Living in my automobile

I have to move out of my parents house by the end of September but I will only be making about $1000 a month at my new and exciting job at Walmart. Rent and utilities would be about $500, car expenses about $200, food at $200 and $150 for weed. This does not leave much money for enjoying life let alone saving for all the traveling I want to do. I like going out to concerts, clubs, bars, festivals - I'll spend money to have a good time but I don't see the point of wasting my cash on accumulating material trinkets.

So the plan is to remove the necessity for rent. I'm going to live in my car. That's half my paycheck that could go to other things instead of paying for the privilege to live in a little dry-walled box. Not only will I save money, but I will acquire a type of liberation I think. I will be forced to downsize on my possessions. I'll only be in my car to sleep or drive - so I'll be experiencing the outside world on a whole new level. I'll get a gym membership to have showers and stay in shape. I have a laptop to steal wifi. I figure I can chill in bookstores, coffee houses, pool halls and friends houses when it's cold. I already have cold-weather camping gear and clothing to sleep comfortably even when it's 0 degrees out.

Thanks to my loving parents paying my way through school I don't have any debt and I want to keep it that way. I want to be able to save lots of money so I can travel for extended periods of time, move to a new city, work & save and then go do it again. I don't want to live paycheck to paycheck and get locked into that American Nightmare. Perhaps when I appease my travel-lust I'll move back indoors, but for now I have this urge to live in a house on wheels!

Has anybody ever lived in their car? How did it work out? Would you do it again? Any interesting stories?

 

hey bud,

Great idea ive lived in the bed of my picup truck before and had the time of my life. I am now on the search for doing the same thing but im contemplating trading my honda fit for a short bus or camper van.

 

I have thought about that many times when I wanted to just get away! I think it would be kinda interesting!!! I have heard stories of living in vehicles they were very very amusing!

 

That was the dream.. sleeping in the back of a van parked on the beach. Traveling across canada, meeting interesting people enjoying the simple things. Now i'm in college.....

 

If weed is that much of a burden then perhaps you should ditch it until you can afford it?

 

Are you going to be able to stay clean enough living out of a car to keep a Walmart job? Have you factored in the expenses of laundry? Where are you planning to park? It's not too hard to find a place to park for a night at a time, but if you're staying in one town, the cops are going to learn your car pretty quick.

Not to be a downer but you may want to re-think this.

 

I'd invest in a small RV if you can pull it with your car or a used cargo work van. Then, you will have enough room for a small table and a real bed. These will become precious to you when it is your permanent home. Either can be had for about $1000.

There are maps that show all the free places to camp in an area. If you're in Boulder, they sell them at REI. Most of the sites are by Nederland.

 

It is a much better time to have this idea in Boulder in about 6 months....

 

You sound like me when I was 22 which is a kinda scary thing when I think back but that's because when I was 22 I was already doing it.

I traded a house for a tent when I was 21 and cruised around most of Australia in a Subaru, hooked up with a norwegian girl and she left me a little blue hyundai which I cruised around in for three years. Now I've got a V8 Land Rover and trips are a lot more expensive and I'm getting too old/lazy to set up camp every day. However, I like comfort and style so these are the things we must consider. I slept in the Hyundai as well and it was funny finding spots to sleep. I ended up with several spots to park after many unfortunate incidents where I discovered places where men go to "meet" with other men in the dark of the night. If you get my drift.

That year was beautiful. My favourite moment from that year was when I was in Perth considering my options (there were several things happening in different parts of Australia) in a McDonalds store - at 8:00 at night - where I had worked 2 years earlier and when I came to a decision I went to see all the staff and said "see ya everyone, I'm going to Tasmania." they couldn't believe I was serious but I hopped on the Great Eastern Highway and kept on driving.

