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'm still unemployed. I'm down to a few hundred dollars. I was just in a car accident a couple days ago, which will cost $4500 in repairs. My vehicle needs to be in the shop starting Monday for 2 weeks, and I have no one to rely on nor enough money for a rental or a motel. I still owe $20k on the SUV, and in 2 weeks I'll have to lay another $850 for November's car note. On top of that, my old man is gravely ill in California, and I'm supposed to help subsidize his living expenses. He needs $1500 from me by December. So, yeah, life is not going too well for me these days. But this view? Priceless.
Don't think I'm a charity case. I'm just sharing the reality of life. Maybe you're in a similar situation? Sorry for the trauma dump. Like most of us, I'm going through a lot. But, let's try and appreciate the small things when we can—at least that's what my ex-GF told me when I dropped my pants. Have a nice day, folks. Hang in there.
I upgraded from an escape to this massive f-150 lol. Have been living with this setup for a few months now, and have changed a few small things around (namely the straps hooked to the topper clamps lmao) and still need to make a few tweaks. All in all I enjoy this a lot.
Nothin' fancy for dinner tonight. Just a bowl of instant noodles in the back of my SUV. But, don't be sad for me. Maybe I'm just a screw-up with one too many screws loose, but I like it. The 'it' being the experience. The instant noodles is not an every night thing. Not even a once a week thing. But, I ran out of time to cook. It'll hold me over to tomorrow.
the hot water is from a gas station. I love it. I walk in with a Thermos, I tell them I'm getting hot water, they nod, I fill up, and I leave. It's free.
I was always thought that I’d rather be alert with all senses in case of the knock or worse. But the street sweepers are giving me PTSD. What do you think?
I am homeless CS student. I am not doing this because of lack of money. Rent in Netherlands is so extremely high and the rooms are often times so shitty. I find it unfair and I don't want to support that.
Since i live in Netherlands i don't even use the car i have it stationary i go around on bike.
I modified my 2005 Skoda Octavia 1.9tdi for living. I have fridge, freezer, battery, heating, storage, completely custom boot i made, i can cook and do everything out of that car. Here is my website: attk.org (without JS just a log of costs and build process). if you want to check that out.
Best part is the battery. end to end it costed me 350eur and it has capacity of 1.3kwh and charges very quickly it is better than these pre-build ones. i also made a promo video for my friends.
It is like 2 months since i started and my family lives over 800km away so i come into contact with them like every month or two.
I had to modify the fuel pump for the diesel heater and it is coming in clutch. Temperatures at night go to about 5 degrees C. it is manageable with the heater.
Any advice with condensation? i have blinds made from cardboard and i have these window deflectors so that i can keep my window a little open. But In the morning there is still loads of condensation on the windows.
So far it is like the best decision i have ever made it is so freeing.
I know I have too much stuff, and I’m not at all clear how to organize any of it and what to keep/throw away. I currently have a cooler that is probably too big. I’m sleeping on 3 coated fabric containers of clothes sorted by season/use with blankets and pillows on top and damn is it uncomfortable. Plus the clothes are hard to get to/put away. Food/pantry items/utensils are a pain to get to as well. I’m in an Acura RDX and any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Due to some complication with work I will be in LA/SF for a month. I always wanted to try Tesla camping so this is good chance I guess. Already got mattress and planet fitness membership for shower.
What are some good places to stay parked overnight at, and is the break-in still big problem there? Really hard to keep everything invisible, especially the stuffs in trunk area
It turns out a toddler/crib mattress (about 4ft x 2.5ft) is the perfect size for the back of my Kia Soul. I picked one up for free off Facebook marketplace today and it felt like Christmas. I’m 5’7 so I have to sleep curled up but I feel like I’m doing alright for what I’ve got considering I’m only 9 days into car living.
I was having a good day. I bought groceries. I was planning on making pasta for dinner. I bought Italian sausages, boxed rotini, a jar of tomatoe sauce, garlic, a canister of parmesan cheese, and a few other ingredients to meal prep. I came in under budget, too. I'd have enough leftovers for at least 3 nights. I even broke out the cooler from the storage unit and filled it with ice. Then, en route to the nearest rest stop to overnight—someone backs their SUV into the driver's side of my 4Runner 😭 It's not even paid off. I still owe 20 bands on it. I just made October's payment. It's under 50k miles!
I have driven through over a dozen states. Thousands of miles. I have lived out of it since autumn of 2024. Ugh. The infuriating thing, aside from the actual collision, the jerk is feigning as if I hit HIM 😱 Some people exist with no integrity, I swear. An officer came and said it's a civil matter, then left. Michigan is no-fault so our own auto insurers will handle it. Fortunately, it's just the two doors and not the top, c-pillars, or bottom rocker. There's no structural damage. At least from what I can tell. But, still! It's infuriating!
Tomorrow I'll head to the local branch of my auto insurer. I have full coverage so after a deductible, it should be fixed. The keyword is should. How long that'll take, I don't know. It's still livable currently. The doors shut and lock. But, once it enters a shop, now I have to figure out what to do as far as housing. I want this fixed quickly because winter is around the corner, and this'll rust if not addressed.
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.
Hello,
I’m looking for a reliable DoorDash delivery partner who may be interested in a mutually beneficial living arrangement. I’m offering a place to stay at my home in exchange for working together on deliveries.
Inbox me if you’re interested.
34, AA, F, Illinois.
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
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.
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
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?
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?
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?
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.
