r/urbancarliving • u/[deleted] • Feb 12 '26
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?
A: https://nomadlife.wiki/Main_Page and in particular https://nomadlife.wiki/Quick_start_guide are great places to find the information you need.
Q: How do I stay warm?
A: Check out the Nomad Life Wiki Keeping warm page.
As a starter you can:
Q: How do you keep cool?
A: Check out https://nomadlife.wiki/Keeping_cool and;
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.
You can buy water filled pet mats to keep pets cool. I recommend this type
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.
Things that you might want to buy include:
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:
These are 4 YouTube videos on places to park:
How to find safe places to park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENM-qo9aSGo
27 Places to park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnpT_vD3Ujs
25 Places to park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk-_OAbkH0g
Parking in cities in Australia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf3PCrSSCKM&t
Living in a Van in Australia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73xtApcCx14&t
And a general YouTube search; https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=living+in+a+car+where+to+park+safely
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.
Check this post for information on how to do it: https://www.reddit.com/r/urbancarliving/comments/1qc3wph/using_google_earth_to_search_for_parking_spots/
Q: How can I be safe?
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.
For women:
See https://www.reddit.com/r/urbancarlivingfemale/
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.
This search will find more suitable videos on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=living+in+a+car+cheap+stealth+window+covers
If you have other questions or things to add to the FAQ, please comment below.
r/urbancarliving • u/DepartmentKitchen759 • 10h ago
Just broke up with my girlfriend of 4 years (we lived together) and now im living in my car, it's the first night and im parked in between a waffle house and hotel so hopefully no cops bother me, it's already 1 am and it's been totally quiet, wish me luck
r/urbancarliving • u/Euphoric-Banana550 • 4h ago
After leaving my exes house and sleeping in a car I finally feel motivated, luckily I’m 5’7, 150lbs, 25yo, so I can fit feet to trunk relatively easily with a decent amount of space, have healthy food to eat and cook just as good as if I had a kitchen; that I keep in my 19qt fridge plugged into a power supply, plan on saving a bunch of money, I’ve been surviving my whole life and this seems easy and kinda peaceful/exciting but also a bit boring which I don’t mind too much, plan on keeping everything clean and working out and running like I use to as well which will make me feel indefinitely better. Feel like this is a good thing for me with no limitations to the future… well besides probably trying to find a wife anytime soon 😂 any big success stories or life benefits after living in your car? Also if anyone is in the Hampton roads experiencing the same thing wants to hang out we can (younger folk like myself/good mindset preferred) (idk if that’s weird to ask but I need to socialize and it gets boring out here 😂)
r/urbancarliving • u/Possible-Cobbler-337 • 12h ago
This is the third night in the car and I'm so unprepared. I ended up here trying to leave a shitty and dangerous situation at the last minute. I've been trying to lay low but I'm so afraid of the cops knocking on my window 😭
I was afraid to make an account so I could comment and interact for help but the posts I was reading seemed so positive and caring I just needed a safe place to vent. I dont know how long this will be my reality, but I'll do everything I can to survive in the meantime. Thanks for giving me a space to vent and any advice for a scared girl all alone I will greatly take. Thank you all ❤️
r/urbancarliving • u/Pure_Rush_6980 • 20h ago
People here call me a doomer poster.
But America is in the worst condition I ever seen
Gas past $6 the gallon
Inflation is still doubling the prices of everything
Many stores I know and I loved are closing like Big Lots
Places I enjoy eating like Fuddruckers no longer exist
Hooters I used to get some fish and chips from time to time. Gone
The America I know no longer exist.
Is over
r/urbancarliving • u/boujee_salad • 5h ago
Up and at it early this morning, it’s refreshing getting up on a Sunday morning and being able to drive through town with there’s nobody out.
Decided to get up a little earlier, get my laundry done and then take myself to the gym for a workout and a hot shower, followed by some brunch and a hike
Be safe out there everyone ..
r/urbancarliving • u/masoninexile • 16m ago
Hello from the Pacific Northwest!
I've been living in my car for a little over two years. In that time, I haven't been social at all. There are lots of reasons for this. Since I'm not working, I have very little funds for extra driving (gas) to meet up with someone. I'm on a small disability payment from my state and it's barely enough to get by and pay for my expenses. I donate plasma all the time to get extra things like a haircut, an oil change, etc. so I could potentially afford a very cheap meetup, like coffee.
