Original Plan:
Got cash (albeit, not a lot because I’m draining the parent’s retirement income, feeling very guilty, they say they can’t offer more)
Get a studio apartment so I can have an address, thus get a job and a place for my sparse possessions.
Got a good deal on a heavy duty air mattress for moving ease.
The car is a 2001 Honda Fit, in good shape, recent Jiffy Lube oil and quick inspection, lots of room (horizontally).
Reality:
Apartment hunting going very slow, many “doesn’t meet requirements”, although I’ve been in one location 10 years, no late payments, landlord likes me; they don’t seem to care about that; they want proof of double my income, which is difficult when most of my past 5 years was computer tutoring, some graphic art (no receipts).
Gave 30 days notice, but have just 7 days left. Thus the panic.
As a back up plan, car-living, whatever dream life I enjoyed in the videos, is rapidly turning into car-nightmare.
Retirement is 6 months away. ($600)
Zero dollars until then.
All hope of a $1,000 retirement at 70 will be gone.
Although I’m a ”Jack of all trades”, I am master of none.
Money is quickly dwindling. Not enough time and money to kick start it into the fantasy car-living; rapidly seeing homelessness on the horizon. I have no idea how to be homeless or have a car-life with nothing.
I’m actually counting the minutes. I have 1 week to get a small storage room ($) and spend a whole day shuttling my stuff using my car (gas $). BLM is a good theory (no specific maps, just WalMart parking lots), and other ideas are a good theory, but only if you have enough time and money. Drive to South Dakota for a PO Box? (530 miles, 30 mpg, 18 gal, $2.84/gal = $50 one way)
All I can think of is using my moving blankets as black out screens (as if that’s not obvious, perhaps I’ll get black fabric at WalMart, more wasted $$), refill my 2.5 gal water jug (a tap somewhere), and live on generic granola bars before I start dumpster diving. A woman at the dollar store said there were many $1 cooks, living a $1 life. (~$40 Coleman stove w/ gas $$ - I would never cook in my car. I’ll have to get a walled canopy, more $$)
Money has become a very precious commodity.
One good thing, I’m sure I’ll fit in the car (no pun intended).
This isn’t pretty; the gas and food will run out; it’s called homelessness.
I can’t see the “great life” everyone else does.
Counting any assets, I do have a Link card for food, but being a single male (somehow, I should be able to get a job) so I don’t get nearly enough, about 2 week’s worth. Maxed out credit cards to eat (usually, peas, corn, chicken, nothing fancy) and dental emergencies. I do have VA medical. In short, just enough to barely stay alive. I wanted to move to Madison to be closer to the VA and I prefer the city in general.
Catch 22: To get a job, need an address. To get an address, need an apartment. To get an apartment, need a job.
I’ll soon be one of those Bachelor of Science Electronics degree, techy geek people wondering if the local bakery locks their dumpster at night.
I’m glad to see people’s success, their happiness in the videos, but I don’t see it as mine. The only thing I own and cherish, my computer (27” iMac), my livelihood, could be gone; rendered useless. (I wonder how long a 200 watt inverter will last running in my car. 210 is peak, but if I start items individually, it’s averages 170 watts)
Frankly, I have no clue for my next move.
When does that “living, not existing” begin?
Perhaps worst of all, is the feeling of embarrassment, failure and pity from friends and family should they find out. It’ll be worse than when I came out as gay.
Thus, the panic has begun.
Plans picked off, one by one.
I loved the hiking.
I loved the biking
Loved seeing for miles.
Always made smiles.
Now there is none.
Where is the fun?
Got cash (albeit, not a lot because I’m draining the parent’s retirement income, feeling very guilty, they say they can’t offer more)
Get a studio apartment so I can have an address, thus get a job and a place for my sparse possessions.
Got a good deal on a heavy duty air mattress for moving ease.
The car is a 2001 Honda Fit, in good shape, recent Jiffy Lube oil and quick inspection, lots of room (horizontally).
Reality:
Apartment hunting going very slow, many “doesn’t meet requirements”, although I’ve been in one location 10 years, no late payments, landlord likes me; they don’t seem to care about that; they want proof of double my income, which is difficult when most of my past 5 years was computer tutoring, some graphic art (no receipts).
Gave 30 days notice, but have just 7 days left. Thus the panic.
As a back up plan, car-living, whatever dream life I enjoyed in the videos, is rapidly turning into car-nightmare.
Retirement is 6 months away. ($600)
Zero dollars until then.
All hope of a $1,000 retirement at 70 will be gone.
Although I’m a ”Jack of all trades”, I am master of none.
Money is quickly dwindling. Not enough time and money to kick start it into the fantasy car-living; rapidly seeing homelessness on the horizon. I have no idea how to be homeless or have a car-life with nothing.
I’m actually counting the minutes. I have 1 week to get a small storage room ($) and spend a whole day shuttling my stuff using my car (gas $). BLM is a good theory (no specific maps, just WalMart parking lots), and other ideas are a good theory, but only if you have enough time and money. Drive to South Dakota for a PO Box? (530 miles, 30 mpg, 18 gal, $2.84/gal = $50 one way)
All I can think of is using my moving blankets as black out screens (as if that’s not obvious, perhaps I’ll get black fabric at WalMart, more wasted $$), refill my 2.5 gal water jug (a tap somewhere), and live on generic granola bars before I start dumpster diving. A woman at the dollar store said there were many $1 cooks, living a $1 life. (~$40 Coleman stove w/ gas $$ - I would never cook in my car. I’ll have to get a walled canopy, more $$)
Money has become a very precious commodity.
One good thing, I’m sure I’ll fit in the car (no pun intended).
This isn’t pretty; the gas and food will run out; it’s called homelessness.
I can’t see the “great life” everyone else does.
Counting any assets, I do have a Link card for food, but being a single male (somehow, I should be able to get a job) so I don’t get nearly enough, about 2 week’s worth. Maxed out credit cards to eat (usually, peas, corn, chicken, nothing fancy) and dental emergencies. I do have VA medical. In short, just enough to barely stay alive. I wanted to move to Madison to be closer to the VA and I prefer the city in general.
Catch 22: To get a job, need an address. To get an address, need an apartment. To get an apartment, need a job.
I’ll soon be one of those Bachelor of Science Electronics degree, techy geek people wondering if the local bakery locks their dumpster at night.
I’m glad to see people’s success, their happiness in the videos, but I don’t see it as mine. The only thing I own and cherish, my computer (27” iMac), my livelihood, could be gone; rendered useless. (I wonder how long a 200 watt inverter will last running in my car. 210 is peak, but if I start items individually, it’s averages 170 watts)
Frankly, I have no clue for my next move.
When does that “living, not existing” begin?
Perhaps worst of all, is the feeling of embarrassment, failure and pity from friends and family should they find out. It’ll be worse than when I came out as gay.
Thus, the panic has begun.
Plans picked off, one by one.
I loved the hiking.
I loved the biking
Loved seeing for miles.
Always made smiles.
Now there is none.
Where is the fun?
