Bro I lived in my regular cab, 2 door pickup truck for 9 months of my life. It was absolutely traumatic but I made it out against all odds. 10 years later I park that pickup in the driveway of my own HOME. Even though I now have other vehicles, I still keep that old truck around as a reminder to keep me humble. For anyone going through a similar situation, I can say that it will get better. I promise. EDIT: First off, thank you all for the love and positivity. I had no idea my comment would reach so many people. For those wondering how I ended up homeless it’s simple, irresponsible spending and zero knowledge of finances. I had a job and an apartment and when I was laid off, I had no savings and no place to go. Living in my pickup was the only solution I had. I was back at the bottom and had to dig myself out of the hole that I created and I did just that. Also for those wondering, the truck is a 2000 Chevy S10 that now sits jacked up with pretty blue paint. I plan on giving the truck to my son when the time comes.
I lived in my ‘08 Jeep Wrangler for almost 6 months. I now own a beautiful home and drive a new Tesla. My jeep is still in my garage, safe and sound. I will never sell it.
I mean, people aren't really homeless if they choose to live in their car, though they *are* if they're forced to live in their car with no other options. Its just that most who are actually homeless living in their car arent worried about tiktok videos etc.. People I know who were forced to live in their car were blessed to at least have transportation and used it to get their life rolling asap and find a job to get an apartment etc.
My college wants me to pay around $7k for 16 weeks just to stay in the dorms. Im 9 hours from anywhere I would be able to stay, and the housing market up here is awful. Everything is taken and overpriced. Im gonnna be a 3rd year college student and living in my car, in U.P. Michigan. Not to mention, I work 2 jobs on campus, but the school only pays me $14/Hr in I.T. Also, im from poverty, and my parents have been on hard drugs a lot of their lives, so they have made many mistakes that impact me today. Im gonna struggle in ways, but once i get past this, I'll be a more resilient person than most. It irritated me when people complain about stuff around here, but their family is paying for their college🙄 I have a 3.5 GPA in Electrical Engineering Technology and want to get an MBA at MIT no matter the struggle I will get there!
Watch the movie Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith as the main character. It's based on a true story. If you ever get discouraged, remember that you can rise above. Your situation will make you even more amazing when you are telling it 10 years from now.
Winter is the best time to sleep in a car. No insects, no birds waking you up. Get 2 decent sleeping bags. Put 1 inside the other. Get a pillow. You will be warm
If you live in Florida sure. The only thing you'd be warm in would be heaven for the temps the north side sees lol. It's -30° easily some days. Only takes one cold night to kill you.
People have no idea the number of working Americans actually experiencing homelessness. Back in the late 80’s my mom worked the entire time we were homeless. We slept in our car the first night then lived in a transitional shelter for two months. She worked 9-5 at her full time job then would work 6-10 at her part time job then she’d stuff envelopes for an insurance company on Sat and Sun. In two months we moved into a condo on the beach in South FL. She was the embodiment of strength. RIP my love ❤ and thank you for teaching me how to persevere.
same, when I was 2-3 years old my mother (who was only 18) and I were homeless and living in a car that wouldnt even start. She worked 2 jobs to keep us fed and some nights she didnt eat to make sure that I did. She told me stories about how she had to beg relatives to watch me while she worked her fingers to the bone, and when nobody would watch me she brought me with her to work. One time she was sobbing outside of the car while I slept; another homeless man approached her and asked why she was crying. She explained to him that she had no money left and wouldnt get paid for another week so she didnt know what to do. After hearing our situation, that man gave her all the money he had, only 27 dollars and asked for nothing in return. She soon got a job working as a Budweiser model and made good money, enough for us to get an apartment. Soon she married someone (we dont talk about him) and I got a little brother. Iwill always be grateful to her for toughing it out and getting back on her feet; and also to that homeless man who helped her out in her darkest moment.
I lived in my car through 2 Colorado winters. The key is layering. You need to have 3-5 blankets that are different materials and densities. Lighter, thinner blankets closer to your body, with the thickest blanket on the outside layer. The differing air gaps and densities insulate you in multiple ways just like a down coat would. You also need to insulate yourself from the seat, because the seat will pull heat out of your body and into the car structure. Also, to SAFELY sleep in your car you NEED to leave a window cracked just a fraction to let oxygen in. If you’re running a heater especially. You WILL deprive your brain of oxygen if you’re in the car long enough without opening a door or window. DO NOT run electrical accessories off of the car itself, get a “jump box” that you can charge. A heavy duty one that’s rated for a lot of cycles. If you’re wanting to keep beverages or groceries cold, keep them in the trunk. They will stay very cold a shockingly long time because the trunk of most cars is a small insulated space.
Same love! I lived in Denver through 2 winters in my Murano and I lived in layers. It really wasn't that bad even with the schziy weather CO is known for. All about layers and using some creative thinking. Hope things are better for you now.
Electric heaters aren't generators. They don't produce Carbon monoxide. Cracking a window to "conserve heat" in winter is.... let's say.. counter productive. Cheers from Canada. A trunk is NOT insulated at least not in a way that would produce the reault you suggested. The drinks stay cold cause it's fricken winter. Jesus On a stick!! 🤦♂️
@@robertcampomizzi7988 No they don’t produce gasses at all, but they DO thin the air out and it can feel like you’re suffocating. Ask me how I know lol
@Tyler Roe What is the physical process by which this phenomenon occurs? If by thinning out the air you mean less dense because it's hotter .. that's true but insignificant and irrelevant. It changes nothing about the composition of the air. I asked how you know.. what is the physical process that demonstrates how this is possible? You emphasized NEED and SAFELY and neither are true. Cars are not air tight... so... How are we depriving our brains of oxygen in this scenario?
This is my second week of being homeless. I'm not going to lie but its really hard. It's definitely not easy. I had to leave were I was living due to an emotional and physically abusive relationship. I'm in my car for my safety! I've found using a weighted blanket and a regular blanket works really well. Praying to find a home real soon.
@@joel.ha. not really. I would argue that you could just start you car for 5/10 mins every few hours and let it heat back up. But that depends on temperatures and everything else
Had to live out of my car for a few months and boy did it suck. Always embarrassed to park where people could see me but was too afraid to park in the dark where anyone could walk up on me. Lost a lot of sleep in those days.. but I held it together and told myself it was temporary! Now I have my own house. Unfortunately that car died out on me a few years later but I’m thankful she kept me warm and safe during those hard times. Shit gets better! Never give up that hope❤️
Honestly I've never understood how people can be homeless but own cars. Here in Nigeria cars are expensive and if you can afford one, chances are you can afford a roof over your head.
@@e-ben616 here society is kind of upside down when it comes to friends and family. No one helps hardly anyone anymore. And when they do help, they usually are crazier than the reason we ended up homeless in the 1st place! Also rents in this country are all about greed and the rent for any location is exponentially proportional to the number of Californians moving to the area every year. I have watched where it went fron 2 or 3 Cali move into town and 1 year later 500 move and then rents house prices skyrocket to push out everyone born in that town all because of greed!
Wool everything. As someone who has been homeless for two years I can say that if you have a bunch of wool clothes and blankets stashed for winter you are set
@@THaNaS1s What are you talking about? Everyone has the right to seek out knowledge or entretainment, especially homeless people. Also he said "who has BEEN homeless" BEEN is past tens, so he's talking about the past, not that he is currently homeless.
Insulate everything - the windows with coverings; the door panels are just fabric/plastic over metal - fill it with newspapers or anything you can find to create a barrier between you and the outside. the car has vents that bring in air when you're driving - find out where they're located and close them or cover them, but be careful if you decide to use a Mr Buddy heater with propane that you leave some kind of ventilation 'cause that'll kill you faster than the cold. And layer those clothes - especially your head and feet. Good luck!
@@AdamDeRossiif the vehicle is not running, the alternator will not charge the battery. If you have a lead plugged into the car while it’s not running , that means the only power source that the blanket it drawing from would be the battery.
@@AdamDeRossi it doesn’t draw much power so it would be fine for about an hour or so but leaving it in all night will both drain your battery and pose a fire hazard. Just leave the damn car running, idling hardly uses gas on any 4 cylinder car produced after 2007
It seems like the implication is that you have the heated blanket plugged in during the day as you are driving around, the blanket goes inside a sleeping bag so that the actual sleeping bag itself is what gets heated up
I was a primitive wilderness instructor I was thinking the same. Toss a hot hands in the bag. A good Rvalue sleeping pad. Wool and goosedown if you have it. So many more practical ways that require zero use of the vehicle or money on an inverter.
Lots of good advice re staying warm living in a car. First and most important do no quit your job. If laid off take any kind of job asap! Better to be cold than starve. Insulating windows (bubble wrap, etc,) is essential to eliminate condensation. Layer clothing to regulate your internal temperature. Heavy wool knit cap & wool socks. Wear fleece pants and jacket in a good warm rated sleeping bag. Down stuff in a sleeping bag is to warm/hot……sweat makes us freeze! Put the bag on blow-up quilt style sleeping mat that allows for air circulation, not directly on a car seat! A pair of wool knit gloves keep hands warm and wick sweet inside the car. Wool is king! Buy a wool blanket for on top of sleeping mat and over the seat back. Now we are warm, not hot! Staying hydrated is very important…….use two thermos’ one for water/tea and one for your hot soup of choice. Now here is the hard part. When down and out necessities are our number one priority. Let’s be humble and go to the soup kitchen, stay at night in a homeless shelter, buy stuff at second hand shops and at good will. God bless.
After being on the road for 3 years now best advice is 1. Insulate your windows. You have no idea how much heat escapes through the glass. Insulate them. 2. Invest in a good sleeping bag (or best you can afford). Makes a world of difference. Even if the inside of the car is freezing you can still be warm as long as you're in your sleeping bag. I even throw a second little blanket over top. 3. Don't be afraid to start your car and let it run for awhile if you are super cold. It's not gonna use as much gas as you think just sitting there. Get the car warm for a bit then turn it back off. Which goes back to #1 and the insulated windows. Even after turning the car off it will stay warm for quite some time if you insulated properly. If you dont have insulation your car will be cold again in minutes
@edockter4274 they sell cheap insulation at home depot for like 9 bucks a roll. I bought a couple rolls, cut out pieces in the shape of my windows. Then I went to joanns and got some black fabric and cut out the pieces and glued them to the insulation. (The fabric part isn't needed I did it so my coverings would be black and no one could see them). When you look at my car from the outside with the insulation up it just looks like I have tinted windows. You'll never know I was in there.
Not homeless but I slept in a 2012 pathfinder in 17° F weather. I cutout insulation for the windows and in the morning, when I pulled one down, a rush of cold air flowed over me. Those things make a huge difference. I felt 7/10 warm with a hoodie, sleeping bag, and a few blankets.
Best advice? Don't sleep at night during the winter. Seriously. Get a night shift job if thats available. Sleep while the sun is out, its much easier (and cheaper) to stay warm. Even if its below freezing you'd be surprised at how warm your car stays as long as the sun is out. As long as you can find a spot to sleep where no one is going to bother you, its way easier. Sleep with the windows down during summer, or switch shifts if thats available.
I was forced to move a month ago from a beautiful place in great location to much smaller place in worse location. I felt traumatised. Coming across this video, reading other people's experience really helped me appreciate my situation. It's far from as tragic as I saw it. Thank you all for sharing your stories and for those who are currently fighting bad times.... hope you see better days rather sooner than later. Stay strong!
Lived in my truck for over 3 years in Alaska. Rough times for sure, but I made through. I modified one of those imported diesel heaters to blow into the cab of the truck. Used about 3/4 of a gallon of diesel per night when temps were below zero.
I was homeless for about 8 months but luckily the construction company I work for heard about my situation and allow me to park my vehicle at the office lot and run a extension cord out to my car. With that I had electricity. Glad they helped out with what they could.
@@lm4349 I remember finding a working AC outlet in a shopping center parking lot. I tried to be discreet about it because if others found out, I knew what would happen. Sure enough, didn’t take long for them to cut the power to that outlet 😕
@@davidwalker8778 Idk how much you're offering but I feel like a lot of people underestimate how much you gotta get paid to survive. Also if its trade related, theres not gonna be a lot of young people skilled because they never got taught those skills.
I lived in my Chevy Trailblazer for 4 months through the winter of 2020. It was rough as I’m 6’3 and had to take out the passenger seat and build it into a little bed. I made it work and it’s what I had to do in order to save up for a home. Pretty wild times.
I applaud you my friend. I'm 6ft tall so just a few inches shorter than you. Still,3in of height difference inside of a car is a big difference. I stayed in my old '85 Ford Ltd station wagon,also for about 6 months,when I was 22 & it rained more during that 6 months than I'd ever seen in a consecutive 6 month period. I mention that because the seals around every single window and door leaked so bad it might as well not had any seals left. I had a job but had made some really stupid choices & found myself evicted and without a soul to turn to for help. So I took my next paycheck and waterproofed my car with some cheap tarps and tubes of silicone from harbor freight. Then got a hot plate & found a cheap campground where I rented a lot for around $100 per month. It had a spigot with free running water & a bathroom with showers right in the middle of the camp ground. So other than the 1st week where I was broke & had to suffer through the rain all week. I have to say I value the wisdom that I aquired during that time. That was 15yrs ago, & I certainly have a different set of values. Same as for how I count my blessings.
You took that seat out made a berthing area because of that damn headrest didn't you.😂😂😂. I camped in mine and that damn headrest I swear I wanted to just take it sawzall to it and hack it out of there
@@angrycreeper100 no lmao I leave 2 cigarette lighter plugs that charge phone Bluetooth rgb lights on 24/7 never had a problem. Headlights have a way more amperage draw than that heated blanket
@@JoseSanchez-so8bn you're joking right? The **heated** blanket is exactly that. HEATED. It has a giant heating element, similar to that in your toaster... It is quite literally a short circuit... Headlights may draw around 3 to 5 amps, but a heating element can draw WAY more.
I remember being homeless without a car yet still was working for at an Indian food restaurant. They would always ask why I had my backpack and offer me rides home and I could never say yes at the fear of losing my job. I would have to wait until everyone left and would walk over to sleep under an over pass where I would leave my sleeping bag. I had a possum that figured out my schedule and would steal my food while I was at work and one time caught a random guy stealing my stuff and had to fight him to get it back. It was a roll out pad thing that I found at the good will and couldnt afford it so I asked if they could hold it for a few hrs until I could get enough and they said no and threw on the ground behind them. So I left and as I was walking away from the store a lady yelled excuse me sir! I turned around and she had bought the sleeping pad for me and I said I couldnt afford it and she said here, it's on me. At that very moment I just lost it and burst into tears as she gave me a hug. I had never had anyone ever DP something that nice for me before ever in my life and I needed that hug so badly. I will never forget that. I'm a lot better now and have gotten my life together but never underestimate the power of something like a small good deed can do to bring someone out of their lowest of lows. Just to know a single human cared when no one else did changed everything for me.
