Sleeping in my car in SD? (San Francisco, San Gabriel: apartment complexes, leases, schools)

[zvyozdochka]

Originally Posted by earlyretirement

Yep. In my vast travels, I've met people like this. The problem isn't when they are younger. Sure, they have many "adventures". The problem is that typically they stay on this path and it kind of sets up their future in many cases. I'm not saying this is the case for the OP, but I HAVE seen this several times.

Many guys have this "Peter Pan" syndrome where they can't grow up but unfortunately you can't stop time. People get old, they get sick and this stuff costs money. I guess if you're just doing it for a VERY short amount of time it can be ok but for many people it simply doesn't end up well.

It depends on what you consider "ending up well". This lady had a full and exciting life. Now she's older and her health is failing just like anybody else. You grow old whether you live a conformist lifestyle or not. But as her sister reported in her post, the lady is CONTENT. She's an elderly lady on a fixed income who can sit her great nieces and nephews on her lap and tell them exciting stories of her adventures all over the world.

I'd rather hear that than about how she lived a cookie cutter lifestyle climbing, kicking, and scratching her way up the corporate latter. Going to work in a cubicle Monday-Friday for 30 years, marrying a guy because it was right for her career, getting a mortgage in suburbia next door to all the other cookie-cut yuppies, and sending their kids to all the "right" schools. Then, retire in her fifties and start travelling around the world because society has dictated that now it's appropriate for her to do so. Only to die in her 60's or 70's from eating the average American diet.

I mean good grief! We need to learn to break away from the norm at some time in our life. Might as well do it while you're young enough to enjoy it.

[bloom]

^ at least reasonable stated for a first or second post

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by lusakatos

It depends on what you consider "ending up well". This lady had a full and exciting life. Now she's older and her health is failing just like anybody else. You grow old whether you live a conformist lifestyle or not. But as her sister reported in her post, the lady is CONTENT. She's an elderly lady on a fixed income who can sit her great nieces and nephews on her lap and tell them exciting stories of her adventures all over the world.

I'd rather hear that than about how she lived a cookie cutter lifestyle climbing, kicking, and scratching her way up the corporate latter. Going to work in a cubicle Monday-Friday for 30 years, marrying a guy because it was right for her career, getting a mortgage in suburbia next door to all the other cookie-cut yuppies, and sending their kids to all the "right" schools. Then, retire in her fifties and start travelling around the world because society has dictated that now it's appropriate for her to do so. Only to die in her 60's or 70's from eating the average American diet.

I mean good grief! We need to learn to break away from the norm at some time in our life. Might as well do it while you're young enough to enjoy it.

and that's only if she were REALLY lucky, as we all know that few of those opportunities were true realities for women of her generation.

More, she was expected to marry and stay home...and those are the women who really have no means to support themselves now, unless their husbands really provided and have plenty to leave for her.

[cFXdI]

I have to say I admire your resourcefulness and tenacity. I don't think I can think very highly of a company that would expect someone to relocate and not pay enough for housing though. Personally, I think you wouldn't end up saving very much money living out of your car though and that the money saved wouldn't be able to make up for the inconvenience.

I moved to SD for a job in September but haven't been able to find a place yet due to a being on travel status almost the whole time. The odd weekends I was in SD, the apartments I was able to check out were all run down and shabby looking.

I digress.

I'm staying in some pretty nice places but even that wears you down after awhile. It's a nice hotel but it ain't home and you can't recharge like you normally would be able to. I imagine you won't get reimbursed for food as well since you won't be on travel status. It gets expensive feeding oneself if you don't have access to a fridge and stove. (Why do high end hotels give you a friggin little thingy for ice and seedy motels have minifridges??? Will forever be a mystery to me.) So you will have to buy things fresh and make frequent trips to a store. You won't be able to buy in bulk. Any money you save by eating catfood?? will be paid for in spades later on down the road when your health isn't as good as it could have been. Gas for trips to get food, go showering, changing parking spaces, coffee, laundry, etc. will all get eaten up.

Have you considered rooming with someone? You can find places for $500 a month if you look hard enough on craigslist, usually in the suburbs though. Financially, I honestly don't think you'll come out ahead by that much and the toll it takes on your body won't be worth the difference, IMHO.

Personally, I can't wait to find a place and get access to a frigging stove and stocked fridge/freezer again. Soooooooo tired of eating out.

[homesickgirl]

Whatever happened to you?

[bloom]

^ maybe she came to her senses

[aboveordinary]

She's in jail for sleeping in her car.

[hitman619]

She now works for SDPD

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by hitman619

She now works for SDPD

New Police Chief?

[Jon404]

There's nothing wrong with sleeping in your car. The new laws are unconstitutional. Let freedom ring!

But you'd do best to get a small white van... a cargo van, no windows. Best interior room and gas mileage -- a 2010 - 2013 Ford Transit Connect, 25 mpg. Also a used Dodge Sprinter, again the cargo van model, diesel, 20 mpg, very spacious. Most generic? A full-size Chevy or Ford white cargo van... lots of room inside. Do NOT get an RV. Park at Wal-Mart, park at Denny's (24-hr, bathrooms. Park in the lots by the business hotels. Near the beach? Park in a golf course lot -- at Torrey Pines, many golfers park there anyway so they can get an early tee time.

Move each night to a different place. Dress casually and keep reasonably clean. Emergency in-van toilet? A 5-gallon pail from Home Depot, with a Luggable Loo top seat, 13-gal kitchen bags, toss waste in a nearby trash can, same as the dog owners...