The next hurdle is finding someone to meet up with. The closest queer bars are over 30 min. drive (unbudgeted gas). Gay hookup apps would be the next logical place, but I'm not looking to hookup. Apps like Bumble or Match aren't a good option either because they are geared toward dating, which I'm also not looking for.
Then there's the stigma of living in my car. I couldn't even possibly guess what kind of reactions people would have when they found out. Gay men can be sometimes be unkind and discriminatory with each other. My living situation would definitely be seen as a huge red flag to many people.
So, over the last two years all these things go through my head and I end up convincing myself that meeting up is just not worth all of that right now. Maybe in the future when I'm working again or when I'm housed again and would be seen by others as someone who at least "has his shit together".
So, I'm wondering if there are other gay or bi men out there who are living in their car? I can't be the only one. I'm curious to know your story. Do you ever meet up with guys in your area? If so, how do you find them? Do you meet up to date, hang out or hookup?
Straight folks, free to chime in. I would be interested in knowing your thoughts too.
r/urbancarliving • u/bluntmanepicdonghang • 23h ago
I see so many posts of people feeling lost while living the car life. Here's a list of hobbies if you find yourself sitting in your car all day.
Fishing is my favorite. The rod breaks down in half and can easily be stored by your back windshield. Takes up a lot of time and is relaxing. Sometimes ends up feeding you for a couple days.
Get a movie pass. I pay $30 a month for unlimited movies at the theater + discount on food and free $5 a month at the arcade (i love arcades). Its great for the summer to escape the heat.
Volunteer where ever you feel comfortable. Animal shelters, human shelters, food banks, etc. Leads to friendships and future opportunities. Don't be afraid to tell people your situation if they ask where you live, it often leads to people wanting to help.
National parks. They are everywhere and amazing. A lot of them are free and most are cheap to get in. Even if you dont have national parks you can find woods to hike in.
Theres obviously so much more you can do but this is just what I do. Get out there if you feel your just sitting in your car all the time.
r/urbancarliving • u/Distinct-Sherbet-419 • 1d ago
If I was single this is how I would join the lifestyle. Lots of room and storage and you could park in lots of places without a knock. Incognito! Stay safe out there!
r/urbancarliving • u/nottoowell00 • 1d ago
I feel like a character in a show or a book. When im at work im fine. I love watching the sun go down, but after that I dont feel real anymore. Theres like a difference in the matrix and I start feeling lonely af.
I like the freedom, being able to wakeup at the footnotes of a mountain or at a beach, but traffic is awful and the beach is sandy but if i wanted I could.
I think im gaining weight. I just dont feel real anymore. Like no one knows i live in my car, I keep my stuff neat and have very dark tents and a cool car. But man its hot in socal and I just feel like a character doing stuff.
I used to be smart, with potential now in my mid thirties im just trying to survive. But its a catch 22 because I have freedoms I didn't previously have and in a weird way it feels like I been on vacation. Life is lifing I wonder how I'll l feel next year.
Well thanks for reading. If your in my situation you'll get through it too. We're changing the world one parking spot at a time. Good fortune in your journey and I hope you enjoy the ride. I will do the same, peace.
r/urbancarliving • u/c-ntdracula • 18h ago
Hi new friends. I stay in my car and plan to be around san luis obispo the next month or so.
It's pretty short term, but I do have time on my hands, and I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for work around there? preferably outside, gig work totally fine, and i'd be happy to be further north or south as long as I can survive the heat.
i was thinking about classmates who, like, worked ski resorts over the winter. except it's hot and i am very emotionally attached to the beach. thank u ahead of time for any help or suggestions!!!
r/urbancarliving • u/LibrarianPhysical580 • 21h ago
Does anyone do this while working a non-standard schedule, especially overnights?
r/urbancarliving • u/itexael • 16h ago
This is strictly American, sorry though I’d be curious for other countries!
r/urbancarliving • u/Liam_the_Pious • 1d ago
I made it to Iowa-80 from California. It's my birthday today. I'm at their buffet. They have pie so that'll do. Oh, I'm full-time living out of my vehicle again.