I was homeless for 3 years and to this day I think of a few specific people who were kind to me and I wish that I could find them and tell them how much they changed my life. The kindness of those people meant so much to me there aren't even words for it I will never ever forget them.
i was homeless for 4 years. tips: wool socks and blankets, reflectics window covers for all windows to insulate in winter and summer(your windows cause the majority of heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, youll need to buy a roll of reflectics and cut to the shape of the windows), if you arent running the car to save gas dont use the cigaret plug as it will drain the car battery and if you need to leave at a moments notice a dead car battery is a big setback so use a battery pack to power things at night and recharge it while driving. i was a delivery driver durring this time so i drove more than enough to recharge my battery banks. get a good strong fan for summer. hand heaters help in the short term. take note of where and when you have access to a bathroom, there are mobile options but they are not ideal. organizing your things is very important not just to make thing easier to find but to also improve your mindset in a tough situation. dude wipes brand shower wipe for the days you cant take a real shower, not a replacement but it buys you time. park where you have permition never assume its ok. if you support the right to bare arms for self defense it is highly reccomended if possible. always cooperate completely with authorities. they understand your situation better than you might at that time and might even offer solid advice. comfortable means of sleep in your vehicle is a must, outdoor seat cushions are a good start but they lose their comfort after a month so carefully weigh your options here.
My friend who lives in her car just told me that in the TN winter, she wears a snow suit! What a great idea, and sleeps inside a good sleeping bag in layers. A snowsuit!! WOW, that is using ingenuity.
Cover your windows. Even shut tight, glass windows lets the cold seep in. Use what you have, sun shield, towels, cardboard, to cover the windows as best as you can. You may not feel like it did much but, once you step outside in the morning, you'll feel a noticeable difference.
Underrated comment, if you can get hold of some 25mm insulation board and cut it to size it will make a massive difference to temperature and also offer a little more privacy.
Actually, need to Crack open a window at least 1.5 inches. You can die from carbon dioxide poisoning. Canadians know this as getting stranded on the side of the highway during a blizzard at minus 30 degrees Celsius to minus 48 degrees Celsius. Don't use your battery or run your engine either. You will need your car to be able to run. You at extremely low temperatures want to run your car periodically to keep your car from freezing. You will need someone to boost your car if your lucky but once completely frozen all fluids etc have frozen. Rods break and radiator cracks. If you have a Tesla, your car's battery will be completely broken and will no longer be able to be recharged.
Thank god someone else understands this too! And u are not using a converter for a little heater without cranking your car otherwise you will wake up too a dead battery too. It’ll actually be u finding out you have a dead battery somewhere around 2am.
Not necessarily an issue if you have a manual transmission and a decent alternator.... roll start the car when you need to go somewhere, and let the alternator do its job
@@outcast_performance The only thing with that is you'll eventually kill your alternator. Yes, it will start, but the alternator isn't built to recharge a dead battery on a regular basis. Also, lots of alternators have to see voltage before they put out voltage.
@@outcast_performance false, a battery that is depleted constantly, will go bad very quickly, and will no longer be able to hold a charge. On top of that, the alternator is only meant to maintain your battery, not recharge it from ground up, having your alternator charge your battery repeatedly will melt your alternator.
My wife and I were homeless for two years and lived out of a little Ford Focus with no heat. Winter was brutal. I lined the floorboards with space blankets lit a tea light candle on the floorboard and very carefully covered up with another space blanket while keeping my legs open to let the heat rise up to my legs. That’s how I survived negative temperatures in a car without heat. On the coldest nights we would each lay up against the doors in the backseat and I’d put her feet under my arm pits with four blankets over us. Anytime I see someone walking in freezing temps I always stop and give them hand warmers. You never know how much that can help someone.
OMG. What soukess country let's people be homeless for two years??? In Finland we have zero homeless people. We have emergency housing and help people as long as it is required.
@@lukei6255 I'm sure Finland having a population 60x smaller than the United States, while also taxing ±56% of Personal Income compared to the USA's ±37% Personal Income Tax is the issue. As well as Finland accepting 30,000 migrant people per year (2022) vs. the USA's 1.01 million migrants per year (2022). I don't think it is a "Souless country" issue, I think it's a hhhhhuuuuuggggeeee logistical issue, as well as the red tape of getting Federal, state and municipal all coming together to solve a complex issue . (also my sources are websites that looked reputable, don't crucify me for not doing more research)
Layers of clothing helps. I had one person tell me if you dont have heating and its cold, put layers of newspaper between your blankets. It helps hold your body heat in. I found, when i had to live in a tent during winter, that having a rabbit fur coat on top of your blankets or sleeping bag. It really is earm and insulated you. I was lucky to have that coat. A few years ago i had no electricity or water. That winter my two cats slept under the covers with me at night and we were all toasty warm.
Wearing layers! Use lots and lots of layers of wool made clothing - especially socks and gloves to keep yourself warm! Also if you can - choice your parking slot wisely - make sure the rising sun hits it straight away in the morning. Another thing you can do (if you’re not too ashamed - like I was) is talk to people and rent a free garage spot for the really icy nights or snow storms. Other than that: stay safe out there ❤ life is tough but we are tougher!
As someone who lives in Alaska, the first two options will kill your battery quick... If you don't want to use electricity or gas, get yourself some space blankets (the kind from medkits) and cover your windows/doors, that will help trap heat inside your car. Also, grab some Pocket warmers, and place them around your chest area. your limbs and fingers will lose heat the fastest, so keep them as close to your core as possible, that way everything including your core is at optimal temperature.
Until you kill the battery and then it wont start. Install a car starter. They can be programmed to start every 2 hrs and run for fifteen minutes this will keep the battery charged and allows you to use the heater or blanket
Kill the battery from running the car? Bruh what. I've been in my car for years now and sometimes during real bad storms my car will be running for well over 24 hours.
@generalpanda6028 priuses can do that. It's why alot of people like them for car life. You turn on climate control and it'll behave like your air conditioning at home. The car will turn on, get to the temperature you set, then turn back off automatically.
I did this in Provo Utah from 2014 - 2017 on and off while working a full time job as it's hard to find something affordable if you are not a active member of the LDS religion. My advice is to wear winter clothes(ski clothes), double up on socks and wear a beanie at night. Be careful as well not to get snowed in as well
I’m crying reading these comments because I’m about to be in this situation due to short notice by my landlord to leave. I hate that people have had to experience living in their cars but I’m super grateful for all the advice and helpful tips I’m reading!! ❤
@elcortez5434 It's saving me a lot on rent.. most my things in storage locker sleeping in my backseat of a 2 door not to bad gotta find a way to keep condensation off windows it gets muggy and damp in this canadian environment not everyone is cut out for it but I like having my own space not dealing with annoying roommates or nosey strict landlords for now 😉
@@MightyempressI’m also soon to be living in my car 😅 My roommate is impossible to live with, just lack of chores and he lets his gf live there rent free 😊 So I am leaving, and his gf has to join the lease Worst part is not being able to sleep with my cats.. they’ll be in my moms house My new car payments+rent is just too expensive.. you need a roommate to live in this world and me and my ex plan to find a place in spring 😂 I worry I’m just putting myself in another shitty living situation but life is too expensive 😢
@@Mightyempressget a 0000 steel wool and do a deep clean on your windows with along side some soapy water and then use either a rain x window spray or, if you can, a ceramic coat solution. The ceramic coat is ideal because any type of water will just bead off/ slide down the window 💯
Pro tip: use military winter underclothes and sleeping bags. That's it. They're not the cheapest but they work best. If you've got enough fleece and wool separating you from the environment, it'll be comfortable and warm inside. You can use TWO sleeping bags if a single one doesn't cut it. I used to live in a trench and it worked splendidly in freezing cold, just make sure it stays dry on the inside. Speaking of trenches, I recommend you build yourself a shelter. It can actually be just a hole in the ground with some watertight roofing. Or you could just use a tent, that works too, but those tend to not be very watertight.
@@NickBitts Because I was at the frontline in a war. There aren't many housing options that are safe, and there aren't usually any pre-made fortifications so you make one yourself.
full time van life here.. thanks for making a video to help folks. here's a few more... #1.a single cande flame produces approximately 80 BTU s of heat. Add a heat sink. #2 Park with your windshield facing east so you get the maximum amount of sun as soon as it comes up. #3 get a dog. Happy nomading!
Would need to keep the window a little more open because the candle will be using oxygen, and because you don’t want your lungs to be acting as the filter on the smoke.
First get a very good quality underware warm clothes like those to go for trekking ( pants and shirt). It will help you not to mind it is cold cause it will make a strong barrier to your skin. 2nd get a very good sleeping bag, a hollowfiber one. 3rd go for a walk if you do not know how to take it, cause walking almost for 1 hour will stimulate your metabolism and keep You warmer. 4 do not eat carbohydrates after 5 pm, your body will work perfect burning fats during the night you will wake up in the morning strong and fresh. I m living on streets from almost 10 years, sleeping everywhere I know what You mean. And remember that having your car is great, I only have a bike it is not that great. 🙌
Tips from a backpacker: use a 32 oz Nalgene or other thick plastic or aluminum water and fill it with near boiling water and put in sleeping bag it will work as a heater for about 4 hours, a silk bag liner will add about 10° to your bag rating, wear wool it is both warm and wicks away your sweat if you get hot, don’t put your head in the bag you’ll make too much condensation and get cold instead get a balaclava to keep your face covered
Glad I didn't have to write all this cause that's what I was gonna say too 😂... that method saved my behind on a an unexpectedly cold night in the mountains camping... I was NOT prepared cause my very young self didn't check the weather (yea. I know ... I know... 🤦🏾♂️). But I slept like a BABY after i restarted my fire, boiled some water and threw that Nalgene in my sleeping bag.
I'll forever be thankful to homeless people. My mother in law suffers from Dementia and was in the hospital because of a heart attack, she left her hospital bed and went outside unnoticed(yes, we did file a lawsuit) and was basically reported missing after hours she had left. We looked for her for hours after contacting the police as well, but with no success. It was freezing cold and she had simple hospital dress, also being sick and old would be fatal. When she was found, more than 20 hours after escaping the hospital(7am), she was found with 4 jackets covering her up, apparently homeless people had given her those jackets, while common people didnt even question the fact that a old lady was in hospital dress
Most homeless take care of each-other. If they see someone in need they’ll usually give you the clothes on their back. Wish our country would do the same
One underrated tip is to try to have everything be black, especially if you manage to have a black car with tinted windows that could be the difference between bone rattling cold and comfortably chilly. The next thing is layers, don’t care what it is if you have it and you’re freezing out it on, as long as it isn’t wet it will do more good than harm.
You want the color the radiates heat the best to stay warm? How does that help you at night when you are sleeping? It will literally shed all the heat in the car faster than any other color. Although I doubt it really makes a noticable difference. If you want a car that is the hottest in the sunlight, sure, go for black.
Two layers of thermals works more than twice as well. Three if you can manage. I can't ever convince people of this. I wear two layers in the winter when I have to be outside, it makes a huge difference.
@Burrito I'm not homeless. I chose to not live in a bricks and stick. in 3 years I have saved over $90k by giving up my apartment and moving into a van.
Also keep in mind that when you have things plugged into the car that draws electricity from the battery. And cold weather is already very hard on batteries so don’t be surprised when you wake up warm and don’t have enough juice to start the car.
I was thinking the same thing might as well run your engine... I spent multiple yrs in vehicles in Ohio winters just run car it's like .50-2.00 an hr to idle...
@DeputyFish I lived in car with my family all of 2021 and most of 2020 and i ran the car 24hrs a day and without driving I used 40 dollars max in a day that's 1.67 per hr with air condition and heat
After a number of years in the Army, I can say that keeping dry is always number one to keeping warm. I would breathe my own hot breath down into the sleeping bag with my balaclava covering my mouth to catch the moisture. Also, a personal tip I think is to keep the clothes that you'll be wearing the next day in the bag with you. They'll both provide more layers and they'll be warmer to put on when you wake up and get dressed. Get dressed in the bag if possible to avoid the cold shock once you emerge from your cocoon of warmth. And good luck brother.
@@Mohammed.k.7 Oh yeah, because we all know Algeria is a great place to live from all the millions of Algerians living in Paris. 😂 Just say that you're jealous of America being so much richer than your pathetic Arab shithole. 😂😂😂
Having you cloths inside the sleeping bag is wrong. If you get out of a warm bag in your cloths your temp will drop and you will feel colder. Have on only a thin layer and when you get up then get dressed. You will rapidly lose heat then reward and feel comfortable
1. Wool clothes: long johns, hat, sox, mittens (no cotton!) 2. Space blanket 3. Hot water bottle ( either from tap or immersion coil/boiler) 4. Hand/foot warmers 5. Insulate/cover windows & cab area 6. Park in sun if possible 7. Short bursts of engine running
Advice coming from Michigan winters. Get an extra winter coat and stick it between you and the door - the door lets in a lot of cold air. Cover the windows with double reflective insulation. You can make your own with said insulation and cardboard. Doing this will vastly insulate your vehicle and you won't need a heating blanket or to run your vehicle. Make your window covers a bit oversized with the cardboard. This way you can stick velcro on the flaps and around your windows so you can just velcro it into place and not burn through a bunch of tape. Burrito yourself and sleeping bag in a queen sized comfitor. The comfitor is the best option, but if you don't have that, using a second sleeping bag works too
Fear not, you wouldn’t have needed that quilt, because you could just cut your horse open and survive the night inside of its chest cavity. Like Luke. Advanced users will find the wood from your horse drawn buggy, as a useful fuel to build and maintain a small fire. Follow me for more 1880’s life hacks! OR you could buy a modern insulated blanket, of reasonable quality.
If you have to sleep outside also keep your clothes and shoes in your bag. It will keep them dry from the dew and keep them warm for the morning. Also I spent a couple years in a home with no power or water through some very cold winters. I was lucky enough to have a dog and best believe we stayed much warmer snuggling.
Insulate the windows! I.e. blankets rolled up in the windows or, preferably, use a couple foam yoga mats to cut some to shape. The front and back windows are biggest and lose the most heat so find a way to insulate them well or seal them off from the occupied part of the vehicle. Keep in mind the rest of the body, and particularly the roof, of the vehicle are poorly insulated too. A space blanket tacked to the ceiling can go a long ways.
@@StoryTimmy covering your windows doesn't automatically make them airtight which by the way they already are they seal when they're fully closed your car isn't airtight it's not even watertight and that's by design
Insulate your car ! Bubble wrap on windows , cheap reflectives on windows, car rugs/blankets on windows, wrap all this throughout vehicle etc . Wrap yourself in cosy warm clothes. Use sleeping bag and duvet . Result cosy and warm 😊😊😊😊😊
I guess it depends on how you ended up there. I actually chose to live in my Suburban, for almost 5 years. I had a decent job, and a nice apartment, and alot of nice things, and I decided that I didn't need it. I sold or gave away almost all of my things, and fixed up my Suburban to live in, and thats where I lived. With my only "bills" being my cell phone..car insurance..and gas..i saved up almost $80,000 in the those 5 years. It would have been alot more, but there were 2 different times my Suburban broke down, and I had to pay $1400 to get it fixed the first time, and about $1800 the second time. Plus I had to stay in a motel for 3 weeks both times while it was being fixed, and rent a car to get to and from work, so that was all a bit costly. But anyway, that time I spent living in my vehicle really changed alot of things for me, and really made me realize how little I actually "need" to live a full and happy life. But yeah, I can definitely understand how awful it would be to end up living in your vehicle under different circumstances tho.
