot of different things you can do to make someone think twice about choosing your car.
Good move mentioning the power banks! They're extremely useful when you aren't driving or need to charge your phone while you sleep or something. Very useful video. I'm going to be saving up for a car to do car living. I realized that to have a home and the usual "American dream", I'd have to leave my job I love to have it. I won't sacrifice my happiness for possessions.
I may only work at a Dollar General but I get a lot of hours and whatnot. I'm a stocker and the boss is chill, my coworkers are chill, very helpful, and the work pays well for someone who does in car living. Why would I sacrifice the already comfortable potential situation for what society says is right?
You're doing an amazing job. I do have a question though. What car companies should I buy from that I don't have to worry too much about maintenance wise? I'm not a skilled mechanic myself.
Honda or Toyota!! I hope it works out for you and with you working at DG, you’ll be living out your car with BIG money!
@@AWholeVibe96 Yeah I bring home like $400 a week but lately things have been slow! Thank you very much! Yeah I'm considering a 2005 Honda Accord a friend is selling for $1,500. Mechanic owned too and lowish miles. Thank you so much for being so kind! 😁
@@IAmFredTheTraveler don’t forget about making sure you get that w2! 😉 Might get taxes!
@@AWholeVibe96 Yeah I surely won't! I always get money back from taxes so that's cool! I'll end up putting taxes in savings probably, or use it for vehicle maintenance. 😁
Starting my road life this coming spring, getting rid of all my belongings and going on the road for 3 years maybe 4 but will see how it goes. Cant wait.
I have just started my journey and this is giving me hope!
What city are you in ?
Great tips , especially the gym and not parking in the same place every night. For the toilet I just went with a port-ta potty
Is probably a good idea getting a hotel once a month to change things up
I am thinking the same thing
I would do that or go to an Airbnb sometimes when I was living in my car 👍
I’m doing this right now. Just 2-3 days for sanity and comfort then back to the gulag
Yes
Good video I did this for 5months..working at thef hospital...literally parked/showered/ate /slept next to the hospitals
I LOVE YOU GURL! Your videos are so informative and you have such a positive attitude and your expressions are priceless and funny. Thank you for replying to my post. I do want to camp part time with my Mazda eventually and your videos are AWESOME 💖
Thank you for the kind words ☺️
Thanks for the advice I will start living in my car 0ct 1st I am so nervous and I suffer from anxiety so this video helped me alot thank you
HAHAHA. I have no window covers yet. But leave early. 1st week . Walmart parking lots let you stay. Its summer, I have my 2 dogs with me. 14 years old, but great protectors. Spend my day at parks for dogs. Hardest part is the summer heat. I have to make sure my dogs are cool. I'm in Florida
I’m praying for everyone going through this . I hope you guys are safe and find a home soon 💕
TY. 😊
@@chasethecat3839 🙏🏾💕 no problem
OMG you just answer my questions about Jackery 160. It's plenty reviews about 240 but almost nothing about 160. Thank you!
It’s so weird that it’s illegal to sleep in your car but you can go sleep on the sidewalk and have your entire camp set up with garbage strewn everywhere but God forbid you go to sleep in your car
Sitting in the hospital parking lot now watching this in my cat life. Being small is handy - 4 months now.
LA fitness is amazing and they are everywhere -
I rotate mine often -
Your lucky your short. Man I wish I could comfortabley sleep in my back seat
I have a home but I car camp for weeks at a time sleeping and living in my car. This was a very helpful and practical video. Thanks a LOT. 😃👍
I think it's ridiculous that sleeping in your car is illegal especially with how expensive housing is. Luckily a lot of law enforcement don't care as long as you aren't bothering anyone but you never know.
Love the video. I'm currently homeless and I work overnight and I'm having a hard time finding a place to park and sleep during the day. Every place is so loud. Plus I live Texas and I have no air conditioning in my 2003 Lincoln. Its literally horrible!!
