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Im going to be in a pickle soon with no money for a place to stay. Im 30 now and everyone I know is gone. I have a job and a car. Keep in mind i'm not whining or anything, I would just like to see if anyone has experience in living in a car and maybe they could dole out some tips.
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Nov 23, 2014 23:38
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 20:40 |
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jimcunningham posted:Im going to be in a pickle soon with no money for a place to stay. Im 30 now and everyone I know is gone. I have a job and a car. Keep in mind i'm not whining or anything, I would just like to see if anyone has experience in living in a car and maybe they could dole out some tips. As long as you have a cup you can get water or ice for free at McDonalds or any other fastfood place - just walk in a fill up.  Most of them also have free wifi, hotels usually have it, too. Also, find places where the cops won't hassle you when you're sleeping in the car at night: church parking lots, hotels (be sure to hit up the continental breakfast in the morning), and 24-hour Walmarts are good choices. Also, large, cheap hotels (think Marriott or Best Western) are good places to pick up soap and other toiletries. Just ask the front desk or a cleaning person, or just take a bunch off the cart, people will just assume you're a guest and no one cares. Some rest stops, truck stops, and state parks have free or cheap showers you can use.edit: If you have the money for a cheap gym membership, get one so you can use the facilities. Also, research what government benefits you qualify for. Also, you can use craigslist to find shady but affordable rooms for let, sometimes on a weekly basis. Sharkie fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Nov 24, 2014 |
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Nov 24, 2014 00:24
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If you can afford a YMCA membership ($40/month here) that'll get you hot showers. I also used to work at a shelter that served snacks, dinner, and had showers. Mealtimes were a far more mixed crowd than you'd imagine--lots of people on hard times, but not quite homeless, taking advantage of a free hot plate of pasta once a day. My wage was lovely, though I liked the job, and I ate there a lot for convenience. Don't be afraid to use those services; they're for people struggling, not just for people who gave up. A lot of them also have outreach workers who can level with you about what additional services you qualify for, though if you're American, I shudder to think how little that'd be. :/ Pixelante fucked around with this message at 00:50 on Nov 24, 2014 |
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Nov 24, 2014 00:30
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I already have a membership at the YMCA so at least my hygiene is covered. Thanks goons. I plan on filling a bunch of water bottles everytime i go for a shower (and a run). The worst part about this will be the sleep. Im about 6'8 350lbs. I drive a Jetta. Sadface. In the spring i might find some places to camp as tents are only about $40.
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Nov 24, 2014 01:23
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You have a job? Why are you about to sleep in a loving jetta.
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Nov 24, 2014 01:37
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jimcunningham posted:I already have a membership at the YMCA so at least my hygiene is covered. Thanks goons. I plan on filling a bunch of water bottles everytime i go for a shower (and a run). The worst part about this will be the sleep. Im about 6'8 350lbs. I drive a Jetta. Sadface. In the spring i might find some places to camp as tents are only about $40. Yeah, if any are conveniently located, state and national parks are a godsend. You often won't even have to pay to use them...you can just park at a site and set up camp. If it's not too busy rangers probably won't check and hassle you. If they do, just act confused and say you made reservations online, and you're not sure why you're not listed. Alternately, use an old ticket that they give you to put in your windshield, if they hassle you act confused like "Ugh, I must have got it mixed up, I know the right one's here somewhere." They almost certainly not ask you to break down camp, just literally politely ask you to leave in the morning -- assuming they pay any attention to you at all. Park rangers, in my experience at least, have been very understanding and chill. edit: if you do end up camping, invest in an air mattress. Also, Starbucks almost never kicks anyone out, so you can hang out there on a couch until closing and charge your computer, read, etc. They also usually give free refills to people that are there. Sharkie fucked around with this message at 01:46 on Nov 24, 2014 |
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Nov 24, 2014 01:42
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MassaShowtime posted:You have a job? Why are you about to sleep in a loving jetta. It should be temporary. I dont have money for deposits on an apartment or the money to live in one by myself. I make about $200 more than my bills and food. If i scrimped, probably $300. I live in what amounts to a rural area where all my friends and potential roommates are gone. Craigslist is not an option here.
