1. Where did you sleep?
I slept on the floor behind my desk.
Initially, I had a twin-sized air mattress that fit perfectly behind my desk. But that mattress has since popped. For a while, I had been using my inflatable backpacking sleeping pad, but that became more trouble than the inch of cushion was worth. So instead of purchasing a replacement air mattress, I ended up sleeping on some couch cushions. Since doing so, I had no back pain and slept like a baby. A baby in an office.
2. Didn’t sleeping in your office suck though?
Yes and no. There was very little traffic in the office and the hours were generally predictable. The office had its own dedicated entrance, free parking, and is located near to the necessities. It had a sink and toilet, as well as a kitchenette. But it was a shared office. There were a series of cubicles and a handful of coworkers’ schedules to keep track of. So practically it required some flexibility on my part. But so did paying over a grand per month in rent.
3. Where did you shower?
Three words: 24 Hour Fitness.
4. What about all of your stuff?
I didn’t care too much about that. I maintained a 5×7′ storage facility and kept the rest of my stuff in various bags in the office and in my vehicle. At first maintaining a safe place for my stuff was a major concern. But as time went on, my material possessions became less and less important. At this point I would happily dump it all. Except for my outdoors gear. I need that. And my suits. Even a hobo’s got to look dapper from time to time…
5. How did you manage your meals?
This is fun. I am a firm believer in healthy eating, that the fuel you put into your body becomes your body. So I’m hardly a thrifty grocery shopper. It wasn’t uncommon for my monthly meal tab to hover around $600 when I had a kitchen, including my not-inexpensive juicing habit. Fresh local organic fruit is not generally had at clearance rate. I do realize it might appear strange, given the circumstances, but my body is a temple, etc.
Being a huge dork, I developed during my initial 42 days a spreadsheet to track my eating habits and costs throughout my time away from home. This acted as a comparative guide for what I’m eating and how much it’s costing me. My goal was to average under $20/day on meals, which amounted to exactly $600 for a 30-day month. And guess what? I knocked it out of the park. View my results on section two here.
I purchased exclusively prepared meals. You know, nutrient-rich juice, simple oatmeal or muffin breakfasts, and relatively healthy yet inexpensive meals at sandwich shops, Chinese and Mexican food, and pre-made meals at Trader Joes and, when I was feeling trendy, Whole Foods. I also offset the cost of these by making the occasional peanut butter and jelly sandwich—an old standby. Organic, of course.
6. Do your parents know? What about your friends?
My parents were understanding. I just had to explain it to them with thoughtfulness and composure.
Otherwise, many of my friends knew. My plan was to be as forthcoming as necessary. While I still haven’t publicized these choices to many people in my life, I’m not afraid to talk about it when it is appropriate. Particularly on The Office Hobo’s Facebook and Tumblr pages! Speaking of which, you should totally like and/or follow me!
7. Wait, did your coworkers know?
No. That’s a major part of the experiment.
I’d be putting them in an uncomfortable position by letting them in on this. For this reason alone, I maintained my anonymity on this site and elsewhere. Nothing about my choices should have changed their routine or level of comfort with their everyday work. My coworkers were amazing people. I didn’t want an ounce of sympathy or accommodation from them—and they wouldn’t have hesitated to provide it. Now, even though my time in the office is up, my coworkers still don’t know.
8. Did you accept help from anyone? What if they offered you a shower or a spot on the couch?
No. It was my choice to live this way and I didn’t accept handouts from anyone. I prefer not to inconvenience anybody.
I only obliged if the situation called for me to do so anyway. For example, having a night out on the other side of town and having too many drinks to drive home, I would happily sleep on someone’s couch—just as I would normally. Otherwise, I took it as a deliberate handout and expressed my appreciation but declined.
9. How do you expect to date anyone while you’re living in your office?
By remaining attentive, showing women respect, and generally just being myself. If a woman didn’t want to be with me because of my beliefs, then I was more than happy to move on. Or at least I grew to feel that way.
This experiment-turned-lifestyle was intended to test the boundaries of cultural expectations, and part of that was how women react to this situation. Particularly in a notoriously materialistic city like Los Angeles. With my project having years of data behind it, I think it’s safe to say that we can put that broad generalization to bed. In fact, there seems to be a very healthy number of people out there who find the philosophy behind the idea quite attractive. But you’ll have to read the book for those details…
10. Where did you move once you left the office?
In my truck. I built a little home out of the back (the first part of the construction can be seen HERE) and started spending a lot of time on the road, keeping a storage unit and gym membership for the extras.
