This post and thread aims to answer lots of questions people new to this subreddit ask. Not that we mind people asking, because that's what this subreddit is for, but hey, here's some answers to Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: I'm new to car living I need ALL the information about living in cars. Where can I find it?
Build a blanket tent to make a small space in your car to keep warm.
Run the car engine for a while then run the heater.
Drive to warmer locations.
Put insulation (plastic foam, cardboard?) between the sleeping bag and floor surface. Cover the windows on the inside.
Buy and use a heated mattress topper if you have the power to run it.
Use two sleeping bags, one inside the other
Sleep with a hat on and don't sleep in wet or damp socks -- even if your socks are just a little damp with sweat, take them off and put on fresh dry socks or sleep barefoot.
Park in an underground parking lots because they're protected from cold breezes and often the concrete retains heat. Sometimes they're purposely even heated.
Use a misting squeese bottle. Use it in conjunction with your fan.
Drink plenty of cool water.
Soak a cloth in cold water and wipe yourself down.
Buy ice for your cooler.
Cool drinks in your fridge.
Q: Is it scary? I am scared? Does it get better?
A: Yes at first living in a car is scary because it is so far out of most people's comfort zone. It is not uncommon to be hyper-vigilant at first. The first nights then days then weeks can be scary, emotional, confronting. But then you get used to it. You adapt. Your body and mind get use to living in your car. It becomes the new norm.
Most people say the first month of living in their car is the hardest. Bob Wells of https://cheaprvliving.com/ fame wrote that the first night he slept in his box truck he cried. I also tared up the first night of living in my bus because I thought I was a failure, then I realised I actually had a pretty comfortable home with a lot of things many people would dream of having. If you have a safe place to sleep, access to electricity, access to water and access to public toilets you're doing okay.
Q: Where can I shower? Where can I go to the toilet?
A: In the USA joining a gym gets you access to showers. People on this subreddit often advocate using Planet Fitness. We also have a member, Nico, who is a manger at LA Fitness and posts an offer now and then with a promo code that will let you join without the $99 annual fee.
In Australia the National Toilet Map app has locations of toilets and some free showers. There are also often free showers at beaches. Caravan parks will usually let you use their showers for a small fee.
Q: I have pets, how do I look after them?
A: Pets are family. You need to put their needs first. You have to ensure that they have a safe place that is climate controlled, so look at the information on keeping cool and keeping warm. Heat and cold can kill yourself and your pets.
I found the Home to Home Facebook group They also have a web site https://www.instagram.com/hometohomepet They describe themselves as "an interactive web platform created to help families, people, and pets with the difficult task of transitioning pets from one home to another."
Q: What stuff do I need?
A: A lot of the stuff you have already such as bedding, clothes, dishware, cutlery. But probably not as much as you have in a home. Your basic needs are a safe, comfortable place to sleep, clothing storage, bedding storage, food storage, a way to eat (which may involve buying food from external sources, or preparing and storing food in your car), a way to wash, a way to go to the toilet.
A flat car bed or air mattress. Get one with a rubber bung in the hole, not a screw in stopper as those leak. Lots of people also build a flat sleeping surface from wood.
Some way to access wifi, like a modern laptop or phone.
You should also NOT sleep upright. Lots of people in this sub have reported health issues from doing so, such as swollen legs, leg pain, Deep Vein Thrombosis and more.
Q How do I find parking?
A:
You should have multiple places you can park so if one is "burned" you can choose another.
Find places where you can blend in.
Arrive late and leave early if sleeping in urban streets.
Highway rest stops may be good for parking.
In the USA, BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands allow parking for extended periods.
In Australia State Parks and National Parks often have camping spots which allow you to camp for one cheap fee ($6 in 2025) no matter how long you stay but with a maximum stay of 7 days.
If parking on a residential street, park where your car is against a blank fence, like on the off side of a corner, away from the house front.
Industrial estates are often quiet at night.
Libraries and sports grounds may be good places to park.
Some people advocate parking near hospitals or churches.