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Nov 24, 2014 01:48
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jimcunningham posted:It should be temporary. I dont have money for deposits on an apartment or the money to live in one by myself. I make about $200 more than my bills and food. If i scrimped, probably $300. I live in what amounts to a rural area where all my friends and potential roommates are gone. Craigslist is not an option here. Is there a cheap motel? You can usually get a monthly rate and it gives you an address and someplace with electricity and whatnot, and no deposit. Plus if its really tight, you can usually get away with paying by the day to hustle up the money to cover another night. I've seen motels that run ~$300/mo for a monthly rate, which can be considerably cheaper than an apartment, but the downside is you live in a motel and it wouldn't give you the ability to really save for a deposit for a real place.
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Nov 24, 2014 04:15
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jimcunningham posted:It should be temporary. I dont have money for deposits on an apartment or the money to live in one by myself. I make about $200 more than my bills and food. If i scrimped, probably $300. I live in what amounts to a rural area where all my friends and potential roommates are gone. Craigslist is not an option here.
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Nov 24, 2014 04:44
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Is this you OP? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nhgfjrKi0o
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Nov 24, 2014 04:53
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Bip Roberts posted:Is this you OP? No but very much my reference. I already do stick to a tight budget, but can probably squeeze a little more out of it. The hotel thing seems counterintuitive based on what i want for the future.
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Nov 24, 2014 04:57
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What do you want for the future?
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Nov 24, 2014 06:46
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WYA posted:What do you want for the future? Stability.
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Nov 24, 2014 07:17
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Call 211 and ask if there are any local resources for you.
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Nov 24, 2014 07:28
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wait how are you going to get a van? i had a friend that lived in a van for a couple months between places/jobs and he survived it more or less ok, i think it would have been a lot shitter for him if he had had a jetta instead of that van tho. since you don't have a place (or won't soon) but you do have a car, and you do have a job, why not scrimp a little bit and instead of using craigslist to look in your local area, look for work in the nearest urban area, which you can then drive to with the car you have and the gas you bought from working and scrimping.. and that way there will be more options as far as potential rooms and roomates on craigslist or wherever else, and more resources in general
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Nov 24, 2014 16:25
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jimcunningham posted:It should be temporary. I dont have money for deposits on an apartment or the money to live in one by myself. I make about $200 more than my bills and food. If i scrimped, probably $300. I live in what amounts to a rural area where all my friends and potential roommates are gone. Craigslist is not an option here. Well get out of shithole, usa and to a real city with jobs and roommates. Most of the suggestions given aren't going to work in the country anyway, a hotel is going to figure out what you are doing real fast and the cops aren't going to be friendly either- more than likely you'd be breaking the law by living in a car. You'd hardly be the first person to move to a new city with next to nothing besides their clothes, retarded teenagers manage to pull it off. Better plan than stealing from the local Marriott, anyway. jimcunningham posted:Stability. The economy in most the major cities is pretty good now, it's certainly not 2008 anymore- unemployment is nearing historical norms. Not really that hard to find a job that will pay the bills if you put a bit of effort in. Homeless without any support in a rural area is a terrible idea by comparison, at any rate.
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Nov 24, 2014 17:00
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Tell me about living in a van. By the way, I don't have a van. I have a Jetta.
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Nov 24, 2014 19:58
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beejay posted:Tell me about living in a van. By the way, I don't have a van. I have a Jetta. Its a reference to an SNL skit.
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Nov 25, 2014 02:23
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Do you have any options to increase your income? What part of the country are you in?
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Nov 25, 2014 06:20
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Think about posting your budget in BFC, because your "I have maybe $300/mo if I really scrimp" is a weird statement given your situation. What are you planning to eat in your jetta? Because you could spend a lot of that $300 extra on convenience food due to not having a kitchen. (Of course you're a goon and 350 lbs so you probably already spend a shitload on convenience food, but if so there's something you can fix.) You could possibly be better off financially renting a room in somebody's house, even if you have to commute to your job. Plus all the fabulous benefits of not living in a car!
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Nov 25, 2014 08:41
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Trillian posted:Think about posting your budget in BFC, because your "I have maybe $300/mo if I really scrimp" is a weird statement given your situation. If he can grab a cooler, he can fill it with ice from McDonalds and keep veggies, dips, deli meat, cheeses, etc.
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Nov 25, 2014 10:03
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Why are you soon to be evicted from your current place of residence?
