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I have never understood the lure of the homeless life, never understood how someone could "choose" it. The discomforts are quite extreme, and the dangers are not negligible. The homeless "by choice" must have no confidence in their own ability to be responsible and deal with the world. Or they must suffer from terminal laziness, or perhaps be mentally ill.
I "chose" to be homeless because I knew in the next few months my landlord would raise my rent again and I couldn't afford it any longer. I also wanted to go from part time college to full time college and felt a full time job with less pay that was more flexible would be much easier to plan classes around. Having said that, I had done SAR work and a lot of car camping, so I knew what I was in for and what equipment I needed. I didn't feel the lure of homelessness as you might think of it, but I made a decision based on what I felt was best for me. I had a stove, a safe place to park, a propane heater, access to safe water, and enough money to buy groceries and batteries. I also had a radio for entertainment that picked up KGO (which began my love affair with talk radio and that particular station until its takeover a couple years ago). I became more in tune with the weather and nature, since I was living right out in them, and I had a great opportunity to see the reactions of people, both good and bad. It was a good experience with good times and bad times.
People who "choose" to be homeless are like I was: they know what's involved and they probably already have a plan on how and where they will live. The majority of homeless people never have this option. In fact, with a vehicle and a job, I sometimes wondered if I could consider myself homeless. Choosing to be homeless depends on your economic circumstances, what you want, what you're willing to sacrifice, and what you will or will not accept in life. Not choosing to be homeless and being homeless anyway is living in hell.
I have made minimum to near minimum wages throughout my entire working life so I have been homeless quite often. I lived out of a 92 Ford Bronco for a number of years parked at a truck stop. I'm very socially awkward and have a strange personality so I am frequently bullied out/fired from jobs Honestly it feels pretty good to not have to write out a check for $1000 for rent every month. My lifestyle actually allowed me to bank a decent amount of money for use as an emergency fund.
If and when my disability is approved or when I start receiving retirement checks, I am seriously thinking of buying a small truck or van and living out of that for a couple of years so I can save some money. The biggest problems are always finding a place to park at night (or a shady spot during the day if it's hot), getting clean water, and having a place to go to the bathroom. I was in Big 5 last year and they now sell an indoor propane heater.
What's really funny was when I was living in my truck and working full time at the same time. Even though it was minimum wage, I actually felt like I had more money than a lot of people who were paying rent at the time. I swear, it's a mad world we live in.
Probably an 'independent' motel as opposed to a chain motel like say Motel 6 or Super 8. Independent motels usually are actually run by mom and pop, as opposed to suits from corporate HQ.
I have never understood the lure of the homeless life, never understood how someone could "choose" it. The discomforts are quite extreme, and the dangers are not negligible. The homeless "by choice" must have no confidence in their own ability to be responsible and deal with the world. Or they must suffer from terminal laziness, or perhaps be mentally ill.
That's why the professional bums take dogs (esp pit bulls) with them. Have they ever considered getting a job and becoming productive members of society?
Funny, two of my exes lived in their car/van once they were on Social Security, said they were fed up with all their
income going to rent etc. I often wonder what this says about them. Glad I wasn't with them cause I gotta have some
comfort...like a/c and a place to go call home.
I think about this frequently. I wouldn't live out of a car, but a van would be okay. You could remove the back seats and stick a blow-up mattress in there. Then put up mesh lining around the walls with pockets for your clothes and whatever items you can't live without.
My apartment is full of junk, junk that I don't need. I only go there to sleep and mess around on the Internet anyway. Why pay rent? Same goes for a mortgage. A house is just a place where you sleep that accumulates junk. Storage units are much cheaper if you can't part with your junk!
I have a relative who is his late 50s and he has spent his entire adult life living out of vans and tents all around the country. He's one of the happiest people I know, always smiling and always has stories to tell.
I have a PT Cruiser and when I was living out of it for a couple months, I took the back seats out and laid a narrow bed on one side. On the other side, I put one of those plastic drawer thingys (5 drawers) that held all my silverware and cooking utensils, soap and shampoo and toothpaste and stuff like that. Into the side of the drawers against the car wall, I drilled hooks into the plastic and hung my measuring cups and measuring spoons. The side against the back of the car, I drilled two hooks to hang two pots on. The side facing me, I put a plastic paper towel holder and two hooks to hold a rope which held my hand towels, and two hooks under that each had a hot pad on it. I also had a propane tank by the cabinet and a propane stove to cook on. I had a collapsible bag that I kept clothes in and another one to put the dirty clothes in as I wore them. Behind the drawers, I actually had some room to put up a couple of hangers and hang some of my better clothes. Bowls (now I would get the collapsible dishpan) went under the back seat. The front passenger seat was laid down and on top of that, I had a 2 1/2 gallon container of water with a spigot that faced back, so I could get to water when I wanted. I kept a box of food next to that, all bungee corded down. I hung pearl onions over the food box on that little clothes hook they have over the window. In the back, I hung a plastic garbage bag and a lantern. Across the back, I hung a rope for hanging up damp things like towels that couldn't be put away wet. Across the front behind the front seats, I had another removable rope that I strung across at night and hung a blanket on for privacy. All the windows had curtains. Basically, what I had was a mini, mini camper home. Those PT Cruisers aren't very big, but I was pretty comfortable in mine. I had a board down in the back and two foam mattresses, some blankets and my pillow and I was fine. I was just on the verge of attaching an indoor propane heater and building some cabinets across the front passenger seat when I found a place to live. If I were still in my car, I would have sent a picture in to Tiny House Nation.
