Hey guys I'm a 20yr old
I have to be out of home in a year, I currently work full time at a pub in a shopping center as a apprentice chef (not good for money wise) I go to gym there (showers, toilets etc.), There is laundromats and everything else needed
My question is, instead of paying 100s of dollars a week for rent, is it easier to live in a car say on a side street and hire out a storage container to store all my unecessary items? For a 1/8th of the price of renting each month
I have a Mitsubishi Challenger (triton in wagon body) I would spend 1-2k decking it out to live in
Is this a smart idea? Or am I just dreaming?
Thanks
Morgan
Living in Car, Is It That Bad?
Chef Freeman on 17/11/2021 - 18:44
Comments
Agreed. A room in a share house or as a boarder is much cheaper than your own place, starting around $120 on gumtree, and would be much less stressful than sleeping in the wagon.
Depends upon what the flat mates are like!
Maybe we need to settle this by setting up the OzBargain hype house.
@mskeggs: He can rent a bedroom in my $8 million mansion with 16 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms. But I only have one spare…
You don't actually save that much money because you have to spend extra on petrol and to join a gym for the showers. You also have to buy more expensive tinned food instead of cheaply cooking your own. If you were saving hundreds it would be worth in but in my experience you may only save less than $100 a week if you went into a share house. It mite be ok for you, just calculate all the expenses first. It would be worth it in some circumstances, there is nothing necessarily wrong with it.
I did it for a little bit, I didn't mind it that much once I found a good spot. Just don't park where it is obvious what you are doing.
I'd say try it out for a bit, its pretty fun in some ways. Unless you cover the windows in wood or something people will be able to easily see if you are using your mobile phone when they walk past at night even if you put up thick plastic or have tinted windows. Put your mobile behind a plastic sheet or tarp and you will see the light shine through. After a little while I actually found the car seat to be a lot more comfortable to sleep in than a bed.
Mate that is a terrible idea, you will end up with depression, you will feel like a homeless drifter and end up with no sense of belonging, you will never be able to relax, you will become ashamed of yourself around people when your living situation is brought up, you will constantly be hopping from place to place to do simple things like going to the toilet and so on, there is so many holes in this idea, find a cheap place and get a room mate, and party, have fun, don't choose to be homeless
Not always true. I have a mate who lived from his car (commodore) for over a year and loved it. I offered him a room, he had other offers too, but he refused them all. It minimised his travel to work, meant he could stay wherever he wanted to, after leaving my place for a visit he'd either stay close if he was tired or if not would go closer to work for a shorter commute in the morning. He also had a storage unit, and a gym membership for access to their showers / kitchen. I don't know if he could have kept it up forever (ended up moving in with a girl he met) but he was fine for that year. OP you can always try and if it's starting to get you down then stop.
Saving money is the only reason I'm considering this, it'd be easier for commute save at least 200/wk in fuel and rent if I started now
I feel like OP could gain some mental strength, find more about himself etc.
of course it just depends how he approaches it, as an adventure or shame etc.
I've considered doing this myself for sometime and plan on taking the plunge next year (however also travelling around Australia at the same time), so I'll give some of my thoughts to you.
- You'd be better off with a van of some sort
- Almost every council can and will fine you for "camping" in your car on the streets. Obviously the best way to get around this is to avoid being caught and go "stealth camping". My plan is to look for industrial areas where a van wouldn't look out of place overnight, avoid suburban streets as much as possible and arrive late / leave early.
- The toilet situation could prove difficult in the middle of the night depending on where you are, but nothing an old milk bottle can't solve.
- 45L or similar camping fridge running off a dual battery set up in your car can solve food storage issues (not sure if you'll be able to have that at your work though?). Water shouldn't be too hard either, keep a couple of large bottles and refill them at work and will survive you the night
- Depending on your location, your biggest issue will be staying comfortable overnight given outside temperatures and airflow inside the van/car. Also take into consideration condensation that may form given inside temperatures vs outside, long term this could lead to rust.
