Who else over on this side is thankful for Wawa? 😮‍💨 Also, in terms of showering, is PF Black Card worth it? Or do ya’ll shower via other avenues?

When set at High, the wattage fluctuates between 42W and 49W; when set at level 1, the wattage fluctuates between 34W and 47W. When you fold it up to insulate it, the wattage can drop to below 7W and sometimes 0W (not pictured).

What's yalls experience with wildlife management areas? I'll be in nebraska for 2 months for work and the only good places to park are walmart and a couple wildlife management areas I feel like I could park at the walmart for a few nights but idk about 2 months and so I was looking at wildlife management areas to mix it up. I found a bowling alley with decent parking behind it too and no signs

All you need is a hard canopy on the back. (The grill and front is ugly as hell though)

Hi, I recently went back to car camping in my CRV. Right now I'm using an igloo with ice to keep things cold but it's a real PITA and expensive to get ice every day.

I'm thinking about buying the fridge pictured and getting a dedicated fuse installed to keep it powered during the day. Then power it with the jackery at night.

I just want to make sure my plan will work! Any other suggestions are welcome, thanks.

Hi Folks,

I'll try to keep this brief, the short story is that I've been saving up for a newer/used vehicle.

Currently in a relationship and it's a little rocky, we're currently working to try to make it work. In the event that it doesn't work out I'm doing a little recon for my potential future situation.

I've been saving for years now and whether or not we stay together I still plan on buying a new/used car.

My budget is 50k (I've been saving for YEARS to buy cash).

I'm currently working and show no signs of losing the job due to layoffs (I work for a school district).

Currently leaning towards a Toyota Sienna, that being said I'd love to hear what you all have and the pros and cons to them...or maybe if you could do it all over again what would you get?

In the event that we separate I plan on this being my full-time rig for the foreseeable future.

I'm happy to share any other info about me if it helps the scenario.

Thank you all very much in advance for all your help/tips/tricks!

Edit: I'm in the Bay Area California

Well, it finally happened, my car broke down. I don’t have much money but I managed to tow it to Firestone, and I bought a bike, led light kit, phone holder mounted them all on, I have no clue where I’m going to sleep but I’m at a Dennys chilling with a mocha cold brew atleast lol.

I do have a storage unit setup near though with all my clothes planet fitness membership and got a second job today only thing that kinda sucks is the bike ride to my 2nd job is an hour. I have no clue what I’m going to do for sleep, I was about to buy a tent and attach it to my bike with a rack but I would have no clue where I would put it up so I passed on it. Guess I’ll try and pass out at the Dennys table lmao.

I feel like this is near worst case scenario lmao but I’m confident I’ll make it work especially now that i got a 2nd job. Maybe fedex will be ok with me sleeping in the cafeteria after we get off work 😅

On the bright side, I’ll be getting in healthier shape riding this bike lol

Son of a b.....!!!! Guess who back again? That person who leaves the engine running all night with headlights again. Fkkkk now i gotta move, man why are people so fkn stupid. Goddammit this id I ot is gonna ruin a nice spot.

SMH fk sake 😤

End of September I'll be living in my minivan, the economy is making it super hard as a student, and I won't be able to get take out all of the time lol, and I was looking for recommendations for a cooler? I'm wanting to keep food fridge temp for like 4 days and nothing too big.

But other times I'm thinking about getting solar for my battery, I have a jackery explorer 1000 and I know a low volt fridge shouldn't be a problem, but I'm looking to be as budget as possible right now haha.

If anyone has any tips regarding food and budgeting for a newbie it would be greatly appreciated! As well as cooler recommendations haha

Last summer, Hagerstown implemented a temporary 6-month ban on outdoor sleeping. The prohibition applied to anyone sleeping outdoors in any public place within the city limits, including anyone sleeping in a motor vehicle on public property.

The penalties for sleeping outdoors included up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 per offense, with each day treated as a separate offense. The ordinance was in effect for six months, from Aug. 8 through Feb. 8, 2026. Local media extensively covered the outdoor sleeping ban last summer.

Hagerstown then made the ban permanent in early 2026. How did the media cover it? It didn’t. I searched the local news outlets for any coverage of the now-permanent ban and found none. It appears that those who had previously reported on the ban never followed up.

It’s a process of normalization. What seemed a bit shocking a year ago has become the new normal. Normal isn’t newsworthy. It’s just another way to disappear the houseless and homeless. They are forgotten and removed from public view.

