Needing Help,Advice, Ideas on living in my car. This will be my first time

[Dwade81]

I have a 2001 Chevy Cavalier, untinted windows. I will be living in it within this coming week. I know I can park at walmart in the back and there is a 24 hour gym place next to it I could park at.  My thing is, I am in East Texas and on SSI/SSD I get 755 a month. I have food stamps I can use that is 190 dollars per month and I get my Disability check each 3rd of each month. 

My questions though are, I want to eventually move around Colorado and such, but for this month I will have to be in Texas. I am wanting to know where I can get free showers, there are no places around East TX, Tyler/Longview area. I don't know what kind of food to buy to last a full 36 days till my food stamps kick in next month. 

I don't know how to transition to Colorado and make it my Domicile address with my car. 

As of right now, I will have 120 dollars to last me for fuel till the 3rd next month I don't know where to go or what to do with such little money right now.  Or how much of my check per much I will end up having at the end of the month if I had my whole check after phone and insurance. Which would be 45 for phone, 70 for insurance. 640 total left.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

A google search on "Homeless Shelters Tyler TX"  and "Homeless Shelters Longview TX"  turn up Salvation Army shelters in both towns, as well as something called Highway 80 Rescue Mission in Longview.  Have you checked with any of them about the availability of free showers? 

Otherwise, have you checked with the 24 hour gym as to what their membership fees are?  You could shower there every day if you were a member.

As far as moving to another state - and keeping in mind CO can be damned cold in the winter - here are links to a couple of blog posts on how to do it.

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/commun...sing-state-residence-getting-drivers-license/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/how-nomads-get-mail-forwarder/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/h...al-residence-address-real-id-drivers-license/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/health-insurance-for-nomads-rvers-obamacare/

 

[Dwade81]

Thank you Optimistic Paranoid, I live in Texas already and been here my whole life, I was just thinking of getting a planet fitness membership 20 a month or 10 a month. I also thought of just traveling to Nevada or somewhere west staying there for the summer where it is cool. then during winter come back here to Texas. 

My question is, how would I be able to stay the summer in a cooler state with my current tags and plates and such, or do I need to get that states plates and tags and such if I stay there during the summer?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

As far as I know, as long as you don't buy a house or rent an apartment, or take a job in another state, you're just a tourist and they can't say anything about your out of state plates.

 

[Dwade81]

That is what I thought. Thank you for your messages Optimistic Paranoid.  I mean I am full of questions. I was thinking of having the back taken off the front passenger seat and I can sit in the back seat prop my feet up on the front passenger part after having the back rest taken off but leaving the butt part on.

I also just dunno how to find these sites and camp areas and public free places I see in the videos that cheaprvliving does. like where do I find places like they do to camp for free and how to tell if its public grounds.

 

[DuneElliot]

Many full-time nomads use either Texas, Florida or SD as their domicile for various reasons to do with residency and taxes. Without a real, physical address and proof you live there in Colorado you will have a hard time establishing residency thanks to the Real ID act. You are probably better off sticking with TX and paying for a mail-forwarding service.

The issue with Texas is that there is no federal land like you see in the rest of the west where people park and camp for free. I can't speak for state land in TX and if there are other places to camp for free. You might want to look up Couchsurfing.com and see if there are people willing to let you stay a couple of nights in their driveway to shake it up between nights at Walmart.

 

[Dwade81]

I planned on making Texas my Domicile, since I already am here. But I was going to go to like Colorado or someplace cool for the summer stay from June to August and come back around Sept To stay around here and small city dwell in Conroe TX from Sept till June next year. 
So  I would still have a hard time doing that in other states? just staying a few months at a time in other states and keep coming back to TX. I am not looking to establish residency in Colorado or any other state, just looking to stay there somewhere on public land or free camp areas till the summer season passes in TX.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

You will find far more public land open for camping in AZ and probably NM than you will in TX.

There are van dwellers who spend all year in AZ.  Down near the Mexican border where it's warm in the winter and up in the mountains near Flagstaff where it's comfortable in the summer.

You would have to go back to TX once a year to get you vehicle inspected and your registration renewed.

 

[Dwade81]

I might actually do that. I been to Arizona once just drove through, I read about the monsoons they have and always wanted to see one.

 

[DuneElliot]

I don't know how to transition to Colorado and make it my Domicile address with my car. 

^^^^This is what I was going off of when I was talking about residency.

As many seasonal workers as there are around the US you don't have to worry about changing anything unless you intend to establish permanent residency in that state. Seasonal workers can be in an area for 6-8 months on some guest ranches and they don't need to change anything from their home state.

 

[Dwade81]

^^^^This is what I was going off of when I was talking about residency.

As many seasonal workers as there are around the US you don't have to worry about changing anything unless you intend to establish permanent residency in that state. Seasonal workers can be in an area for 6-8 months on some guest ranches and they don't need to change anything from their home state.

Yeah, I meant to change that but forgot to change it. Sorry for that. I meant not make it my domicile.