- Mental health is an entirely valid point. This will be different for everyone and will also depend on your normal personality. However I think if you can get out of the van/car for as long as you can each day it would help. Look into joining your local group fitness place/reading club/gaming place/whatever interests you. Most importantly I think it's about just getting out and stimulating your mind so you're not ruminating by yourself.
- Also consider a small tent if you want to go away anywhere on your weekends and it could give you a little more room to stretch out for a day or two each week
That's just a few thoughts off the top of my head, if I think of anything else I'll add it on.
Lot's of people will tell you it's a bad idea, they might be right, they might be wrong. But chances are they've never done it themselves, so don't let someone else tell you how to live your life. Get out there and do whatever you want.Thanks for the advice, I hope your traveling goes well,
It'd be nice to get a first hand opinion from someone who has done this as it's all just theory at the moment
I go camping every few months with friends as I need to get away from work sometimes
So I already have a tent
I'll be sure to take this advice if I go ahead with itWith a van it's surely much easier than a car, like in the movie Nomadland.
Do you really think you'd need to park in industrial areas? Fact is on any given night there are lots of vans and cars legally on the street. If the van has tinted and high windows, they surely can't know you're in there.
Many local government areas also have areas where RVs can camp legally with no fees, I assume this would also apply to vans (but not sure).
If they actually did try to fine you, you could also possibly claim you're homeless and unemployed in order to get out of it - not saying you would be, just that you could claim it.
Actually it may seem strange at first but you want to avoid parking in industrial areas at all costs, it looks ridiculously suspicious. The best place to park is actually where there are a lot of other cars. There are certainly areas where you can tell they wouldn't care that much about people living in cars.
Plenty of people travel Aus living out of a car or van. Not sure it would be fun staying in one place though.
Get a decent size van, set up a tiny home in it. Living in a wagon would suck. You’d want to be able to sit in a chair and watch movies with feet up, not cramped in the front seat of a car.
The only reason I'm not looking at a van is I go camping a few times a year and take my car with me, such as Fraser etc.
Delica!
Can't afford another money pit, but if I had the money it'd definitely be on the books
If you want to do this it is very important that you have an exit strategy and a solid timeline.
Good point, my only plan at the moment is to be able to take a mortgage out for some land and slowly over the years build on it
Remind me of Nomadland. Great movie.
I'll check it out thanks
If you're going to live in car the whole point is to spend minimal as possible
Offering to pay for parking is doing it wrongThere are literally thousands of free street parking and or at shopping centres
I've only ever done it after a big night out, I'd park near my gym, have a big night, sleep in my car with my night near, go gym to shower and then go to work or wherever I need to be. But to do it 7 days week in week out, you will go crazy.
20 years old - get yourself a share place and enjoy your twenties to the max - friendships and life experiences.
You are only young once and time seems to go exponentially in fast forward once you get more responsibilities.
Spend what little cash you have - and focus on being the best damn chef you can be and having a great time at the same time.
Master your art and wealth will come.I don't have much spare time working full time, I work in the morning and come home late at night
My days off are typically recovering from the work week relaxingWell said. You have rest of your life to earn, save and pay mortgage. Enjoy your 20's. Having a bed to be able to sleep at night is the best feeling. Get a cheap 1 bedroom unit if sharehouse is not your thing. I had a cheap 1 bed unit for a few years when I moved out and now considering moving to a sharehouse. I have lived in my car for 1 or 2 nights max, trust me it's terrible and would not recommend it.
If you’re ok with people you’re beat off going share housing. This can be very hit and miss but at least will be better for mental health
Depends on the individual. Many introverts are happy to retreat from the world to recover in their own space.
Have you given this a read? The poster mentions things regarding ventilation/temperature control, hygiene, post/mail, etc. He did it for two years in a station wagon.
https://www.reddit.com/r/sydney/comments/gg3q2r/ama_ive_been…Personally I'd suggest house or roomshare.
