Advantages of Homelessness
You'd be surprised how many advantages there are to a homeless lifestyle. While there is an aspect of difficulty and hardship, there is also an element of easy living. I was made homeless by circumstances, but I stayed homeless by choice.
Imagine working two weeks to pay for your expenses for two months. You can easily go to college with an income requirement so low. My expenses, excluding food, averaged $300 per month for the five years I was homeless. That included storage, mailbox, telephone or pager, gasoline, vehicle insurance, health club membership, dry cleaning, laundry, new clothes, and entertainment. I went to the movies a lot. Imagine what you could do with the time if your work week was two days and your weekend was five.
I went to museums, libraries, volunteered, went to concerts, went to college, watched trials at the local courthouse, spent time with friends, played chess, practiced yoga, read, went to movies, and spent time just thinking.
The freedom is awesome. It is also somewhat daunting. It is hard to be prepared for so much time on your hands. In a strange way I felt a kinship with prisoners. The time can draw out and overwhelm you, so don't be surprised by this experience. Depression can sometimes attend this amazing freedom. In the end, the freedom to do as you please is addictive.
There are advantages to homelessness. You are no longer slave to a wage.
posted by Mobile Homemaker @ 7:53 PM
44 Comments:
Nice blog man! This is some great reading. I did the homeless thing, but only for 3 months, as an experiment - could have used the book you talk about writing :). Then I moved onto a boat... sustainable homeless is what we liked to call it. :)
Thanks for taking the time to do this!
I agree with ben. This is all really great info! I'm so glad to have run across you ... and so early in the game, too! It looks like you just started writing this blog earlier this month.
BTW, there's a great book out there about living homeless in your car. You may know of it. Car Living Your Way by A.J. Heim. She has a whole website dedicated to the subject. http://www.carliving.com. More good stuff.
Thank you for the link. CarLiving.com does look like a promising source of advice and ideas.
Interesting reading--thanks!
How did you get car insurance without a street address? Also, does the use of a PMB cause you more problems now that address validation is becoming more common through databases (e.g. Finalist, USPS website)?
Car insurance companies are interested in where the car is parked, not in where you live. Tell them where it is most often parked. I didn't have any problem with insurance.
Address verification is not often practiced. When the fact that you are using a PMB is exposed, the worst that will happen is you don't get what you want. You're playing the percentages here. If one person gives you a hassle, move on. You will find someone who is not so diligent.
Thanks--glad to hear that car insurance hasn't been a problem. I look forward to reading more!
When I was in college one year my apartment lease ran out two weeks before the next place I was going to live was available. Curiously enough this caused me no stress at all. I already knew that all of my belongings would fit inside my car (97 Ford Escort) and I was looking forward to the experience once I made the decision. I was working at Wal-Mart part-time and even though I had offers to stay at friends' places I had decided this was something I wanted to try out. Over all this experience was absolutely wonderful. It was completely different having to occupy every moment of my day because I had nowhere I could just go to. I read a lot around the college campus and I swam a lot at apartment complex pools which allieviated my bathing needs. Often times I would buy dinner supplies and go to friends' places and cook myself and them dinner. I'd park in apartment complexes and ran into no problems at all. And to tell you the truth I really didn't find one single negative aspect for my short-term stint in my car. But everyone I talked to seemed to think I was crazy. No one had the slightest understanding why I wanted to do this. And to this day 2 years later my Mother still refers to the time in my life as something utterly horrible. I must say I found this site as a surprise, for I had no idea there were a plethora of people who lived in their cars. I can't say I'd want to stay in a small car long-term, but I do think I'd rather enjoy living in a van I personally customized. It's something I've been rolling over in my mind since that experience.
I love your blog and I really enjoy your writing. I look forward to buying your book if you ever publish it. One idea is a section on cheap food recipes. I've found making a box of $0.79 flavored rice and then adding a can of $0.50 pork and beans made a delicious and nutritious three meals for me. I mostly lived off of that and fresh fruit.
I would say some short period of homelessness would be a good experience for anyone.
