Reply #30: Top 10 Tips

[troubledamerican]

1. Baby wipes, baby wipes, baby wipes. Get the "heavy duty" ones. They're hard to find.

2. Plastic bags, plastic bags, plastic bags. Use transparent ones to organize. Use garbage bags to block windows at night (interior light attracts police attention). Use garbage bags during the winter to store every last item in your car from moisture, because your breath condensation will get moisture into everything -- books will rot, laptops will be destroyed from moisture, etc. Winterize with garbage bags.

3. Post office box. Don't go to the post office. Get one in a poor neighborhood or at an "International District" / Chinatown-type area where fewer questions will be asked. You will need some form of ID to get a mailbox, but once you get one, keep it. That's your official address.

4. Handwarmers. Pocket handwarmers can be found cheapest at Amazon.com. $7 for 6 pairs of handwarmers seems expensive, but you are saving money on rent and it's not a good shortcut to treat yourself harshly.

5. In summer, park underneath underpasses or trees. Paint your roof white. Don't think you'll "get by" living in an oven.

6. Food is morale. Splurge at least once a week on a big meal.

7. DISCRETION. Don't fool yourself that people can't recognize you're living in your car/van. Disguise your windows, buy blinds or drapes, don't let interior light be visible outside at night. When returning to your vehicle, never make a direct walk to the vehicle. Circle the vehicle discreetly, cast a wide view for police parked up the street who are watching, and at all costs, avoid being seen leaving the vehicle or getting into it.

8. Get a cheap AAA membership. Your vehicle will break down or have flat tires. You will need help. You will get free tows, free battery jumps, etc. from AAA membership.

9. If possible, move to a temperate climate city like anyplace on the West Coast. Do research. It's illegal to live in your car in Portland, Oregon. It's OK in Seattle. If you're going to Seattle, keep going to Vancouver, B.C. if you can make it over the border.

10. Rechargeable batteries. Don't spend money on new batteries. Recharge and recharge. Solar panels are cheap also, check on Amazon. You may never need to leave your van except for groceries.

Honorable mention: Wifi.