I did it on and off for awhile. I hated it. As soon as I got enough money together I’d get a motel room. Trying to live in my car drove me mental. It’s hard to relax when you’re basically constantly in public
@tommytwo-times9053 luck and understanding. I'm not the only person in MN that had to survive winter like that. Trees and bushes really help to block the winds at least. Pine trees with full bottoms offer protection from the snow if you can find one. A football player gave me his rain resistant jacket and the mayor would give me bread and bananas to eat every other week. I was also smart enough to never sleep on concrete. If you steal enough woodchips they can make a nice insulating bed. Not comfortable but better than before and better than sleeping directly on the ground. Also staying away from people and not making my situation too obvious to the general public. If you are homeless due to not having the resources instead of homeless for poor choices then you are more likely to be killed or at least badly harmed by "normal" everyday people who are not in your position. I've watched so many others who were just there because they fell on hard times, be attacked by that unassuming, well-dressed guy who's always laughing and smiling and would "never hurt a fly" or was "so generous". Nobody would believe what's really hiding behind those "super sweet" people's masks. It's far more common than anyone realizes. Those who offer help usually have an ulterior motive. Especially if you're a woman. The younger she looks, the worse it gets. Trust no one, not even yourself.
Add a second deep cycle battery with a disconnect to run an electric blanket off of so your main car battery is separate and can start your car the next day. Also covering the HVAC vents under the windshield on the outside can help keep a lot of cold air from coming inside your car, and space blankets.
Just shut the recirc door. No need to cover the vents, your car literally already has a door that will do that for you. Turn on recirculating air mode and it shuts off the outside air.
Candle heater under a flower pot. A couple tea lights under it should heat that area put a metal duct on top close it up but put a couple holes in it so the warm air escapes heating the space. Put a small frying pan under less chance of fire and then you can use the frying pan to heat something up for morning breakfast. Oh make sure that between the flower pot and frying pan there is space like washers or quarters so air can get into it heat up. Hope it helps!! Stay warm!!!
This is the comment I was going to share. Take your shirt off too. You'll be cold for a minute, but warm up quickly. You will not be cold at all through the night. I'd say you might be hot. The sleeping bags aren't insanely expensive either. I believe they are around 300 bucks. While that may seem expensive it's multiple pieces for one and a high quality sleeping back can go for 1000 bucks. So, this is a great price.
@@zetsumei1017yep, military grade sleeping systems are actually designed to sleep in underwear only, I slept manyyyyyy nights in the cold basically naked in my sleeping system and was just fine.
If you’re able put a “skirt” around the bottom of your car. Part of the reason it gets so cold is because of all the cold air blowing beneath you. This is something that mobile homes take advantage of as well as people living in campers in cold climates. It’s not a good idea if you’re running your car for heat though
Three tips from me:- 1- Make sure your car has some kind of low battery cut off when using electric appliances so you don't get stranded. 2- Try to park up in a place thats out of the wind at least, higher up a hill or valley to avoid mist or fog too. 3- Be careful if you are using your engine for heat, if the exhaust is either pooling or blowing towards the passenger compartment air intake it can pump CO in with you and while your homeless problem is solved its a very permanent solution for a hopefully temporary problem, minor exhaust damage/rust can cause it too. This could be a 4th tip but I think it fits here, always be careful with any kind of propane or camping heater stove too, for the same CO risk, get a cheap detector if you ever try one.
every car built after 2000ish has catalysts which don't allow for CO to be produced. You can't even really kill yourself with cars now, as you can only asphyxiate from CO2
You would be shocked at how much heat even a single candle can give off just be extra careful and keep a window open at least an inch or 2! Wishing you luck, security and peace 🫶🏻
You know it’s bad when you see how to live in your car tips nonchalantly on social media. Thankful to live in a place where it’s warm all year around. Props to those who live in this situation 😢
@@cljoe35 Why would it be safer to leave your car on in a parking garage? Summer or winter? They are designed to contain hundreds and hundreds of cars… running or turned off.
I have been living in my van for about 8 months now. At first very discouraged and frustrated. However, I now have a bit of routine going but still looking for work. Found the local college has an aquatic center where I can take my showers for no charge. I do my laundry once or twice a week at the local laundry mat. The evenings I charge my phone and work on my laptop at a 24 hr. McDonald's. Then go to stay overnight at our local Walmart. Tonight is Christmas and I was told last night that I have to leave as well as tonight at a different location. I am in Florida throughout the summer it was a bit hard because I don't have ac in my van. I would park at the beachside Walmart where there was a bit of a breeze. There have been some colder nights where it dipped down in to the forty's. Thankfully I have a very warm comforter that my brother and his wife gave to me. I do have Heating from the ac so before I turn in for the evening I make a run to a 24 hr Cumberland farms to use the restroom and run the heater so my van will be nice and warm when I turn in for bed. I have an air mattress and surprisingly find it rather comfortable.
Hey I plan on living in my car in Montana during the winter months and I've been reading how to it's important to keep your windows insulated to help with heat but I was wondering what if I bought a weather tarp to put on top of my car to keep heat in? Is that a dumb idea?
One important thing is, if you can afford it, never underestimate the value of getting something to eat. Your body needs energy to help itself stay warmer. It also helps with the not starving thing.
Just passed a full year being homeless in April. Had a good time living out the 4runner in Maine, lots of jobs 20$+ an hour flagging traffic and stuff. Just got too cold and got nowhere to go to call home. Thought about making a GoFundMe cause I have my big dog and his puppies with me and it gets hard out here. ❤good luck everyone good day!
I remember when I was living out of my car for 3 years, there was one year that was particularly bad in the winter when the car I had at the time didn’t have heat and had a hole in the passenger side. Me and my girlfriend had to use our bodies to keep warm through the long nights when we couldn’t afford To stay in a hotel. It’s not easy and I was blessed to have a car but hard work and staying focused and working nonstop paid off because I took a risk and drove from MA to Fl to start a new life. I’m still struggling but I have a roof over my head and a stable job and my basic needs are met I’m content and great full. Happy Valentines everyone ❤️🙏🏼
No, just purchase a more powerful power station like an EcoFlow OR OUPES MEGA 2 and buy a small DUAL heater with AC capabilities for the warmer months. It will keep you warm/cool all night. The power station can be charged using solar panels installed on the roof of your vehicle. Also, if you do not want to go the heater route, simply buy a GOOD ELECTRIC BLANKET (better than the one shown in this video), thick socks and also a thick hat. 🤗
I'm retired Army, served for 23 years and a trained Winter Operations Instructor. Rule #1 Remember this acronym: COLD Clean Open Layered Dry Clean items are better at trapping and keeping air in the fabric warm than dirty items. The dirt, grease, and other things displace the air pockets and are better at conducting temperature from outside to your skin, so you will be colder if it is dirty and if it is Clean. Open means ventilated. If you trap too much warm air and overheat, then you will get damp or wet, and lose the insulating value. We would put a scarf, cloth, or towel over our faces in a mummy style sleeping bag, the moisture from exhaling would be trapped in the towel, instead of ducking our entire head into the sleeping bag and causing it to get damp or wet. Layered because you can adjust, add, or remove a layer of clothing to regulate how much heat you are retaining so you don't get cold or too warm. And Dry, because with the exception of wool, anything wet does not retain heat. In addition, use a tarp over your car to help keep it dry, reduce any leaks you may have, and if possible rig it to have a space between the vehicle and the tarp. Also, the sides need to be low, closet to the ground. Creating that air pocket around the car, under the tarp will facilitate keeping the wind and water off the car directly. IMPORTANT: Make sure to vent the car exhaust outside of that tarp, and any other heat sources that produce gasses, fumes, or emissions. A headliner in the car, and if possible a taught sheet or blanket that allows entry and exit from your car, and covers your windows. That creates another layer to trap air between the inside of the car and the blanket. It's easier to warm air that is trapped like that. And again. Remember to ventilate. Park in areas that provide protection from the wind and elements.. Good luck
Good tip, from someone who was stuck in a blizzard in my car: army/surplus gear is usually much cheaper than you think, and winter gear will be very effective at conserving heat. Another good tip is to cover your windows and windshield to prevent heat escape.
Portable propane space heaters work well. Just be sure to ventilate, keep anything flammable away and shut it off completely when you're ready to sleep. Would not recommend running the inverter as it can blow relays or fuses and short out your car's electrical system. Buy a pack of hand warmers and throw a few in your sleeping bag. Also, wear thick wool socks and have a cushion to rest your feet and keep them insulated from the cold floor boards. Having a hot drink or soup broth before you go to bed also keeps you warm.
1. Get a car cover, reduce the warmth that exits your car /alternatively cover windows specifically 2. Don't sleep in the same clothes you wore during the day, change into light pyjamas (not too warm or else you may start sweating) and roll up your day clothes to stuff them at the bottom of your sleeping bag 3. Some first aid packs come with thermal foil blankets, those were specifically designed to protect injured people from freezing to death or getting heat strokes. (has goldish and silver sides each has a different purpose) 4. don't sleep sitting, try to lie down for better blood circulation and heat distribution 5. keep a thermo-bottle with hot ginger tea nearby to drink during the night when you wake up and feel freezing. Ginger opens up blood vessels again to allow faster warming up.
Absolutely find a way to insulate the windows at night, on of the biggest spots of heat loss, I'm not sure with a car cover, I guess it's a good idea just don't turn the car on under the cover, can burn or trap carb monoxide and kill you.
Park your car & go to a tower hotel. Walk in like you own the place. Take the elevator to the 4th highest floor. Get out & look for the service stairs. Quietly climb to the top floor. Spend your night in warmth & silence, no one is taking the service stairs down from the top floor.
I’ll keep this in mind.. I don’t think I’ll ever have to resort to that but you never know when you might be drunk as shit in a unfamiliar city with a dead phone and no currency
@@billybobthornton8553 I've literally done his recommendation in the situation you're describing but it was at a Hilton Hotel lol, the cleaning staff woke me up and just assumed I was a dumb drunk who had a room and just couldn't find it. I pretended Id somewhere to be and shot on home. City was Dublin Ireland, great time.
I feel like people really need to be aware that running your engine isn't just using a lot of gas, it can kill you if you have any kind of exhaust leak, especially if it snowing and the snow builds up and the car. I don't advise running the engine. If you must be sure the exhaust is in his shape, no holes in the body or floor, and keep a window cracked. No joke, this really happens. Don't underestimate carbon monoxide.
@@ClaytonBigsby01 _"Yeah bro everybody knows about this OK so hold the PSA next time"_ I never thought of this idea either, so save the sass for something more deserving.
Make sure to insulate your windows. I used to pack my clothes in the front and back windows, and got a few of the cheap insulated window shades from the dollar store and cut them into several pieces that fit my windows and taped them together, and used the velcro dots from the dollar store to hang them.
@@Clintscollectiblez thank god for that. If I saw one more mean tweet I was gonna start crying, again, and then I was gonna have to go online and write about it, again, and let everyone know that the orange man was bad because he made me cry so hard, again. No more mean tweets and now I get to use my preferred pronoun and threaten everyone else who doesn't want to call me 'kid sniffing helicopter cat.'
I've lived like this... with a job and a college degree. Housing is so unaffordable. No one lives like this because they want to. Hence, it's pretty fuckedup that this is a realistic option for a standard of living. It's normalized. Fuck that.
Don't sleep in/on wet fabric. Even moist fabric. If you're sweating and drenching your clothes, don't sleep in them. They'll cool you down like nobody's business. Instead, go as nude as you dare and wrap up in layers of blankets. And get WOOL. Get that shitty scratchy wool blanket and put it on top of your layers. And never, ever, underestimate the power of a pair of thick socks and a wool cap or similar. Stay warm and hydrated, friends.
Yes! Wear a hat or ear warmer band around your head at night and another warmth band around your neck to keep your neck warm! Covering your ears and throat at night goes a long way towards avoiding sinus problems, sore throats & colds!
I was homeless for 1.5 years. My tips are primarily getting a good sleeping bag, ideally rated for frosty temperatures. and layering thick blankets, I used furry blankets and they kept the heat very well. Line the sleeping bag with the blankets and other than my face I was nice and toasty even at -10 C. Remember to air them out though since they also trap moisture and can get moldy.
Be careful of the electric blanket. They've been known to catch fire. A classmate did that. It caught fire, and she had to live with us for a few weeks until the school semester ended. Her family had already moved away. Be careful out there.
@@ActivateMission2ThisTimeline tip: You need to put spaces between words when writing in English. Also, only capitalize the first letter of a sentence. If I rewrote your comment, it would look like this: “Yes, never stuff or cram electric blankets like shown here!”
Modern day electric blankets sold in the US are not the same as the old original ones. Those old ones could overheat and in some conditions start a fire. Back in the day the electric blankets would get hot and stay on constantly . Modern ones(all of mine do) have safeties that intermittently turn off and automatically shut off after 8 - 12 hours and stay off. It's frustrating to wake up cold because the auto timer ran out and turn off the heat. I unplug mine when I leave the house, just to be cautious.
reflectic window covers, thermal underwear and socks, cover your hands and head since most body heat is lost thru them. Also get hot water bottle. I also put a car cover over my car when parked on street at night. I blend in and no one questions my car being there. I created a window with zipper so I can peak out if necessary. 3 years in my car
Also, get a subzero sleeping bag. They're made to be naked in so less worry about laundry and you're guaranteed to be good for 99% of cold weather. Plus the mummybag type features a pull tie to close the head down to a mouth hole, so you can get good dark space sleep despite any sunlight peaking through
The loss of body heat through your head is a myth. When it was being tested, the candidates were swaddled except for their heads. The method of the testing caused the results they got.
Also would you be able to get some kind of battery or generator that you can charge up during the day via either plugging it into an outlet outside of some superstore like walmart or target or plugging it into your car while its on and driving around during the day? Just wondering.
We lived in Dad's crew can when I was a teenager. Dad cracked the two front windows and burned a birthday candle on a saucer set on the dash. Him n Mon took turns staying up to make sure there wasn't a fire. I was snuggled up to my sisters in the back seat under sleeping bags n blankets. Dad would crack the windows in the back seat and stuff a blanket to hang down over the window n doors. He taped blankets over the inside back window and put a put a blanket on the outside of the windshield. My parents smoked and you wouldn't believe how much their smoking heated up the air. We lived up north and dad was laid off. We sold what we could and headed south. It was a eight months of "an adventure" but being a teenager I didn't realize how dangerous situation was. We finally settled in warmer climate and busted our asses mom n dad had job, I had job my sisters babysat or helped mom house cleaning -- eventually we had enough saved to buy a run down crappy house to fix up. We all vowed we would never live in a vehicle again. I own my home n it's not big it's not luxurious it meets my needs. I stay put where I am because I own my home and I'm not being homeless again.