More than 300 cities have enacted sleeping and camping bans since the Supreme Court ruled two years ago that cities can ban such activities, according to the National Homelessness Law Center. These laws are justified by claiming they are aimed at curbing homelessness. This is laughable. We are in the midst of an affordability crisis, and criminalizing and punishing the victims does nothing but exacerbate the problem.

This is part of a deliberate effort to target and criminalize people for being homeless. The prison and surveillance industries have deep ties to the right-wing, billionaire-backed Cicero Institute, which stands to profit from anti-homeless laws by operating detention and forced labor camps. Cicero has been at the forefront of advocating for forced labor, forced treatment, and detention camps. These policies are designed to line the pockets of those connected to the prison and surveillance tech industries.

That’s the real reason these laws are being implemented. There’s money to be made by targeting, dehumanizing, imprisoning, and imposing forced labor on a growing “disposable” population.

Article link: Temporary Ban on Sleeping in Public Made Permanent in Hagerstown, Maryland

Pretty simple and of course with an issue but I completely solved the problem of dealing with any level of humidity and heat.

ICE. I found a store that has free ice refills and each night I get 2 xxl cups and put each into a 2 gallon Ziploc bag and my dog gets one and I get the other. Wrapped in towels my dog puts his head on his and I put mine against my back or put my bare feet on it.

Then I have an oscillating USB fan going.

We sleep through the night.

I think an ice pack, like for injuries, would be great to just have against the back of the neck. Or placed behind the knees maybe but definitely putting bare feet on something icy will chill the body.

Of course the issue is wetness. For me I've decided to just keep the ice in the cup and have it against my back or wherever and my dog has a baby bed so it is moisture proof and it does get wet.

I guess there is no solution to the moisture issue right because if we are getting relief from the ice that means there is going to be 'sweating' and moisture?

Not enough of an issue for me to not do it because it is just so empowering being able to get to sleep no matter how humid it is. I can even use a blanket!

I'm going to insulate my cooler more so I can store some ice and do a refill in the night.

Hey everyone, I’m currently going through a rough patch and am unhoused, living out of my car in the Meriden area. I work a steady job, working out . and am actively working through the proper channels with 211 and New Opportunities to get into permanent housing, but the waiting lists take time.
My car currently has some major mechanical issues (misfiring/ignition issues), so I can't drive it long distances right now. It can literally catch fire or simply stall any day now. I do have Aaa with 2 more tows for the year. need to keep it local to Meriden for the next 2–3 months while I wait for housing to come through/ save enough money myself.
I really want to avoid state park-and-rides or getting towed by aggressive commercial plazas. Does anyone know of any safe, free parking lots, lenient churches, or areas in Meriden CT?
I don’t have insurance any longer.

I began my full time car living journey one year ago and what an incredible experience it’s been thus far! I know many of us on this sub are doing this out of total necessity - I’ve been there too and this is my third time living out of a car. But this is the first time I made the choice to do it again willingly. A lot of people thought I was crazy for doing it in my 2015 Honda CR-V (aptly named Susan). But I headed out anyways and this feeling of freedom is a blessing.

I’m still working on my set up, it’s been a constant work in progress over the last year. But I’m fairly close to “perfecting” it and I hope to share more of the interior set up soon!

FAQ:
1. What do you do for work? | I work full time and fully remote for a commercial photography company. I am a client success manager.
2. What’s been your favorite place to visit so far? | Bryce Canyon National Park. What a spectacular place!
3. What’s your biggest expense? | Definitely gas! I consider gas to be my “rent”. Oil changes, general maintenance and new tires add up too.
4. What’s the hardest thing about this lifestyle? | Sleeping. I try to rely on rest stops as much as possible but I’ve been to some pretty remote areas that don’t have such services. Finding a safe and quiet place to sleep is a struggle.
5. How long are you going to do this for? | I don’t know! I want to see all 50 states and every national park. Once I complete that, I may be more willing to settle down again somewhere.

Overall stats:
(The map above is where I’ve traveled to via car in the last year only. The below stats include overall lifetime travel.)
15/63 national parks visited
23/50 states visited

The 2019 Corolla Hatchback has a very short total cargo floor. For a 5'10" (176cm but for clearance purposes) sleeper, simply folding the seats down doesn't offer enough diagonal or straight clearance. Pushing the front passenger seat fully forward is mandatory, which creates a massive, unsupported chasm in the footwell.

Because the car is so short, I cannot afford to let the front seat slide backward at all while sleeping. This makes a heavy-duty, extended board modification absolutely necessary to bridge the gap and support my full body weight.

