Well everyone heres the plan. Im headed out tomorrow. Final destination. I was thinking seattle. First stop? Grand canyon. After that its anyones guess on where the road takes me. This isnt really a planned trip, i had a little money saved for odds and ends and am now selling my possessions i dont need. Pc, xbox, etc etc. Stuff that i cant use on the road or until i get settled into my new life whereever that may be. Im not hapy. I am nervous, excited, anxious for whats next. The new people ill meet. The new jobs down the line. The ocean the big crack in the ground, all the sites. I wish i had someone to share it with. And dont immediatly post ‘pick me pick me’ i may be out on the road and can go anywhere but i need to find myself. See who i am. The only person i would want with me is my best friend. Sadly that cant happen. Maybe ill learn to love myself on this trip as i grow and share new sights and experiences with myself. Id apprechiate last minute tips as im living in my car. Tips to keep cost of living down to gas and food and just general homeless survival tips.
7 comments
That sounds great, except from maybe the living in your car part. But… you might be able to manage if you remember to stay hydrated by drinking bottled water (or request free large cups of water at cafés/ coffee shops), and every day purchase enough food to eat (keep a small refrigerator box in your car), and perhaps park at truckstops for the night so that you can use the washroom (and brush your teeth), and shower.
You may have to pay to use the shower at some locations, but nonetheless it’s important to maintain your hygiene. (Bring your own soap and shampoo, etc., in case they don’t have any.)
Once a week or so (or upon necessity), you should do your laundry as well – you might find coin laundry or something available at truck stops.
There might be gyms and such where you can enter without a membership and have free showers, but those would likely be closed at a certain time in the evening, whereas the truck stops are open 24/7.
Always lock your car while in or out of it, keep any valuables and important documents in the trunk or out of sight, and carry your keys with you wherever you go.
If you buy food from the deli at grocery stores, be aware that the prices add up quickly. The deli or other precooked options are good when you just want to grab a few things, put it in the portable fridge box, and keep driving, but if you have more time to spare and want larger quantities and a fresher taste, it could be cheaper to find an eatery with low prices, or a pizza place or something (you can get them to package any leftovers).
Food courts at malls usually have a few different options, though at times they can seem somewhat pricy.
Keep an eye open for how clean the restaurant/eatery/preparation counter looks, and how well cooked your meal is. If the place looks like a total dump in terms of cleanliness, and if your order isn’t properly cooked, you could contract parasites which will give you uncomfortable stomach and intestinal problems, or even food poisoning. No one wants that while they’re traveling.
Every once in a while you might want to stay at an inexpensive motel or inn for the night. Check out reviews online beforehand to make sure it sounds ok and that there are no bed bugs and such.
That’s what I could think of for now…
P.S. Besides your keys, take your wallet and mobile phone with you wherever you are, and remember to continue paying any monthly bills while on the road. If you have internet provided with your phone plan you should be fine; however, it’s dicey to use banking information on any free WIFI, even with a VPN, as the people running the WIFI and the VPN will be able to see all your information.
Internets on the phone plan. Only bill i wish i could cancel is car insurance lol. Its like 3-4 tanks of gas. But i am pretty sure in this long ttip that ill have a cop tap my window at least once
Yeah… you need that documentation.
Also, I forgot to mention a small but important detail… buy flip-flops to wear in any public shower (truck stops, campgrounds, gyms, etc), as the bottom of your feet can easily pick up parasites and viruses and such. If you’re staying in a motel or somewhere that cleans the shower after every person’s use, you should be fine, but otherwise you’d want to follow that preventative method to help keep you from getting sick. (Same goes with washing your hands frequently, and keeping hand sanitizer, Kleenex, and keeping plastic bags for garbage in your car.)
If you look clean and presentable, shower and wash your clothes regularly, don’t drink and drive, keep your vehicle tidy, and stay in areas that are designated for overnight stops rather than just parking anywhere at all, hopefully the cops won’t bother you.
Look for odd jobs like Uber driver,
Google food pantry, drop in centers for food and information resources for homeless,
Be mindful if you are leaving your priblems behind and what problems that will follow that you need to tackle right away so to minimize the stress and to make sure your not running away thinking the issues wont follow you.
Use google or freelance websites(resume writing services ) to find resumes samples to structure your resume explaining any recent gaps or unemployment.
Stay connected to the outside world or do activities not just focusing ir dwelling int homeless world so you wont get used to creating a social divide and it becomes “normal to be homeless”. Be mindful of this.good luck and always make photo copies of your id .
I alsmost forget. Look for goodwill stores for clothes a suit or clothes in general.
This is all great advice. Thank you all so much. If anything else comes to mind please tell me. Id apprechiate it very much.