Get an air mattress for your back seat, use emergency blankets to keep the heat in. Another option is putting pillows above the blanket and under you. It keeps my back from having arthritis pain in the morning and I sleep great. 4 pillows, two throws, an airmattress, a Jackery power box and an electric blanket.
The air in air mattresses gets really cold. With some good layering you can circumvent that but you're far better off looking for something thick like a folded sleeping pad or thick foam/clean sofa cushions. You dont want anything under you that can sap your natural body heat. I have a queen sized air mattress but it leaks and my 2013 GMC Sierra WITH a crew cab is too small.
Get insulated bubble wrap (used for construction) at local hardware store. You can cut the material to fit your windows from the inside, cut the windows that roll down a little longer at the top to allow you to roll the insulation into the windows to hold it in place and cut the other windows with a 1/4" wider than the windows to help them hold in place. They will insulate the windows from the heat and cold. Once I figured this out from another video it changed everything about sleeping in a vehicle. Ultimate privacy and it doesn't take much to keep you warm as long as your feet stay insulated.
can also be used between the seat and your sleeping bag. I use it when camping as a bed roll, it stops the cold from the ground coming through and reflects your body heat back into you
I sold my car when i entered university and lived in a camper on university grounds for 3 years. I knew the staff very well back then and they gave me free power. Many professors knew bout it and came for a beer in the evening sometimes. Overall it was a very awesome time.
The bad part about those is that they tear. They are good for a few uses but they make them thinner than a bag of potatoe chips. If you move in your sleep you'll wake up too hence why it's for emergencies. However there are other fabrics that are better and also reflect heat.
@@WhiteWolfos I believe tho that you can get pretty big ones to place along windows etc. to keep the heat in the car, I cld be wrong. I believe they are more reflecting foam that blanket.
@@WhiteWolfos Yes and no, the cheap reflective blankets will only last so many uses. However there are better ones for a little more cost (typical costs .$0.50-1.00 for the cheap blankets, $60-100 for the durable ones) Plus there are also different types of sleeping bags with some types good to use in temps down well below zero. Of course the colder use sleeping bags do tend to be more expensive, but also worth it if you'll be sleeping in outdoor conditions in freezing to below zero temperatures. One other thing, get some thick cardboard and try to cover up the windows at night, that will help trap the heat inside the car.
Those reflective sun shades work really well, plus provide privacy. if it's not below freezing they will be all you need as your own body heats the space.
@@ecnalms851 i mean depends but really i dont think so, since theres always gonna be air (the vents get air from somewhere) so i dont think windows are where most of the air is coming in, even with the vents not on
Wouldnt those gold and silver rescue blankets from first aid kits be perfect? They are made to reflect heat, put a couple on the ceiling, doors and windows and that should work quiete well
Honestly, preparing for the cold was always the easiest thing for me, you can always add layers. I want tips and devices on keeping the car cold in the heat.
We hear all the time, children dying in a parked car. Or that the sun adds 15 more degrees to the temperature. 10 in the shade. So far I heard, staying in car during hot weather is a bad idea. I found it best to lay down on something comfortable outside in the shade. At night, even sleeping in my car with outside temperature warmer than 70 is rough. Not enough breeze. Id be sure to move to a place where it's only warm 3 months out of the year. And those 3 months, rent a room. Or perhaps use a tent with fans at night. If your family won't help you during hard times, why stick around for them?
Was homeless without a car and the biggest thing is to have a sleeping bag and keep your head inside and occasionally open for air. The warm air from your breath gets trapped inside and your body eventually gets warm. Also have a mat, towel or whatever under you if you're on concrete so it doesnt make you cold
@@visibletoallusersonyoutube5928 yeah it does get really sweaty and when you step out of the sleeping bag like that in the cold it feels like a gallon of ice water got dropped on you
sadly have to have your sleeping bag open at all times if u aint sleepin in a safe area. Shit gets set on fire from dumbasses and you got no way out sadly... its difficult.
Make your own heat source aside from the cars power completely, those little candles inside of food cans with the sides cut out can make a world of a difference, couple thousand btu per can
Honestly look what happened when Apollo 13 started to freeze up Frost moisture from sweat and your breath very very very dangerous you all have not thought this out very much and it will require Engineers to figure out a solution without it you're ignoring the problem more blankets are not a solution proper ventilation that's thoughtful is kind of Deep not the sort of thing armchair people discuss or when they do they take into account the Layman and has no knowledge of how to penetrate the subject asking you whether you see the face in the cloud does not mean you see a face in the clouds your mind looks to see things like that when they're not there the fellow that wrote Chariots of the Gods invites people to make this calculation you can understand Egyptian hieroglyphics it's not pictor word game it's a use of the false fallacy arguments argument from incredulity if you like shooting learn what a gunshot wound what mas trousers are
Leave Egyptian hieroglyphics to The Experts leave it to chemical and mechanical engineers to decide how to deal with moisture in a frozen environment around electricity and conductive things with no thought to insulation moisture evaporation and freezing seek the person with knowledge who's not a flake magical thinking in your body do not work together
Could you trickle charge battery with solar panel.. to help off set energy used by electric blanket? Furthermore, when car in use could wheels function like Dynamo to charge/ battery/ spare battery or a power bank ??
try spend a minut thinking about these tips and how bad they really are. a better sleeping bag would be better. not hard to find a sleeping bag made for -14 degree C. and a tent is better way to spend your money on than a battery you can't even charge.
These aren’t tips this is a clout chaser trying to make money off of video. none of these so-called” tips” would help you in fact if you listen to this guy’s advice you’re gonna wind up dead from carbon monoxide poisoning or dead from freezing when your battery dies and you have no way to keep warm that doesn’t require electricity. This kid can’t give you any good tips on sleeping in your car because he’s never done it before😂
I’ve always wondered about people sleeping in their cars…. Last year I spent 2 week/ traveling in my car, sleeping and living in my car. It’s rough, really hard. You have to stay humble to cope. Kudos to everyone going through it, most of us have no idea how much emotional and physical effort it takes to make it through it. You’re a strong individual 💪🏼
Sleeping in a car is pussy shit Try sleeping on the cement with one then blanket I did that all fall this year and all of winter last year when I was homeless luckily I'm not anymore but that guy gives shit tips
Naaah dude you gotta get those emergency mylar blankets, they're super cheap and SUPER effective. they reflect 99% of your bodyheat back at you I believe, it makes you sweat at room temperature in 2 minutes lol I keep them in my car since I live in a cold area, never know when you might get stranded
The problem with a mylar blanket is that os not breathable and sweat soaks your clothing. Doesn't work over multiple days. Essentially not even a full night depending on conditions. In cotton clothing you risk frostbite.
Better option: get oven mitten fabric. Big roll for 5$ at Walmart. Not shiny, won't wake your butt up every time you breathe, thin but thick enough for sewing into clothes or blankets,---- DURABLE--- and traps/reflects heat 👍👍
I was homeless in Camden nj for about 8 months, 4 of which were freezing. I made it out and never looked back. I think it's why I never call out of work to this day. We're all about 3 weeks away from being homeless if a few things all go wrong at once. If you're in a situation like this right now don't get discouraged, just keep plugging away and things will get better if you try.
Bro I lived in my regular cab, 2 door pickup truck for 9 months of my life. It was absolutely traumatic but I made it out against all odds. 10 years later I park that pickup in the driveway of my own HOME. Even though I now have other vehicles, I still keep that old truck around as a reminder to keep me humble. For anyone going through a similar situation, I can say that it will get better. I promise.
EDIT: First off, thank you all for the love and positivity. I had no idea my comment would reach so many people. For those wondering how I ended up homeless it’s simple, irresponsible spending and zero knowledge of finances. I had a job and an apartment and when I was laid off, I had no savings and no place to go. Living in my pickup was the only solution I had. I was back at the bottom and had to dig myself out of the hole that I created and I did just that. Also for those wondering, the truck is a 2000 Chevy S10 that now sits jacked up with pretty blue paint. I plan on giving the truck to my son when the time comes.
This just motivated me good to hear your doing well 💯
yo i did the same for 6 months in 2021-22 in my ford ranger… winter is crazy
Congratulations on getting a house bro bro. You deserved it frfr
I felt that
I lived in my ‘08 Jeep Wrangler for almost 6 months. I now own a beautiful home and drive a new Tesla. My jeep is still in my garage, safe and sound. I will never sell it.
We really do live in a society where a homeless guy can give other homeless people tips via their smartphone over the internet.
dystopic
yeah crazy how a phone and a data connection costs insanely less than rent
@@runesoda a phone and data is free in my state
@@angelinavanabel921I think is part of his point lol
I mean, people aren't really homeless if they choose to live in their car, though they *are* if they're forced to live in their car with no other options. Its just that most who are actually homeless living in their car arent worried about tiktok videos etc.. People I know who were forced to live in their car were blessed to at least have transportation and used it to get their life rolling asap and find a job to get an apartment etc.
My college wants me to pay around $7k for 16 weeks just to stay in the dorms. Im 9 hours from anywhere I would be able to stay, and the housing market up here is awful. Everything is taken and overpriced. Im gonnna be a 3rd year college student and living in my car, in U.P. Michigan. Not to mention, I work 2 jobs on campus, but the school only pays me $14/Hr in I.T. Also, im from poverty, and my parents have been on hard drugs a lot of their lives, so they have made many mistakes that impact me today. Im gonna struggle in ways, but once i get past this, I'll be a more resilient person than most. It irritated me when people complain about stuff around here, but their family is paying for their college🙄 I have a 3.5 GPA in Electrical Engineering Technology and want to get an MBA at MIT no matter the struggle I will get there!
Respect and encouragement. Obviously, you will totally get there.
Wishing You and Yours, All Good Things! Do not surrender!
Glory to the most high
Watch the movie Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith as the main character. It's based on a true story. If you ever get discouraged, remember that you can rise above. Your situation will make you even more amazing when you are telling it 10 years from now.
U are an amazing person. Hope u get the peace u deserve. Hugs
Winter is the best time to sleep in a car. No insects, no birds waking you up. Get 2 decent sleeping bags. Put 1 inside the other. Get a pillow. You will be warm
If you live in Florida sure.
The only thing you'd be warm in would be heaven for the temps the north side sees lol. It's -30° easily some days.
Only takes one cold night to kill you.
Much easier to get warm in a car then get cool in a car without using all your gas.
Not in -40 lmao
@@Aajb2facts Maine was hell lol
@malcolmthompson9555 where I'm from we reached -48 or -49 can't remember
People have no idea the number of working Americans actually experiencing homelessness. Back in the late 80’s my mom worked the entire time we were homeless. We slept in our car the first night then lived in a transitional shelter for two months. She worked 9-5 at her full time job then would work 6-10 at her part time job then she’d stuff envelopes for an insurance company on Sat and Sun. In two months we moved into a condo on the beach in South FL. She was the embodiment of strength. RIP my love ❤ and thank you for teaching me how to persevere.
This needs more like's brother. You and your mom are an inspiration
Wow
glad to hear that you had an awesome mom 🙂
This made me tear up. Im sure she was a great woman
same, when I was 2-3 years old my mother (who was only 18) and I were homeless and living in a car that wouldnt even start. She worked 2 jobs to keep us fed and some nights she didnt eat to make sure that I did. She told me stories about how she had to beg relatives to watch me while she worked her fingers to the bone, and when nobody would watch me she brought me with her to work. One time she was sobbing outside of the car while I slept; another homeless man approached her and asked why she was crying. She explained to him that she had no money left and wouldnt get paid for another week so she didnt know what to do. After hearing our situation, that man gave her all the money he had, only 27 dollars and asked for nothing in return. She soon got a job working as a Budweiser model and made good money, enough for us to get an apartment. Soon she married someone (we dont talk about him) and I got a little brother.
Iwill always be grateful to her for toughing it out and getting back on her feet; and also to that homeless man who helped her out in her darkest moment.
I lived in my car through 2 Colorado winters. The key is layering. You need to have 3-5 blankets that are different materials and densities. Lighter, thinner blankets closer to your body, with the thickest blanket on the outside layer. The differing air gaps and densities insulate you in multiple ways just like a down coat would. You also need to insulate yourself from the seat, because the seat will pull heat out of your body and into the car structure. Also, to SAFELY sleep in your car you NEED to leave a window cracked just a fraction to let oxygen in. If you’re running a heater especially. You WILL deprive your brain of oxygen if you’re in the car long enough without opening a door or window. DO NOT run electrical accessories off of the car itself, get a “jump box” that you can charge. A heavy duty one that’s rated for a lot of cycles. If you’re wanting to keep beverages or groceries cold, keep them in the trunk. They will stay very cold a shockingly long time because the trunk of most cars is a small insulated space.
Same love! I lived in Denver through 2 winters in my Murano and I lived in layers. It really wasn't that bad even with the schziy weather CO is known for. All about layers and using some creative thinking. Hope things are better for you now.
Electric heaters aren't generators. They don't produce Carbon monoxide. Cracking a window to "conserve heat" in winter is.... let's say.. counter productive.
Cheers from Canada.
A trunk is NOT insulated at least not in a way that would produce the reault you suggested. The drinks stay cold cause it's fricken winter. Jesus On a stick!! 🤦♂️
@@robertcampomizzi7988 No they don’t produce gasses at all, but they DO thin the air out and it can feel like you’re suffocating. Ask me how I know lol
much more helpful that this dude's basic advice, an electric blanket plugged into a car with the engine off? Come on...
@Tyler Roe What is the physical process by which this phenomenon occurs? If by thinning out the air you mean less dense because it's hotter .. that's true but insignificant and irrelevant.
It changes nothing about the composition of the air.
I asked how you know.. what is the physical process that demonstrates how this is possible?
You emphasized NEED and SAFELY and neither are true. Cars are not air tight... so... How are we depriving our brains of oxygen in this scenario?
I don't know if I should feel happy to discover all of these tips or feel bad for him...I hope everyone in this situation gets better, you got this.
This is happening to A lot of people in all 50 states currently
@@kingofyourhood true
Wow
He's an idiot... all the advice he gave was wrong🙄
He's white, he can find a job easily
This is my second week of being homeless. I'm not going to lie but its really hard. It's definitely not easy. I had to leave were I was living due to an emotional and physically abusive relationship. I'm in my car for my safety! I've found using a weighted blanket and a regular blanket works really well. Praying to find a home real soon.
Best to you !!! Hang on, things will get better!
Heated sleeping bag!
@@sarahhutton1095a weighted blanket for $25 works really good!!!
@@michaelparks6120Thank you Michael 🙏❤
I wish best things for you buddy♥️♥️♥️ Never give up!
The best part about a heated blanket is you get to wake up cold with a dead battery
Yeah and best part about idling the engine for hours on a non-diesel vehicle is you burn out your alternator and probably some other stuff
@@joel.ha.what the alternator has to do with the car being diesel or not? Is the alternator of a diesel car different from a gasoline car?