I have to agree with everything I have read on this part of the blog... There is great freedom... People do Not understand what you are doing... Everyone should try this... My landlord at the last place I lived decided that the money he was getting from me was about half of what he could get for the place... So he got an Equity loan hired some shady contractors who took him to the cleaners and kicked out two paying tenants... Two families actually.. My wife and I made arrangements for our youngest son who has adopted the Gypsy lifestyle himself off and on, since he graduated High school, without a car.. our older son made arrangements to go to school and live conventionally... My daughter made her own way with HER daughter and my wife and I became "Full time RV dwellers" we bought the cheapest RV at a big RV place in December. 495.00 for a 29 footer with a working furnace.. and started using driveways and any other deal we could swing ... our main reason was most landlords refusal to deal with tenants with pets... and we have a small dog who is as much our family as our kids.. again... most folks want to think you are living some horrible lifestyle... We are less happy this winter living with relatives in a house... But we are able to help out someone who had previously not wanted our help so it works out... All the time is a great responsibility... I find myself committing to way more than I can do... trying to stay occupied... When one of our vehicles is sick it makes me crazy .. specially in the winter... But I am looking forward to becoming mobile again in the Spring...
I love this site:) I stumbled upon it today googling homelessness as a choice. glad to see we are not alone here, as i have never been truly without a place to live, even temporarily, and have made the decision along with my husband to go on an extended "camping trip."
This what I told my family, who would be mortified. by the way if they knew what we were really up to... we see this as a means to relocate and start a new life somewhere else, from the ground up.
I really believe that this experience will create more depth and meaning to our marriage, and grow us both personally as well as spiritualy. I believe that this time will show us so much about who we are, and what we want, individually and together, that this is essential, and well worth the difficulties and trials will will undoubtably face. We will face them head on, as near as we are able, and learn the ways of overcomers..I hate to sound so idealistic and perhaps overly optimistic nut I am just looking forward to a change, and hopefully a big one:)
I look forward to reading more as you all post more, I will have the library for internet service. Peace Out for now.....
Your blog made me think about freedom from work a lot.
Glad to know that you didn't had problems with car insurance.
I'm always fond of having the freedom to do whatever is that you want to do and not bound by work. The only problem is the lifestyle adjustment. Specially if you have a child.
I'm trying to apply some of kiyosaki's financial intelligence ideas and hopefully, with finances out of the way, I can live life to the fullest.
I have been homeless for a year. First we lived in the Mountions at Oak Flats my son works at Six Flags we were kicked out after goving over 2 weeks if we had a tent we might not have been kicked out. for the the last year we lived in an office my husband works as a programer in Van Nuys My son was in his last year of high school in special ed. I a work with parent other parents in special Education. I was my mother caregiver on weekend but got but got replaced. She gave me money for rent but her church care and my bother took away her check book
Rena the church caregiver thinks I should not ask for money from my mother as it is not christian. We get help from the churches in VanNuys, We are buying an RV I do not know any RV homeless.The the live in caregiver thinks we should live in an RV park. I do not talk to my family since my bother replaced me, they would not let my mother go to her youngest grandson son graduation.
wow! great blog. i'm glad i stumbled upon it. life is definitely a struggle...but what an adventure!
I completely understand and agree with were you're coming from man, I'm not homeless, but I've been unemployed for 8 months, and I get exactly how the freedom can be suffocating. I don't live in a large city either, so the amount of time I spent just thinking was astronomic. I'm only 18, and I have a job now, be it underpaid and unreliable, but I think I'm less happy than I was when I was unemployed. You're right, the freedom is addictive.
Enjoyed your blog. About 3 years ago, I was homeless. At the time, I was working at Papa John's. When I wasn't working, I would hang out at the library, the college library, walk, visit parks and friends, hang out at a bagel/coffee shop, sleep in my car. Actually, it was enjoyable. When you're homeless, you kind of own the world in a way because you can live wherever you want. I slept in nice neighborhoods under big trees with the windows down. It was fun. I would visit this deco-restored hotel that had a fancy bar and slip into the pool at around 1am in the morning after work, in order to clean off. It made me realize that I don't need to be encumbered by material possessions or anchored by furniture and decorations, tiny nightmares looking for a home, nor did I need to continue walking the treadmill of buying things I don't need to compete with people I don't even know. About a year ago, I purchased a '76 camper van and plan, after I get some more money to fix it up and get it running partially off of water, to live in it. Then, I'll dumpster dive, finish the musical I'm writing, play piano at churches and on the streets, and live in my van, wherever I want. Woo-hoo! God Bless!
