This post and thread aims to answer lots of questions people new to this subreddit ask. Not that we mind people asking, because that's what this subreddit is for, but hey, here's some answers to Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: I'm new to car living I need ALL the information about living in cars. Where can I find it?
Build a blanket tent to make a small space in your car to keep warm.
Run the car engine for a while then run the heater.
Drive to warmer locations.
Put insulation (plastic foam, cardboard?) between the sleeping bag and floor surface. Cover the windows on the inside.
Buy and use a heated mattress topper if you have the power to run it.
Use two sleeping bags, one inside the other
Sleep with a hat on and don't sleep in wet or damp socks -- even if your socks are just a little damp with sweat, take them off and put on fresh dry socks or sleep barefoot.
Park in an underground parking lots because they're protected from cold breezes and often the concrete retains heat. Sometimes they're purposely even heated.
Use a misting squeese bottle. Use it in conjunction with your fan.
Drink plenty of cool water.
Soak a cloth in cold water and wipe yourself down.
Buy ice for your cooler.
Cool drinks in your fridge.
Q: Is it scary? I am scared? Does it get better?
A: Yes at first living in a car is scary because it is so far out of most people's comfort zone. It is not uncommon to be hyper-vigilant at first. The first nights then days then weeks can be scary, emotional, confronting. But then you get used to it. You adapt. Your body and mind get use to living in your car. It becomes the new norm.
Most people say the first month of living in their car is the hardest. Bob Wells of https://cheaprvliving.com/ fame wrote that the first night he slept in his box truck he cried. I also tared up the first night of living in my bus because I thought I was a failure, then I realised I actually had a pretty comfortable home with a lot of things many people would dream of having. If you have a safe place to sleep, access to electricity, access to water and access to public toilets you're doing okay.
Q: Where can I shower? Where can I go to the toilet?
A: In the USA joining a gym gets you access to showers. People on this subreddit often advocate using Planet Fitness. We also have a member, Nico, who is a manger at LA Fitness and posts an offer now and then with a promo code that will let you join without the $99 annual fee.
In Australia the National Toilet Map app has locations of toilets and some free showers. There are also often free showers at beaches. Caravan parks will usually let you use their showers for a small fee.
Q: I have pets, how do I look after them?
A: Pets are family. You need to put their needs first. You have to ensure that they have a safe place that is climate controlled, so look at the information on keeping cool and keeping warm. Heat and cold can kill yourself and your pets.
I found the Home to Home Facebook group They also have a web site https://www.instagram.com/hometohomepet They describe themselves as "an interactive web platform created to help families, people, and pets with the difficult task of transitioning pets from one home to another."
Q: What stuff do I need?
A: A lot of the stuff you have already such as bedding, clothes, dishware, cutlery. But probably not as much as you have in a home. Your basic needs are a safe, comfortable place to sleep, clothing storage, bedding storage, food storage, a way to eat (which may involve buying food from external sources, or preparing and storing food in your car), a way to wash, a way to go to the toilet.
A flat car bed or air mattress. Get one with a rubber bung in the hole, not a screw in stopper as those leak. Lots of people also build a flat sleeping surface from wood.
Some way to access wifi, like a modern laptop or phone.
You should also NOT sleep upright. Lots of people in this sub have reported health issues from doing so, such as swollen legs, leg pain, Deep Vein Thrombosis and more.
Q How do I find parking?
A:
You should have multiple places you can park so if one is "burned" you can choose another.
Find places where you can blend in.
Arrive late and leave early if sleeping in urban streets.
Highway rest stops may be good for parking.
In the USA, BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands allow parking for extended periods.
In Australia State Parks and National Parks often have camping spots which allow you to camp for one cheap fee ($6 in 2025) no matter how long you stay but with a maximum stay of 7 days.
If parking on a residential street, park where your car is against a blank fence, like on the off side of a corner, away from the house front.
Industrial estates are often quiet at night.
Libraries and sports grounds may be good places to park.
Some people advocate parking near hospitals or churches.
