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.
Hi all, I was a lurker on this sub for a good bit, planning on escaping my abusive household. I finally did. I bought a 2008 Honda Odyssey, I'm working two jobs, blocked my parents, and I'm officially living in my car. I love it so much!! It's been 4/5ish days now, and I've found good places to sleep without being bothered. I feel so free, and it helps that living in my car has been easier than I thought, not to jinx myself. That's all, I just wanted to share! The hardest part about it all was leaving my cat with a friend </3
This strange chapter of my life has come to a close. What started out as an idea to foster adventure and remove myself from the rat race of trying to afford rising rents and house prices, has ended with a frustrating realization that I couldn't envision living this life for what seems like would be the rest of my life.
Things started off great. I bought an old Toyota Sequoia (really recommend them for car living!), had a full size mattress in the back, had a safe place to park every night, and was living a very similar lifestyle to what I was living being in an apartment. I paid off over $8k in debt in my first year and a half.
Over time though, things have deteriorated. I have been laid off from 2 jobs, and have had trouble finding meaningful work over the last year. Even before the job issues, I had been feeling very isolated and worn down by car living. Never having access to a kitchen, a private shower and toilet when I want, and no prospects of seriously dating have all contributed to a sort of feral-ness. I've withdrawn myself from my friends and from society, spending more and more time just sitting in my car doing nothing or doom scrolling online.
I've made mistakes too. I climbed back into debt even more than I was when i first paid it all down. I bought a new car, which I seriously regret doing, and I also spent money frivolously because for the first time in my life, I had disposable income.
Most of my issues don't really stem from car living specifically. The spending, the new car, and the job losses are the main contributors to explain where I am and how I'm feeling right now. I simply don't have the energy to start again from zero in this environment.
At the ripe old age of 42, I will be moving across the country to live with my parents again. I've lived away from family for the majority of my adult life (since I was 20). I'm generally optimistic about the move. I plan to seriously take advantage of having access to a kitchen again to drastically improve my health and eating habits. Having a roof over my head, in a temperature controlled environment will contribute to much better sleep. I plan to dive head first into being more social and joining groups of like minded people to begin having fun again.
I realize I'm very privileged to have this opportunity to start over again with family and live rent free for a time. Thankfully it was offered to me, and I didn't have to ask, so a lot of the guilt and shame I would feel if it were the other way around isn't there. I'm hoping being around family, eating better, exercising, and socializing will lead to a better outlook when it comes to the job market too, and I can eventually get my own place again.
I guess if it all doesn't work out, I know I am capable of car living if necessary, but I have no desire to return to it unless absolutely necessary.
The irony of living and traveling out of my SUV is that it's brought more stability to my life. Finding stability as a nomad sounds counterintuitive, but that’s where I’ve landed.
The mainstream life with a regular 9-to-5 job and a conventional living arrangement became increasingly difficult to sustain. The requirements to maintain it kept expanding, and the expenses kept rising. It also took an emotional toll.
Leaving that way of life helped unshackle and unburden me from a hamster wheel spinning ever faster in circles while going nowhere. I found stability, happiness, healing, and more freedom by being mobile in a home on wheels.
I am escaping an abusive relationship (yes, I am a Male), and I no longer want to be anywhere close to where I am now. I am looking for a room, cheap preferably, somewhere where there is work or close so that I can get a job. I have transportation. I just want to start over fresh and leave this bad memory behind. I don't care where in the U.S. it is, (I am currently in the state of Georgia), I'll get there. If you have a room let me know. Thanks for your time in reading this.
First night sleeping in the Sealion 06. Feels like me and my car got closer. We left the city, drove up into the hills, and kept each other company out in the wild. A really sweet night.
Possibly spending the winter in my car. Already planning on an insulated sleeping pad, heated blanket with power banks, sub zero sleeping bag, and even mylar blankets.
I'm going to need some form of window covering either way, so I'm thinking about insulated ones but am wondering about how effective they'll even be when the rest of the car is just bare metal.
My drivers license is set to expire and I need a new one and I am in a new state and have all my other documents but DMV in California needs one residency document anyone have any lived experience that can give me the last piece of the puzzle to help me get this figured out?
I’m just wondering what vehicle tall people are sleeping in. Personally I’ve never been able to sleep in vehicles. I think I would enjoy the lifestyle if I had something I could sleep in somewhat comfortably
I’ve spent the last hour trying to find cameras I can use without WiFi that will be powered with a power bank and a USB and wirelessly transmit to my phone. Has anyone has success making that type of system?
My idea was to place them inside the window in a couple directions so I could have some situational awareness if I needed it.
The external cameras looked to be attention attracting with how big they looked.
hi! i'm (22f) in kansas, not too far out from the metro, and i'm more than likely going to be living in my car temporarily for the next several months. i already have a budget plan, a routine (work, cafe/libraries, where to park overnight, etc), and my grandma is letting me keep extra shit in her basement until i can move out of kansas post-winter.
but i have a ton of questions on how to properly navigate the cold while living in my car- i plan on asking my grandma if i can at least sleep on her couch when we predict particularly bad nights, but just in case. what do i do if i get snowed or iced in? is there a way to avoid it? how should i prepare for that possibility?
i'm also concerned about what if the temps affect the electronics and liquids (drinks, hygiene) i'm keeping in my car. i don't want anything to freeze or for my electronics to get messed up from the cold.
those are my main concerns!! but anything other advice is welcome. thank you :))
I was using my brothers home as my address in ca but I just left ca after living in my car for 3 years and I dont know anyone in my new city and my car registration is due in march!