Kris Kemp
After escaping domestic abuse, I was homeless with two young children. My advise--do not seek shelter with friends or family! It is better to be homeless or in a shelter.
You are safer being on the streets than facing abuse at home. It is important that your abuser does not find you so don't go anywhere familiar, places you used to frequent or places that you may have mentioned in conversation.
Being homeless is also an opportunity to start your life over. Seek help if you need. Get an Order for Protection if you need. Do not bargain or make deals in court with an abuser. Any deal means you will get screwed. In many cases, an OFP will get you a domestic violence waiver on your welfare/MFIP--putting a stop to the length of your benefits.
If you want housing your best chance of getting help is being homeless. The system does not work to actually "help" people--you have to make the system work for you. If you are homeless, living in a shelter, living in a place not meant for habitation you will be much more likely to get into housing programs or get housing vouchers. Go to the library or community resources, use the computer to apply to as many agencies as you can (most have waiting lists).
This is a great resource. I enjoy hearing from all of you.
God Bless ~ Lyren
shadowwings.wordpress.com
Ya'll have helped me so much.I am a home owner that has always been enticed by a mobile lifestyle.I have grown to hate all the material stuff around me and have most of it in the basement.I live in an urban area and have done some van camping in the city.maintaining an e-mail address and phone is not a problem.I would love some tips because my situation is rapidly becoming homeless.
GO HOBOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I live in Portland, OR. I had a successful biz until the economy fell in 2001. I share custody of my two children with my wonderful-but-well-off-who-doesn't-understand-ex-husband. He (and girlfriend who just got a huge inheritence) think "Just work harder. You're not working hard enough."
Anyway, my beautiful current husband is a truck driver. No one works harder than him. Truck drivers here locally make what they made in the '70s (my hubby's checks and his coworkers' are what my dad's were then). Every day here is a dire emergency for us. The typical water bill for here is $300. The typical electric bill in our damp and cool summer is $125. Imagine the winter. We burn what we can. Food is three times as expensive here as it is in most other states (I've been around with my husband in his truck when he was long haul so I know). There is no middle class anymore. We're now working poor and scared to death. What kills us is the media says "Oh. Portland's economy is thriving." When I talk to bill collecters they say "We hear Portland is doing great." It's great if you're from old money or have come here from California.
Anyway, sorry for the rambling. I am happy to have found this blog. Actually, someone directed me to it (Thank you, Clarissa!) because although I'm not homeless now I can see it coming. I don't want to lose my children, but I think w/in three years it will happen. They'll have to live with their father. We can't live on $400/wk in this city (yes, I'm trying to re-establish my business...no, I won't register it...I refuse to pay taxes).
When this loss undoubtedly will happen I will get rid of everything and go on the road with hubby. I love my children so much but live for the day when I can quit wondering how to pay the car insurance, electric, phone. Portland used to be so cool, but it is now run by greedy pigs. I'm so tired.
Our rent is $1,025, which is cheap for a house here. No, forget apartments: move-in fees are HUGE, and now all the apartment buildings are being turned into condos and the tenants are being kicked out.
Okay, enough out of me. I'm not homeless, but I will be soon because things are on a downward spiral here if you're not already rich or if you're a business owner who can't afford to grease palms.
I am homeless with two kids. I can understand being just Adult with no kids. I have thought about a camper. I can relate to lots that I have read in here. My question is to Lyren or anyone else that has a compliment. What did you do after leaving? I have family but, they are last people I can count on. I was married for 20 yrs. towards end of marriage it became very abusive. I mean bloody abusive. Me and my two boys lives out of my car. We have parked at parks and many places to sleep. How do you get help? What places do I go? I have been all over. Took one place almost a month to get started in a food stamp program.
Thanks,
Tina
Hello-
I too stumbled upon this site while searching for more info on leaving the world of outrageous rent and utilities. I'm looking at entering the sustainable homeless realm with a small motorhome.
Thanks for being here and lots of luck to everyone.
Check out this sites:
earthclassmail.com
When I was homeless a few years ago, I came across a person who CHOSE to be homeless.I thought I'd never come across someone like that(especially in Michigan in the winter-time) He used to be a big-wig for a local company but after TWO heart attacks and a perferated ulcer (by the age of 35)he decided to quit the "rat race". 10 years later and he couldn't be happier...I guess there ARE advantages to homelessness...