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Nov 25, 2014 11:11
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If i just moved to a city i would have a commute of an hour plus each way. I have car pymnt and the like so i cant just go without a job and quit and move. That would be regressing. I can buy bags of almonds and cans of tuna or a jar of peanut butter, non perishables. I dont eat that much, im not a 50% body fat kind of fat, but an overweight defensive lineman. It comes down to just not having any options and making it work for a couple of months until i can save $1000 or so for deposits.
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Nov 25, 2014 19:41
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That's a good point about the commute. Wouldn't want to be in your car for that long, sounds terrible.
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Nov 25, 2014 21:26
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jimcunningham posted:If i just moved to a city i would have a commute of an hour plus each way.
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Nov 26, 2014 05:04
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Can I get some backstory and pictures?
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Nov 26, 2014 06:42
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This is a terrible idea. Your using some really bad logic here. You seem to write off a lot of very solvable problems as impossible. Are you depressed or something?
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Nov 26, 2014 09:45
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jimcunningham posted:Im 30 now jimcunningham posted:Im about 6'8 350lbs. jimcunningham posted:I dont eat that much, im not a 50% body fat kind of fat, but an overweight defensive lineman. Assuming you are male and (being generous) do a moderate level of activity ("I regularly travel on foot or bike, I am active at work and home, I don't spend much time sitting and I do at least 2.5 hours exercise each week") I punched in your information into the NHS BMI calculator. Body mass index (BMI) = 38.4 OBESE Healthy weight range for this height: 76.4kg - 103.6kg (you are currently 158.75kg) Don't want to be a dick OP but it sounds to me like you need help from a professional, as you are blatantly just lying to yourself here (or you are ripped as gently caress, Terry Crews-level and that is throwing off your BMI, but I highly doubt that as you described yourself as an "overweight defensive lineman"). This level of denial is probably affecting your everyday life and is not related just to your fitness, and is likely hampering you in general. Ghost of Mussolini fucked around with this message at 10:59 on Nov 26, 2014 |
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Nov 26, 2014 10:57
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Jesus loving christ. No i wasnt saying im not fat, im saying im not a fedora wearing goon with a gunt. I used to do strongman training. The bmi scale says i should weigh 220. After a phase test, at 275 lbs i would have 8% body fat. I literally cannot be under 265 or id be extremely unhealthy. Thats 45 lbs more than what they say. That does not take into account any muscle. Also why the gently caress would i sever my line to income which pays as good as most anything im going to find since i have no skills, just to move to an urban area? I quit and its going to take at least a couple of weeks to find another job, probably a week or two before i get paid and then i guess my car payment is late again, eventually they just take it away from you then i would be legitimately homeless. How does that not seem like it would be regressing? Leaving a job that youve been at for a couple of years for uncertainty? Starting completely from scratch is not an option. Ive crunched the numbers on every scenario. The hour long commute would cost $400 in gas as opposed to the $55 if i stayed close. In what world is that a good idea when you are in financial straits? I dont view living in a car as the worst thing in the world, if it means I could gather myself and save a little money. Yeah its gonna suck, but goddamn, id rather try to set myself up in the future and pass on three or four months of comfort. All i wanted was for people to share their experiences with this, not to be derailed about how much a fat dumbshit I am. Close this thread ButtWolf fucked around with this message at 14:36 on Nov 26, 2014 |
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Nov 26, 2014 13:54
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Why would you need to sever your line of income? You said the main reason you can't move to an urban area is that you'd have an hour long commute each way. Isn't temporarily putting up with an hour long commute each way (until you find another job) better than being homeless until you find a place to live out in the rural area where you are now? I mean lots of people have an hour long commute to their job, I have done that at various points, it's really not that bad and I'm pretty sure most people would find that preferable to being homeless. quote:The hour long commute would cost $400 in gas as opposed to the $55 if i stayed close Yes but you'll have access to things like a shower and a refrigerator and running water, and you just said it would only be for a couple weeks anyway. Also, is there no one else, at all, who commutes from the nearest urban area to the area where you work? No coworkers? No one you could carpool with? Earwicker fucked around with this message at 14:46 on Nov 26, 2014 |
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Nov 26, 2014 14:43
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When I'm homeless I sell my car to not be homeless anymore. Btw, I've actually been homeless before. I had a small truck and moved to a different state, found a room to rent that didn't require a deposit and found work. I had about $600 to my name and was late 20's. You're making a choice here. A tip: get a skill, what have you been doing for 15 years? Jihad Me At Hello fucked around with this message at 14:55 on Nov 26, 2014 |