Lmao
@@joel.ha. not really. I would argue that you could just start you car for 5/10 mins every few hours and let it heat back up. But that depends on temperatures and everything else
@@keithbroh5730 lol not if you want to distribute the heat within the cab
Had to live out of my car for a few months and boy did it suck. Always embarrassed to park where people could see me but was too afraid to park in the dark where anyone could walk up on me. Lost a lot of sleep in those days.. but I held it together and told myself it was temporary! Now I have my own house. Unfortunately that car died out on me a few years later but I’m thankful she kept me warm and safe during those hard times. Shit gets better! Never give up that hope❤️
Your soft u were inside a locked car
I was homeless on the cement in the hood no tent no nothing at one point
Grow a pair
Honestly I've never understood how people can be homeless but own cars. Here in Nigeria cars are expensive and if you can afford one, chances are you can afford a roof over your head.
@@e-ben616 here society is kind of upside down when it comes to friends and family. No one helps hardly anyone anymore. And when they do help, they usually are crazier than the reason we ended up homeless in the 1st place! Also rents in this country are all about greed and the rent for any location is exponentially proportional to the number of Californians moving to the area every year. I have watched where it went fron 2 or 3 Cali move into town and 1 year later 500 move and then rents house prices skyrocket to push out everyone born in that town all because of greed!
@@e-ben616 Even here in Uganda you can own a car and be homeless but many people even manage building their own housees but can't afford cars.
@@e-ben616 lm
Wool everything. As someone who has been homeless for two years I can say that if you have a bunch of wool clothes and blankets stashed for winter you are set
Wool socks are the greatest investment a homeless person can make.
Yep I had wool inner clothes, wool socks and wool blankets. Down also helps.
If you are still homeless you shouldn't be watching yt shorts. Still hope you are able to get out of that situation as fast as possible.
@@THaNaS1s why not?
@@THaNaS1s What are you talking about? Everyone has the right to seek out knowledge or entretainment, especially homeless people. Also he said "who has BEEN homeless" BEEN is past tens, so he's talking about the past, not that he is currently homeless.
Insulate everything - the windows with coverings; the door panels are just fabric/plastic over metal - fill it with newspapers or anything you can find to create a barrier between you and the outside. the car has vents that bring in air when you're driving - find out where they're located and close them or cover them, but be careful if you decide to use a Mr Buddy heater with propane that you leave some kind of ventilation 'cause that'll kill you faster than the cold. And layer those clothes - especially your head and feet. Good luck!
I think the hardest part about living in your car is not keeping warm, but finding the right place to park especially if you're in an urban area.
Industrial parks are the best… you have security cameras so nobody will try anything.
HOSPITALS. Underrated spot.
Or when you're not white.
Stay clean outside of the car, and move daily. Even if you sleep in same place at night.
@@elmtnman thanks man, Ima have to give this one a shot
Using your car battery to keep a heating blanket on is a great way to get stranded with a dead battery in the morning.
👎
%100 confirmed from experience
Yes, good answer. Use a power bank to run the blanket.
drive a manual, park on a slope.
yep
Second option is a really good way to kill your battery, esp. if yours is old and it's winter.
The heated blanket kills your battery?
@@AdamDeRossiif the vehicle is not running, the alternator will not charge the battery. If you have a lead plugged into the car while it’s not running , that means the only power source that the blanket it drawing from would be the battery.
@@EdwardJamesKenway... blows my mind that people don't understand that the energy has to come from somewhere lol
@@AdamDeRossi it doesn’t draw much power so it would be fine for about an hour or so but leaving it in all night will both drain your battery and pose a fire hazard. Just leave the damn car running, idling hardly uses gas on any 4 cylinder car produced after 2007
It seems like the implication is that you have the heated blanket plugged in during the day as you are driving around, the blanket goes inside a sleeping bag so that the actual sleeping bag itself is what gets heated up
In the military we spend a lot of time sleeping outside & a good sleeping bag system really works wonders
In boy scouts a sleeping bag and a beanie hat. Why would you waste power on a heater fan vs a blanket 800w vs 150w
I was a primitive wilderness instructor I was thinking the same. Toss a hot hands in the bag. A good Rvalue sleeping pad. Wool and goosedown if you have it. So many more practical ways that require zero use of the vehicle or money on an inverter.
A US Army Extreme Cold Weather sleeping bag and a giant Snickers bar! Talk about being toasty.
@@DonFahquidmifact 💯🤣
Lots of good advice re staying warm living in a car. First and most important do no quit your job. If laid off take any kind of job asap! Better to be cold than starve. Insulating windows (bubble wrap, etc,) is essential to eliminate condensation. Layer clothing to regulate your internal temperature. Heavy wool knit cap & wool socks. Wear fleece pants and jacket in a good warm rated sleeping bag. Down stuff in a sleeping bag is to warm/hot……sweat makes us freeze! Put the bag on blow-up quilt style sleeping mat that allows for air circulation, not directly on a car seat! A pair of wool knit gloves keep hands warm and wick sweet inside the car. Wool is king! Buy a wool blanket for on top of sleeping mat and over the seat back. Now we are warm, not hot! Staying hydrated is very important…….use two thermos’ one for water/tea and one for your hot soup of choice. Now here is the hard part. When down and out necessities are our number one priority. Let’s be humble and go to the soup kitchen, stay at night in a homeless shelter, buy stuff at second hand shops and at good will. God bless.
After being on the road for 3 years now best advice is 1. Insulate your windows. You have no idea how much heat escapes through the glass. Insulate them. 2. Invest in a good sleeping bag (or best you can afford). Makes a world of difference. Even if the inside of the car is freezing you can still be warm as long as you're in your sleeping bag. I even throw a second little blanket over top. 3. Don't be afraid to start your car and let it run for awhile if you are super cold. It's not gonna use as much gas as you think just sitting there. Get the car warm for a bit then turn it back off. Which goes back to #1 and the insulated windows. Even after turning the car off it will stay warm for quite some time if you insulated properly. If you dont have insulation your car will be cold again in minutes
Great advice, do you use Styrofoam?
Bump
@edockter4274 they sell cheap insulation at home depot for like 9 bucks a roll. I bought a couple rolls, cut out pieces in the shape of my windows. Then I went to joanns and got some black fabric and cut out the pieces and glued them to the insulation. (The fabric part isn't needed I did it so my coverings would be black and no one could see them). When you look at my car from the outside with the insulation up it just looks like I have tinted windows. You'll never know I was in there.
@@nomadericSmart idea!
Not homeless but I slept in a 2012 pathfinder in 17° F weather. I cutout insulation for the windows and in the morning, when I pulled one down, a rush of cold air flowed over me.
Those things make a huge difference.
I felt 7/10 warm with a hoodie, sleeping bag, and a few blankets.
Best advice?
Don't sleep at night during the winter. Seriously. Get a night shift job if thats available. Sleep while the sun is out, its much easier (and cheaper) to stay warm. Even if its below freezing you'd be surprised at how warm your car stays as long as the sun is out. As long as you can find a spot to sleep where no one is going to bother you, its way easier. Sleep with the windows down during summer, or switch shifts if thats available.
Thats the beat advi e on here since night shifts are harder to staff and generally pay a little more!
@@MrsD4589 💯💯💯
This is the smartest thing I’ve ever heard
Best advice #1 stop meth get job….
There’s lots of overnight jobs and I would venture to say that it’s probably a little safer to sleep in a car during the day. Great tip
I was forced to move a month ago from a beautiful place in great location to much smaller place in worse location. I felt traumatised. Coming across this video, reading other people's experience really helped me appreciate my situation. It's far from as tragic as I saw it. Thank you all for sharing your stories and for those who are currently fighting bad times.... hope you see better days rather sooner than later. Stay strong!
@@brontiq I moved and should have stayed.
@@Msangel06can you go back?? I hope you get where you want to be.
Lived in my truck for over 3 years in Alaska. Rough times for sure, but I made through. I modified one of those imported diesel heaters to blow into the cab of the truck. Used about 3/4 of a gallon of diesel per night when temps were below zero.
I was homeless for about 8 months but luckily the construction company I work for heard about my situation and allow me to park my vehicle at the office lot and run a extension cord out to my car. With that I had electricity. Glad they helped out with what they could.
That's some good men right there. o7
Can't tell you how challenging it is to find a ln outlet in the wild.
Shoutout to the Company guys 🎉
@@lm4349
I remember finding a working AC outlet in a shopping center parking lot. I tried to be discreet about it because if others found out, I knew what would happen. Sure enough, didn’t take long for them to cut the power to that outlet 😕
I would have put a bed in the office for the worker
You know Gen Z is in dire straits when there are influencers creating tutorials about how to survive being homeless.
Boomers: just work harder
They won’t work because it isn’t “enough money” even though I can get them a job making great money none of them ever take up on it 🤷🏽♂️
@@davidwalker8778 elaborate further
@@davidwalker8778 Idk how much you're offering but I feel like a lot of people underestimate how much you gotta get paid to survive. Also if its trade related, theres not gonna be a lot of young people skilled because they never got taught those skills.
@@nationofpigs485 they require high school diplomas and prioritize degrees
I lived in my Chevy Trailblazer for 4 months through the winter of 2020. It was rough as I’m 6’3 and had to take out the passenger seat and build it into a little bed. I made it work and it’s what I had to do in order to save up for a home. Pretty wild times.
I applaud you my friend. I'm 6ft tall so just a few inches shorter than you. Still,3in of height difference inside of a car is a big difference. I stayed in my old '85 Ford Ltd station wagon,also for about 6 months,when I was 22 & it rained more during that 6 months than I'd ever seen in a consecutive 6 month period. I mention that because the seals around every single window and door leaked so bad it might as well not had any seals left. I had a job but had made some really stupid choices & found myself evicted and without a soul to turn to for help. So I took my next paycheck and waterproofed my car with some cheap tarps and tubes of silicone from harbor freight. Then got a hot plate & found a cheap campground where I rented a lot for around $100 per month. It had a spigot with free running water & a bathroom with showers right in the middle of the camp ground.
So other than the 1st week where I was broke & had to suffer through the rain all week. I have to say I value the wisdom that I aquired during that time. That was 15yrs ago, & I certainly have a different set of values. Same as for how I count my blessings.
You took that seat out made a berthing area because of that damn headrest didn't you.😂😂😂. I camped in mine and that damn headrest I swear I wanted to just take it sawzall to it and hack it out of there
I also lived in my truck for 7 weeks but as a hobby. I put a nice bed in the back and a buddy heater. It was like a sauna in the truck.
Mr.Buddy propane heaters are very dangerous in small rigs. 🔥 & C.M. poisoning.
Ppl are much safer just to get the right clothes & blankets.
If you have a heated blanket plugged in with the car off you could kill the car battery so be careful, maybe get a car starter kit too if you do that
It shouldnt drain the battery like that unless you have a bad battery.
@@MR_POPSICLES it will if you have it on all night. Try leaving your headlights on and see if they empty the battery
@@angrycreeper100 no lmao I leave 2 cigarette lighter plugs that charge phone Bluetooth rgb lights on 24/7 never had a problem. Headlights have a way more amperage draw than that heated blanket
If it was just the blanket You’d have to run that thing for like 40 hours to kill that car battery
@@JoseSanchez-so8bn you're joking right? The **heated** blanket is exactly that. HEATED. It has a giant heating element, similar to that in your toaster... It is quite literally a short circuit... Headlights may draw around 3 to 5 amps, but a heating element can draw WAY more.
I remember being homeless without a car yet still was working for at an Indian food restaurant. They would always ask why I had my backpack and offer me rides home and I could never say yes at the fear of losing my job. I would have to wait until everyone left and would walk over to sleep under an over pass where I would leave my sleeping bag. I had a possum that figured out my schedule and would steal my food while I was at work and one time caught a random guy stealing my stuff and had to fight him to get it back. It was a roll out pad thing that I found at the good will and couldnt afford it so I asked if they could hold it for a few hrs until I could get enough and they said no and threw on the ground behind them. So I left and as I was walking away from the store a lady yelled excuse me sir! I turned around and she had bought the sleeping pad for me and I said I couldnt afford it and she said here, it's on me. At that very moment I just lost it and burst into tears as she gave me a hug. I had never had anyone ever DP something that nice for me before ever in my life and I needed that hug so badly. I will never forget that. I'm a lot better now and have gotten my life together but never underestimate the power of something like a small good deed can do to bring someone out of their lowest of lows. Just to know a single human cared when no one else did changed everything for me.
Good for you! I hope life is better now!
inspiring, ty for sharing
Inspiring. But you could have told this to indian owner and he would have Made arrangements for you. Indians are kind towards hard working people.
I was homeless for 3 years and to this day I think of a few specific people who were kind to me and I wish that I could find them and tell them how much they changed my life. The kindness of those people meant so much to me there aren't even words for it I will never ever forget them.
haha bum boy (jk)
i was homeless for 4 years. tips: wool socks and blankets, reflectics window covers for all windows to insulate in winter and summer(your windows cause the majority of heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, youll need to buy a roll of reflectics and cut to the shape of the windows), if you arent running the car to save gas dont use the cigaret plug as it will drain the car battery and if you need to leave at a moments notice a dead car battery is a big setback so use a battery pack to power things at night and recharge it while driving. i was a delivery driver durring this time so i drove more than enough to recharge my battery banks. get a good strong fan for summer. hand heaters help in the short term. take note of where and when you have access to a bathroom, there are mobile options but they are not ideal. organizing your things is very important not just to make thing easier to find but to also improve your mindset in a tough situation. dude wipes brand shower wipe for the days you cant take a real shower, not a replacement but it buys you time. park where you have permition never assume its ok. if you support the right to bare arms for self defense it is highly reccomended if possible. always cooperate completely with authorities. they understand your situation better than you might at that time and might even offer solid advice. comfortable means of sleep in your vehicle is a must, outdoor seat cushions are a good start but they lose their comfort after a month so carefully weigh your options here.
Thx u
My friend who lives in her car just told me that in the TN winter, she wears a snow suit! What a great idea, and sleeps inside a good sleeping bag in layers. A snowsuit!! WOW, that is using ingenuity.
I'd never get that thing off to pee 😂
@@desertgirl1392lolol me either!
I wear ski pants even tho I've never been skiing 😊 I'm just a big baby to the cold. Being made fun of but I'm the only out in it warm and toasty
Cover your windows. Even shut tight, glass windows lets the cold seep in. Use what you have, sun shield, towels, cardboard, to cover the windows as best as you can. You may not feel like it did much but, once you step outside in the morning, you'll feel a noticeable difference.
This is what I was going to say.
Underrated comment, if you can get hold of some 25mm insulation board and cut it to size it will make a massive difference to temperature and also offer a little more privacy.
I just said this new comic my damn self LOL 😂😆😂 I'm currently live in this situation
Actually, need to Crack open a window at least 1.5 inches.
You can die from carbon dioxide poisoning.
Canadians know this as getting stranded on the side of the highway during a blizzard at minus 30 degrees Celsius to minus 48 degrees Celsius.