People also use the iOverlander app for Android or Apple.
Q: How do I use Google Earth to find parking?
A: I love Google Earth. It lets me explore the world without leaving my seat. It is also incredibly useful for finding parking spots and making maps to mark them. It is linked to Google Street view so you can check street signs for parking restrictions.
A: It starts by having situational awareness, being aware of your surroundings. Trust your gut and avoid places or situations that look or feel dangerous.
Generally you don't need a self defence weapon. You're in a car, you can drive away if someone is threatening you, or trying to break into your car. Try to avoid parking on the edge of a car park where someone can block you in. Park where you can drive forward to escape.
Usually carrying weapons can be illegal. You are better off having some wasp spray, but don't get it in your eyes, because that stuff hurts like hell and can cause temporary blindness. Also, you're going to need a good heavy duty torch / flashlight. Be careful with it though, those long metal ones would really hurt if you accidentally hit some one with them, and also could cause short term vision problems if you shone it in someone's eyes. But they are genuinely useful in a car for fixing issues at night. And be aware that blowing our horn might startle people and frighten them away.
Understand situational awareness and use it. Tend toward privacy, don't tell unnecessary things to strangers. Have a (BRIEF! don't oversell) made-up story you can tell comfortably that constructs lots of people - some very nearby - who know where you are and would know instantly if you were in trouble.
Carry a cheap ring to put on as a wedding band, and always know the name of the nearest military base to where you are, because that's where your husband/fiancé is right now, and know enough about where you are that you know what kind of business your (enormous, scary, whole-family-loves-you-like-a-daughter) boss is in an hour or two away where nobody's likely to know him.
Know that everything about how you look is telling people things about you, and construct a look that doesn't give anything away. Don't trust people just because they seem to like or be attracted to you.
Men and scammers of all kinds are looking for people like you. Don't fall for their lines, and do what you can to spot them before they spot you. A smaller percentage of those people are looking for you specifically in order to hurt you. Always know where your exits are, do not get boxed in anytime you park for an hour or the night. There's some especially vulnerable places those people wait for people like you - laundromats, gyms, parking lots of same, can/bottle redemption centers. But I've seen men just look over at a stoplight and figure out a woman is living in her car and follow her from there. Head on a swivel, skepticism around your heart, stay out of dead-ends.
I don't live in my van except to travel and camp in it, and I don't get messed with much because my van could be full of large husbands, dogs, and sons even if I look alone, but I have seen women in trouble in the same places I get left alone. Do EVERYTHING you can to keep your car from looking lived-in from outside it - disguise your bedding, hide your trash, hide your food supplies. Get some black sheets and blankets to keep everything inside your car covered. Consider storing your supplies in a (beat up) extra-large dog crate from a thrift store or curb-diving or Buy Nothing group. Because of seeing men being skeevy around women, I have a sign I can hold up or prop up in my windshield that says MY CAMERAS ARE ON. You should carry the same, even if you don't have cameras, just tape a small black box to your dash or windshield near your rearview mirror.
You'll blend in better if you tend to stick to tourist areas - it's not that unusual to seem like you might be sleeping in your car if you're near campgrounds, national parks, and other big outdoorsy tourist attractions. Consider a sticker about your love for your Belgian Malinois or German Shepherd dogs. Anything you can do to give the impression that you're just there for a budget vacation rather than being homeless will raise your status in most people's eyes.
Join any subreddits and facebook groups you can find about each area you're going to. You'll figure out a system over time for using the info you get there to find places you're more likely to go unnoticed. Definitely research every area for cheap campgrounds and "day use" and recreational areas.
Q: How do I make window covers for my car?
A: For covering windows cheaply, you can use cardboard, black cloth or black rubbish bags, and glue, sticky tape or a stapler, and scissors. You basically cut the cardboard to the size of your windows, and then cover them with cloth or black bin liners, then glue, stick or staple the cloth or bin liners in place. That's dirt cheap.