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Nov 26, 2014 14:49
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I don't think it's unreasonable for goons to suggest that the best "tips for when you have to live in a car" are "tips on how not to live in your car when you have an income stream". It's incredibly poo poo especially if you are a huge dude attempting to sleep in a compact car. Have you ever started a thread over in BFC and laid out your expenses and income and whatnot? What do you currently do for work, and what area do you live in? Have you considered renting out a room in someone's house? That is usually far more flexible and cheaper than trying to go in on an apartment with a lease and deposit and all. LogisticEarth fucked around with this message at 15:29 on Nov 26, 2014 |
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Nov 26, 2014 14:52
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I cant rent a room anywhere because as ive stated i cannot find one. It seems like you think i havent put in thought or effort into finding ways to live in a place. If i sold my car which would not net me any money anyway as i am still paying on it, i would have no transportation to work which would be fine if there were houses within a couple of miles from my work. Also i need to.fix my own life and stop being dependent on other people. Yes help.and support is great but if you ALWAYS need help, there is something wrong. If i cant find a way to support myself then i dont know what ill do but not being able to be independent is maddening. There are none. Lets just leave this alone and go back to our own poo poo. This is not helping. (A few of you had helpful tips, thank you) ButtWolf fucked around with this message at 15:17 on Nov 26, 2014 |
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Nov 26, 2014 15:13
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First step in establishing yourself as an independent person: Don't throw tantrums when people are trying to get a handle on your overall situation. We can't give good advice if basic questions about your living situation (e.g. income, location, work history) are met with bad faith responses where you blow off the question and accuse us of thinking you're an idiot or something.
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Nov 26, 2014 15:37
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You sure are Mr Shout Down All The Advice for a dude that lives in a Jetta
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Nov 26, 2014 15:56
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jimcunningham posted:if you ALWAYS need help, there is something wrong. e: Also Arnold of Soissons posted:You sure are Mr Shout Down All The Advice for a dude that lives in a Jetta
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Nov 26, 2014 16:27
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jimcunningham, do you actually just want to try living in your car? Because you can make that choice if you want. The problem here seems to be that everyone is assuming that you don't want to live in a car, so they're suggesting ways for you to not do that, but you seem pretty set on the idea. Is that the case?
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Nov 26, 2014 16:32
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Here is a serious tip if you are a side-sleeper: knock down the back seat and sleep partly in the trunk. More generally: If you are thinking that cooking on the hot engine block is a good idea, it isn't. Cans of Chef Boyardee are cheap and have a pull top. Eat that cold for a sad but functional meal. And something I picked up from some thread where a guy lives on a boat: make sure your piss jug is very, very different from your water jug. Business Insider was desperate for content back in April so they wrote up a little piece about some guy from Reddit that lives in his car. You can see that article here
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Nov 26, 2014 17:17
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Who the gently caress cares if he thinks living in the car is the best option? It's two loving weeks, I don't think that in any meaningful way qualifies as homeless. 90% of the babies in this thread can't even read the information laid out by the OP and some are so colossally retarded they think quitting his current job is good short term strategy. He needs to save up some cash, what he is doing is the most economical way of decreasing his expenditure because it costs nothing. People are acting like he's about to live in some jungle for 2 years with no supplies. The only important info is that you're fat OP, stop being weird about it. You are like 100 pounds overweight. Now is a great time to maybe lose some of that. Also when I visited the 3rd world country that is the US I saw lots of homeless people taking out big bags of those little McDonalds ketchup packets and eating them on the street. HTH. e: funny how all the best advice for being homeless in America revolves around using giant, tax avoiding multinational firms. Dying of poverty? Wal-Mart, McDonalds, and Starbucks are there for you.
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Nov 26, 2014 17:49
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Where does he say it'll be two weeks? Dude is talking about buying a tent to live in when it gets warmer in the spring. If he needs a $1000 deposit and he can save $200 a month, that's taking him into March. This is assuming nothing goes wrong. Like, I don't know, maybe some kind of automotive problem from idling his car all winter to stay warm.
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Nov 26, 2014 18:12
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