Don't use your battery or run your engine either. You will need your car to be able to run. You at extremely low temperatures want to run your car periodically to keep your car from freezing. You will need someone to boost your car if your lucky but once completely frozen all fluids etc have frozen. Rods break and radiator cracks.
If you have a Tesla, your car's battery will be completely broken and will no longer be able to be recharged.
Suffocation?
Okay look, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR HEATED BLANKET PLUGGED IN OVER NIGHT. Dear God, you're gonna wake up to a dead battery.
Thank god someone else understands this too! And u are not using a converter for a little heater without cranking your car otherwise you will wake up too a dead battery too. It’ll actually be u finding out you have a dead battery somewhere around 2am.
Not necessarily an issue if you have a manual transmission and a decent alternator.... roll start the car when you need to go somewhere, and let the alternator do its job
@@outcast_performance The only thing with that is you'll eventually kill your alternator. Yes, it will start, but the alternator isn't built to recharge a dead battery on a regular basis. Also, lots of alternators have to see voltage before they put out voltage.
He could…..just park on a hill and bump it off in the morning 😂😂
@@outcast_performance false, a battery that is depleted constantly, will go bad very quickly, and will no longer be able to hold a charge. On top of that, the alternator is only meant to maintain your battery, not recharge it from ground up, having your alternator charge your battery repeatedly will melt your alternator.
My wife and I were homeless for two years and lived out of a little Ford Focus with no heat. Winter was brutal. I lined the floorboards with space blankets lit a tea light candle on the floorboard and very carefully covered up with another space blanket while keeping my legs open to let the heat rise up to my legs. That’s how I survived negative temperatures in a car without heat. On the coldest nights we would each lay up against the doors in the backseat and I’d put her feet under my arm pits with four blankets over us. Anytime I see someone walking in freezing temps I always stop and give them hand warmers. You never know how much that can help someone.
Or you could've, I dunno, drove to a warmer climate?
OMG. What soukess country let's people be homeless for two years??? In Finland we have zero homeless people. We have emergency housing and help people as long as it is required.
@@lukei6255 I'm sure Finland having a population 60x smaller than the United States, while also taxing ±56% of Personal Income compared to the USA's ±37% Personal Income Tax is the issue. As well as Finland accepting 30,000 migrant people per year (2022) vs. the USA's 1.01 million migrants per year (2022). I don't think it is a "Souless country" issue, I think it's a hhhhhuuuuuggggeeee logistical issue, as well as the red tape of getting Federal, state and municipal all coming together to solve a complex issue . (also my sources are websites that looked reputable, don't crucify me for not doing more research)
So you were addicted to drugs
@@ph1ll1p Damn great breakdown never thought of all that. It's too many ppl here plus living expenses depending what city this guy is in.
Layers of clothing helps. I had one person tell me if you dont have heating and its cold, put layers of newspaper between your blankets. It helps hold your body heat in. I found, when i had to live in a tent during winter, that having a rabbit fur coat on top of your blankets or sleeping bag. It really is earm and insulated you. I was lucky to have that coat. A few years ago i had no electricity or water. That winter my two cats slept under the covers with me at night and we were all toasty warm.
Wearing layers! Use lots and lots of layers of wool made clothing - especially socks and gloves to keep yourself warm! Also if you can - choice your parking slot wisely - make sure the rising sun hits it straight away in the morning. Another thing you can do (if you’re not too ashamed - like I was) is talk to people and rent a free garage spot for the really icy nights or snow storms. Other than that: stay safe out there ❤ life is tough but we are tougher!
Smart
I prefer that. I don't want to risk anything using electricity.
As someone who lives in Alaska, the first two options will kill your battery quick... If you don't want to use electricity or gas, get yourself some space blankets (the kind from medkits) and cover your windows/doors, that will help trap heat inside your car. Also, grab some Pocket warmers, and place them around your chest area. your limbs and fingers will lose heat the fastest, so keep them as close to your core as possible, that way everything including your core is at optimal temperature.
100% agree. I was going to say the exact same things
Yeah buddy. He's homeless. Not gonna buy 40$ worth of pocket heaters a night
@@gabegabe9989 he literally has a car and a 20$ battery. Homie didn't say he had no money, he just said he was homeless
If he has 600$ a month to spend on hand heaters he can pay rent somewhere
@@gabegabe9989 they make rechargeable ones for $10 a piece lol
Until you kill the battery and then it wont start. Install a car starter. They can be programmed to start every 2 hrs and run for fifteen minutes this will keep the battery charged and allows you to use the heater or blanket
Imagine being awoken randomly at 3am by your car starting
Kill the battery from running the car? Bruh what. I've been in my car for years now and sometimes during real bad storms my car will be running for well over 24 hours.
@generalpanda6028 priuses can do that. It's why alot of people like them for car life. You turn on climate control and it'll behave like your air conditioning at home. The car will turn on, get to the temperature you set, then turn back off automatically.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@generalpanda6028 who cares, as long as you don't freeze to death
I did this in Provo Utah from 2014 - 2017 on and off while working a full time job as it's hard to find something affordable if you are not a active member of the LDS religion.
My advice is to wear winter clothes(ski clothes), double up on socks and wear a beanie at night. Be careful as well not to get snowed in as well
That's what I'd be worried about. Getting snow or plowed in. Keeping track of the weather/precipitation is important.
I’m crying reading these comments because I’m about to be in this situation due to short notice by my landlord to leave. I hate that people have had to experience living in their cars but I’m super grateful for all the advice and helpful tips I’m reading!! ❤
How is it going now?
@elcortez5434 It's saving me a lot on rent.. most my things in storage locker sleeping in my backseat of a 2 door not to bad gotta find a way to keep condensation off windows it gets muggy and damp in this canadian environment not everyone is cut out for it but I like having my own space not dealing with annoying roommates or nosey strict landlords for now 😉
Good Luck out there man, is not easy but you get tougher with time. A tip to help with condesation is to insulate the windows@@Mightyempress
@@MightyempressI’m also soon to be living in my car 😅
My roommate is impossible to live with, just lack of chores and he lets his gf live there rent free 😊
So I am leaving, and his gf has to join the lease
Worst part is not being able to sleep with my cats.. they’ll be in my moms house
My new car payments+rent is just too expensive.. you need a roommate to live in this world and me and my ex plan to find a place in spring 😂 I worry I’m just putting myself in another shitty living situation but life is too expensive 😢
@@Mightyempressget a 0000 steel wool and do a deep clean on your windows with along side some soapy water and then use either a rain x window spray or, if you can, a ceramic coat solution. The ceramic coat is ideal because any type of water will just bead off/ slide down the window 💯
Pro tip: use military winter underclothes and sleeping bags. That's it. They're not the cheapest but they work best. If you've got enough fleece and wool separating you from the environment, it'll be comfortable and warm inside. You can use TWO sleeping bags if a single one doesn't cut it. I used to live in a trench and it worked splendidly in freezing cold, just make sure it stays dry on the inside.
Speaking of trenches, I recommend you build yourself a shelter. It can actually be just a hole in the ground with some watertight roofing. Or you could just use a tent, that works too, but those tend to not be very watertight.
Why did you live in a trench
@@NickBitts Because I was at the frontline in a war. There aren't many housing options that are safe, and there aren't usually any pre-made fortifications so you make one yourself.
@@michaelbuckers which war?
@@keksicus6833 Chechen
@@keksicus6833 The ongoin one.
full time van life here.. thanks for making a video to help folks. here's a few more... #1.a single cande flame produces approximately 80 BTU s of heat. Add a heat sink. #2 Park with your windshield facing east so you get the maximum amount of sun as soon as it comes up. #3 get a dog. Happy nomading!
Would need to keep the window a little more open because the candle will be using oxygen, and because you don’t want your lungs to be acting as the filter on the smoke.
No, don't get a dog
@@juliecarson7364why not? 😕 Best thing I can think of for protection, company, heat and moral support!! 😊
@@IsMiseAineSure, if you're traveling and having fun. Where does a dog go when you have to work to survive at any time of the year? Jesus.
First get a very good quality underware warm clothes like those to go for trekking ( pants and shirt). It will help you not to mind it is cold cause it will make a strong barrier to your skin. 2nd get a very good sleeping bag, a hollowfiber one. 3rd go for a walk if you do not know how to take it, cause walking almost for 1 hour will stimulate your metabolism and keep You warmer. 4 do not eat carbohydrates after 5 pm, your body will work perfect burning fats during the night you will wake up in the morning strong and fresh. I m living on streets from almost 10 years, sleeping everywhere I know what You mean. And remember that having your car is great, I only have a bike it is not that great. 🙌
Tips from a backpacker: use a 32 oz Nalgene or other thick plastic or aluminum water and fill it with near boiling water and put in sleeping bag it will work as a heater for about 4 hours, a silk bag liner will add about 10° to your bag rating, wear wool it is both warm and wicks away your sweat if you get hot, don’t put your head in the bag you’ll make too much condensation and get cold instead get a balaclava to keep your face covered
This appears to be the best comment on the whole thing.
Whoa......when the end of the world comes......I'm following you 👍🏾
Glad I didn't have to write all this cause that's what I was gonna say too 😂... that method saved my behind on a an unexpectedly cold night in the mountains camping... I was NOT prepared cause my very young self didn't check the weather (yea. I know ... I know... 🤦🏾♂️). But I slept like a BABY after i restarted my fire, boiled some water and threw that Nalgene in my sleeping bag.
Alpaca ponchos are great as well
@@DhaoistAzazel Your cologne is Burnt Almonds? Where can I get this??
I'll forever be thankful to homeless people.
My mother in law suffers from Dementia and was in the hospital because of a heart attack, she left her hospital bed and went outside unnoticed(yes, we did file a lawsuit) and was basically reported missing after hours she had left. We looked for her for hours after contacting the police as well, but with no success. It was freezing cold and she had simple hospital dress, also being sick and old would be fatal. When she was found, more than 20 hours after escaping the hospital(7am), she was found with 4 jackets covering her up, apparently homeless people had given her those jackets, while common people didnt even question the fact that a old lady was in hospital dress
The people who did that were actual chads, good on them
Wow
Most homeless take care of each-other. If they see someone in need they’ll usually give you the clothes on their back. Wish our country would do the same
Well kindness IS free
Its usually the people who r going through or have went through shit that r the most understanding
One underrated tip is to try to have everything be black, especially if you manage to have a black car with tinted windows that could be the difference between bone rattling cold and comfortably chilly. The next thing is layers, don’t care what it is if you have it and you’re freezing out it on, as long as it isn’t wet it will do more good than harm.
You want the color the radiates heat the best to stay warm? How does that help you at night when you are sleeping? It will literally shed all the heat in the car faster than any other color. Although I doubt it really makes a noticable difference. If you want a car that is the hottest in the sunlight, sure, go for black.
Two layers of thermals works more than twice as well. Three if you can manage. I can't ever convince people of this. I wear two layers in the winter when I have to be outside, it makes a huge difference.
But you may die in Summer...
Does skin color work too?
@@uncannyvalley2350 pro tip, don't wear black in summer. Why is there always an idiot like you in the comment section lol
I’m literally on this path next week with a car note and working as an Amazon driver. Wish me luck
How's it going?
Respect to everybody out there living unconventionaly and keeping your heads up.
that's what we're calling homelessness now?
@Burrito I mean if they don't got a home that's technically being homeless
@Burrito I'm not homeless. I chose to not live in a bricks and stick. in 3 years I have saved over $90k by giving up my apartment and moving into a van.
@@nykatewinslowable how do you shower and keep your clothes clean? Not being rude just genuinely wondering
@Owen Thoman sometimes the have showers and bathroom in the vans depending on the van. But sometimes if u have a gym membership they'll let you shower
Also keep in mind that when you have things plugged into the car that draws electricity from the battery. And cold weather is already very hard on batteries so don’t be surprised when you wake up warm and don’t have enough juice to start the car.
yeah pretty dumb advice
I was thinking the same thing might as well run your engine... I spent multiple yrs in vehicles in Ohio winters just run car it's like .50-2.00 an hr to idle...
@@ELI173DEWITT tbf gas prices have climbed alot, but i guess atleast were past 2022 with the stupid $7 gas
@DeputyFish I lived in car with my family all of 2021 and most of 2020 and i ran the car 24hrs a day and without driving I used 40 dollars max in a day that's 1.67 per hr with air condition and heat
@@DeputyFish $7, not 7$
After a number of years in the Army, I can say that keeping dry is always number one to keeping warm. I would breathe my own hot breath down into the sleeping bag with my balaclava covering my mouth to catch the moisture. Also, a personal tip I think is to keep the clothes that you'll be wearing the next day in the bag with you. They'll both provide more layers and they'll be warmer to put on when you wake up and get dressed. Get dressed in the bag if possible to avoid the cold shock once you emerge from your cocoon of warmth.
And good luck brother.
@@Mohammed.k.7 Oh yeah, because we all know Algeria is a great place to live from all the millions of Algerians living in Paris. 😂 Just say that you're jealous of America being so much richer than your pathetic Arab shithole. 😂😂😂
@@Mohammed.k.7 I'm sure your country has homeless too. Struggling is universal.
Learnt the same in my time Army.
Having you cloths inside the sleeping bag is wrong. If you get out of a warm bag in your cloths your temp will drop and you will feel colder.
Have on only a thin layer and when you get up then get dressed. You will rapidly lose heat then reward and feel comfortable
Ooh rah
1. Wool clothes: long johns, hat, sox, mittens (no cotton!)
2. Space blanket
3. Hot water bottle ( either from tap or immersion coil/boiler)
4. Hand/foot warmers
5. Insulate/cover windows & cab area
6. Park in sun if possible
7. Short bursts of engine running
Advice coming from Michigan winters. Get an extra winter coat and stick it between you and the door - the door lets in a lot of cold air. Cover the windows with double reflective insulation. You can make your own with said insulation and cardboard. Doing this will vastly insulate your vehicle and you won't need a heating blanket or to run your vehicle. Make your window covers a bit oversized with the cardboard. This way you can stick velcro on the flaps and around your windows so you can just velcro it into place and not burn through a bunch of tape. Burrito yourself and sleeping bag in a queen sized comfitor. The comfitor is the best option, but if you don't have that, using a second sleeping bag works too
No . An old style quilt is the best option they were made to keep you warm before electricity
Fear not, you wouldn’t have needed that quilt, because you could just cut your horse open and survive the night inside of its chest cavity. Like Luke.
Advanced users will find the wood from your horse drawn buggy, as a useful fuel to build and maintain a small fire.
Follow me for more 1880’s life hacks!
OR you could buy a modern insulated blanket, of reasonable quality.
@@EffYoInfo the internet remains undefeated 😂😂😂
hey! Michigan is nothing compared to Wisconsin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@vohbe Cheese Turd
If you have to sleep outside also keep your clothes and shoes in your bag. It will keep them dry from the dew and keep them warm for the morning. Also I spent a couple years in a home with no power or water through some very cold winters. I was lucky enough to have a dog and best believe we stayed much warmer snuggling.
