Hello from the Swamp

[mbrasseau]

I guess I've lingered long enough and it is time to introduce myself.

I am from Louisiana, lived in Tennessee for a number of years, then moved back to Louisiana to care for my mother who passed away in 2018. I was comfortable and doing well in Tennessee. I took a serious financial hit moving back home, and after 4 years, I still have not recovered. Between the idiocy, price gouging, corruption and people with serious mental issues... I'm moving into my car.

Through the years, I have often thought of living a nomadic lifestyle, but thought it was my own unique zany idea. I did not know there was a whole movement of people having the same "aha" moment. I have obviously found my tribe here.

I have 3 streams of income... I started a business in 2020 with my unemployment money, it is growing but slowly. I also work for temp companies and prepare taxes. I make too much to qualify for any help, yet cannot afford a roof over my head.

I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that this is really going to be my only option to eek out a slice of normal - whatever that is. Maybe "peace" is a better term. I'm just glad that I am independent enough to make the transition. My kids are grown, and are on board with this. They take very good care of me (we actually all take care of each other) but they are struggling too.

So, that's me... cliff notes version, of course.

 

[frater secessus]

I'm moving into my car.

You can do it! Here's a quick overview of the major challenges, and common solutoins. You've likely already thought of and planned for them, but just in case...

 

[Carla618]

I guess I've lingered long enough and it is time to introduce myself.

I am from Louisiana, lived in Tennessee for a number of years, ...

Welcome! Are you concerned about the heat and humidity? Can you work completely remotely?

Carla

 

[CosmickGold]

. . . . Between the idiocy, price gouging, corruption and people with serious mental issues... I'm moving into my car.

. . . . Through the years, I have often thought of living a nomadic lifestyle, but thought it was my own unique zany idea. I did not know there was a whole movement of people having the same "aha" moment. I have obviously found my tribe here.

. . . . I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that this is really going to be my only option to eek out a slice of normal - whatever that is. Maybe "peace" is a better term. I'm just glad that I am independent enough to make the transition. . . .

WELCOME! Like you, I also had the dream to someday live as a nomad, starting in my teenage years. For me, it was feeling responsible to live out my parent's dreams for my life that stopped me for a very long time. I got told my dream was ". . . . so immature!" and similar guilting. But like you, I'm finally past feeling responsible to live others' dreams. Everyone should be free to live their own dreams, letting others live their own.

For me, vanlife has been extremely psychologically healing more than in any other way. Just the freedom of not feeling tied down to responsibilities makes a huge difference.

On the CheapRvLiving YouTube channel, there are plenty of examples of gals living in a small car, who have no desire to "upgrade" to a van. They tend to be "happy campers" just the way they are; although for me, I wanted the high ceiling along with space to even wash and spin-dry my clothes (which I now have).
You truly have found your tribe here, a tribe to fully make your own, just as I did.

 

[mbrasseau]

Welcome! Are you concerned about the heat and humidity? Can you work completely remotely?

Carla

I grew up here, and in my younger years while raising small children we often did not have either A/C or electricity. And through the years, I would occasionally get pissed of at my electric company, "boycott" them and go "off grid".

I have better means now, and mentally I am adaptable and can live in any situation. But physically, I am no spring chicken, and global warming is very real, particularly here. I am not sure if it is that I got spoiled to 4 seasons in Tennessee, or that I am just older, but my body seems to be less tolerant of the heat - so that is something I will have to figure out. I do know that if I keep my diet leaning more towards clean ****, and keep my weight in an appropriate range, I tolerate the heat much better. And sweat doesn't bother me. A good sweat followed by a quick shower is .

As for work, I have managed to keep my office, so there's that. I'll have a cool place to work. (literally) I can also work remotely, as my process is already paperless. I also grab side-work as a temp.

 

[WanderingRose]

Welcome, and keep the faith, mbrasseau.

Sounds like you have pushed thru and dealt with a lot, already, and I firmly believe that if we just keep on responsibly doing our part, that life and the hard times will eventually level off.

It always does.

Have you applied for a Section 8 housing voucher?

You may be eligible for that, to bring housing costs down, tho there is usually a wait list these can be taken into the open rental market to landlords who accept them.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted here.

 

[CosmickGold]

I grew up here, and in my younger years while raising small children we often did not have either A/C or electricity. . . . I am no spring chicken, and global warming is very real, particularly here. . . . my body seems to be less tolerant of the heat - so that is something I will have to figure out. I do know that if I keep my diet leaning more towards clean ****, and keep my weight in an appropriate range, I tolerate the heat much better. And sweat doesn't bother me. A good sweat followed by a quick shower is .

I have several links below. You can click the one below labeled "My free book" and scroll to the chapter named TENDING THE FIRE on page 49. It tells the story of how my body became unaffected by heat or cold in any weather for a year, through the magic of a Native American ceremony. It could have lasted far longer but I didn't return, so after a year the effect wore off. But during that year, it didn't matter how cold it got, I was comfortable. It didn't matter how hot it got, I was comfortable. I remember one lady looking at me in astonishment, stating she had never seen anyone not break into a sweat when it was this hot, and asking me how I managed it. I should have explained to her because she really wanted to know; but basically, I just said "I was comfortable."