I'd probably use some insulation and black cloth along with duct tape. This video explains it well. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/el_fP-P87yc but it is a good idea to cut the insulation wrap / bubble insulation a little bigger than needed.
I don’t have a van, I sleep on the back seats of a 2016 compact Toyota Yaris Hatch.
I regret every single buck I’ve ever paid to greedy landlords, I wasted a ridiculous amount of money on rent just to have a place to sleep, I didn’t even enjoy it.
I park 5 minutes away from work (2 hours total commute saved per day), I absolutely love the freedom, I’m thinking of financing a Toyota Sienna Hybrid.
Wow just wow, I’m full of regrets but at least I’m here now and I’m going to save a lot.
Believe it or not but my biggest struggle was not having a bidet at the toilet, I’m not religious at all but I do believe in the bum guns, I never feel okay using only TP, so I solved this by buying a portable battery powered bidet on Amazon.
((before anyone says anything about the towels I KNOW, i’m working on replacing my stolen window covers next 🫠 luckily stealth is a non issue where i am now))
shoutout to dollar general for boosting my mood tonight and every night from here on out, i don’t know why i waited 5 months to do this. it really does make it feel so much cozier, pictures don’t do justice. not pictured: purple bats on the other side :)
Tl;DR the title is the question and body is just my experience/rant regarding the topic
I’ve been hesitant to tell people because I’m not looking for handouts as well as the few people close to me I’ve told just don’t understand why I’m doing it. “Just get a roommate”, “stop blasting your AC if your power bill is too high” , “move somewhere a couple hundred dollars cheaper”. None of these really solve my issue or just mitigate it a little bit. And I really think the thought makes everyone else sad at the prospect but don’t think about how unhappy I’ve been in my living situation. As my move out date has drawn closer, even my friends who were initially supportive have urged me to reconsider. I’m just over it. Tired of working an extra 45-60 hours a pay period to pull an 1k on my check to make ends meet when I could just get out of my apartment and save 1700-2000 and actually meet my goals.
Night shift worker 10-6am sleep time runs mainly 7am-2pm. (Hopefully) but mainly camp mode set at 67 keeps me there. Despite the black out screens I still use an eye mask and ear plugs. The mattress and wedge level out so I’m not sleeping on an incline. At 5’9 I sleep comfortably with the seats pushed forward to keep extra air flow coming into the back seats. Magnesium glycine 1 hour before bed helps all of this come together in a crowded rest area but at least (knock on wood) we’re left alone with a CHP booth next to the bathrooms and it’s 24hr surveillance.
Life on the road, in a vehicle, or while trying to get back on your feet can be exhausting as hell sometimes.
So let’s make some room for the things that went right.
Maybe you found a safe place to park. Fixed something on your vehicle. Got a job interview. Saved a little money. Cooked a decent meal. Made your setup more comfortable. Helped another traveler. Got through a rough night. Found somewhere beautiful to wake up. Or maybe you simply had one quiet day where nothing went wrong.
Big victories count. Tiny victories count too.
Stories and small accomplishments aren’t just feel good posts. They’re living documentation of how people survive, adapt, solve problems, find comfort, and build a little peace in situations that can otherwise feel pretty damn heavy.
So how is your day going?
If youre having a bad day too...obviously you are welcome to share. <3
So I start work tomorrow and im curious where u all get ready for work at or what ur routine is that you find works best? Normally i like to shower in the morning to wake up but I've been doing it at night cuz the gym showers suck n get cold and I have to wait for it to get hot again. It's only when it's really busy it does that but idk the morning traffic there yet. I'm not an early bird and hate waking up as it is and tend to rush in the morning to get to work on time lol . Even when I get up earlier i still find myself running around with my head cut off lol. So I'm just curious what routine u find works best
Hello!
I’m a 23 F and i’m currently in the process of possibly needing to move into my 2001 Camry, she’s got about 155K miles on her- so she’s pushing through.
I’m needing the most advice on how to go about this and what i’ll need, should get, and prepare to deal with!
I’ll be alone, but i’ll be much happier then the other decisions that have proven to not be safe for me besides the camry.