I haven't seen it but read over it, very insightful
I think these types of things need advice from people who've done it first hand, although all this advice is very insightfulYou couldn't pay me $15k a year to live in a car, especially one that's not even a van, and that's all this guy saved per year by doing so. Absolutely insane that someone would do that IMO.
It's a good idea, but it takes a certain kind of person. You essentially are giving up a place to spend unallocated time, so you have to make full use of publicly available facilities when you're not sleeping. You save significant money in rent, but that saving isn't free, you still have to work for it in planning, and traveling, and you have increased expenditures given that you can't use things like washing machines or home cooking. You'll also want to keep your van in a1 shape, as if it breaks down you're out of a vehicle and a home.
Still, it's doable, and you have a year to work out the details. You probably want to test it out well before you rely on it, so that if any problems crop up you can tackle them with the advantage of still being in a home.
Another option is an enclosed trailer. Less space, but also less conspicuous. Or Squatting. You just find an empty house and start living in it, until you get kicked out
There is a tonne of videos on van life on youtube, I watched some earlier this year. They have things like insulation and temp control
Yes but he wants to save money and do it on a temp basis. Spending 2k on renovating an unsuitable vehicle he has is not saving money
Pardon my ignorance - why cant you live with your family if money saving is the primary reason here? Not sure about your background, this is very common in Asian background and have recently noticed it with the Aussie as well due to the soaring house and rent here.
If absolutely necessary, you can pay rent to them.
I also have a son of 16 years now, so this thread caught my attention
We've been renting for the past few years
My mum is moving into the house her boyfriend lives in, which is too far for me to travel from there to work, so leaving home is the best idea I'd have to travel through at least 2 tolls to get to work each way which isn't ideal at all especially on apprentice wageAgree. Try to find a shared Accom. When I landed in Sydney in 2008, I was in the same situation. My work was in CBD and somehow I managed to get a lodging facility for $150 or so. It was a single room with shared bathroom and toilet. I prepared food using hotplate.
Hope you get something like that soon, and all the best for the future life mate.
Thanks mate
Thought it'd be something different
As I'm already stressing about buying a house and I need to save while I'm earning what I can@Chef Freeman: Sure, say the shared accommodation gonna set you back $150/wk, that's $7800 a year spent. Let's be brutally honest with the current housing prices, it's not going to make a significant difference while at the expense of your mental health, being chased around by rangers etc.
It wasn't that long ago Logan and Kippa-Ring etc was around the $250k mark, tell me how much is it now? It's appreciating faster than your savings so might as well live a little.
Find some shared acomm ideally with people your age.
Who knows they may be happy with you dossing in the driveway in your car and using the bathroom and kitchen for a small fee.
Might be cheaper than a room.Short term, it's fine. You can put up with the constraints, and get into a routine.
But long term, it is not a good option. Your mindset changes, you'll form some really bad life habits and will spend an inordinate amount of time finding somewhere to sleep without being disturbed.
In fact, adopting a mindset of someone who is being hunted by the police is a good approach, as it will mean you will significantly reduce your living signature and visibility.
But that's not a healthy mindset to remain in (just ask Julian Assange), and can form aggressive behavioural tendenciesWhen times get tough, van life becomes a popular/only option for some people, and there is a surge in people, (sometimes families) sleeping in vehicles.
From a practical perspective, both the cops and the council are on the look out of vehicles that appear to be residences, and vans are an instant giveaway, especially if they have obvious modifications, darkened windows, curtains, water spigot, pullout shade attached to the roof of the vehicle or most damning of all, a WA registration (if you're not in WA).
Incredibly, rubbish is another giveaway, as people will stupidly throw it outside of the vehicle and onto the street, irking the residents immediately.Avoid parking in shopping car parks, as you'll stand out like tits on a bull afterhours and it makes you an easy target for security guards, cops and thieves.