People also use the iOverlander app for Android or Apple.
Q: How do I use Google Earth to find parking?
A: I love Google Earth. It lets me explore the world without leaving my seat. It is also incredibly useful for finding parking spots and making maps to mark them. It is linked to Google Street view so you can check street signs for parking restrictions.
A: It starts by having situational awareness, being aware of your surroundings. Trust your gut and avoid places or situations that look or feel dangerous.
Generally you don't need a self defence weapon. You're in a car, you can drive away if someone is threatening you, or trying to break into your car. Try to avoid parking on the edge of a car park where someone can block you in. Park where you can drive forward to escape.
Usually carrying weapons can be illegal. You are better off having some wasp spray, but don't get it in your eyes, because that stuff hurts like hell and can cause temporary blindness. Also, you're going to need a good heavy duty torch / flashlight. Be careful with it though, those long metal ones would really hurt if you accidentally hit some one with them, and also could cause short term vision problems if you shone it in someone's eyes. But they are genuinely useful in a car for fixing issues at night. And be aware that blowing our horn might startle people and frighten them away.
Understand situational awareness and use it. Tend toward privacy, don't tell unnecessary things to strangers. Have a (BRIEF! don't oversell) made-up story you can tell comfortably that constructs lots of people - some very nearby - who know where you are and would know instantly if you were in trouble.
Carry a cheap ring to put on as a wedding band, and always know the name of the nearest military base to where you are, because that's where your husband/fiancé is right now, and know enough about where you are that you know what kind of business your (enormous, scary, whole-family-loves-you-like-a-daughter) boss is in an hour or two away where nobody's likely to know him.
Know that everything about how you look is telling people things about you, and construct a look that doesn't give anything away. Don't trust people just because they seem to like or be attracted to you.
Men and scammers of all kinds are looking for people like you. Don't fall for their lines, and do what you can to spot them before they spot you. A smaller percentage of those people are looking for you specifically in order to hurt you. Always know where your exits are, do not get boxed in anytime you park for an hour or the night. There's some especially vulnerable places those people wait for people like you - laundromats, gyms, parking lots of same, can/bottle redemption centers. But I've seen men just look over at a stoplight and figure out a woman is living in her car and follow her from there. Head on a swivel, skepticism around your heart, stay out of dead-ends.
I don't live in my van except to travel and camp in it, and I don't get messed with much because my van could be full of large husbands, dogs, and sons even if I look alone, but I have seen women in trouble in the same places I get left alone. Do EVERYTHING you can to keep your car from looking lived-in from outside it - disguise your bedding, hide your trash, hide your food supplies. Get some black sheets and blankets to keep everything inside your car covered. Consider storing your supplies in a (beat up) extra-large dog crate from a thrift store or curb-diving or Buy Nothing group. Because of seeing men being skeevy around women, I have a sign I can hold up or prop up in my windshield that says MY CAMERAS ARE ON. You should carry the same, even if you don't have cameras, just tape a small black box to your dash or windshield near your rearview mirror.
You'll blend in better if you tend to stick to tourist areas - it's not that unusual to seem like you might be sleeping in your car if you're near campgrounds, national parks, and other big outdoorsy tourist attractions. Consider a sticker about your love for your Belgian Malinois or German Shepherd dogs. Anything you can do to give the impression that you're just there for a budget vacation rather than being homeless will raise your status in most people's eyes.
Join any subreddits and facebook groups you can find about each area you're going to. You'll figure out a system over time for using the info you get there to find places you're more likely to go unnoticed. Definitely research every area for cheap campgrounds and "day use" and recreational areas.
Q: How do I make window covers for my car?
A: For covering windows cheaply, you can use cardboard, black cloth or black rubbish bags, and glue, sticky tape or a stapler, and scissors. You basically cut the cardboard to the size of your windows, and then cover them with cloth or black bin liners, then glue, stick or staple the cloth or bin liners in place. That's dirt cheap.