 

I did it. Took the back seat out of a 59 Ford,installed a piece of plywood and mattress and had a little propane stove,an ice chest and parked on one of the most beautifull beaches in Hawaii. Then bought a big walk-in bread van from a bakery and converted it to an RV with rug,fold down table with half a cable spool,a full size bed across the back,stereo, refrig,4 burner stove,big 6 foot windows on the sides and I would drive to a job,park there and nail on shake roofing. At noon, my girlfriend would have lunch ready for us and then after work,we would go to a park and shower with cold water. It was fantastic and my girlfriend did macrame while I worked and she sold all of it on a regular basis to a big department store in Honolulu,so we had bucks galore. It's a LOT easier in Hawaii,obviously. Wonderfull times. Good luck with it.

 

You work at Walmart.
Does it allow overnight parking?
the one near me allows overnight parking. Even the ones that weren't 24hours, allowed overnight parking, because they had employees doing the night shift.
You near a truck stop? Those things are gold.

As for laundry, having enough clothes on hand will be fine. My husband has a fine dining restaurant job and he just washes them weekly. It's not expensive to do laundry, unless you're being prissy about it. I've lived out of cars, vans, couches, and street and no one knew unless I told them.

 

My husband lived out of a little sedan once upon a time, before we knew each other. His was by necessity, though: he was kind of homeless. Obviously, in that situation those are not his favorite memories.

I'm currently saving up for a minivan, for camping purposes as well as JUST IN CASE. My marriage is kind of rough sometimes, and I've been preparing to live out of a vehicle if things don't look up. Worst-case scenario, you know.

Right now, though, it's a '94 Elantra: icky. Once I have a van, I already have permission from my survivalist husband to take out the back seats and set it up as a camper. He made the mistake of reading the news, and developed the need for an escape plan. It's going to be a backup for the both of us.

No, laundry is not that difficult, especially if you have a buddy with facilities. OR if you can find a university nearby. Most dorms have laundry facilities, or cheap laundromats nearby. But a stationary friend may be useful if, say, you need an address for things like cell phone bills (Prepaid phones are a pain in the butt.), bank accounts, or job applications. No address, no chance of these things. Or if you have absolutely no place else to park, borrow a driveway.

Me, if I had to leave alone, I have a parking pass for the college. I'd be parking in a dorm's lot.

 

I want to live in a van when I get older and have a job. Now I have every thing planned out exept for one thing: ELECTRICITY I don't wanna use it so much but I need to charge my phone and loptop. And have a mini fridge and stove, so anyone know how to do all this?

 

Wolfy, Do a google search of DC to AC Inverters and deep cycle batteries. You may also want to look into a 1000w or 2000w generator. There is also a solar power option and an option where the alternator of your engine supplies power to your second battery which may be the best option for you if your low on cash. PM me if you want more info.

 

thank yu very much kenwilkes c:

 

Talk to Two Dogs. He'd be the best source of info.

 

Hmm iv been thinking of doing the same thing. I havnt found job yet, do have det, would do the gym membership thing to but i use the toilet alot ah, before i go to bed i woudln't wont to have 2 find a service station though gues i could get used to it.. MAybe i could pay my sis $30 a week or something to use her toliet, washing machine, and park outside her house half the time. Though haha I have not bought a van yet, By end of next year i plan to have that! Cant wait! Going to beach heaps and sleping there! Thatl be so great! Could pay of study debt way fast and save money for when i wont kids.

 

Hey Wolfy,

Bro Kenwilkes lived on a houseboat and has a lot of knowledge on batteries and inverters. I have never lived, or even been on a house boat, but they look awesome!

I am like a lot of people on this site, as I do live in a Class B Camper Van. I have a blog that has some articles that may be of interest, and I am slowly adding to the site. One article that may be of interest is title: No More Electric Bills! The system is not complete, but there will be plenty of power for a stereo, lap top, cell phone charging, microwave, guitar amp and not sure what all.

Happy reading, and I wish you well in your research on this really cool, simple and stress free lifestyle!

Bernie

 

The OP must have left the engine running for heat and died....