The only exception to that is if you have 24/7 paid parking, but even then, you don't want to get caught living there, as it's against the T&Cs, which means consistently finding a spot away from cameras, which means usually the roof.
The downside is that those carparks, especially in the inner city, attract druggies and other people with time on their hands, so you might find someone trying to break into your vehicle whilst you're sleeping. You'll also need ear plugs, as carparks are very noisy.
A possible exception to that rule could be the gym car park, if it's 24/7. Means you can roll up at 4am, kip out and when you wake up, pop in for a workout and shower. However, the staff are going to notice after a while, so plan on rotating between sites.Parks, shore frontage, or any council land in fact, should also be avoided as these often attract other homeless people, and the rangers will
move you onfine you, if you are caught there afterhours.Streets are OK for short term, but people know who's in their street, and you can be guaranteed some busybody will report you, or or at least, come tapping on your window.
Dead giveaways are air conditioning, illumination from the interior, sounds from TV, phone or yourself just moving in the vehicle. Dogs will also happily announce you to everyone, and tend not to give up.
Finding several locations to rotate through will help, but count on being discovered at all of them, so you'll have to factor in finding new spots on a fairly regular basis.
When discovered, don't arc up, be very agreeable and move on. Accept the fine if you get one, but cops tend to reasonable if you are, and might let you off with a warning, as you are probably the least of their concerns.
Council workers on the other hand live for this. Take the fine, move on and ignore their holier-than-thou attitude. It's just not worth the hassle.
Then move out of the entire area for a few weeks, as your vehicle has now been identified, and will be picked up quite easily if you remain in that locale.
Give them time to forget youBear in mind you are not the first person to do this, and the obvious spots are often targeted first. Let the other mugs get fined, play it smart and go for out of the way places.
Leafy suburbs tend to have much less dogs, but also much more aware residents and much less onroad parking ie: almost no vans.
Police also tend to have a higher patrol rates there too
Areas with more cars parked on the roads, tend to have more dogs and residents who are a bit more curious/aggressive, but you'll have no problem hiding in plain sight there. In fact, you might find you're not the only happy camper there.You're going to need to air the vehicle out on a regular basis, otherwise mold and body odour are going to permeate into the car upholstery, your clothes and you.
You will also need to factor in how you will cope with illness: if you get a gastrointestinal condition, need to quarantine (or actually have COVID) or even just the winter flu
Water supply needs to be constantly maintained and fresh, as you are going to dehydrate in the vehicle. You don't want to be drinking water from plastic bottles that have been in the sun. Also keep a piss bottle somewhere - and remember to empty it the next morning, so it doesn't heat up in the vehicle during the day.Summer may become a problem, as it starts getting quite hot and muggy around 10-11am, meaning you're never getting a full sleep (assuming you're kipping down at 4am), and the hot nights mean either sweltering for 4 months or having AC; which is a dead giveaway and quite noisy in the average suburban street at night.
This may mean you have to buy a deep cycle battery, so a small fan can run all night without draining the car battery.
You'll then need to spend time recharging the deep cycle battery, but if you're driving 50km each day, that might not be a problem - though would that still be the case, if you're living in a car ? Something to consider.
On that note, how are you planning on charging your phone, iPad, ear buds, watch, etc ? Can't take all of them into the work place to charge up without people asking questions, or them getting nicked.Laundry means spending several hours each weekend at the laundrette, sitting around waiting for it to wash and dry. Also means you have to store washing powder in the car, or buy the expensive soap tablets at the laundrette. And have a pocket full of those useless tokens that can only be used in the machines.
As your home is now your vehicle, it also affects how you approach every day tasks.
Want to go see a movie ? You'll be wondering half way through if someone is breaking into your home.
Driving in traffic ? You're very mindful that anything above a minor ding may mean you have nowhere to sleep for a few nights
Getting McDonalds ? It's either the drive through, or you're sitting at the window, where you can keep an eye on your home.