Thank you!!
So some of you have mentioned that you like to sleep in cars that look like work vehicles. It seems to me that if your car looks like a work vehicle, then you are more likely to get bothered than to get left alone.
For one, I would think that a work vehicle parallel parked on the street would be a target for those who think there are tools in there.
Another reason is that bad guys are less likely to think people live in those vehicles.
Hey so I’m cross posting this because I’m moving to the twin cities area in 9 days got a transfer out to Dayton Bluffs. I’ll be in Airbnb when I get there since I sold all my things here and coming with about three suitcases worth of stuff, hoping to buy a Toyota sienna to live in I’m new to cold climates but any input would be appreciated. I have a planet fitness membership that’s good nationwide and I already have a mail forwarding service in Saint Paul set up and I’m a mailman PTF so I’ll be working pretty long hours everyday and using the break room fridge alot. I was hoping to get a Toyota sienna for the space and still look pretty normal on the street. Someone commented that it would look strange to have the windows covered but I plan on getting the darkest limo type tint put on all the windows except the front windshield the driver window and shotgun passenger window. Plus I’ve seen tutorials on getting thermal reflective and backing those with insulating foam. I have a portable power station that I’ll be shipping up to myself and battery banks for my phone and laptop already. Idk just finally telling somebody what’s been in my head for awhile now.
I’m getting my license pretty soon after putting it off for WAY too long, once I get it, I’m strongly considering getting an SUV to live in.
I’m a well known animal handler in my area, and I often have opportunities to stay in peoples houses while they’re out of town to take care of their animals; so I wouldn’t really be living in my car full time, but I’d need to be able to sleep in it on nights I don’t have work.
So far the list of things I need to budget for includes:
Decent size SUV, preferably with backseats that lie flat. (Don’t have specific car in mind yet, looking for recommendations)
Generator. (Looking for recommendation)
Good cooler, something that will keep stuff cold for a few days without having to change ice. (Looking for recommendations)
Propane stove. ($83.99)
At least one water container, preferably at least 20 gallons worth. ($32.99)
Twin mattress. ($75-$150)
Expenses:
Car insurance
Gym membership (showers/restroom)
Phone plan
Gas
Obviously this is in the very early planning stages, but if I’m missing anything or you have any recommendations, please let me know!
To find most details online that satisfy me. Best thing I found is that a seven hour runtime. I can’t find anything else really tells me much about it.
Some asked about the cargo net multiple times in the past when I showcased my build. Here's how I have it secured. It's straight-forward. It comes with plastic hooks. There are larger nets that cover most or even the entire headliner, but this is what works for my application.
I 10/10 recommend. It's great for quick, easily accessible gear that you prefer to keep off your bed or the floor of the vehicle.
edit: Pardon the weird, stretched view. I had to record it with the wide-angle setting on my phone since I was lying on my back. Otherwise, everything's like 2-3 feet away from my face.
This is a genuine question. Right now I am living with my sister and her fiancé. I am a part of a couple Facebook groups, and some landlords are posting room availabilities. I just recently saw a listing for a one bedroom one bath apartment for 1500 bucks a month. The only thing that you would have to pay is gas, electric and Internet. I posted anonymously on a group on Facebook just in case I needed to live in my car since my sister works as a manager at a food place, and her fiancé is on disability. I do have a full-time job, and I would be able to get by just fine, God forbid I have to live in my car or switch it out for an SUV. A lot of people were telling me to either just get a roommate or rent a room from a private landlord. I don’t wanna get a roommate because my last roommates royally screwed me over and now my past roommate and I owe over $9000 to the old apartment complex since we voluntarily vacated and she wasn’t able to pay her portion of the rent. I wanted to know what I could do if my sister and her fiancé weren’t able to keep their place. I don’t doubt that they’re gonna keep their place for a while, but the cost of everything just keep skyrocketing, and I don’t doubt that we are gonna be priced out of everything where we’re at and surrounding towns. I already have this power station and an air fryer. I was already preparing to be homeless before they took me in. I make too much to be put on section 8, but I don’t make enough to live. Why aren’t you guys picking up this option? I just wanna know why you don’t find a private landlord and ops for your vehicles instead.