11. Isn’t living in your car illegal in Los Angeles?
Not at the moment. In June of 2014, the 9th Circuit Court struck down LA Municipal Code 85.02 criminalizing sleeping in your vehicle (read more about this here). For now, living that way remains legal. But City Attorney Mike Feuer is starting to make some noise about that. Stay tuned for updates.
12. You’re completely insane.
Possibly. Or is it the overpaying tenant who’s insane? Let’s talk on the first of the month…
I’m envious. I expected to see a FAQ – are you making this up? You’re my new hero
Thank you for reading, Chompy! Unfortunately I’m not creative enough to make this stuff up. Just committed enough to report the details!
A question for you– where do you hang out? For ex. Right now I’m doing a sleepy Saturday afternoon in my comfy chair at home. What do you do?
Great question. My rare lazy afternoons are spent grazing parks for shaded reading spots, laying out at the beach, and on occasion just lounging around the office. But recently, my leisure has been minimal. Between my job, my creative exploits, and volunteering, almost every waking hour is spent working. After appointments in Hollywood and Echo Park this afternoon, I’m now sitting at a cafe in Silver Lake.
My comfy chair time will come, Jane. For now, I’m focusing on improving my situation. Plenty of time for sweet, sleepy Saturdays later:)
Thank you for visiting my site!
What if someone else in your office decided to do the same? Would you feel as if someone was squatting in your house? 🙂
First of all, that’d be hilarious. I’m sure we’d both have a good laugh at our situation! Maybe we’d alternate days…
But “what ifs” are funny. Someone commented seriously about this on another forum, and I had to laugh. Like, what if a swarm of Oriental-rat-flea-infected opossums invaded my office in my sleep, attacking the warm spot between my thigh and genitals, thereby transmitting a fatal strand of Bubonic plague? It’d suck, right? But it ain’t happening.
I have real things to worry about. Like whether or not Carla is coming in early for that early conference call tomorrow. Brother wants to sleep past 6:00am…
What about sick days? What happens if you get the flu or something? Also, what happens if someone else in the office is putting in overtime?
Getting sick is the worst part about this experiment, Susan. Fortunately I haven’t experienced anything too harsh, but a couple head cold and respiratory ailments have resulted in an afternoon or two spent prostrate in my car.
Ironically, I’m much more physically healthy since I moved in to the office. Better diet, routine exercise, and–believe it or not–less stress!
And there are cases where coworkers stay late for a meeting or on their own accord, but it isn’t common enough to cause a disturbance. Mostly these occurrences are predictable and I plan through it. Shaking up your routine a little is actually very healthy.
Thank you for stopping by to read and passing along these great questions!
How big is “the office” exactly? You and like, two other people? Twenty? Two hundred?
My main fear would be sleeping through my alarm. What kind of alarm-clock system do you have?
The building doesn’t have security?
Does the aircon cut out in the evenings? Doesn’t it get stuffy?
Good questions. I’ll answer them as accurately as possible without giving too much away…
I don’t care too much for alarms, but if I sense I’ll need one (late night, early morning, post-celebration, etc.) I set a contingency alarm for the last possible moment. Waking up on naturally is far superior, so I’ve kind of trained myself to wake up around 7. It’s a small company–I won’t give numbers, got to protect anonymity–so that makes things manageable. And there is no security.
I’m hoping to write more later on the air conditioning issue. Stay tuned for that… aiming for tomorrow!
Thanks for stopping by, Ambrose!
First of all, congratulations for taking the risk and having the guts to rebel against the status quo.
I am considering this option myself. I spend some time on the road anyway, so I wouldn’t be there ALL the time. Still, I have some safety concerns, as there’s only a glass door separating the inside of the building from potential danger outside, and there is currently no alarm. I do have a door jammer that I could use to jam my office door, but I guess it’s a flimsy door and a good kick would knock the jammer down…
Also, parking near the office is a little tricky… The parking area has signs warning about being towed (but we don’t actually have permits to display). I guess they would tow based on really late after dark hours. There is a small residential cul-de-sac across the street, but parking in front of someone’s home every night would be suspicious.