Want to buy some new clothes ? Where will I store them ?
In fact, that will become a prevalent thought on almost anything you buy, or would like to buy.With all that said, you're a young man and able to adapt to circumstances more easily, with less commitments, concerns and cares. Plus at your age, you'll have good body resilience for sleeping in less than optimal circumstances.
If you treat it as an adventure, with the challenge of not getting caught, it might also be a bit of fun. Try doing it over a weekend as a taster, and see what needs refining.
Also suggest you keep a diary of your time, and take photos. It's certainly not going to compete with the glamorous Instacampers/van lifers and stunning scenery, but it will be good to look back on, and may even be enough to write a blog/book about - could even call it Car DiemThe only caveat I'd offer, is that you set yourself an exit date, and keep to it, because this is not a growth activity and can establish some really bad lifelong habits.
And unless you plan on being a permanent nomad, you are going to need a place to settle and make your own before too long.
…you sound awefully experienced in this area….
Parking and mental health seems to be the 2 main problems with this idea , I'm planning on giving it a shot in the next few months on a weekend, so I can get the experience and the knowledge of parking in the area
Airing the car out won't be a problem, if I was to get covid I can move into a room into my mother's house and be isolated there (which is too far to travel to work on a daily basis from)
I charge my phone at work sometimes and so do other people, the kitchen only has 8 staff so we're all really close and understand peopleI have a custom lithium battery which is hooked up to a house solar panel which would run a fridge and a fan all night easily, so charging items wouldn't be a problem
Laundry would be an issue, but I'm more than happy to wait at the laundromat once a week on my days off to get my clothes washed, I'm not a huge clothes fan, I have my work clothes and some general going out clothes,
An exit date seems to be the most important thing to have when doing this
If I do this I'll be sure to have a plan before I drive into it
Thanks for the help mate
Might even start a TikTok or something to documentJust a couple more tips
Parking outside churches (in some states) is typically not metered, because it can be seen as religious oppression, so you might be able to park there on occasionsThere was a guy who worked for Google, who had a similar idea, except he rented a truck and parked it in the Google carpark and lived out of that for a while. Look it up and see if there's any living tips that might assist
Look up 'downsides of van life' on Youtube for common problems and drawbacks
Mate, I wish you the best of luck
If you are serious I would suggest renting a cheap office via something like Regus.
Gives you access to an off street carpark, toilet, kitchenette, electricity, and an address (although I would use an Australia post parcel box for mail). Might even include a shower too.
On the weekend you have somewhere indoors to stay that isn't a crowded shopping centre, with heating/air conditioning, you can hang your clothes there/do ironing and store things you wouldn't want to sleep next to (spare fluids for your car)
Holy moly… this just sounds so much more effort than its worth.
I reckon its probably easier for OP to run a few weekend shifts etc (or get a gig doing food delivery/uber driving) to get enough cash to not live in such awful conditions.
I lived 9 months in a van. Overall it was easy and enjoyable when I think about it. You seem way more organized than I was.
- Toilet/shower: 24/7 gym is the way to go. I took over someone's Anytime fitness membership on Gumtree for about $15/week. You know you can have a shower early before work or late in the evening in the summer days. Beach showers are often closed in the evening for example.
- Food: You seem to have this sorted out. A portable gas stove is very handy because getting takeaway every day is quite expensive. I stored canned food, pasta, eggs, cereal… fruits and veggies do well if it's not too hot. I didn't have a fridge.
- Electricity: That's an annoying part. Always remember to charge your phone, laptop, external battery… at work when you can.
- Overnight parking: Cover your windows day and night so rangers don't see your bed or personal stuff. Avoid residential areas or empty car parks, you won't last long there. Semi-industrial areas with plenty of other vans were the best for me. But even there, you have to keep a low profile. I never got fined but was asked a couple of times to move somewhere else. Just be nice and move on.