OOPS. Almost forgot to say:
Welcome!!
I love there being so many really good people here.
And now we have one more.
​

 

[Carla618]

As for work, I have managed to keep my office, so there's that. I'll have a cool place to work. (literally) I can also work remotely, as my process is already paperless. I also grab side-work as a temp.

I was concerned about you relying only on your car in Louisiana. Didn't know you still had your office and it has air. You'll be fine I was going to suggest an instant tent if Louisiana has many dispersed camping sites. Just to give you another room to relax in.

Since you've been lingering, you probably know about Planet Fitness for showers.

Have you been to Rutherford Beach? I've been wanting to camp there since I learned about it.

Are the bugs bad in Louisiana? I saw some videos of ppl camping at Rutherford and their RV's were covered with mosquitos. Depends on the time of year and wind conditions, I suppose.

 

[mbrasseau]

Have you applied for a Section 8 housing voucher?

Thank you for the kind words. I did not apply for myself, but for a family member, and the waiting list is so long, they are not even taking applications.

But it's ok... I was on it years ago, while also having a small home-based business back then. They really do not hire the best and brightest, despite the BA degree requirement. I had my business budget, with all revenue and expense receipts for 3 months (as required) all in perfect order and they did not understand what was being handed to them and acted like I was trying to scam the system. This time my business is a full LLC with licensing and compliance requirements - I could not even imagine trying to go over all of that with them. They really only understand W2 income, no savings, no investments - even if it is below the threshold. I rather the car.

 

[mbrasseau]

I was concerned about you relying only on your car in Louisiana. Didn't know you still had your office and it has air. You'll be fine I was going to suggest an instant tent if Louisiana has many dispersed camping sites. Just to give you another room to relax in.

Since you've been lingering, you probably know about Planet Fitness for showers.

Have you been to Rutherford Beach? I've been wanting to camp there since I learned about it.

Are the bugs bad in Louisiana? I saw some videos of ppl camping at Rutherford and their RV's were covered with mosquitos. Depends on the time of year and wind conditions, I suppose.

As for dispersed camping, I've been looking for it since I moved back, just to camp - but it's just not really how things are done here. We probably have more of that further north, but I am at the sole of the boot.

When I was a kid, we really didn't go camping much, and if we did it was on a friend's wooded property. I don't know people like that anymore.

Instead, you'd buy a sliver of property along a bayou, throw an old trailer or camper on it and that was "Da Camp"... a sort of 2nd home on the water where you'd go to rough it and have access to a boat dock and water. My family spent LOTS of time at our camp. Today, I have no such camp, nor would I have the means to replace it if a hurricane took it.

Rutherford Beach is nice... as is Holly Beach. But be forewarned, they are mud-beaches, that is just their geosystem. You can also go crabbing at Rockefeller Refuge. All of those locations are down the road from one another. And on the way other side from where I am, my favorite beach, Cypremort Point.

Yes, bugs and mosquitoes are awful here... but they don't really bother me much anymore. I have an Avon account, which I keep around to keep everyone stocked in Skin-so-Soft. And we also all stay stocked in Citronella oils and candles.

 

[WanderingRose]

How discouraging.

Hang In there, my dear.

 

[bullfrog]

You can always look for seasonal work with housing. We "retired" almost 20 years ago and still enjoy easy seasonal jobs.

 

[MortimerEbinesr]

I retired 11 years ago, & the word "work" invokes a mental image of Bob Denver saying it on the early '60's show Doby Gillis. ( Denver played Maynard G. Krebs.) And I can't remember what I had for breakfast.

 

[Setback]

If you are doing laundry in a laundry mat, this is a good place to find jugs to use for doing your #1 into and change out when needed

 

[Setback]

Best for the men I would think

 

[CosmickGold]

If you are doing laundry in a laundry mat, this is a good place to find jugs to use for doing your #1 into and change out when needed

Best for the men I would think

Not necessarily. I saw a video where a woman explained that the squishable funnel she bought at Walmart works better than the rubber tool made for that purpose. Wearing the funnel, she puts the pointed end of it into the jar just like a man would do with his built-in tool. She said it works great for #1. No problem dealing with it at all.

 

[JDub]

Welcome! I'm in LA too. (Lower Alabama)

Cheers!

 

[mbrasseau]

Soooo.... how do we emerge from forum probation/purgatory?

 

[Carla618]

Rutherford Beach is nice... as is Holly Beach. But be forewarned, they are mud-beaches, that is just their geosystem. You can also go crabbing at Rockefeller Refuge. All of those locations are down the road from one another. And on the way other side from where I am, my favorite beach, Cypremort Point.

Yes, bugs and mosquitoes are awful here... but they don't really bother me much anymore. I have an Avon account, which I keep around to keep everyone stocked in Skin-so-Soft. And we also all stay stocked in Citronella oils and candles.

I knew they were mud beaches, but I read Rutherford has tons of shells. Aren't the beaches at the eastern end of Louisiana white sand beaches?

So Skin-So-Soft really works?

 

[Carla618]

Soooo.... how do we emerge from forum probation/purgatory?

You're still stuck? Maybe after you reply you will be free