Do you have any suggestions on these issues?
Thank you, Ted. I appreciate the support!
I understand your concerns about these issues, and have some ideas for how to circumvent them. Let me email you privately to address those.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, Bo
Im one of those 5000 or so around LA.
I taught advanced math for lotsa years.
I’m very pleased to meet you.
It’s astonishing to me that you surmounted the inclination to self-imposed isolation that I live around. Of course, I undertook pretty severe
financial pressures; that’s something pretty
unattractive that I have to hide.
Nevertheless, I agree with your LA TIMES
Article. Well put. And good luck with your muse.
Pete
Hi, Da;)
Thank you for the kind words and well-wishes. I understand the tendency for some to isolate, whether out of shame or perceived necessity. I’ve had those same urges as well, but the reality is that what you have to offer the world (in your case, your years of service teaching math to our youth, just to name one!) far outweigh whatever reasons you might have to hide. Whatever your situation, there are many allies ready to support you. Good luck to you as well, Pete.
PS- I have to clarify that it was L.A. Weekly (http://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/07/29/i-choose-to-live-in-my-car-in-la) rather than the Times. Worth noting, as I’m thankful to them for working with me to publish this!
Where are these home free communities? Thanks
They’re all over. Depending on how you define “community”, groups of home-free folks can be found all around Los Angeles. From Venice to Hollywood to Long Beach all the way out in the Angeles National Forest, Angelinos are making this lifestyle work for them. Very few neighborhoods and municipalities are without a contingent of like-minds.
I did exactly what you are doing for two years and then bought a house in Jan 2013. I know live rent and mortgage free in a 2 bedroom unit, while my renters in the duplex I bought pay most of my mortgage. I sent my testimony to you private message, but suffice to say that it was the best choice I could have ever made that has enabled me to achieve a higher standard of living for the long-term
Your story is incredible, Larry. I admire what you’ve overcome and know there are countless others out there who’ve achieved similar ambitions. Thank you for posting here and inspiring others to follow their ambitions, too!
Hello A-List Scribe,
Greetings to u. I read you story on Rense.com. I was really upset by your story of 500 days in the office. Why? Because I am no longer in control of my film studio, and would have given you a “housekeeping” deal on the spot after reading your story. Take care.
sam j. haim
Founder, Lionsgate Studios Inc., (est. 1989 – The Hunger Games)
scribe/”Letters From Uncle Guido”
It’s the thought that counts, Sam. Although I may revel in the fantasy for a bit…
Thank you for the daydream inspiration.
I’m curious about mail. You have to have a valid proof of address to get a PO box. I’m struggling with this aspect now. How do you handle this?
Also, internet, do you park near businesses with free WiFi when you need to connect?
Your story is inspiring and validates my feelings on living this way. Right now I have a cat so that prevents me from living in my car/SUV like I would prefer, so I’m currently living in a 300 square ft studio in PHX.
Good question, Kelli. I got myself a PO Box when I still had a legal address at my old apartment. Since then I’ve changed my ground address to that of a friend, though nearly everyone accepts my PO Box as a legitimate address.
Internet is done through my phone or via cafes and libraries. That would be trickier if I had a tighter budget.
Thank you for reading, Kelli. Judging from the feedback I’ve received over the years, you are FAR from alone in feeling that way.
First off, I totally admire your (possible accidental) discovery of an opportunity rarely taken advantage of. I’m from India, and haven’t run into desperate financials (YET). And there’s nothing wrong with having a contingency in place at any rate. I have a couple of questions though. How did you manage staying late everyday? That’d look suspicious. Or did you ‘slip in’ later? Wouldn’t that amount to breaking and entering? Also, there may arise a number of situations where you’d be required to input a permanent address. Did you get around that by giving your parents’ address or something? Big fan of your live-it-as-it-comes attitude. Good luck, wherever you are. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Anurag. Our business was a small one and I had a key. I would not have done this (and would not advise others to do so) if there was any chance my presence would be misconstrued as breaking and entering. My permanent address, as I discuss elsewhere, is a PO Box. But I often had mail shipped to the office, which I highly recommend regardless. Getting mail at work is an amazing exercise in multi-tasking:)
Dude, I lived in my office once for six months… this was in 1991. I was twenty, my family had emigrated to another country, and I was due to follow them in a few months. I was a cop, and although I could have bunked with a relative, I chose to sleep in the station’s duty officer’s quarters. My direct superior knew, and most of my close colleagues, but I think most people kind of forgot or got used to the fact that I always seemed to be around. In my case, it helped that there were people coming and going 24/7, as I kind of blended into the night life.