Are you still actively blogging? I found your blog when looking for references to "live in your car". I had a live-in-car experience for about 6 months. I also noted your constitutional references.
The blog is mostly dormant. I monitor comments, but that is about it. About once a year I get an itch to write something, but I have changed my lifestyle toward mainstream, a wife, a couple of kids, a full time job, sales on the side, and I haven't got much time. I work in a couple of entertainments, play some chess, pirate a dvd so that I don't have to be bothered with FBI warnings and stupid commercials, and hit the sack at 9pm most nights.
There are a lot of people who give me a hard time about that, but I wrote most of what I have to say down. The rest of what I want to talk about is political, and it doesn't seem to fit with the social and pragmatic advice I've given here. If I can figure out how to marry the topics, I will start blogging again.
We too lived in an RV for a time. Now we live on a boat. But I was thinking of starting a non-profit organization for homeless women with children (like my friend) where we buy RV's for cheap and give them to them. So I researched RV for homeless and found this site (on the first page of the search near the top!) You inspired me. I am not sure how I am going to do it... but I am going to do!
Great site. Living in my car in San Diego. I would love to do this forever but have a son to support. May do anyway. Thanks
Henry
hey my name is lauren and i have two boys (9 and 13). since there are no dates on this post, ill date it by saying today is sunday, september 21st, 2008. for years i have wanted to get an rv and be a nomad. may be a dumb thing to do since i have two kids, but really - the world is turning to crap - like you say, all the materialism. what are my kids learning in school? mostly how to be a gangbanger wannabe (and we live in a nice place with a GREAT school!) - they have also picked up quite the vocabulary as well. i just went thru a bankruptcy because of my business and im paying $925 a month for rent and the utilities here are horrific for me (like $500 a month). im making less than $2,000 per month, actually, quite a bit less. what would be better than traveling the country and teaching the kids that there are GOOD things in life! has anyone here done this successfully? certainly i can get a good RV cheaper than what im paying for rent here. now i can go see my family (florida and california) and see the grand canyon. i am not stuck on being here. i have my own internet business (no im not getting rich but im suriving). you guys can email me if you want to info@laurenstephens.com and good luck to all! i wish the author WOULD post some political stuff (at least make a separate category for it ot something!)
NOV 18th-2008, Currently Homeless again living in my car in Hollywood CA... living the dream. Moved out here 2 years ago married... got separated over a year ago and moved into a van I bought off craigslist for the intention of living. I prepared for 3 weeks to move into my van. I got a lantern, cooler, ymca membership ($15 a month), UPS Mail box (looks like an actual address so I don't get questioned about it) a storage unit for my crap...which I intended to only have for a little while with a couch and stuff when I get an apartment (the storage has been full for over a year now...I don't think I will need that much space now...gotta throw out the big stuff and downgrade my unit.) I don't have the van right now because it is not registered anymore. So I am in my car and my van is stored at my night job. I have two jobs and I work on my indie films on the weekend. I can pay for all my past due bills and help support my girlfriend that is out of town working on her demo with her band...I would not be able to go out as much as I do and I probably would not be in the gm as much as I am now because I live in my car... it's all for the best...I would like to get back in the van so I can stretch out...soon enough.
Homeless and having a hard time cause I wont give up my dog. Any tips on being homeless with a dog?
Homeless with dog. Will not give him up, no matter what. Living in car. I am afraid that they will try to take my dog away from me, put him in a shelter. ANy advice?
I'm 51 now, but when I was around twelve my family ended up homeless for awhile, living in a park. My mother was an alcoholic, and I don't remember how long we were at that park, but it was pretty awful. It was summer, but at night we had no blankets and the dew would chill us and I couldn't sleep. We used the bathroom at a nearby 24 hour laundromat, but no baths or showers. In spite of all that, I found myself a few years ago daydreaming about being homeless. The pressures of my job and screwed up relationships had me daydreaming of solace in a nomadic life. At the time I still had my last child to raise, so it was out of the question, but now she is grown, and the idea of dropping the fetters of a "homeful" life beckon. You'd think, after my past experience, it would be the one thing I'd be most afraid of, but having survived it, I have to say it has made me a lot less fearful than most people I've known. A home has never made me feel secure, and I can't keep up with the mortgage payments of the one I'm in now, anyway. Homes, apartments, have never protected me from the worst things that have happened to me. Sometimes, when things got to be too much, I'd leave and stay out all night in my car, and frankly, I felt safe there. I mentioned this to a couple of friends, who were horrified at the idea, and I learned to keep my mouth shut.