 

[ArtW]

Dwade, Dunno how far east you are, I'm about 100 miles from Houston, live in a little wide spot in the road called Garwood
I work in Columbus, and the HEB / Walmart there will not bother you if you overnight in their lot
This may or may not help you, depending on your situation
Lots of walmarts still allow overnighting, as do a lot of truck stops
I have a pretty good assortment of tools if you need the use of some, and you can overnight on my land if you're so inclined, thise nights you don't want to stay at WM
just be aware that my land is in an economically disadvantaged area, and while I've had no problems, it's not always the nicest place
in Columbus there's a public library you can hang out at in the daytime, AC and a flush toilet

as far as stretching $123 dollars for a month, I'm not sure how you'd manage that, without a stove and fridge
With a stove and fridge, I'd say 'rice and dry beans time'

 

[Dwade81]

Dwade, Dunno how far east you are, I'm about 100 miles from Houston, live in a little wide spot in the road called Garwood
I work in Columbus, and the HEB / Walmart there will not bother you if you overnight in their lot
This may or may not help you, depending on your situation
Lots of walmarts still allow overnighting, as do a lot of truck stops
I have a pretty good assortment of tools if you need the use of some, and you can overnight on my land if you're so inclined, thise nights you don't want to stay at WM
just be aware that my land is in an economically disadvantaged area, and while I've had no problems, it's not always the nicest place
in Columbus there's a public library you can hang out at in the daytime, AC and a flush toilet

as far as stretching $123 dollars for a month, I'm not sure how you'd manage that, without a stove and fridge
With a stove and fridge, I'd say 'rice and dry beans time'

Thanks ArtW, I will send you a PM with my cell and you can text for us to talk. I have foodstamps right now, which is 190 dollars of food stamps so I am not too worried about the $123, I was going to use that for fuel only. Just didn't want to go too far this month till I got my next check so I didn't burn the full $123 in fuel. I plan on selling my Xbox 1 I bought a few months back, that will give me an extra hundred. I am on a desktop computer and won't have a laptop, I won't get anything for this desktop so I might as well just keep it, just will have to keep it stored in the trunk till I can find a place to use it or just junk it someday.

I would love to meet another vandweller in person and learn from them and see other ways to live this life style on my small disability check each month.

 

[ArtW]

And I'd love to see how you set up a Cavvy for 'dwelling, I've had 2 of them, and liked them both, but never thought of 'dwelling in them

 

[Dwade81]

And I'd love to see how you set up a Cavvy for 'dwelling, I've had 2 of them, and liked them both, but never thought of 'dwelling in them

Well I won't be putting much money into it. I bought it used for $2,000.00 And it had stuff with the left wheel wrong, the bearings needed replacing and the sensor was out. I think it may have a leak for the radiator reservoir but not too sure, the cap for it was bad so I got that replaced as well. Haven't checked it for leaks yet. I planned on taking the front passenger back rest out which meant taking it to a shop since there is a air bag for the passenger side and I may set it off if I tried taking the back rest off. That way I can use the butt cushion part for a leg rest/foot rest while sitting in the back seat. I planned on buying a small car lighter fan and charger for my phone. 

As for the windows for now since I won't have much money, I was going to get cardboard and just use that to black out the windows with some velcro, at least until next month when I can afford the reflectix stuff.

The trunk is pretty big, I planned on putting my bag of clothes in it and my bag of hygiene stuff in the trunk, keep my food and water in the trunk as well. 

I am trying to find a place online I could park and camp basically for a few months while saving as much of my disability check as I can to buy a newer and better and bigger vehicle. Was also looking for free camp grounds around East Tx I could pitch a tent and sleep in the tent.

Also ArtW, Garwood TX is 4 and half hours south west from me.

 

[ArtW]

see that's why I'm not sure how helpful the offer is
I am renting to own from a guy here and he can be nosy, but he's a pretty good fella'
I can't guarantee you would want to camp here for 2 months, or that my landlord wouldn't get a bit hinky, but I figured I'd offer what i can

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Some info on boondocking:

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/boondocking-stealth-parking/livingcamping-public-land/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/boondocking-stealth-parking/live-grid-cities/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/boondocking-stealth-parking/exploring-slab-city/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/boondocking/

 

[Dwade81]

Some info on boondocking:

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/boondocking-stealth-parking/livingcamping-public-land/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/boondocking-stealth-parking/live-grid-cities/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/boondocking-stealth-parking/exploring-slab-city/

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/boondocking/

Optimistic Paranoid, I actually read those just now. I was actually thinking about slab city about 8 months ago. But I doubt my car would make it that far let alone make it back here if I had to come back for a disability interview or something.

 

[DannyB1954]

Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of good info here. Much of it already written. There are links near the top of this page to some. Bob, (the owner of this site), has also done many tour and how to build videos. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAj7O3LCDbkIR54hAn6Zz7A/videos

I had a friend that used to stealth camp in his 4 door compact car using a car cover. He would park with a window rolled down, cover the car, then get under the cover and jump in through the open window. He spray painted the vehicle plate number on the back to make it less desirable to steal. Said nobody ever lifted the cover or called the Law Enforcement on him. If it was cold outside nobody could see the windows were steamed up.

On food, a lot of even small communities have food banks. There are three of them in my town. Hard to beat the price of free food.

For showers I use a weed sprayer. Here is how to make one I painted mine black with paint made for plastic, (is more flexible and will not chip as easy). I also cover it in a clear plastic bag when I set it in the sun, (acts like a green house).

 

[bullfrog]

There are some small little state campgrounds around Lake Conroe that used to use volunteers for campground hosts in exchange for a free site several years ago, might see if they still do.