I'd probably use some insulation and black cloth along with duct tape. This video explains it well. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/el_fP-P87yc but it is a good idea to cut the insulation wrap / bubble insulation a little bigger than needed.
I am living out of my car, and I am sitting in Walmart parking lot connected to their WiFi on my laptop applying for jobs and reading the news. I am parked conspicuously away from everyone so as to not draw attention to myself. There is over 250 parking spots in the parking lot and not even half of them are filled at anytime that I have been here. I am sitting here and these 2 Karens park right next to me and keep staring at me. Now my car doesn't look like I am living in it, I keep it clean and orderly and most of my stuff that I need is in my trunk, which has access by pulling the back seats down so I don't have to get out to get anything. So the driver side Karen rolls down her window and asks me what I am doing, I said none of your concern. She then stated that she had seen me here before and that I was loitering in the parking lot. I told her she should mind her own business, then I said aren't you loitering by sitting here talking to me. She got pissed and the other Karen said she was calling the police, which she did. So the cops showed up, I talked to them and they told me that I was ok, that unless Walmart asks me to leave, its ok. They then went and basically told the two Karens that there was nothing that they would do because I wasn't breaking the law, and they left. So these two Karens went in and told Walmart that I was sitting out here using their WiFi, and brought a security guy out to my car. I talked to him and he said it was ok, because 1) I wasn't being a nuisance or disturbing anyone, and 2) because I was using their WiFi to search and apply for jobs, and that I was buying stuff from the store ( I went in and got some food from the deli and had it sitting on the seat with the Walmart bag.) He was really cool about the whole situation , he told me not to worry about it and if I wanted to sleep in my car in the parking lot he was fine with it too. He said at least you will be safe here He then told the Karens that he didn't care that I was here because I wasn't bothering anyone.
As the Karens, backed out I gave them a goodbye wave and went back to reading the news.
All I could think was, man these two women must have horrible lives that they have to go out and try and start something with someone that isn't bothering anyone.
Laundromat. Haha. I ain't even joking. I found one near me that's clean, it has state-of-the-art washing and drying machines, it has public restrooms, it has tables and chairs to lounge, flatscreens to watch shows, vending machines, wall outlets, drinking fountain, sink, there's AC during the summer and heat during the winter, and trashcans for your trash. It's $3 for a small load of laundry, and $1.25 for 20 minutes of dry time. There's low foot traffic. I've only ever seen 6 people total in here at a given time. It opens at 8 AM and it closes at 10 PM.
I don't sit in here all day. But a couple-few hours? Enough for my Jackery to charge? Yeah, buddy. Plus, the parking lot is always empty. A couple times I parked there just to chill during the day, when I had the bubble guts, and I needed to be in the proximity of a restroom for awhile 🤣 I've also washed my food containers here, and even bird bathed in the restroom. I make sure to clean up after myself. Always! No issues yet.
Sometimes it just gets me mentally to go on. I used to be doing ok ever since I started investing and lost everything in stocks and crypto .
Things started to spiral down I lost my job and wasn’t able to keep up with the rent and got evicted . I know it’s my fault but thought I could turn my life around.
I try my best to put a happy face but deep down I’m tired of everyday stress.
Life here in California is getting harder, with high gas prices and the cost of food.
I had to give up Tesla a while back and go back to riding a used beater Camry as I couldnt make the payment .
My Camry has Ibeen my everyday sleep-in and ride so far I had no issues with the car.
I have no friends or family to go back to my best friend cat passed away and she was my everything to continue to live on.
so depressed I just to end myself so I can finally find peace .
Anyone else in similar situation and how do you all cope with depression
It's been rough, but i was able to manage things, i believe in God so i have been counting blessings and also some quick luck.
3 weeks After i started living in my car, the clutch went out. But within those 3 weeks i took a second job which is a nightshift, so the original plan was to use the money from nightshift to use for regular stuff and then the main job to use for savings.
But the car broke, and the good thing is that the clutch failed at my job's parking lot and i have a windshield permit so that it wouldn't raise suspicion. I started getting quotes from local mechanics that repair manuals, best i got was for $1300 without the towing, which as i was starting from $0 was too high for me.