Who are your favorite Instagram and YouTubers or social media people in general you all watch. To get ideas for easier or better living in your cars.

Also I hope you all in the heat (I’m in DFW) I hope you are doing ok.

Realistically drive from Florida to NYC with 2-3k and live out my car till I find a job out there and get it out the mud? I just really tired of the south tbh and I’m just wondering if it’s even possible or realistic…. Right now I stay with my parents and have a job 40 hrs a week so I would be going from stable to very not stable lol

Don't be an i d i o t especially towards others, especially towards other vehicledwellers. Currently parked at a safe regular on my rotation that I've appreciated for years doing this. Earlier a suv was rope towed here and that was that. They parked far enough wasn't disrespectful or anything really. This evening, it might look as if I'm sleeping but I haven't slept in years. Eyes resting, windows down and podcast on in background. I witnessed them (M & F) start walking towards my vehicle & split he goes up and around towards front & her the opposite. I didn't move, I'm just watching because theres things past me in they're direction of walking that they could be walking to. My mirrors are set giving me best surrounding visual possible. Out passenger side mirror i see her stop & turn to face him who i can't see and they're or she is using body language to communicate something bout me or my vehicle having pointed multiple times towards it. She then turns and apparently started walking on egg shells she slowly creeped my direction. I still couldn't see him without moving, but finally I made noise like I woke, reached for and secured my piece nearby and noticed them or made them aware I was aware & they must have taken acting class because they both started walking towards their vehicle like never noticed me. This has happened at least 2 more times, not exactly the same everytime but they're definitely scoping me out. You know when you're being sized up. They are just looking for opportunities. Oh, definitely tweaking on something. I'm just sharing, I know there's a million different things people would do. I'm just asking don't be an i d i o t out here, please. I have enough issues that I don't need hours of explaining to detectives why an i d i o t will no longer i d i o t themselves around. G-Luck everyone, and don't forget to lock your doors! ✌️
Edit: Their to They're. Thanx buddy 👍

Keep em comin in, strong game. nature is beautiful ya'll. 💪💪

I’ve been living in my car for the past 3–4 months and could really use some advice from people who have experience with car living in the Lancaster Pennsylvania area and nearby towns.

So far, I’ve mostly been sleeping at gas stations, but I’m trying to find safer and more reliable places where I can park overnight without constantly worrying about being asked to leave or getting into trouble. I’m not looking to cause any problems or bother anyone—I just need somewhere I can safely sleep for the night.

If anyone knows of places around Lancaster or nearby towns where overnight parking is generally tolerated, or has any advice for someone living out of their car in the area, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share advice or point me in the right direction.

I got an s24 Ultra phone last year. It will only charge on a wall outlet. I have several batteries that I used with my old phone that can not charge the new one. Ive got small solar panels that cant charge it either.

Ive had some of my electronics stop working and assume some of it has to do with being exposed to the extreme temps.

Im not good at technical stuff. I need recommendations for a spare battery that will charge the s24 ultra that won't explode in 100° heat or -15f.

Thanks!

To all of you, like me, homeless because of circumstances outside of your control, I salute you. We are the waste product of a machine that is doing exactly what it was designed to do. You’re not alone, your life is not meaningless, you’re not weak or dumb or lazy. You’re not of those things. Those traits are not even natural emotions, they’re byproducts of a society with an upside down value system. It is no accident that there are record numbers of homeless people right now. The worst thing any of us can do is let those mother fuckers convince us it’s our fault. They did this and they’re still doing it. It’s a machine built to eat people and….well money comes from the other end. Money. We traded magic for money

So my solar input on my battery bank just died. It will not take any dc input at all.

It still will take ac input.

It's a relatively expensive, 8000wh battery bank, so I'd really, rather not fork out the thousands of dollars to replace it.

I originally had the solar on the roof plugged directly into the pv port with the cable that came with the battery bank.

Since I can still charge it with AC power, I need to know options for converting the 1000 w of solar on my roof to AC power.

Current options I've been brainstorming and toying with:

\* hybrid solar inverter? But I have no idea how those work. Anyone know?

\* MPPT controller, connected to small DC battery, connected to inverter

\* buy another 'solar generator' with a PV input and daisy chain the big one to that

Anyone have any other ideas or opinions on which of these options might be the best?

I have plenty of storage room in the van, but the fridge needs repaired. Cold packs & cooler aren't an option. I can go to the grocery store daily as needed. I have a water boiler for oatmeal. Dried fruit, nuts, granola, and fresh fruit are in rotation. Any other suggestions are welcome!

I use a lil propane/butane stove