I have a PT Cruiser and when I was living out of it for a couple months, I took the back seats out and laid a narrow bed on one side. On the other side, I put one of those plastic drawer thingys (5 drawers) that held all my silverware and cooking utensils, soap and shampoo and toothpaste and stuff like that. Into the side of the drawers against the car wall, I drilled hooks into the plastic and hung my measuring cups and measuring spoons. The side against the back of the car, I drilled two hooks to hang two pots on. The side facing me, I put a plastic paper towel holder and two hooks to hold a rope which held my hand towels, and two hooks under that each had a hot pad on it. I also had a propane tank by the cabinet and a propane stove to cook on. I had a collapsible bag that I kept clothes in and another one to put the dirty clothes in as I wore them. Behind the drawers, I actually had some room to put up a couple of hangers and hang some of my better clothes. Bowls (now I would get the collapsible dishpan) went under the back seat. The front passenger seat was laid down and on top of that, I had a 2 1/2 gallon container of water with a spigot that faced back, so I could get to water when I wanted. I kept a box of food next to that, all bungee corded down. I hung pearl onions over the food box on that little clothes hook they have over the window. In the back, I hung a plastic garbage bag and a lantern. Across the back, I hung a rope for hanging up damp things like towels that couldn't be put away wet. Across the front behind the front seats, I had another removable rope that I strung across at night and hung a blanket on for privacy. All the windows had curtains. Basically, what I had was a mini, mini camper home. Those PT Cruisers aren't very big, but I was pretty comfortable in mine. I had a board down in the back and two foam mattresses, some blankets and my pillow and I was fine. I was just on the verge of attaching an indoor propane heater and building some cabinets across the front passenger seat when I found a place to live. If I were still in my car, I would have sent a picture in to Tiny House Nation.
What an interesting story and great discription. I was trying to picture it in my head.
Where did you move to. Was it an apartment, a room, an RV?
It's a building where the rooms to rent are subsidized. I have a small room and a kitchenette, and I share a bathroom with the person in the next room. You have to have not been evicted before and there are no drugs and smoking in the building, although there is a smoking area outside. Most people here are recovering alcoholics and drug addicts (not me, I suppose I should say). The rooms on this side of the building are rented at 30% of income and the other side of the building is regular apartments and studios.
I was told there was a waiting list to get in and it would be a year or more, but I got in in three months. About a year later, the manager interviewed 17 people in one week. Times are getting hard.
Some people have been here for years, but I am waiting to see what will happen with my disability hearing and then I need to see if I can move out to someplace else. I don't do well in places like this. I guess I will end up in some senior-living rent-subsidized apartments, but I am hoping I can afford a small place in a trailer park. I need to have some space around me.
I have a friend who took a picture of my car right before I moved out of it. I'm going to contact him and see if he still has it and if so, if he'll send it to me.
It's a building where the rooms to rent are subsidized. I have a small room and a kitchenette, and I share a bathroom with the person in the next room. You have to have not been evicted before and there are no drugs and smoking in the building, although there is a smoking area outside. Most people here are recovering alcoholics and drug addicts (not me, I suppose I should say). The rooms on this side of the building are rented at 30% of income and the other side of the building is regular apartments and studios.
I was told there was a waiting list to get in and it would be a year or more, but I got in in three months. About a year later, the manager interviewed 17 people in one week. Times are getting hard.
Some people have been here for years, but I am waiting to see what will happen with my disability hearing and then I need to see if I can move out to someplace else. I don't do well in places like this. I guess I will end up in some senior-living rent-subsidized apartments, but I am hoping I can afford a small place in a trailer park. I need to have some space around me.
I have a friend who took a picture of my car right before I moved out of it. I'm going to contact him and see if he still has it and if so, if he'll send it to me.
I don't know how expensive rent is where you are, but wouldn't renting a room from someone in their home work for you possibly. Even though perhaps more expensive, it might include all utilities and TV as well, so maybe not so much different. And probably a better environment.
Sometime if you have the time to look (depending on where you live) you might be able to find a place that has some property, and has a separate entrance into the room. Just helps with the privacy issue.
Just a thought. Don't know what the senior living rent subsidized apartments would run. Unless you live in a very low cost of living area, I wouldn't think a trailer would be less expensive without a subsidy, as most likely you would be renting the whole thing, but I'm not up on that, and I know it is very dependent on area.
Another thought. Just for the heck of it, since it doesn't cost anything, why don't you post an ad in Craigs list stating that you are a senior living on disability and looking to share home with other senior- also will consider a trailer if in a safe area. Tell them about yourself (like you are not a drinker or drugee and you are clean and respectful - just have a medical disability) Mention that you are looking for a long term arrangement. Just see if you get any responses and what they are. You may need to leave ad running for a while, but I'll bet you'll get some hits. That can give you a bases of comparison too. I know there are lots of other seniors out there trying to make it on social security alone, and you just could get lucky and find the right one.
If you get the picture, scan it in so we can see your car.
Last edited by modhatter; 10-04-2014 at 12:35 PM..
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