I stumbled across this site looking for ways to keep warm, inside or out. It is utterly fascinating, and you are obviously such an intelligent and resourceful person that what you write gives a whole new meaning to homelessness. Of course it can be awful, if it's not by choice, or especially if children are involved. It's not glamorous, but why shouldn't it be a legitimate lifestyle choice? I don't know if it ever will be in this country, because if you are homeless, then someone is not getting paid for the space you are taking up, and I think that is at the bottom of why our laws are so cruel to the homeless. You are not paying a mortgage, rent, utilities, property taxes, etc. How dare you escape without being picked clean? That is one of the biggest sins in our country, not being available to have money made off of you!
January 2009: A big advantage to being homeless is not having to deal with landlords or nasty neighbors whether in an apartment or a single family resident.
I recently became semi homeless because I could no longer afford the $1400 a month for a two bedroom apartment on a very noisy street. The four years I lived there was a constant nightmare of dealing with lowlife neighbors that did not care about others quiet enjoyment. I had neighbors guest park motorcycles in front of my private stairway completely blocking my access. Loud parties, stealing assigned parking spaces on one instance almost led to a fist fight. Lucky for me the neighbor backed down or I might have a jail cell to call home. The police were worthless and contributed to the problem by telling the neighbors who had complained against them. The owner would talk to some of these lowlifes but did not have the balls to make anything stick. He did finally throw out a couple of tenants. These are not isolated experiences; anyone that rents whether it be a house or apartment knows all the issues you can have with the neighbors.
Then there is the landlord and all the issues with trying to get them to make repairs and trying to get them to return your security deposit when you move. I always leave the place cleaner than when I moved in and have had to sue 3 out of four of the past landlords for my security deposit. That can add up to a lot of money if the security deposit equals the rent.
I am semi homeless because I have moved into my warehouse. I do not have a restroom in the unit or running water but I do have a full size fridge and a microwave. Initially it was difficult to get used to, but I am saving $45 per day, and recently took my first vacation in seven years with that money. I will probably squat here until I can pay off all my credit card debt. I am saving over $16000 per year by not renting an apartment. I probably will never return to renting, it is unbelievably quiet at my warehouse even during business hours.
Good luck to you. I think you will eventually find that you will have trouble with the neighbors even while homeless, and the police are never likely to take your side, but I will let you discover that at your leisure. I am however concerned at your general level of intolerance of inconvenience. Houselessness requires a level of social flexibility that your comment does not display. Don't get in any fights you can avoid. The fights will cost you more than the victory might obtain.
02.27.2009 - you all have inspired me...i too long for the freedom and liberation of a homeless lifestyle...i feel like a slave to my job which i hate with a burning passion because it's so stressful and demanding...i look forward to the relief of having no responsibilites or obligations or bills...take care everyone.
I'm not entirely sure it's a good thing that I am inspiring people to be homeless. I wonder if I am like the pro-anorexia bloggers that are promoting self destruction and calling it something different. I don't mean to romanticize homelessness. It is a rough road, often brutal, often dangerous. It's just that like any lifestyle, it does have a few perks.
You know what?! the happiest most productive time in my life (okay the 2nd happiest time), was the 8 months I spent in a women's homeless shelter. I saved saved saved while living there. And I still go back there. I loved it and I loved the staff. I volunteer there now. Seriously, if i had not been homeless, I'd never have met these wonderful people. I often say that I wish I could still live there. But I now have a cat. And an apartment.
Wow, very eye opening indeed. I was homeless in 89 for 8 months, rejoined the army to get out of it.20 years later, im on the brink of being homeless again. Ive actually been on the brink on and off for those 2 decades.Now I'm looking at a new perspective to positively live it if thats the case.Thank you.