Yes I know from experience having a dog sleep on top of you in a room where you can see your breath does help alot.
I only have a small dog, but when camping he's like a little furnace, makes a huge difference
Insulate the windows! I.e. blankets rolled up in the windows or, preferably, use a couple foam yoga mats to cut some to shape. The front and back windows are biggest and lose the most heat so find a way to insulate them well or seal them off from the occupied part of the vehicle. Keep in mind the rest of the body, and particularly the roof, of the vehicle are poorly insulated too. A space blanket tacked to the ceiling can go a long ways.
Not too insulated tho you still want oxygen. It’s a real small space
@@StoryTimmy putting curtains on your windows or blankets doesn't stop oxygen from getting into your car 😂😂
Insulate and crack a window or two so it doesn't get too stuffy.
@@StoryTimmy covering your windows doesn't automatically make them airtight which by the way they already are they seal when they're fully closed your car isn't airtight it's not even watertight and that's by design
Insulate your car ! Bubble wrap on windows , cheap reflectives on windows, car rugs/blankets on windows, wrap all this throughout vehicle etc . Wrap yourself in cosy warm clothes. Use sleeping bag and duvet .
Result cosy and warm 😊😊😊😊😊
The hardest part of living in your car is accepting the reality.
I guess it depends on how you ended up there. I actually chose to live in my Suburban, for almost 5 years. I had a decent job, and a nice apartment, and alot of nice things, and I decided that I didn't need it. I sold or gave away almost all of my things, and fixed up my Suburban to live in, and thats where I lived. With my only "bills" being my cell phone..car insurance..and gas..i saved up almost $80,000 in the those 5 years. It would have been alot more, but there were 2 different times my Suburban broke down, and I had to pay $1400 to get it fixed the first time, and about $1800 the second time. Plus I had to stay in a motel for 3 weeks both times while it was being fixed, and rent a car to get to and from work, so that was all a bit costly. But anyway, that time I spent living in my vehicle really changed alot of things for me, and really made me realize how little I actually "need" to live a full and happy life. But yeah, I can definitely understand how awful it would be to end up living in your vehicle under different circumstances tho.
I can’t tell if this is sympathy or judgement, you sound so menacing
Accept reality and work your way up richness is scalable in the usa 🇺🇸 a being poor is a choice here in the usa 🇺🇸
Still gotta run to keep the battery charged 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
I did it on and off for awhile. I hated it. As soon as I got enough money together I’d get a motel room. Trying to live in my car drove me mental. It’s hard to relax when you’re basically constantly in public
I wish I could have had a car when I was homeless. But I only had trees and bushes. Minnesota winters are often brutal.
How did you survive during the winter?
@tommytwo-times9053 luck and understanding. I'm not the only person in MN that had to survive winter like that. Trees and bushes really help to block the winds at least. Pine trees with full bottoms offer protection from the snow if you can find one. A football player gave me his rain resistant jacket and the mayor would give me bread and bananas to eat every other week. I was also smart enough to never sleep on concrete. If you steal enough woodchips they can make a nice insulating bed. Not comfortable but better than before and better than sleeping directly on the ground. Also staying away from people and not making my situation too obvious to the general public. If you are homeless due to not having the resources instead of homeless for poor choices then you are more likely to be killed or at least badly harmed by "normal" everyday people who are not in your position. I've watched so many others who were just there because they fell on hard times, be attacked by that unassuming, well-dressed guy who's always laughing and smiling and would "never hurt a fly" or was "so generous". Nobody would believe what's really hiding behind those "super sweet" people's masks. It's far more common than anyone realizes. Those who offer help usually have an ulterior motive. Especially if you're a woman. The younger she looks, the worse it gets. Trust no one, not even yourself.
Obviously, he didn't.
@@filmc3887Stop Judging please 💜
What did you do? I feel if that were me I would head south
Add a second deep cycle battery with a disconnect to run an electric blanket off of so your main car battery is separate and can start your car the next day. Also covering the HVAC vents under the windshield on the outside can help keep a lot of cold air from coming inside your car, and space blankets.
Pro tip
Honestly just insulate as much of the car as you can if you know it's gonna be a cold night. Those windows will sap a ton of heat
Just shut the recirc door. No need to cover the vents, your car literally already has a door that will do that for you. Turn on recirculating air mode and it shuts off the outside air.
@@MinistryOfMagic_DoM some cars like impalas that are made cheap wont close the door completely
yep. don't wanna drain your main for sure. & do NOT use anything flammable it uses O2. park your vehicle out of wind if at all possible.
Candle heater under a flower pot. A couple tea lights under it should heat that area put a metal duct on top close it up but put a couple holes in it so the warm air escapes heating the space. Put a small frying pan under less chance of fire and then you can use the frying pan to heat something up for morning breakfast. Oh make sure that between the flower pot and frying pan there is space like washers or quarters so air can get into it heat up. Hope it helps!! Stay warm!!!
Cheapest thing you can do is just buy a Military grade sleeping bag I slept in negative weather, hot as heck
Yep with proper insulation one can sweat in negative temps. No need for gas or a battery to stay warm when prepared.
for real. i'd much rather invest however much for a decent mummy bag than drain my battery with a heating blanket
This is the comment I was going to share. Take your shirt off too. You'll be cold for a minute, but warm up quickly. You will not be cold at all through the night. I'd say you might be hot. The sleeping bags aren't insanely expensive either. I believe they are around 300 bucks. While that may seem expensive it's multiple pieces for one and a high quality sleeping back can go for 1000 bucks. So, this is a great price.
@@zetsumei1017yep, military grade sleeping systems are actually designed to sleep in underwear only, I slept manyyyyyy nights in the cold basically naked in my sleeping system and was just fine.
If you’re able put a “skirt” around the bottom of your car. Part of the reason it gets so cold is because of all the cold air blowing beneath you. This is something that mobile homes take advantage of as well as people living in campers in cold climates. It’s not a good idea if you’re running your car for heat though
Yeah, large pieces of magnetic signs would actually work if there’s metal trim around the bottom of the car
Not sure it would do something for a car. Mainly because its not insulated for heat at all. And a camper is insulated
@@marnixkamminga8083 It might help a bit, the skirt may contain the heat of the under carriage for a while by just keeping out the cold air. 🤔
That doesn't work for cars.🤣
Three tips from me:-
1- Make sure your car has some kind of low battery cut off when using electric appliances so you don't get stranded.
2- Try to park up in a place thats out of the wind at least, higher up a hill or valley to avoid mist or fog too.
3- Be careful if you are using your engine for heat, if the exhaust is either pooling or blowing towards the passenger compartment air intake it can pump CO in with you and while your homeless problem is solved its a very permanent solution for a hopefully temporary problem, minor exhaust damage/rust can cause it too. This could be a 4th tip but I think it fits here, always be careful with any kind of propane or camping heater stove too, for the same CO risk, get a cheap detector if you ever try one.
every car built after 2000ish has catalysts which don't allow for CO to be produced. You can't even really kill yourself with cars now, as you can only asphyxiate from CO2
very permanent solution💀
@@36ys29 Is he wrong?
@@Admiral_Jezza I suppose it was a snarky way to joke on my part but it's true, being homeless isn't a problem anymore if you are not careful.
@@williama.6197 Except I am Gen X and Hominids have been making tools to make our lives easier for the last Million years...
You would be shocked at how much heat even a single candle can give off just be extra careful and keep a window open at least an inch or 2! Wishing you luck, security and peace 🫶🏻
You know it’s bad when you see how to live in your car tips nonchalantly on social media. Thankful to live in a place where it’s warm all year around. Props to those who live in this situation 😢
Late stage capitalism 😭😭
😭😭😭😭
@@KaiBrunk125 Final boss capitalism 😎😎
Guess you should make a video, how to keep cool when sleeping in your car.
Come Chicago see how u last
A great tip is to park your car inside somewhere if possible. A parking garage is significantly warmer than just parking on a curb on the street.
They are also great to beat the heat in the summer.
And leaving the car on in the garage is safer supposedly. Especially in the summer
@@cljoe35 Why would it be safer to leave your car on in a parking garage? Summer or winter? They are designed to contain hundreds and hundreds of cars… running or turned off.
If you have a little stove, you can heat water and put it in a hot water bottle. Also handwarmers put inside your sleeping bag work wonderful
I just read that hot water bottles are only good for 2 years. The seams eventually split. Just wanted to warn folks.
I have been living in my van for about 8 months now. At first very discouraged and frustrated. However, I now have a bit of routine going but still looking for work. Found the local college has an aquatic center where I can take my showers for no charge. I do my laundry once or twice a week at the local laundry mat. The evenings I charge my phone and work on my laptop at a 24 hr. McDonald's. Then go to stay overnight at our local Walmart. Tonight is Christmas and I was told last night that I have to leave as well as tonight at a different location. I am in Florida throughout the summer it was a bit hard because I don't have ac in my van. I would park at the beachside Walmart where there was a bit of a breeze. There have been some colder nights where it dipped down in to the forty's. Thankfully I have a very warm comforter that my brother and his wife gave to me. I do have Heating from the ac so before I turn in for the evening I make a run to a 24 hr Cumberland farms to use the restroom and run the heater so my van will be nice and warm when I turn in for bed. I have an air mattress and surprisingly find it rather comfortable.
Hey I plan on living in my car in Montana during the winter months and I've been reading how to it's important to keep your windows insulated to help with heat but I was wondering what if I bought a weather tarp to put on top of my car to keep heat in? Is that a dumb idea?
One important thing is, if you can afford it, never underestimate the value of getting something to eat. Your body needs energy to help itself stay warmer. It also helps with the not starving thing.
What a dumb comment holy
I would also suggest drinking some form of liquid at least every few days doesn’t have to be water but water is preferable
@mranderson 1 You better be drinking more than every few days or your ass is dead in a couple weeks from dehydration lmao
Don't forget to breathe air (NOT WATER)
Yea I’ve noticed when I don’t eat for a few days I get colder much easier
Just passed a full year being homeless in April. Had a good time living out the 4runner in Maine, lots of jobs 20$+ an hour flagging traffic and stuff. Just got too cold and got nowhere to go to call home. Thought about making a GoFundMe cause I have my big dog and his puppies with me and it gets hard out here. ❤good luck everyone good day!
Omg !!! How!!?? With puppies!! Omg
Oh man! Rents here (Greater Portland area) are horrible! The L/A area no better nor Biddeford/Sanford area.
I remember when I was living out of my car for 3 years, there was one year that was particularly bad in the winter when the car I had at the time didn’t have heat and had a hole in the passenger side. Me and my girlfriend had to use our bodies to keep warm through the long nights when we couldn’t afford
To stay in a hotel. It’s not easy and I was blessed to have a car but hard work and staying focused and working nonstop paid off because I took a risk and drove from MA to Fl to start a new life. I’m still struggling but I have a roof over my head and a stable job and my basic needs are met I’m content and great full. Happy Valentines everyone ❤️🙏🏼
Congratulations and good luck to you.
what is your current struggle?
No, just purchase a more powerful power station like an EcoFlow OR OUPES MEGA 2 and buy a small DUAL heater with AC capabilities for the warmer months. It will keep you warm/cool all night. The power station can be charged using solar panels installed on the roof of your vehicle. Also, if you do not want to go the heater route, simply buy a GOOD ELECTRIC BLANKET (better than the one shown in this video), thick socks and also a thick hat. 🤗
Those emergency foil blankets keeps heat in very well.
I'm retired Army, served for 23 years and a trained Winter Operations Instructor.
Rule #1 Remember this acronym: COLD
Clean
Open
Layered
Dry
Clean items are better at trapping and keeping air in the fabric warm than dirty items. The dirt, grease, and other things displace the air pockets and are better at conducting temperature from outside to your skin, so you will be colder if it is dirty and if it is Clean.
Open means ventilated. If you trap too much warm air and overheat, then you will get damp or wet, and lose the insulating value. We would put a scarf, cloth, or towel over our faces in a mummy style sleeping bag, the moisture from exhaling would be trapped in the towel, instead of ducking our entire head into the sleeping bag and causing it to get damp or wet.
Layered because you can adjust, add, or remove a layer of clothing to regulate how much heat you are retaining so you don't get cold or too warm.
And Dry, because with the exception of wool, anything wet does not retain heat.
In addition, use a tarp over your car to help keep it dry, reduce any leaks you may have, and if possible rig it to have a space between the vehicle and the tarp. Also, the sides need to be low, closet to the ground. Creating that air pocket around the car, under the tarp will facilitate keeping the wind and water off the car directly. IMPORTANT: Make sure to vent the car exhaust outside of that tarp, and any other heat sources that produce gasses, fumes, or emissions.
A headliner in the car, and if possible a taught sheet or blanket that allows entry and exit from your car, and covers your windows. That creates another layer to trap air between the inside of the car and the blanket. It's easier to warm air that is trapped like that. And again. Remember to ventilate.
Park in areas that provide protection from the wind and elements..
Good luck
Thank you for sharing this with us!
you deserve a metal for this comment
The one time I actually felt informed watching TH-cam.. lol thanks
Thank you
I too went to cwlc in Black rapids
Good tip, from someone who was stuck in a blizzard in my car: army/surplus gear is usually much cheaper than you think, and winter gear will be very effective at conserving heat. Another good tip is to cover your windows and windshield to prevent heat escape.
Portable propane space heaters work well. Just be sure to ventilate, keep anything flammable away and shut it off completely when you're ready to sleep. Would not recommend running the inverter as it can blow relays or fuses and short out your car's electrical system. Buy a pack of hand warmers and throw a few in your sleeping bag. Also, wear thick wool socks and have a cushion to rest your feet and keep them insulated from the cold floor boards. Having a hot drink or soup broth before you go to bed also keeps you warm.
1. Get a car cover, reduce the warmth that exits your car /alternatively cover windows specifically
2. Don't sleep in the same clothes you wore during the day, change into light pyjamas (not too warm or else you may start sweating) and roll up your day clothes to stuff them at the bottom of your sleeping bag
3. Some first aid packs come with thermal foil blankets, those were specifically designed to protect injured people from freezing to death or getting heat strokes. (has goldish and silver sides each has a different purpose)
4. don't sleep sitting, try to lie down for better blood circulation and heat distribution
5. keep a thermo-bottle with hot ginger tea nearby to drink during the night when you wake up and feel freezing. Ginger opens up blood vessels again to allow faster warming up.
Also don't let your warm farts escape out the windows.
Absolutely find a way to insulate the windows at night, on of the biggest spots of heat loss, I'm not sure with a car cover, I guess it's a good idea just don't turn the car on under the cover, can burn or trap carb monoxide and kill you.
you can get all that but you cant find a home?
@@henrysinclair5914 yeah houses dont cost 100$
@@henrysinclair5914 you think pajamas, window covers, a blanket, and a water bottle cost tens of thousands of dollars?
Park your car & go to a tower hotel. Walk in like you own the place. Take the elevator to the 4th highest floor. Get out & look for the service stairs. Quietly climb to the top floor. Spend your night in warmth & silence, no one is taking the service stairs down from the top floor.