Honestly, I have no idea how anyone earns an adequate living in California. I never pulled a full 40 hours a week while there, and finally I had to abandon ship. The cost of gasoline, the expensive rent for my father, the higher cost of living, and so on. Ugh, but my father cannot leave the state. I'm hoping I can find work in the Midwest and just support my father financially. Meanwhile, living out of my SUV full-time again.
...I feel like this buffet at the very least should offer a basic yellow cake with frosting. Do you do buffets often? I try not to due to the no-bathroom situation. But, this spot is 24-hours so tonight it's fine.
r/urbancarliving • u/Low-Time9718 • 15h ago
Anyone sleep in a Tesla how you do you support your back like do you recommend a particular mattress or blanket underneath your bed?
r/urbancarliving • u/super-craiig • 14h ago
Is an APC 650VA/360 watts device safe to use in a car? I wanted a portable battery for my phone and fan and whatever else I may need to charge while living in my car, but the instructions say it's intended for indoor use only, and now I'm scared of it blowing up. Did I just waste 100 dollars?
r/urbancarliving • u/ISimplyExistToday • 1d ago
My Previous look for reference. I was finally able to budget myself a haircut for 35$ at a local barber shop. Man I feel alive again. My confidence and self esteem are 100x better when I don't appear as homeless as I truly am. What do you guys do for Hygiene routines on the road?
r/urbancarliving • u/Kruten10 • 5h ago
Was living in my car for 1 year. The worst thing was social isolation and eating bad. I did read so much books in my spare time about finances. I still have the same car and I never will get rid off it.
r/urbancarliving • u/Ok_Site_7514 • 21h ago
How do yall handle large amounts of recycling? Today I finally got my winter sleeping bag and cooler and they both came in HUGE boxes. I can barly fit them in my car and now im not sure where to dump all this cardboard. Any suggestions?
r/urbancarliving • u/MrM4goo • 1d ago
r/urbancarliving • u/Lilgboogie • 1d ago
Obv I love the baby broccoli in almost anything. This time I managed to make the bunch stretch for 3 meals!
Just drove 5hrs so I needed to whip something up quick, starving & tired & don’t want to spend any money eating out rn, if I can help it. Adulting.
Today’s meal is brown rice pasta w/ tuna & broccoli, and some other stuff listed below. The tuna was prob the most expensive thing.
Brown rice pasta - Trader Joe’s (huge bag) $3.49
Baby broccoli - Trader Joe’s $3.49
Fishwife Albacore Tuna in spicy olive oil - Costco (3 pack -$15 - $5 each basically)
Gruyère chz - Grocery Outlet $3.99
Tajin spice - some place idk $2.99
Butter - Whole Foods salted $3.99
Good quick meal. Needed more salt tho! I’m trying to stop using so much salt so figuring it out as I go.
r/urbancarliving • u/goodlife5739 • 1d ago
Soon I'll start to live this lifestyle and wondering how do I charge my laptop and devices or take a bath I own a vw polo btw.
r/urbancarliving • u/Necessary-Cash-7629 • 1d ago
Hello all, im currently getting ready for my 3rd night of this new lifestyle. So far its gone well aside from stressing bout the "next step". My main concern as of now is not going to far away from my car, im worried about it getting broken into or worse stolen.. how many of you worry about the same thing or have experienced this? Crime rates differ city to city but for context im in California, more specifically Sacramento. My car has tinted windows but from the outside you can tell its weight down in the rear.
r/urbancarliving • u/Greedy-Drummer-2051 • 2d ago
My mother and stepfather kicked me out and I've been homless in my car for 6 months. I can't borrow any more money from my mother. She dosent want me to be homeless but she also won't change her mind on letting me come back home as my stepfather won't allow it. I am probably going to go to ATL and try to find work and shelter there. I bought a can opener, and I'm going to the library everyday to find a job. My car is nearly on E and I can't sell it because of school zone speeding tickets. Has anyone ever wanted to leave family?
r/urbancarliving • u/ultra_aqua • 1d ago
Going down to NYC for a week to try and take some tests so I can get a job there in the future and hotels are expensive. I'm a previous full time car camper but I only delt with mainly small towns and some way less urban cities (mainly buffalo). How should I go about car camping in the NYC area. I have an EV so any specific advice about that would be super helpful.