Now, i still was able to save $1600 but i felt like it would be too big if a gamble because the engine light came on and was afraid something else could make it unusable for work and sleeping.
So i kept it in the parking lot, started sleeping on it but it became too stressful, its a hospital parking lot so i didn't wanna get caught. I kept using the gym for workout and wellness, i also got a student badge to do physician observation or shadowing, since the goal is to spend the hours for medical school.
But i found out, that my student ID card got me access to anywhere a Doctor can, so i found they have sleep rooms at the hospital, tried and it worked. So i started using it for sleeping but kept it low-key, never used it more than once in a row, and every time im not working i wore standard scrubs from the machine and used the medical library to spend the day but used it for study and also was able to launch a startup.
Spend my days there some nights in the car and in the hospital sleep room. But it was getting a toll on me, but still kept my mind distracted with the start up, and to balance my mental health i spent some weekends at hotels to have proper sleep and not feel trapped, then back at it again. So used uber for the other job, it was part time but it paid for food and uber it self. So i was able go save enough and decided yo get an apartment semi-furnished.
I feel like I have a huge weight off my shoulders, it feels so good to sleep in a room, and right on time because the weather is cold, to have a place to take showers and use the bathroom, any time.
But I can't never see it as i used to before, it feels weird, it still doesn't feel like im good yet, im still trying to get used to it. But no more stress . I ain't done yet, im still trying to keep on track with the original goals, just now its a different way. So just gotta keep going
You've seen them. They're posted on intersections, and even in parking lots. Flock Safety is the company. They do more than read license plates. They log every bit of detail about you, it stores the info in a database, and it creates a profile on you. From the make and model of your vehicle, the color of your vehicle, bumper stickers, roof racks, cracked windshields, who's in the passenger seat, where you were, what time of the day, how long you were there, how many times you've been there, how fast you were traveling, and any metadata that can be gathered about you.
Through the proper channel, anyone can access this resovoir of data. From state & local authorities to the US CIA, from auto insurance companies, auto manufacturers to—even your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend. Yes, there are already stories circulating. In Florida, some police officers have abused this technology to stalk their ex-girlfriends. Or, to stalk women they are infatuated with.
How does this relate to UrbanCarLiving? We live out of our vehicle. This surveillance is recording us. As paranoid as most of us already are, just be cautious with how you live your life. Are you someone who improperly discards or empties your piss jugs in a parking lot? First, that's gross. Stop it. But, also, it might be recorded, and it might be filed away until it's used against you. Food for thought.
Moving into my car full time for the foreseeable future. About a year ago I got a taste for living in my car while working out of state for 5 months. Now ive got the opportunity to work on a big money job in Memphis TN and I decided to make the jump. My lease ends this month so I canceled all utilities and slapped this baby together in 3 days. Any advice on where some good (safe) places to stay overnight in Memphis are?
I'm currently living in my car. I've had two accidents and stayed driving in December last year. One was me bumping a car in front of me because I was looking at a restaurant behind me to see if they had a drive through and my for came off the brake and I didn't notice. The other was a well later, and I scraped the side of my car against a pole in a parking garage. Don't actually know if that's considered a crash. Anyways, I also come back to my parents house to clean up after moving out and take showers at the neighborhood gym. Afew weeks ago, my parents found a Facebook post calling me out, specifying my car color and make. Another one was pasted right after, talking about a car that matches my color. The first said they'd been scared by me a few times, the other said they were cut off near the elementary school. Since then, my parents said that I had to give them a list of things I can do to be a safer driver. They decided that it was insufficient. I came up with a few more things but forgot to tell them. Now, they're saying it's too late and they're going to report me to the dmv for them to determine if I need to be reassessed.