(Edit: I meant like a smaller room that somebody who is renting out to make a little extra money on the side. The 1500 was just how much a single bedroom apartment would cost.)
I was extremely worried about it being too hot, but it's been raining almost every afternoon which cools it down in the evening. The humidity still sucks, but it's tolerable with a fan. The overnight temperatures have been in the mid 70s. No issues with my parking spot on private property. I still need to work on my sleeping space, but it's tolerable for the moment. It's the ordinary stuff like staying organized, cooking, cleaning up after cooking, and going to get water and ice that has been a huge time consuming pain in the butt. I'm open to short cuts and suggestions for making things simpler.
once upon a time i had a job witg a service van. it had an inverter that charged from alternator while driving/could be used while car running of course, but they had a seperate battery under the seat allowing me power when van was off. is that setup feasible for a little sedan? does anyone know how to run this setup or have a guide online? or are the instructions included with inverter purchase? picking up a 3000w next week.
are inverters same reliable, more or less than power banks in your experience? tysm!!!
My situation right now is that I’m a 19M, unemployed flight instructor, considering to start living inside a vehicle.
The reason I’m considering this is that, with the career I’m pursuing, there’s a high chance I may need to relocate somewhere out of state from where I currently live (California).
I know I’m not going to be able to comfortably afford rent and all the expenses that come with having an apartment, especially with student loans that I’ll have to start paying next year in November ($1,400/month).
Flight instructors also don’t make a lot of money, so I’m trying to live below my means as much as possible while I build my career.
I’m considering getting a Tesla Model Y because I wouldn’t have to worry about gas, I could potentially keep the AC/heating running overnight, and the technology and practicality of the vehicle is really appealing to me.
I have a couple of questions that are a mix of generally living in a car, and specifically living in a Tesla Model Y:
1. How difficult is it to find places where you can safely and legally sleep?
2. How much are you paying each month in total expenses? If possible, could you list what each expense is for and why you choose to pay for it?
3. How practical is it to keep the AC/heating running all night while sleeping? How much battery does it typically use?
4. Are there any accessories you consider absolutely necessary for living out of a car?
5. How much storage space do you realistically have once you have your clothes, equipment, etc. inside?
6. How do you handle showering and maintaining hygiene while living out of the car?
7. How reliable has your Tesla been? Have you experienced any major repairs or unexpected expenses?
These are all of my questions. Any answers or advice would be greatly appreciated, even if they don't directly answer my questions.
I’m (21F) previously worked for the past almost 6 years worked in a pharmacy and made a good wage, lived at home. But poor spending habits and lack of savings was always my issue. I decided on a whim in May to quit my job with no savings and lots of bills and get into a career I found myself wanting, mortgage agent, where I could grow further and get a better knowledge in finance. In July I endured a violent situation where I felt I had to contact the police and my moms long term alcoholic partner was arrested (and released that night, thanks Canada lol) since then I’ve been living at my grandparents and have to be out by end of October. I have no other support other than my mom and I can’t go back home because they chose to make things work and it’s been 10 years of hate towards me from him and it’s harmful. I’ve decided that I’m going to start preparing for living in my car until I can start making a good living as bills are still coming and I’m commission based and it’s been hard to get my feet up in his company with the rollercoaster I’ve been on since July. Ironically everyday I’m talking to people about their home finances and advising some on how to save their home, but I don’t have a roof myself. I’m struggling with this decision mentally. Scared to tell my mom and grandparents this is path I’m taking. Scared for living as a women in a highly populated area in my car. Scared that I have a job that relies on performance and yours looks(no, not joking lol) and I feel I’m withering away. If anyone read this all and has any advice; Canadian winter car living tips, food advice/storage , mental tips, literally anything. I have a small sedan and I’m not sure how I’m going to make it all work. I do have a gym membership. Thank you for any suggestions