Like you, it was a choice. I didn’t earn much and I could have lived with a family member, but I enjoyed the freedom that “home-free” living afforded. I had a girlfriend, who knew about my situation and was pretty understanding about it. Actually, she helped me out with my laundry, which was the weak link in my plan…
Would I do it again? Maybe. Even today, twenty years later, I’ve never gotten used to the idea of spending up to a third of my earnings on rent, or getting tied to a long term mortgage. I’m in a relationship now, and I don’t think my partner would be up to a life in a van or an office, but I still dream of buying an old sailboat to live on. Who knows! All power and success to you!
That’s quite the adventurous lifestyle, Gavin. Unfortunate that someone paid to protect the public would be so underpaid, but sounds like you gained something valuable from the experience. I’ve heard a few such later-life sailboat stories, so perhaps your horizon is in fact the ever-changing constancy of the sea:)
Thank you for the kind words and for sharing your story.
I tip my hat to you. Please forgive me for being a conservative. I am not now, but used to be very poor, and when I went to college there were times I could not afford to buy food. (For a long time I lived on Ramen noodles and brown tuna). The upside to that was that I lost 15 lbs.
You are NOT dependent on welfare or Government for anything. You are not asking for handouts and don’t expect our excessively liberal culture to provide it.
Instead, you are a totally responsible person who is living his life the way he wants, in a way that satisfies you and burdens nobody.
You should be giving lessons to those people who have multiple children they cannot afford and spend their lives on food stamps and government handouts.
Oh yes…one final thing…you don’t appear to be in any debt.
sanjosemike
Thank you for the kind words, Mike. And there’s no need to ask forgiveness for your beliefs:)
I removed much of my debt thanks to this lifestyle, though I retain practically insurmountable student debt–for reference, had I given every cent of savings to pay off my Stafford loans, I’d still be well in student debt now. I have chosen to accept my student loan situation for the time being as I work hard to pursue my creative endeavors. Otherwise, I am debt-free thanks to some sacrifices.
And yes, those close with me are constantly telling me to take time to relax because I work so much. Rarely am I not at my computer these days–if I’m not on the clock elsewhere. But I am happy to have the opportunity to pursue my passion. I know not everyone has that chance so I am thankful every day that I do.
Thank you for stopping by and giving your thoughts!
I did the same thing back in the early 90s for about 6 months. I just took a job in a different town about 2 hours away. I bought some nice clothes (white collar job) and filled my car with gas and I had about 50 bucks in my pocket and no place to stay. Luckily it was a satellite office and my co-worker came in from out of town each week heck he gave me the idea as he was staying in the office so he slept in his office and I slept in mine. Luckily, we didn’t have an alarm and we just cancelled the office cleaning service that came with the rent. We had a dorm room type fridge and a microwave. The complex was older and had about 20 smaller offices so we shared the bathroom. Got caught a few times taking a quick bird bath early in the morning with my shirt off. Lol, they just looked at me strangely when they went to use the bathroom I hustled out of the bathroom. Like you, I went to a gym and took a full shower and shaved. On the weekends, I’d drive 2 hours or so and spend the weekend at the folks and do the laundry. People in the office complex had to know. My car had dark tinted windows but it was a Suzuki Samari type car so you could see all my laundry in the back if you looked closely plus my car was always there. No one said a word, no one complained, I couldn’t believe it. heck we actually had a good time. I miss those days. I drove by there the other day and it had been torn down; I shed a little tear. Dang sure taught me how to save. I worked my way up and now I have all the looks of success. People get jealous but little do they know that I was homeless for awhile.
I hear so many stories like this, and from people of all kinds of backgrounds. It’s a powerful experience, humbling and frustrating and freeing all at the same time. I’m glad you’ve turned it into something positive for yourself. Thank you for sharing!
Are you single…how old are you…you are very intriguing. I wish I had the guts to do that. Pretty cool in my book.