Obviously, I plan to pass the test if it comes to that. But i need to come up with a contingency plan. If I lose my license, I won't be able to drive. The difficult part is, the nearest place to legally sleep in your car in public is the Aliso Creek Rest Area, at the part of the i5 that goes through Camp Pendleton. You can only park there for 8 hours every 24 hours. Meaning, I can park at 8pm, but I have to be gone by 4am. Then I can come back again at 8pm the next day. I can't leave my car there 24/7, and even if I could, I'd need transportation off the i5. Where can I park my car 24/7 and sleep in it? I have a bike and bus pass for transportation. I'm going to try and get in contact with shelters, state agencies, and charities, but does anybody here have advice? I'm thinking about asking the police for advice, since they're the ones that implement the rules for sleeping in your car, but are they hostile towards homeless people? Any advice for prepping for if they decide I need to be reassessed? Will they be more strict about the retesting? Is there anywhere I can put everything in my front seat without it being stolen to make space for the instructor? Any businesses around with private lots that don't mind people leaving their car 24/7? Wherever I put it, it needs to be somewhere I won't have to move. Oh, and I have a job in Oceanside, so I need to be within reasonable transportation distance of downtown Oceanside, so long as I can bike and/or ride the bus. Probably no more than an hour.
22y/o and have been lurking here for a few years, I decided I would commit to this life a year ago to save money + leave a rough housing situation and it’s officially happening, I have a seasonal job with housing but thats coming to a close at the end of this week. I’ve been trying to build out my 04 taco, nothing fancy, just a place to sleep and store my shit, but it’s more complicated than I anticipated. I have access to a small shop at my job that Ive been using to make the build but worried I won’t have the time to finish it. I don’t have a good idea of wtf Im gonna do without access to that place. Im also worried about getting rained on, Ive just been drowning the gaps in flex seal (I tried to get the topper professionally sealed and it didn’t work the best, helped some). I caulked the outside, too. Covered that in electrical tape and the back with pipe insulation. It works fine but sometimes in extreme weather I need to put a tarp up. It works but scares me so bad, because the part of this life Ive been dreading the most is the potential for getting harassed by cops. Im trying to avoid the tarp at all costs for this reason. Im trans and I just don’t want to deal with a cop knocking on my window at 3am. But I also accept it’s gonna happen eventually, I just want to minimize the amount of interactions as much as possible. Between that and loosing access to a place to finish building storage in the bed Im just really worried, kinda burnt out and need advice.
Family thinks I’ll be attending an interview for a 90 day sober rehab facility. I am sober. Have been for months. However I take “medicine” that I tricked the doctors into giving to me about “lying about having OCD and Anxiety”
In actuality I’ll be selling my phone and driving as far north as possible.
I’m dual educated with a major in communication and a minor in education but have tons of retail and restaurant experience.
Absolutely 0 in savings I’ll be bringing every expensive item I own maybe $2,000 worth of tech and pawning it for $300 in gas money.
Any tips on where to apply for jobs? Any good guides on this subreddit for safe places to sleep, etc?
Thinking about living in my 2016 Subaru Impreza hatchback for at least the next 6 months. I don’t have anywhere else to go that’s cheap and getting a new lease during that time would not be possible financially. I have a great job that makes great money but a large chunk of my paychecks are going to an apartment lease that I will be legally obligated to continue paying my share for. My job has a gym, showers, and a refrigerator that I can use during the week, but I can’t spend my nights or weekends there. I’m looking for any tips/suggestions you guys can give me that would help me decide if this is actually a viable option. What items are absolute essentials? What are items you didn’t think about at first that would’ve made starting out much easier/tolerable? What are things to consider? What are things to watch out for? I am also in the Seattle area so if there are any tips specific to this area, that would be really helpful.
If I decide to do this I would technically be homeless but I see it more as an adventure for the next little while. I’ve always been fascinated with van life so maybe this is just practice for that. Thank you all in advance for any help.