Ohhh good luck to you Traci, I know how that Texas heat can be! Are there rest stops around you? Those are good for when I want to chill during the day, I park off in a shaded corner. Also, I have two USB fans that make a huge difference! Blessings to you 💕
Insulation?
BUY A MINI FAN THATS CLIPS!! And buy a portable USB CHARGER 10/20$ should last all night for personal use!
I live in Texas, too, and the heat is the worst. I broke down and bought a fan that plugs into the USB port in my car. It has been a life saver!!! Bought at Walmart for less than $10.00. Good luck.
You can park in truck stops during the day or Walmart.The daytime really isn't an issue it's overnight parking..as far as for safety.
If u need some place free for the day use library’s or gaming cafes or their parking lots also McDonald’s Starbucks are great post up spots use cheap gyms to shower if ur alone in ur car just remember ur not alone we will all get through this and prosper even more! Stay positive car peeps 🐥
I’m moving in my car in a week. Thanks for the video!
Good luck girl!
@@AlyssaVanilla thank you! I’m excited but nervous AS HELL. the limitations seem like a lot, but I’ve been wanting to do this for years. But 😮💨 it’s gettin real lol
The first night is always the most anxiety inducing. You’ll get used to it in no time 😘
@@AlyssaVanilla my biggest concern is like using the bathroom and showering. Or just cooking food whenever I want or storing food. Lol
@@Awaredo I'm just starting this lifestyle, gradually going longer and longer. I'm up to 3 consecutive days and in a few weeks I will do my 1st full 7 days.
I was concerned about showering too. A lot of people do gym memberships but that doesn't work for the places I'm visiting (at least not to save gas and money). What I do is use a pop-up shower tent (costs $30-40 for a good one) and a bucket of water and a canteen. The bucket of water has an air-seal lid I bought from Home Depot. I fill up the bucket with water from Primo Self Service Water places (located at many Walmarts, which is convenient because Walmart is where I'll sleep usually). You can find the Primo kiosks on their website as they have a map of all the locations. Then I use the canteen to pour water over myself in the shower tent usually in a wooded area near a hiking trail (but a bit off the trail itself). There's videos on youtube on how to clean yourself with a bucket shower. It's also great for conserving water in general. Alternative to Primo stations, you can also get water in 1 gallom jugs at water fountains for free to fill up your bucket. I also keep a 5 gallon Jerry Can on hand for extra water when I run out. This way I'm filling up my water about once every 3 days (I use about 3 gallons a day including showering, laundry, and drinking).
In terms of cooking, I'm still learning 😂 I'm trying to plan meals to spend less than $100 a month. I'm receiving a mini fridge that I paid $40ish for that I'll keep in the car and power it with a Jackery. I'm still preparing what exact foods I'll buy every week -- this is one of the harder parts of the planning process for me as I'm a terrible cook. I do have a little compact stove and pot and mini camping stove that all fits in a little compact bag. The camping stove hooks up to isobutane fuel which is cheap and compact. It's what I used to use to make beans and pasta on past camping trips. The hard part with the car is figuring out how to store the isobutane fuel as the car can get very hot and potentially make the isobutane explode. I'm doing research to see if it'd be safe to store the fuel in the mini fridge if I have the temperature set so it's not too cold.
And you didn't ask about laundry, but I found a cheap, effective way to do it! I use a Scrubba wash bag which is a traveling, compact little bag for doing laundry. Takes 3 minutes to get a load of laundry done, and it can fit between 1-2 outfits for a single load. I use that to do laundry every morning. I'll usually dry the load in a beach towel right after, spread a beach towel over my back seat, and then hang the clothes to dry by a makeshift clothesline in the car above the beach towel. By the end of the day, so far it's always been completely dry. I do crack the windows an inch to get any smells out of the car and get some good ventilation.
Let me know what habits you've been forming! I'm still new to this and would love to know your routine hacks to save space, time, money, etc.
thank you, im about to begin this journey
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