I find time for romance in my life. And I’m still in the “young professional” age category, but that’s creeping closer and closer to the ceiling of that category every year.
I am glad that you did this while you are young. When you get to my age ( over 50), I don’t think it can be done. Too much of a hardship. I am glad you saved all that money. I wish you much success!!
I’m sure it’d become more difficult with every passing year. Thankfully, I can still make certain sacrifices. Thank you for your well-wishes!
The main thing I didn’t take into account was the need to sit-up straight, this can’t be rectififed (or erectified as it may be) with my current vehicle though I have plenty of room to stretch out.
Also the summer in the Northeast is a huge problem with all the humidity, can’t sleep in my car during the hottest days and the velcro adhesive melts and comes off with the weight of the shades.
I’m in my mid 30’s and I have run out of energy to work for someone else, or basically to work at an unfulfilling job. Unless I figure out my own business I will soon be living in my car forever, or taking on ewciety in a different, more aggressive way.
I wish I could camp out in the hills with a bathroom/shower nearby but campgrounds have a time limit, and besides that I get strange looks and treatment from people when camping alone. I love to hear the sounds of the night as I got to sleep and the birds and critters waking me up in the morning. As long as a bear or racoon doesn’t rip into my tent I sleep much better being closer to the outdoors. This is one thing I don’t like about sleeping in the car, can’t really sleep with the window open very often.
Although I did purchase screens and put them in the windows with velcro so I can roll down the window, but again after the velcro fell off for the umpteenth time I just gave up on that, that’s when I rented this overpriced piece of shit studio apt (with no kitchen) I’m throwing money down the drain on today.
Thank you for sharing the below advice, Jay. And your story. If you feel like you’re getting looks from others judging your lifestyle, know that some of those looks are steeped in envy. Many people yearn to live simply as you do. Try to keep those people in mind as you go about your journey.
It’s true that, like most things, a truck-home requires some maintenance. I touched on your Velcro question in a reply to another of your comments, so I hope that helps!
One tip I had for you was the inexpensive light blocking fabric you can buy at big fabric stores.
It will completely block all light, you mentioned that the felt blocked most of the light so maybe that is adequate, maybe I should try the felt is it light? The light block fabric isn’t too heavy, but apparently too heavy for all the types of velcro I’ve tried during the summer months. Also my headliner is coming down now ugh big job there.
Please advise me on what type of velcro adhesive you are using. Did the adhesive come already on the velcro or did you apply a separately purchased adhesive to the back of it?
Thanks again.
Most places around here you will get harassed by cops, at least I do. I guess I look suspicious, and it’s illegal to sleep in your car….OR, if it’s NOT illegal, the cops will harass you into moving on, and on, and on, either way.
To me this is the greatest downside, being made to feel as though I am a criminal. Feeling as though I have to hide and be careful not to get caught sleeping. How dare I try to steal a good nights sleep without paying through the teeth for it!
If you’re interested in the legality of vehicular dwelling in LA, check out my LA Weekly article from July 2014 and my recent April post on how the city is following that up. For now, sleeping in your car in LA is legal. In many other places, it is not. I do my best to advocate strongly on behalf of humane laws for those who have no choice but to live this way, and hope more cities adopt a tolerant view on this sometimes-not-rosy way of living. Keep your head up, Jay. Your value should not be judged by the laws of a few who deem you inconvenient.
You have learned the lesson of being frugal in a dramatic way. Time to shift gears to the next stage of your life. Learn how to invest your savings to make the money work for you. I highly recommend real estate as a goal. You may have to consider moving to Midwest or South where you could buy a duplex or triplex, rent out all but your unit. Eventually be able to raise rent through the years so that your living cost goes down… eventually no cost… then positive cash flow (ie making you money as you live for free!).
But even doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. are now advised to do behave frugally, but maybe not as dramatically as you… http://www.whitecoatinvestor.com
Find mentors who are successfully doing what you strive to accomplish (investment wise, career wise, relationship wise, education wise, etc. ) Don’t try to re invent the wheel. Just follow successful steps of others, avoid failures of others, repeat steps 1 and 2.
You already have a successful mindset… keep moving forward toward bigger dreams.