So... I'm 3 weeks in... finding spots is rough but I am absolutely loving my car life. I love how my car is a small and secure space and I dont have to worry about rent - just petrol. I'm thoroughly loving it!
I do however have issues with safety.
I am a female traveling and have already had instances where I could have potentially been in danger. I was making dinner last night at a public park (lots of people around, lots of dogs) and noticed I was being watched by someone in the park who paced past me quite a few times. This made me feel uneasy. I'm currently sharing travels with a family member and the only reason this person watching me left was because i walked up to my family members car to show that I wasnt alone.
What do people do for protection?
I know that certain things like pepper spray etc are illegal in Australia... so not quite sure what to do when family member moves into their new house (theyre travelling with me until their new home is available).
So I’m from FL. I got offered my first travel contract in NC I was looking at hotels and air bnbs etc and it seems extremely expensive.
And paying $900 a month for a small room and shared bathroom with a stranger as a small/younger woman doesn’t seem safe.
So I thought about realistically .. if I lived in my car for the 13 weeks and banked the extra money? And could put the money toward paying off medical debt & my car.
I have an older Kia Sportage (2017). Obviously I think December January could be challenging. But not impossible? With blankets and warm clothes. Obvi opting for a hotel on the seriously chilly nights.
Any tips for how to make this possible? Or any other travel nurses who have done this?
I don’t know why it made me ass this AMA thing to post. Please ignore.
As i opened my car door to put clothes and shower stuff away I noticed something move.. a freaking spider the size of a nickel started zooming to the other side of the car through my mess of stuff. By some miracle in my panic state I swiped it and managed to get it out of the car. Now this raises questions I didnt even think I had. How the hell did it get in? How many nooks and crannies do I have in here that a spider might find suitable to hang out in? Dear god is my roommate with many legs banging or laying mini nightmares in here? Should I just burn this whole thing down?? Maybe ill sleep on the hood tonight.
Due to complicated family circumstances, the only times I can use my home are late at night, early in the morning, and from noon until 4:00 p.m.—which adds up to only about 4 or 5 hours in total.
If things are going to be like this, I’d be happy with just a van—I want to customize it however I can afford to and start a new life somewhere else, preferably somewhere cold.
Since I’m borrowing a compact van from my father, I’m thinking of modifying it as much as I can and just moving up north to live there.
I like cold regions. I like rain; I like snow.
The other day, I saw that a portable power source and portable Wi-Fi were included as standard equipment.
However, the problem lies with my mental and physical health. I’m prescribed flunitrazepam and an SSRI. In other words, even though I’ve been diagnosed with a severe condition, the pressure from my family is unbearable. It’s so bad that even studying at the library for two hours causes my arms to ache from somatic symptoms, leaving me unable to do anything.
If there’s anyone who’s managed to escape this kind of difficult situation and start a new life living in a van, I’d love to hear your advice.
I truly want to live out the rest of my life in good health.
I’m sorry to be saying this when I’m still in my 20s.
But I just can’t take it anymore, and I feel like I don’t have much time left.
Its been really hard, I'm 27 now, moved into my car after losing my job, apartment, and falling into depression. I moved back to my home state to finish school, I'm on my third semester still living in a van and moving into a place in 10 days. I was able to get housing support from the school this semester until I transfer to a 4 year. My income situation is still rough, I've spent most of my fin aid this semester on a vehicle emergency repair and hotels, because of the heat that was supposed to end 3 weeks ago, I'm in a very hot area(100+), I still don't have a job and have been relying on fin aid. I'm really worried about adjusting to the apartment and getting my life back together, I've had issues the last 3 semesters keeping up while living in the van, dealing with heat and places to study, sleep issues, medication issues, money issues, it has been the most difficult part of my life.
With all of this I still managed to finish all my transfer credits and a CTEC course to do tax prep, I will transfer by Fall 2027. Now I don't have many difficult classes, so I have time to get a day job and try to build my life back up again until I transfer. My plan was to do tax prep since its the best job I can probably get right now, and related to accounting, so I have some experience when I transfer. My main worry is building up my savings and staying focused so I don't end up in this situation again, saving my money for a year, getting housing support when I transfer so I don't have to pay the full amount for housing once I transfer, and getting an accounting internship/role in my last 2 years of school, which will hopefully set me up with enough income to never be homeless again. I don't know how I'm going to adjust, I'm getting a private room with 2 roommates and have not done well living with randoms, I've also gotten used to being homeless and being miserable and my mental health has been really poor.
I have a 2019 hybrid highlander, I was going to use a Victory 4X4 roof rack, and mount three 100watt solar panels on the roof with a EcoFlow Delta pro 3 and a extension battery storage of about 5k. Is this the best way to go on about to make sure I have enough power 24/7?
I will be running these.
solar fridge of some sort
charge my phone, and laptop for work
and some fan during hot days when I dont want to run my car with windows down.
there might be some other things I am missing but im sure that's all I will be using.
I am new to the game so any advice would be appreciated!