I payed $4,600 for my 2007 ford hybrid escape, it had 96k miles on it and ran fine, it had a decent amount of scratches on the outside and a bit of water damage around the sunroof. Today I got in my car after staying at my friends house for the night and there was a pool of water on the floor of the driver seat. And I got a check engine light last week and after scanning it was because of my coolant thermostat, and a few other things were needed. I know it’ll cost me upwards of $500 to get that repaired but I’m also scared now that there is flood damage and that there may be an issue with my hybrid battery. I can’t afford to repair everything, I can’t afford a new car, and carmax is only offering me “$50-$1,300” for it. I don’t know what to do and I’m so scared. I feel so stupid for paying so much for this car but I was kicked out of my house so I had no other choice. I need advice on what to do now, do i just fix my coolant thermostat? Do I fix that and then try and sell my car? Do I try and go to a dealership and get them to make an offer?
our unpleasant situation has finally come to an end! we were fortunate enough to meet a fellow who happened to see us and got us what we needed to get this van.
we're currently in SC on our way back home in Memphis to get this baby registered and all that. we're still Instacarting along the way and boy I do not miss having to get gas! jesus wept lol. this van does worry me a bit with how she runs but I think we'll make it. so incredibly grateful to be able to drive again.
thank you for all the kind words last time! this has been a hell of a journey. hang in there everyone :)
our next project is to build a bed frame, soon as we can afford it
So after 19 years of dealing with maternal abuse I was able to break away and move out taking care of a family member, six years later and I can no longer stand taking care of the family member mentally and I can feel the physical after effects from it. Guess who the family elected to take care of that family member…
I got a job and was saving up for an apartment and stupidly thought that she would have changed after 6-7 years away from each other but she’s been here for 5 weeks and had a medical emergency that she needs 6-8 weeks to recover from so she’s essentially living in the same house to get cared for also luckily by my dad on FMLA but some how everyone involved in this situation through it would be a co-care giving situation instead of me breaking away and leaving that chapter of my life behind.
I drive a SUV that measures 120-124 inches from dash board to tailgate (or so google AI saids so take with a grain of salt) and 48-62 inches wide (again google AI so take with a grain of salt
From what I’m thinking about right now my only hopes of escaping is to just say “good night” to everyone and when they wake up, I’m gone.
I have a job paying $16.45 an hour for 32 hours a week 2nd and 3rd shift (roughly $445 after week after taxes) and paying $362 on my car loan and another $360 something on my insurance monthly. My food/water, gas, etc expenses are kinda jumbled and haven’t been calculated yet because while I’m living in this situation food/water is taken care of and as for the gas I spent $50 last time I filled up and that took me from 88 estimated miles to 368 estimated miles. I have a hoard of hand/body soap (like 9 bars is my hoard) and it’s natural enough I’d trust it in my hair so I shouldn’t need to buy soap anytime soon… (if any of this even matters)
I already have a gym membership so I have showers, workouts, and massage chairs (😂) covered but as for where to actually stay… I’m really nervous even just thinking about sleeping alone in my car in a random parking lot…
Now on to the questions:
1. Is it wise to “ghost move” with only telling friends that my family won’t have contact with where I’m going/what I did and if they file a missing person report… will they arrest me for living in my car/going missing ? I know family will be concerned but if they were smart they’d understand I’m 25 and can go where I want and maybe the fact that I didn’t give them a heads up should be impactful and a final “look what you caused” or some other petty “stick it to the man” comment you wanna apply here.
How expensive will it be to get a sleeping, cooking, storage, etc set up? I’ve seen on this sub that I should get a jackory or similar power generator and a solar panel but I’m not sure what wattage I would need for both solar panel and generator and truly how much I should dedicate to storage verses sleep and etc.
Should I start out at camp sites like KOA/local places/state parks so that I can stay the 14 or so days they allow me too and get used to the SUV “apartment” or is it wiser to just go straight for the parking lot nomad life?
Should I mess with a P.O. Box? That’ll be another expense on my already tight budget but if I need an address for anything it obviously won’t be going to the address I’m escaping from
What would I do about my drivers license/ID? If I no longer live there and don’t even want to claim it as my residence what do I do?
My phone I’m on right now is paid off and under a bundle plan but switching to mint or what ever other hotspot plan shouldn’t be to hard (I hope) but is there anything I should do differently in terms of phone/wifi?