Real estate is definitely in my sights. But first, I have some stories that I need to tell and a lot of work to put into telling them the right way. That’s been one of the main goals of this project, so I’m honored to have the support in making it happen. I appreciate your words, H. I would be wise to heed them.
No office alarm system? No cleaning staff? Nobody staying late? Nobody questioning all the “stuff” in your cubicle. I’m highly skeptical.
Read the diary. There was a cleaning staff–it was the bane of my existence. There were late meetings and inconveniences. Your skepticism is natural but please look deeper before basing your opinion on lack of information.
I’ve been living in my office for almost two years now. My first few nights, I was awaken at 3 am, in my underwear, by the cleaning ladies who were unaware of the new tenant, who was even more unaware there was a night cleaning crew. Being the director of the agency, it was easy to justify sleeping at the office because of a late night or early morning meeting, but after a few middle-of-the-night wake-up calls, it became clear that I had to adjust my plans. So the most simple and practical solution was to cancel our cleaning contract. Now, in addition to my regular job, my new cleaning duties include emptying garbage cans, cleaning tables and counter tops, and a bit of vacuuming once a week or so, which takes me at most one full hour of enjoyable work.
Great story in progress. I’m renting office space with a car camp always available for backup or traveling. Started doing so due to car accident and no rental coverage, found out how easy it is with the right motivation, continued to do so and dropped the residential rental.
1. UPS Stores provide mail services like PO boxes, though provide street-like addresses.
2. Office dwelling may preclude hot food prep: cookery smells. Great cold foods include dips e.g. hummus and guac, prewashed lettuce, and any frozen veg which is left to thaw.
3. Having (a small amount of) rented space permits wet items to line dry, such as: hand-washed items, water containers, towels.
4. “House” cleaning is one way to stay on the good side of nearby tenants, regardless of schedule. Similarly: to cover tracks, clean an area as good as (or better than) it was found. There is a shared shower in my office dwelling and for some reason the plastic curtain never gets moldy. And although the soap-holding area of the shower is entirely used by someone else’s bottles, I cover that area entirely with a second shower liner and bring my own suction cup soap holder.
I’ve thought about completely mobile living, though the price for a few well-situated walls seems worthy. I don’t have an office with my healthcare job, only some amenities at the facility.
A few well-situated walls can have undeniable perks! I’m delighted to hear that your setup is treating you well. In what part of the world are you achieving this? I’m curious to know more about your journey! Thanks for stopping in to share!
I’m a nurse in the north northeast; free heat is a huge advantage.
The cost of my small space in a great part of town is just under the cheapest of residential share situations in the worst parts of town.
I moved across states after graduating with a second degree in 2014; lib arts grad in 2009 = no job.
I’ve been able to invest in outdoor gear this way.
E.g., my main bed is made up of three camping mats: closed cell foam, foam lined air mat, and all air mat; absolutely the most comfortable thing and is entirely compressible/mobile.
Recently had to switch out the mini fridge due to puncturing the refrigerant tube while cleaning.
(Apparently this is a common enough occurrence to have plenty of internet literature.)
My main goal is to pay off debt and get more professional credentials.
Made 66k last year and aim to do roughly the same this year while working 32h/week.
School takes up a lot of time though: I aim to get yet another degree by the end of 2016.
Will have lots of non-degree certs by then and will be super marketable for next-tier positions.
A couple reasons why my situation works:
Parking garage a block away with no charge for overnight stay, depart by 7am.
(So my car is in the building lot less than half the time)
No nearby tenant ever arrives before 7:30am; my job requires punch in 6:45 and I’m up by 5:30 daily.
On off days I’m always out by 7:15am, almost always earlier.
Occupancy of normal tenant neighbors is always viewable from the street, so entering in the evening can be done artfully: e.g. car napping until lights are out and cars are gone.
For whatever reason, I’m great at picking up when late-evening tenants are packing up (the customer generally leaves first, then the tenant later). I make a habit of packing up to the parking garage before the last tenant leaves.
I’m able to pack up everything residential with a day’s notice.
E.g. building (fire/electric/etc.) inspectors checked every room on THREE separate occasions recently due to ownership change.
I’m pretty sure the poker club which meets Friday, Sunday (and occasionally inbetween) in the same building but separate hall/entrance) is a drug ring front. The DADT vibe of this shady crew actually boosts the viability of my operation by means of distraction: the crew arrives about 7pm and stays as late as 4am, meaning I’m not the only car in the lot if I choose to stay.
