Sleeping in my car in SD? (San Diego: motorhome, taxes, living)

[peasantgirl]

Originally Posted by ambient

lol...would be fascinated to read about whether OP ever actually did this and how long she/he lasted at it. Sounds like one of the worse ideas I've read on here.

I guess you missed the part where I said I like a challenge.

[rgb123]

peasant girl don't let anyone bother you....its your life!!!!!!!!

People have given me a hard time as a woman simply for not getting married at the right time and "moving too much" as if that means I'm running from something.

The world loves to give other people a hard time about their choices but especially women. Everyone has a different level of comfort but its your life!!!

so if it sucks, well then you do something else. It's not like you are planning to tight rope across the grand canyon (which of course was televised and celebrated lol)

when I got the freedom to work from home the idea of buying or renting an RV came to mind instead of comitting to an apartment....its still floating around in my head and instead I chose an expensive apartment for a year....a choice based mostly on what I need right now and that I have to focus on my job for at least another year as the work-from-home transfer is something I don't want to ruin.

But in the future it might be a viable option....the world is changing. People are building tiny houses, on trailers so they can move them. This generation is much more mobile and less attached to their homes and for good reason.

Many people though can't get past their long held beliefs of what is a superior lifestyle, its of course what is right for them, but again its your life!!!! and if it sucks...well you move on.

I would get tired of sleeping in my car after about a week, myself but that's me. I'm sure I could adapt if I had to. If I were you I'd check out Airbnb for RV options....some people even rent them and you can drive them .... I think I saw one for less than $50 a day and you can drive it wherever and the owners tell you of the free parking places in SD.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by peasantgirl

I guess you missed the part where I said I like a challenge.

Oh, please do let us know what you decide to do! My money's on your having an adventure that'll be interesting to read about.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Just be careful with that handgun! Buy a locking case (CA legal) and don't let the coppers search your stuff if they ask to.

[skeke]

I have a sister who never wanted to live conventionally. She never married or had children, never owned a home, lived all over the world working many varied jobs from modeling in Belgium, selling real estate on the Spanish Riveria, teaching in China, Korea and Taiwan, assisting a Japanese doctor in Germany who was doing research that involved frog stomach, radiation and osmosis. She speaks, reads and writes several languages. Over the years she got a BA degree in German (at the cost of our parents) and a Masters in Adult Education (on her own). In her 50s her health failed her. She could no longer work. She came back to the US and lived off the inheritance from our parents for a few years. Once all her money was gone she went on welfare. She lives alone with her cat in a subsidized apartment. She does qualify for some social security ($300 per month as she occasionally worked in the States). The rest of her income is welfare. She is happy and content. She is in her early 70s and never lived a conventional life. She converted to conservative Christianity in her mid thirties and has remained a conservative Christian. It's seems to give her a lot of comfort. She told me once she could never stand to work 8-5.

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by skeke

I have a sister who never wanted to live conventionally. She never married or had children, never owned a home, lived all over the world working many varied jobs from modeling in Belgium, selling real estate on the Spanish Riveria, teaching in China, Korea and Taiwan, assisting a Japanese doctor in Germany who was doing research that involved frog stomach, radiation and osmosis. She speaks, reads and writes several languages. Over the years she got a BA degree in German (at the cost of our parents) and a Masters in Adult Education (on her own). In her 50s her health failed her. She could no longer work. She came back to the US and lived off the inheritance from our parents for a few years. Once all her money was gone she went on welfare. She lives alone with her cat in a subsidized apartment. She does qualify for some social security ($300 per month as she occasionally worked in the States). The rest of her income is welfare. She is happy and content. She is in her early 70s and never lived a conventional life. She converted to conservative Christianity in her mid thirties and has remained a conservative Christian. It's seems to give her a lot of comfort. She told me once she could never stand to work 8-5.

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.

[otterprods]

Sleeping in your car for a while should not be a problem, especially if you can afford an occasional campsite or hotel where you can shower and recharge, etc.. The high level pointers have already been covered, look for middle class neighborhoods - nice but not too nice - with lots of cars on the street already. Camouflage your exposed parts as best you can at night. Arrive after dark and leave early… just enough time to sleep, don't camp out. Move from place to place every night or as often as possible… you'll need at least 5 or 6 different good spots to and vary your pattern up.

Like I said, it's certainly do-able, but how long are you thinking of doing it for? At what point does it stop being an adventure and become a destitute lifestyle? You might consider just using the car for a while when you get there to give you some time to find a suitable place. If you can find someone with land to let you stay on that might be ideal, but even then I'd think you'd want a little more than the backseat of a car over time. You can probably find a trailer park out east where you could rent or buy a little unit (RV or fixed) and live there long term with some semblance of normalcy. Your neighbors may be a little sketchy, but my guess is that if living in your car forever is even and option, you won't find them as sketchy as others would. Is buying a boat an option for you? There are still some derelict and/or cheap un-docked moorings around the bay, which people can and do use as permanent living residences, so you'd have a community in that way… some sad stories coming out of those places though, so it's still not my #1 recommendation. Maybe you should plan on using your car or whatever until you can find a decent place with a room mate.

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by skeke

I have a sister who never wanted to live conventionally. She never married or had children, never owned a home, lived all over the world working many varied jobs from modeling in Belgium, selling real estate on the Spanish Riveria, teaching in China, Korea and Taiwan, assisting a Japanese doctor in Germany who was doing research that involved frog stomach, radiation and osmosis. She speaks, reads and writes several languages. Over the years she got a BA degree in German (at the cost of our parents) and a Masters in Adult Education (on her own). In her 50s her health failed her. She could no longer work. She came back to the US and lived off the inheritance from our parents for a few years. Once all her money was gone she went on welfare. She lives alone with her cat in a subsidized apartment. She does qualify for some social security ($300 per month as she occasionally worked in the States). The rest of her income is welfare. She is happy and content. She is in her early 70s and never lived a conventional life. She converted to conservative Christianity in her mid thirties and has remained a conservative Christian. It's seems to give her a lot of comfort. She told me once she could never stand to work 8-5.

your story sounds exactly like the type repeated every time a woman does something different, what to shame her cause she will end up alone with a cat?

give me a break. For one the op has a house and a son I believe she said. Also, you can take on new adventures while also having a steady job (myself for instance). The times are changing and work is more mobile (no one works at the same company for 30 years anymore)

I'm very happy for people who are married, children and have a conventional lifestyle. I would have married myself sooner if I'd met a decent man (its a little harder to find these days).

But to shame women who don't seem to fit the mold? give me a break. It's not even mathematically possible for all women to have the husband and kids, so let her live her life.

If your aunt is in her 70's she faced a completely different set of prejudices (as if today they are not bad enough).

Dear Peasant Lady -- live in a house and with a man so you don't end up a lone with a cat on welfare!! shame!!!!!!

[oddstray]

Darn ... "You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to rgb123 again."

So I'll have to just add my "Amen!" here.

[otterprods]

Originally Posted by rgb123

But to shame women who don't seem to fit the mold? give me a break.

Go back and read skeke's post again. He/she wasn't shaming his/her sister or any other women. Just presenting the facts, as far as we can tell. We all have to live with the decisions we make. It sounds like this woman did what she wanted and was ok with the consequences. There's no shame in that, but a lot of people would understandably want to avoid that sort of outcome for their own lives. You're reading some sort of stereotypical thinking into the account that skeke related. I didn't read it that way at all, because I know people like that too and I see them as neither a shameful case nor a model to follow.