I want to become "pseudo homeless." I lost my job 8 months ago. I currently live in San Diego, CA and I'm a full time student. I'm staying with a friend and trying to find a job that goes with my schedule is not working and trying to find an apt. I don't want to be in the rat race I camped out in a tent in a backyard LA for about 4 months and liked it. Any advice for RV parking and living? I don't want to have to move everyday or two.
Nice work for keeping an open mind for those who are willing to take the plunge-so to speek-and try to live life as best as circumstances dictate.Has anyone heard or read of A.J.Heim's latest offerings?
Come on, now. If you are going to boost another author on my blog, at least tell us something about what he has to say.
Mike here...
a little background on me... I have been homeless/rubber tramp for the last 20 years. Yes, by choice. I don't have the money to buy my own land and probably won't ever. I always worked, day labor or regular jobs, and am having a hard time finding work with such a scattered work history. So here I am.
For the last year I have been living in subsidized housing for the chronically homeless, in Salt Lake City, the rent is cheap,30% of paycheck- or 25 bucks if unemployed.
After reading the blog from all of you today... I really miss being on the streets, or in my car. Sure times were tough sometimes, and I didn't have a lot of things, but I was way more happier than I've been living here at an institutional type place where I have a caseworker and off-duty police at the front desk everyday and night. I can't have friends just come over, they have to first bring their I.D.s, so the cops can check them out. Then if its ok, they can come the next day to my apt.
I long for the freedom to go where,when,how I want. This might not go over well with some of you... but as a whole...people suck in the corporate world. If I could find a place,preferably in the mountains, to live a communal life or just live off of the land, I would. I guess what I'm trying to say is,,, whatever you have, be a backpack, house, car, and its all yours, not the banks, keep it, cherish it, work it, a man's castle is his own hassle. Thank you for all you've written and good luck to you all.
In response to your little article regarding the benefits of homelessness, I MUST express my disapproval and extreme disagreement on such a sensitive topic. First of all, you were living out of your vehicle which does NOT truly define what it means to really be homeless. You had clothes, entertainment, money, phones and other luxuries that most true homeless people do not have. I think you should try having no place to sleep during the cold month of March in N.Y., getting caught in a downpour as you sleep hungry in an open field and not having two nickels to rub together to dry that one pair of pants and socks that stick to your cold and hopeless body. That's what happened to me, and I am not prepared in any shape or form to glamorize such a dark and frightening experience of my life. I am very confident that if you truly experienced the topic that you chose to write about, the words you would have chosen to describe the experience would be highlighted by fear, depression, hopelessness and pain. This topic is a very sensitive one for me to discuss and it certainly angers me to hear such positivity described to something you truly have no experience on. Perhaps you may consider changing the title to "The Advantages Of Living Out Of Your Car!" That title would much better suit your experience and may offer some understanding to the true experience of homelessness.
Chris Camera, your anger at me is misplaced. I didn't start my homelessness stints with every advantage. I built a lifestyle out of homelessness, and made it a viable one with advantages, a trick I am trying to teach people in this series of essays. I was a teenage runaway, abused by police, criminals, and public. I was an adult homeless man, destitute and hungry. I didn't allow my circumstances to remain desperate any longer than I had to.
As for New York in winter, you are right, I do not know that hardship. I knew hardships of my own.
Our current Hidden Voices project is Home Is Not One Story. We're working with folks to create an audio doc, as well as an exhibit and performance by folks telling their stories about home and homelessness. We have foster youth, women escaping family violence, returning vets, refugees, families and individuals in shelters, former inmates, and others around NC. If you're interested in sharing your story with a wider audience, we'd like to work toward that. No names necessary. If you happen to be in the state, let us know. We want as broad a picture of home and homelessness as possible. It isn't one story, though most people think so. You can reach us at infoathiddenvoicesdotorg. Thanks!
I was homeless at 18 on the Canadian border...so I know about homelessness up north. Really, I find it to be a matter of perspective--like anything. If I choose to look at that time period as a miserable and terrifying experience then that is what it was. But I choose to look at it as a time period where I learned about self-sufficiency, the benefits of struggle, the meaning of community and the spiritual nature of independence. Being outside of the "machine" that is our culture taught me invaluable lessons that apply to my existence now, as a person with a house. I believe that I am never "homeless", only "houseless". I have only gratitude for those experiences.
Post a Comment