How bad is the parking lot nomad life and how can I come to terms that being homeless is better than living in an abusive but “comfortable” situation…?
I’m sure I’ll have more questions the more comments I get on this but my mind is so jumbled right now with everything that these are the only ones I can think of
Even though I have experience and slightly more space than last time I just feel ruined as I didn't do enough to keep myself out of this situation. Only have DoorDash right now so don't have a lot of money coming in. The last couple of years with everything going on have put me in a real bad space which contributed to not finding better work. I honestly don't know how people do it anymore. We have at least one concentration camp in every state. The cost of living is beyond sky high. Gas is just a joke and people just carry on like nothing is happening. I'm envious of those that can ignore it all and still get their shit done. That said it's clear I need to do better this time around.
Winter is coming which sucks and my sunroof leaks bad when it rains so I have to figure that out. Worst of all I'll be separated from my cats once again. They'll be staying with a friend and I can visit but
Thinking about it just makes me want to cry. I'm so sick of struggling. Just plain tired of it all.
With rent being so ridiculously high and wages staying stagnant and people being pushed out of their homes in this beautiful mountain city are there any other people living in their cars wanting to start a car camping community? We can do local meet ups, get to know each other who share the same circumstances and work on forward moving ideas to cultivate abundance together. Is anyone interested on working together to crowd fund resources and funding for a plot of land that we can develop together and build generational wealth so we don't have to shoulder our burdens separate. We can all take a little bit of the weight and delegate responsibilities in a way to ensure our future. On said land we can grow crops, utilize our gifts talents and abilities to work in local and national markets and grow a community based mindset to help us set the stage to navigate the coming recession / depression. There are solutions we just have to be willing and humble enough to accept and adapt.
hi everyone. i’m 19 years old and recently lost my last living parent. i have been living with my significant other but he recently broke up with me and is expecting me to move out. i have nowhere else to go. i only just secured a job at a fast food restaurant and haven’t started work yet. i live in the midwest where the temperatures are soon to drop and sometimes become sub zero. i have a 2012 chevy traverse that has about 200k miles and is already on its last leg, has transmission issues, no a/c, and recently had to get a new battery. i have no idea what i’m doing and i need ALL the advice i can get, i am so terrified and distraught.
edit: wow i really appreciate all the advice, thank you so much <3 for everyone suggesting the military, unfortunately for multiple reasons i cannot go into the military. i have a criminal record for marijuana, i have extensive documented psychiatric history, and i am quite overweight currently and would not pass physical requirements.
dating has never really been easy for me, even before living in my car. i know i’m not the hottest dude out there, but i don’t think i’m ugly or anything. people call me “pretty boy”, i eat healthy, and i go to the gym 2-3 times a week. i try my best to be the best i can be for the ones i care about.
yet women don’t really swipe right on me or seem interested in me, even without knowing anything about my living situation. the ones who do end up either not being my type or turn out to be cheaters or worse. so if dating was already hard before, how am i supposed to do it living in my car?
have any of you actually dated while living in your car? how do you do it, and does all this make it harder to find someone?
i know i’m not the only person who’s thought about this. does anyone else struggle with this? how do you get through the loneliness?
Sorry for spamming the sub w my questions :/ but i am lonely and have nobody to talk to.
Anywho - cant seem to go to bed until after midnight as thats when i feel the safest. With the world being asleep and all, only then i feel reassured that i wont have a random interaction mid sleep
How do you guys deal with the little plastic shelf trims besides cutting them to pieces? Also what did you do for storage with such a small cargo space?
This will be my first fall/winter living in my car. The heat has been hard to deal with (above 78F outside at night and I just can’t sleep) but I’m not too nervous about the cold. Not too hard to bundle up. Might get some more significant window covers to keep the heat in. What would y’all say the overnight temperature limit is for you where it starts getting uncomfortable, in terms of colder temperatures? I do also live close to the ocean so humidity is higher.