- Weather: The heat is the worst. Especially during heatwaves when you just sweat all night. Also, make sure to know where the sun rises. It can be really hot in the morning when the sunlight hits your car.
- Washing: There is always a laundromat somewhere. Buy your own washing powder to save money.
- Friends/family: Nothing really changed. You can always meet them at their place/park/pub.
- Relationship: Inexistant for me but good luck.
Short term is fun but for the long term you may want to find a shared accommodation or a studio.
Couldnt you park at playgrounds? Plenty of parking there after hours.
Parking is the only thing im ehh about, food and water, I'm not worried, washing is a 1 time a week thing, power is already suited
Weather I'll have to invest money into the vehicle for insulation and fans for the summer, but other than that I think it'll go alrightLook for car parks or industrial places where big haul trucks park overnight.
There are streets with long fences where no one notices your car. You can also shower at swimming pools I think. We also have long parks with parking along one side, The people across the road dont know anything
I would think industrial areas would be the go to park overnight. If its heatwave during the day then of course, do not spend any time in your van.
Go to westfields, soak in the aircon. I would take it as a van being a place to sleep, not to hang out.
Theres a library near the gym and lots of open indoor areas which are always cool, I'll be working most days so the days I have off would be when I'm out and about
Living in Car, Is It That Bad?
Yes
Might as well rent for a year for the same amount of money that costs
Check out the thread on Whirlpool about living out of your car. Plenty of tips and resources there. There’s tricks they have to get around being bothered by the council on camping in your car at public places which supposedly most places consider illegal.
To add window insulation and privacy consider http://www.solarscreen.com.au/
If you’re not fussed about having a bed conversion in your Challenger, you can do that seat recliner trick by removing the front seat headrest, recline it all the way back, then sit in the rear seats and extend your legs onto the reclined front seat.
Get your mail directed to a mates house and use parcel locker which is free from AusPost for bigger packages.
Good luck and I hope you pull this off!
Cheers
Yeah if I plan to go ahead I'm going to get some custom cut foam from Clark rubber to sleep on to make it feel homey, I already have an idea on cooling and storage in the car
Mail seems to be auspost as the best idea but I'll talk to a close mate about postage to their place
Thanks mate
I might keep a forum or a social media account updated
Hi,
Can I suggest an alternate plan?
You have a reasonable lead time to plan this out.
What about the equivalent of a hot desk?
Can you find a place to share somewhere near work where someone (trustworthy) can use your Mitsubishi Challenger (like a Tradie) overnight while you sleep?
Also, beyond 20 years of age, you might need a good address history for a Loan one day for whatever… saying you lived in your Mitsubishi Challenger isn't as good as saying you co-rented at 8 Smith Street, Whereever, and had your name on the Lease for a year. Getting your name on part of a lease while you have a job is worth having.
I dunno, is a Caravan park another option…
Also, look out for places that want "night managers" for AirBNB.
Sometimes you can get a lower rent deal in exchange for some Pick-up Keys/Property Manager or Breakfast
or Maintenance roles.I'm not sure if id be willing to lend my car to another person as it it's my biggest possession and probably my biggest pride I own
I already am renting with my mum and have my name on the lease so I'll have 1 year of lease under my belt when I plan to rent, or loan
There isn't any caravan places nearby, and I work full-time so maybe the night manager wouldn't be best, but thanks for the help
I'll definitely keep this in mind
You’ll need to rent a post office box to receive mail. You will need somewhere to store cold food like milk and also to cook food like eggs. Your workplace isn’t hiring you to use their kitchen all of the time. The owner will likely tell you to use your own kitchen. They are paying you to work for them. I think it’s possible to do if you set the van up correctly. Watch a film called Nomadland. Also I would park in at outer suburban area in a quiet street. I would not park where there are cars moving at night because every one will wake you up. Maintain your hygiene or you may lose your job. Make sure your breath and body odour are taken care of like an adult. Make sure your clothes are washed and ironed if necessary. You would have to spend a fair bit of money setting up a van to live in so you’ll have to live like this for at least a year to recoup that money. You may find travel vans going cheap in Australia because the borders have been closed. If you lose your job then you may find it very hard to find another job if people know you are living in a van. What will you do for entertainment? A battery can easily go flat and you don’t want to be burning cash driving around to charge the battery. You may need a solar panel on the roof. Sounds like it could cost a lot to set up properly.