The individuals who care the most about my situation are most visible and avoidable;
the individuals who are most likely to spot my habits have no interest in doing so.
Have you received correspondence from women who have lived the Home Free lifestyle? I have been very interested in “teardrop” style campers – but I’m concerned about unhitching it to go to work, or the Library, or the gym. What thoughts do you have about an ummmm… mature (but not yet matronly) woman attempting to downsize possessions and the space we require to not only save a fortune, but to see the beauty of the environment we rarely stop to enjoy?
I do think the genius of your 1000+ days is that you are hidden in plain sight. My small SUV wouldn’t convert as easily as your truck, nor would it be as flexible or incognito.
And yes, I am looking forward to your book(s), Bourdain-esque television series, and other creative pursuits.
Yes, Nita (nice name, btw), I’ve both received correspondence and met in person women embarking on such journeys. I’ve also taken a female with me on trips:) The women I’ve met with seem to have three main concerns, which I’ll call “the 3 S’s”: The primary concern for a solo home-free female is SAFETY. The secondary concern is SANITATION. The third is storage of SHOES. Haha, well, the third is exclusive to a small subset of women, but the point remains–a girl (a person!) has gotta have her knick-knacks.
I think your curiosity about downsizing is worth exploring. In general, where you park becomes an exercise in comfort and safety. The “teardrop” campers are great on the road, but limited in terms of more permanent housing. They can be difficult to navigate on more challenging terrain (i.e. graded roads in national forests, where dispersed camping is free) and conspicuous in urban areas (which either outlaw their parking on public streets or alert folks to someone being inside). If I were you, I’d much prefer something a little more mobile, preferably part of the vehicle itself. But your situation is unique so it’s tough to say.
Sanitation is just as limiting. You’ll either need 24-hour access to a restroom (via nearby porta-potty or a late-night local business) or set one up inside your dwelling. Being stuck without facilities is the Number One complaint of all home-freers, so consider your personal nightmare scenario and make sure you’re set up to deal with that.
Finally, it’s possible to either rent a storage space or work out a deal with a friend or family member to keep some belongings behind somewhere. This helps you maintain your shoe collection! (I can kid about this because as a guy I own an embarrassingly large number of shoes…)
And thank you for the support. I desperately owe you and the public this first book, and have plans for plenty of others once that’s finished. The show is in development phases, so I’m eager to get you guys that as well. Patience is something I’m working on, so thank you for your support while I allow these things to come to natural fruition!!!
Ahhhh, yes, I just checked out “dispersed camping” on the US Forest Service site, and there are truly no amenities. There are some variations on the theme of teardrop campers that have indoor toilet/shower. But it sounds like the whole idea of dispersed camping is no campers or monster trucks.
The outside cooking area appeals to me (no cooking smells in the storage and sleep area), but it would definitely attract attention.
JA’s setup seems ideal. Shower, privacy, a little more security.
All my belongings are in storage now – and while staying in a friend’s guest bedroom, I realize how silly it is to pay for housing to hold my stuff – when I am getting along pretty well with the little bit I have here. (1 pair of Chaco’s, 1 pair of dress leather Chaco’s, 1 pair of flat shoes for work, 1 pr of Merrell encore ice for winter.)
Yeah, books. I need a few real books.
I’ll open the hatch on the Forester and see what the headroom is. I’m really reluctant to part with it – almost 300,000 miles, and I should get another 150,000+ more. I’ll check with my mechanic and see if there is any flexibility with removing or moving seats (turning them around).
And I will keep you posted! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Your story is super inspirational! I did the same thing by living at my high school in LA for a year and inhabiting a ’94 Nissan Pathfinder for another 6 months. Unfortunately, I could not afford insurance at the time, and my car was impounded. Do you pay car insurance, and if so what do you list as your address on forms? I really admire that you choose that this lifestyle by choice, but it does instill independence. I definitely also have the same philosophy about not receiving help from others. I live in one of the richest parts of LA, so my friends always freak out that I live on my own. It still sucks that we have to live like menaces to society, though. If it’s legal, we shouldn’t be harassed about it. ;(
P.S. How did you learn to create a website to document your experience?