FAQs About Living In My Car
1. Where do you shower?
Why is this always the first question I get asked when I tell people I live in my car? Are you all trying to tell me that I smell bad?!
Anyways, I have a gym membership at a 24 hour fitness so I have access to a shower at all times. It’s also a great motivation to go the gym so, win-win. Since starting my job in Denver, I have been working out every day at the gym in my office building so I shower during my lunch break. How convenient!
2. Where do you sleep?
I currently park on the streets of the suburban town of Boulder, Colorado. I’ve got a handful of spots that I’ve vetted that I know are safe and comfortable spots to park, so I’ll rotate through spots as to not raise suspicion or annoyance with the people that live or work there. I’ve picked out spots on a couple residential streets, office parks, and around industrial buildings.
3. What do you eat?
I eat a pretty simple diet. I don’t cook (because I can’t) and I try to limit how often I eat out. I usually prepare a glorious salad at work for lunch and usually eat raw vegetables and a simple source of protein in the evenings. I have a refrigerator at work that I use to store my ingredients, and replenish it often. This way I’m able to eat healthy and reduce food waste. Of course, I’ll go out to eat with friends on occasion as well :)
4. Where do you use the bathroom?!
This question always comes as a whisper. I find that particularly funny.
Grocery stores and gas stations are open pretty early/late, so I make sure to keep one close by. I also combine (almost) daily grocery runs with bathroom runs! But worst comes to worst, I’ll make the short drive into the mountains.
5. How do you stay warm?
This is always the hardest question to answer, because truth is, I’m not always warm. The summer months are amazing, because all I need is a light blanket and I get to open my sunroof for a light breeze. But in the winter, it can get pretty brutal. I have a blanket and a down comforter that I use to bundle up and keep myself warm. It’s usually enough to keep me at a slightly uncomfortable but tolerable temperature and I only really start to worry if the weather forecast predicts the temperature to drop below 20 degrees.
The lowest temperature I’ve slept in is 8 degrees, so I know it’s possible, but too many miserably cold nights I’m sure could lead to some medical problems. So on those painfully cold nights, I’ll take refuge at a friend’s house.
6. What do you do during the day?
I work from around 7:30 to 4:30 so most of the day I’m in the office. In the evenings, sometimes I’ll lounge around in my car (Netflix anyone?) but not having a traditional place to lounge encourages me to reach out to friends, go to a coffee shop, go to the gym, basically anything to be in public spaces. It’s a great opportunity to engage with people in my community and make new friends!
7. What kind of car do you have?
I have a 2002 Toyota Highlander. Once you put the seats down, there’s actually a lot of space to move around!
8. Why are you doing this?
There are so many reasons, but I didn’t start living in my car out of choice. My car-life journey began in November 2017 when I was attending a coding bootcamp. I was excited about changing careers and making bold moves in my life to escape the rat race. I didn’t have the bandwidth to get a part-time job while focusing on my studies, so I was quickly exhausting my savings.
Soon, I realized I was no longer able to afford rent and had to figure out how I was going to make things work. I did a quick calculation in my head and realized that I was spending ~$23 per day on rent per day. I was only ever at my house to sleep and shower, and I started to wonder if there was a way I could reduce or eliminate that cost altogether. Being a little stubborn and prideful, I wasn’t ready to ask my parents or my friends for help, so I tried car camping around my hometown for a week, and to my surprise found it to be very manageable. So, I made the desperate and spontaneous decision to move out of my old house, and into my car.
I couldn’t have done it alone. I had three amazing friends that stored my belongings while I was trying to figure out what I needed and what I could get rid of. I had a couple trusted friends that watched out for my safety and checked in with me to make sure I was doing alright.
I got a job as a barista in January, and then as a software engineer in Denver in April. So why do I continue this lifestyle even though I’m financially capable of living in an apartment?
The short answer is, I love the freedom.
I’ve gained the freedom to spend my hard-earned money on things that are important to me, rather than watching my money disappear into the renters abyss. I get to spend my money on travel and life experiences, and to me, these experiences are worth so much more than the comforts of a traditional living space. I love the freedom that comes with living a life of minimalism - to reduce my possessions to a bare minimum and not letting the weight of my belongings control my thoughts and feelings. By reducing my carbon footprint and minimizing my environmental impact, I feel like I am intentionally and actively doing my part in the environmental crisis of the 21st century. I’m free from the expectations of our modern society, that our life has to look a certain way to achieve happiness.
This lifestyle, as exciting and adventurous it may be, also comes with challenges. Sure, the extra effort to find a safe sleeping spot, the inconvenient bathroom runs, and finding places to spend my evenings are challenges in themselves. But through this lifestyle, I have a unique look into the harsh reality of homelessness and poverty. I’m not trying to say I understand the life of the homeless of the poor, because as a well-educated, middle-class Asian-American, I was born into privilege that so many in this country don’t have. In my lifetime, I will never understand the life of the homeless but this lifestyle allows me to relinquish my privilege in the circumstances I do have control over. I can relate with the homeless about having to sleep in the cold. I can relate to them about inconvenient bathroom runs. I can relate to the fear of being asked to leave because you’ve been visiting the same public place too many times.
I still have a lot I’m wrestling with, and I’m still not sure what kind of story God intends to paint with my life. But I want to continue to learn and grow, and I’ve accepted that this lifestyle is part of that journey.
9. How long will you continue?
I don’t know. I’ve thought about building out a van, but if I do choose that route, it won’t be for at least another year. For now, I’m letting things take their course, and until things change, I’ll be on the road, embracing the freedom that comes with this lifestyle. While I lead this life though, I hope you will join me on my journey and be inspired to start saying yes to the things that scare you.
Be bold in the decisions you make, and take control of your life. Do good in the world, wherever you are, and however you can. I promise, the world is a kinder, more beautiful place if you just let yourself see it. See the world, and learn from it.
And if you want to, move into your car. I bet it will change your life.