You may be better renting a powered caravan site with a caravan on it in a caravan park. This should come set up with the basic things you need to live and would have shared shower facilities.
Don't think a 20yo will be getting much mail - everything should be online.
while this is true the reality is you still need an address for car rego purposes etc.
you should be using your parents address if you still have contact with them
further see how well the police treat you when you say you're of 'no fixed address'
this seems to be a cardinal sin here
Yes, having an address you could use would be good for reasons you mention- parents address seems fine - probably will not have to physically go there to check.
I get the occasional Amazon post but nothing the post office or a friend's house can't fix
Look up parcel lockers if you don't know about them. They're free from aus post, but only work for certain deliveries (ie not post, not courier, but I've used them for heaps of packages sent in the mail)
The kitchen is very close, there is only a few people in it and we are all family, so if I cook on my days when I'm working no one will care, on my days off a camp kitchen will be best which I'm more than fine with, post office or a friend's house seems to be the best post alternative, my hygiene will be fine as there is the toilets and showers at the gym nearby which I can use whenever I need
I have a 12v system already set up running off a solar panelNot sure I agree entirely with the work bit… Kid's an apprentice chef… Their kitchen is his kitchen … No hospo venue I've worked in would kick up a fuss, at least on days that he's working… Chef's get paid to prepare food, gotta make sure said food passes the quality assurance test.
I typically cook food for all the chefs for breakfast so I can't see why it would be a problem on working days
Have you thought about house sitting? I have a friend who used to do it, didn't spend on accommodation and in some cases actually get paid for it.
You get to enjoy someone else's home and don't have to stress about getting caught living in your car
House sitting could also be a good combo with living in a car. House sit sometimes, live in car the rest of the time.
Sound alike a great idea, I'll be more than happy to look into it
Thanks mate
I say go for it. If you don’t like it you can always got back to living in a house or some other arrangement. If you do like it you can upgrade to a van later.
You’ll learn what works and what doesn’t as you go. Maybe get some ear plugs and make sure whatever you sort out for a mattress is comfy.
Maybe start a YouTube channel or tik tok account to journal your experience, tips and savings - I think people would find it interesting. And if you do decide to do it, come back here and update us on how it goes.
Yeah, journaling sounds like a good idea
A social media account I'd probably set up as it would give me something to work off on
I'm planning on getting some foam from Clark rubber as a matteress for one of my investments which would help me sleep better
Watch neighbours, they tend to hate people sleeping in vehicles, and may report you to council/police. Vary your local, a day here, another there, etc. See if you can buy a van. Try and park with a good vista, you will awake feeling alive. Park in a safe areas. Showering at gym, is an excellent idea. You can wash your undies and socks in the shower with you. Shirts and jeans only need washing every few weeks, if that. You will find storage is just as expensive as renting. Space is a commodity.
Living off "takeaway" will add up. Get to know where they offer free food, they also do free laundry.Keep your car tidy. If it looks lived in, it may be targeted by thieves thinking you have valuables stashed away in it.
Good luck… I'm sure things will change… put this down to life's little experiences.
Yeah thanks mate
I'd have enough laundry to get through a week for a weekly laundry trip, I'll have enough to have my own food, and I'm getting a fridge for camping so that'll help me not spend on takeaway, experiences is what I'm good for, I enjoy different things and settings
I'll give it a crack for a weekend to see how I go
a 'car' or an 'suv' is a bad idea
you'd be wanting at least a Hyundai iload or HiAce or something that size fitted with obviously mattress sink battery solar ventilation potable water… i'd go a toilet but you're better off close to a shower and toilet facitilies
i get that this is going to be a thing, if it already isnt given people are price out of housing either buying or even renting so we're on the way to being America-lite.
youre better off making friends with someone with a freestaanding house were you can park and run a 240v line every so often etc.
is there accommodation at the pub ? you might be able to negotiate a deal with your boss
surely living out of your car is a last resort.No accommodation at the pub, I don't think I'm that needing for a room to be honest, I'm just trying to save money so living in the car is an option
There is a woman in the USA named Nikita Crump who has a large social media following (youtube / Instagram) around her lifestyle of living in her Honda sedan and mini van. She had done a bunch of videos explaining how she organises all her stuff, maintains privacy, uses a portable battery pack for power etc to live in her car. She seems to supplement the boredom by going on long road trips and adventures, it looks like a pretty lonely life though..
I'll have a look at it
I don't mind it being lonely, I see people I know 5 times a week that's more than enough for me
shes a hottie too
you like a bit of crumpet? :)
You are better off finding a cheap share house. Rent, bills, etc all split and ends up pretty cheap.
Need to look into how much it costs, where Im Workin it's not very cheap for rent
I've lived in a few share houses and for the most part they're a positive experience. They work out way cheaper than renting a small place and given your working hours and gym commitment you probably won't see much of your housemates anyway.
No doubt its still more expensive than living in your car but if you find likeminded housemates that keeps costs down it can be very economical. The extra money spent for the security of living in a house would be well worth it. It is also possible that with the right housemates you could even enjoy the experience
Nothing wrong with the idea.
Rent and property prices now exorbitant thanks to rampant capitalism and bloody idiots blowing money on useless luxury items like brand name cars and crap.
Funny how people can dump money but when interest rates rise you get widespread defaults and people who seeming now can’t repay that extra few hundred dollars a month when they can supposedly afford a BMW rofl
You have to do what you can to survive when you aren’t loaded like Aussie John
If people are spending money on luxury items, they’re not spending it on rent, which means lower rent prices.
I personally met a man who lived in his car for nearly 50 years. He just turned off the car & never moved it again. Was in Victor Harbor, SA.
Mate this is a terrible idea.
You're 20 years old. You are supposed to be having fun, living the best years of your live. Not living in a flipping car.
Move into a cheap flat with some fun people and enjoy life.
yeah but this is the new reality for people. It wasnt like it was in the past. When I was 20 I was getting blasted at uni and nothing matter except having a fun time.
Its not what young folks have to deal with now.
You'll be able to rent a bedroom in a regional area for less than $200 a week, less the further out you go. Won't struggle to find work as an apprentice chef either and you'll actually save money. If you need to live in a car to afford where you are you shouldn't stay there IMO.
I don't really want to move
It'd only incur additional costs, not go mention the place I work at is like my family, I don't really want to lose themHold on to this…
Hospo Family can be freaking gold.
They'll welcome you with open arms in Byron Bay
no jobs tho'
I don't intend on moving from where I am, the workplace is like my 1st family as I see them more than my actual family
Life is too short mate.
@Chef Freeman: Consider that this seems to be a very inconvenient lifestyle for 6 months. Realistically is the inconvenience worth the 150 a week (minus storage costs, entirely, no security really, constant worry of having to move places potentially, can't even stand up or close to it, shabby living arrangement, no access to water or toilet on demand without a great inconvenience. No room to move even if it is limited to after work and weekend.
I'm with the guy who mentioned mental health issues, this had it written all over it :(
That first time it's raining and you really need to go out to stretch your legs or take a piss would be miserable (in my mind)
All the best man, whichever way it happens, don't force it if it doesnt work out, it sounds like you are not forced into the situation, you can trial it out now for a few weeks I guess.