What if you snor... imagine the fricken echo...!!!
@@JUSTICE-COMING 😂😂
I’ll keep this in mind.. I don’t think I’ll ever have to resort to that but you never know when you might be drunk as shit in a unfamiliar city with a dead phone and no currency
@@billybobthornton8553 I've literally done his recommendation in the situation you're describing but it was at a Hilton Hotel lol, the cleaning staff woke me up and just assumed I was a dumb drunk who had a room and just couldn't find it. I pretended Id somewhere to be and shot on home. City was Dublin Ireland, great time.
@@billybobthornton8553 you got some fucked up priorities man 😂 stop drinking get a job
I feel like people really need to be aware that running your engine isn't just using a lot of gas, it can kill you if you have any kind of exhaust leak, especially if it snowing and the snow builds up and the car. I don't advise running the engine. If you must be sure the exhaust is in his shape, no holes in the body or floor, and keep a window cracked. No joke, this really happens. Don't underestimate carbon monoxide.
Yeah bro everybody knows about this OK so hold the PSA next time
@@ClaytonBigsby01 not everyone you would be surprised lmao
@@ClaytonBigsby01 i just learned something new. save the attitude
@@ClaytonBigsby01 _"Yeah bro everybody knows about this OK so hold the PSA next time"_
I never thought of this idea either, so save the sass for something more deserving.
Those weighted blankets are amazing during the Texas Ice Storm I used of those bad boys and I was set . BTW mine is a 30lb queen size
Make sure to insulate your windows. I used to pack my clothes in the front and back windows, and got a few of the cheap insulated window shades from the dollar store and cut them into several pieces that fit my windows and taped them together, and used the velcro dots from the dollar store to hang them.
Better to get tinted windows or nothing on your windows. You don't want to draw attention that someone is sleeping in their car
Thanks for that tip. Will need to use them next month.
But how would you remove them when you need to drive
My heart hurts that we live in a world where a video like this is way more helpful than most.
This makes your heart hurt? Its a lot better than sleeping on the street.
But no more mean tweets right? 🤡
@@Clintscollectiblez thank god for that. If I saw one more mean tweet I was gonna start crying, again, and then I was gonna have to go online and write about it, again, and let everyone know that the orange man was bad because he made me cry so hard, again. No more mean tweets and now I get to use my preferred pronoun and threaten everyone else who doesn't want to call me 'kid sniffing helicopter cat.'
@@phoenixrising4073 I pooped my pants crying every time Donald drump tweeted skid marks in all my tightey whiteys now 😤
I've lived like this... with a job and a college degree. Housing is so unaffordable. No one lives like this because they want to. Hence, it's pretty fuckedup that this is a realistic option for a standard of living. It's normalized. Fuck that.
Don't sleep in/on wet fabric. Even moist fabric. If you're sweating and drenching your clothes, don't sleep in them. They'll cool you down like nobody's business. Instead, go as nude as you dare and wrap up in layers of blankets.
And get WOOL. Get that shitty scratchy wool blanket and put it on top of your layers.
And never, ever, underestimate the power of a pair of thick socks and a wool cap or similar.
Stay warm and hydrated, friends.
People getting cooled down from the sweat of their oily smelly bodies IS my business!..
Absolutely right about not sleeping in the clothes you wore that day. Especially the underwear.
This man was in the military 100%
@@willdenoble1898 Hah. I'm flattered but no
Then sweat into the blankets making them moist and counter productive 😂
Yes! Wear a hat or ear warmer band around your head at night and another warmth band around your neck to keep your neck warm! Covering your ears and throat at night goes a long way towards avoiding sinus problems, sore throats & colds!
I was homeless for 1.5 years. My tips are primarily getting a good sleeping bag, ideally rated for frosty temperatures. and layering thick blankets, I used furry blankets and they kept the heat very well. Line the sleeping bag with the blankets and other than my face I was nice and toasty even at -10 C. Remember to air them out though since they also trap moisture and can get moldy.
Hope you well
@@soegrassairsoft5016 Thankfully it is written in past tense :)
Be careful of the electric blanket. They've been known to catch fire. A classmate did that. It caught fire, and she had to live with us for a few weeks until the school semester ended. Her family had already moved away. Be careful out there.
Yes,neverStuffOrCram ElectricBlanketsLikeShownHere!
@@ActivateMission2ThisTimeline tip: You need to put spaces between words when writing in English. Also, only capitalize the first letter of a sentence.
If I rewrote your comment, it would look like this: “Yes, never stuff or cram electric blankets like shown here!”
@@CausingChaos. my grandma writes like that lol she sometimes also,uses,commas,like,this
They can be dangerous, always inspect wires for damage prior to use.
Modern day electric blankets sold in the US are not the same as the old original ones. Those old ones could overheat and in some conditions start a fire.
Back in the day the electric blankets would get hot and stay on constantly .
Modern ones(all of mine do) have safeties that intermittently turn off and automatically shut off after 8 - 12 hours and stay off. It's frustrating to wake up cold because the auto timer ran out and turn off the heat.
I unplug mine when I leave the house, just to be cautious.
reflectic window covers, thermal underwear and socks, cover your hands and head since most body heat is lost thru them. Also get hot water bottle. I also put a car cover over my car when parked on street at night. I blend in and no one questions my car being there. I created a window with zipper so I can peak out if necessary. 3 years in my car
Also, get a subzero sleeping bag. They're made to be naked in so less worry about laundry and you're guaranteed to be good for 99% of cold weather. Plus the mummybag type features a pull tie to close the head down to a mouth hole, so you can get good dark space sleep despite any sunlight peaking through
The loss of body heat through your head is a myth. When it was being tested, the candidates were swaddled except for their heads. The method of the testing caused the results they got.
How do you get in the car with a car cover on 🤔
Does plugging in the heated blanket or a space heater kill the battery since the car isnt running and charging the alternator?
Also would you be able to get some kind of battery or generator that you can charge up during the day via either plugging it into an outlet outside of some superstore like walmart or target or plugging it into your car while its on and driving around during the day? Just wondering.
We lived in Dad's crew can when I was a teenager. Dad cracked the two front windows and burned a birthday candle on a saucer set on the dash. Him n Mon took turns staying up to make sure there wasn't a fire. I was snuggled up to my sisters in the back seat under sleeping bags n blankets. Dad would crack the windows in the back seat and stuff a blanket to hang down over the window n doors. He taped blankets over the inside back window and put a put a blanket on the outside of the windshield. My parents smoked and you wouldn't believe how much their smoking heated up the air. We lived up north and dad was laid off. We sold what we could and headed south. It was a eight months of "an adventure" but being a teenager I didn't realize how dangerous situation was. We finally settled in warmer climate and busted our asses mom n dad had job, I had job my sisters babysat or helped mom house cleaning -- eventually we had enough saved to buy a run down crappy house to fix up. We all vowed we would never live in a vehicle again. I own my home n it's not big it's not luxurious it meets my needs. I stay put where I am because I own my home and I'm not being homeless again.
Get an air mattress for your back seat, use emergency blankets to keep the heat in. Another option is putting pillows above the blanket and under you. It keeps my back from having arthritis pain in the morning and I sleep great. 4 pillows, two throws, an airmattress, a Jackery power box and an electric blanket.
good for you
Wtf you driving that you can fit an air mattress in your car? A Ford excursion?
@@Yixdy Hyundai accent
The air in air mattresses gets really cold. With some good layering you can circumvent that but you're far better off looking for something thick like a folded sleeping pad or thick foam/clean sofa cushions. You dont want anything under you that can sap your natural body heat. I have a queen sized air mattress but it leaks and my 2013 GMC Sierra WITH a crew cab is too small.
Get insulated bubble wrap (used for construction) at local hardware store. You can cut the material to fit your windows from the inside, cut the windows that roll down a little longer at the top to allow you to roll the insulation into the windows to hold it in place and cut the other windows with a 1/4" wider than the windows to help them hold in place. They will insulate the windows from the heat and cold. Once I figured this out from another video it changed everything about sleeping in a vehicle. Ultimate privacy and it doesn't take much to keep you warm as long as your feet stay insulated.
The real tip
Very good advice! 👍
Can you put the link to the video in the comments
can also be used between the seat and your sleeping bag. I use it when camping as a bed roll, it stops the cold from the ground coming through and reflects your body heat back into you
I sold my car when i entered university and lived in a camper on university grounds for 3 years. I knew the staff very well back then and they gave me free power. Many professors knew bout it and came for a beer in the evening sometimes. Overall it was a very awesome time.
That’s because you was a kid. Different when one is a full grown up
@@miamitten1123 kid lmao, i was 23-26 at the time xD university aint high school ^^
news. your mini heater will take at least 240 watts. with a 500 watt battery pack you'll run out of batt in about 2 hours.
You could also just use one of those reflective space blankets found in survival kits, they're actually really efficient at preserving your body heat.
The bad part about those is that they tear. They are good for a few uses but they make them thinner than a bag of potatoe chips. If you move in your sleep you'll wake up too hence why it's for emergencies. However there are other fabrics that are better and also reflect heat.
@@WhiteWolfos I believe tho that you can get pretty big ones to place along windows etc. to keep the heat in the car, I cld be wrong. I believe they are more reflecting foam that blanket.
@@WhiteWolfos Yes and no, the cheap reflective blankets will only last so many uses. However there are better ones for a little more cost (typical costs .$0.50-1.00 for the cheap blankets, $60-100 for the durable ones) Plus there are also different types of sleeping bags with some types good to use in temps down well below zero. Of course the colder use sleeping bags do tend to be more expensive, but also worth it if you'll be sleeping in outdoor conditions in freezing to below zero temperatures.
One other thing, get some thick cardboard and try to cover up the windows at night, that will help trap the heat inside the car.
Chuck McGill has entered the chat
I learned that covering your windows and cracks just like a house is just as important.
Those reflective sun shades work really well, plus provide privacy. if it's not below freezing they will be all you need as your own body heats the space.
Depends. You need fresh air in a small container like a car.
Is it possible that you suffocate in the car if you do that?
@@ecnalms851 i mean depends but really i dont think so, since theres always gonna be air (the vents get air from somewhere)
so i dont think windows are where most of the air is coming in, even with the vents not on
I never cover my crack 🍑
Insulate the windows, that's the biggest point of thermal transfer. Anything, even packing cardboard. Plus you're slightly more secure.
U need the windows cracked open
Wouldnt those gold and silver rescue blankets from first aid kits be perfect? They are made to reflect heat, put a couple on the ceiling, doors and windows and that should work quiete well
@Lego Mini Movie Productions yes they would be great just a pain to take down and setup each night but yes it would help hold any heat you did have
@Lego Mini Movie Productions if you were thrifty you could cut cardboard to fit the windows and glue mylar emergency blankets to the cutouts
Man thinks cardboard = slight protection lol.
Honestly, preparing for the cold was always the easiest thing for me, you can always add layers. I want tips and devices on keeping the car cold in the heat.
We hear all the time, children dying in a parked car. Or that the sun adds 15 more degrees to the temperature. 10 in the shade. So far I heard, staying in car during hot weather is a bad idea. I found it best to lay down on something comfortable outside in the shade. At night, even sleeping in my car with outside temperature warmer than 70 is rough. Not enough breeze. Id be sure to move to a place where it's only warm 3 months out of the year. And those 3 months, rent a room. Or perhaps use a tent with fans at night.
If your family won't help you during hard times, why stick around for them?
Was homeless without a car and the biggest thing is to have a sleeping bag and keep your head inside and occasionally open for air. The warm air from your breath gets trapped inside and your body eventually gets warm. Also have a mat, towel or whatever under you if you're on concrete so it doesnt make you cold
Interesting. I’d think the very moisture from your breath would potentially make you wet and shed heat faster.
@@visibletoallusersonyoutube5928 yeah it does get really sweaty and when you step out of the sleeping bag like that in the cold it feels like a gallon of ice water got dropped on you
@@visibletoallusersonyoutube5928 Tbf I live in Louisiana so unbearably cold is anything under 50
sadly have to have your sleeping bag open at all times if u aint sleepin in a safe area. Shit gets set on fire from dumbasses and you got no way out sadly... its difficult.
@@qabbala1015 no offense, but probably don't give advice on how to stay warm if you're talking about Louisiana
Honestly stock up on blankets it makes all the difference
Make your own heat source aside from the cars power completely, those little candles inside of food cans with the sides cut out can make a world of a difference, couple thousand btu per can
Wear a winter hat and gloves along with wool socks. Most of the heat generated by humans escapes through the head , hands, and feet.
Honestly look what happened when Apollo 13 started to freeze up Frost moisture from sweat and your breath very very very dangerous you all have not thought this out very much and it will require Engineers to figure out a solution without it you're ignoring the problem more blankets are not a solution proper ventilation that's thoughtful is kind of Deep not the sort of thing armchair people discuss or when they do they take into account the Layman and has no knowledge of how to penetrate the subject asking you whether you see the face in the cloud does not mean you see a face in the clouds your mind looks to see things like that when they're not there the fellow that wrote Chariots of the Gods invites people to make this calculation you can understand Egyptian hieroglyphics it's not pictor word game it's a use of the false fallacy arguments argument from incredulity if you like shooting learn what a gunshot wound what mas trousers are
Leave Egyptian hieroglyphics to The Experts leave it to chemical and mechanical engineers to decide how to deal with moisture in a frozen environment around electricity and conductive things with no thought to insulation moisture evaporation and freezing seek the person with knowledge who's not a flake magical thinking in your body do not work together
Could you trickle charge battery with solar panel.. to help off set energy used by electric blanket? Furthermore, when car in use could wheels function like Dynamo to charge/ battery/ spare battery or a power bank ??
Man, the thing is we shouldn't need these tips....buuut few people actually care. Bless your heart!
try spend a minut thinking about these tips and how bad they really are. a better sleeping bag would be better. not hard to find a sleeping bag made for -14 degree C. and a tent is better way to spend your money on than a battery you can't even charge.
These aren’t tips this is a clout chaser trying to make money off of video. none of these so-called” tips” would help you in fact if you listen to this guy’s advice you’re gonna wind up dead from carbon monoxide poisoning or dead from freezing when your battery dies and you have no way to keep warm that doesn’t require electricity. This kid can’t give you any good tips on sleeping in your car because he’s never done it before😂
I’ve always wondered about people sleeping in their cars…. Last year I spent 2 week/ traveling in my car, sleeping and living in my car. It’s rough, really hard. You have to stay humble to cope. Kudos to everyone going through it, most of us have no idea how much emotional and physical effort it takes to make it through it. You’re a strong individual 💪🏼
Done it for 8 months before buying a travel trailer. Cars better than a tent 🤷🏽♂️
Sleeping in a car is pussy shit
Try sleeping on the cement with one then blanket I did that all fall this year and all of winter last year when I was homeless luckily I'm not anymore but that guy gives shit tips
It's rough when you are new to it. Once you figure out some of the little things it's okay as long as you have comfy seats.
Naaah dude you gotta get those emergency mylar blankets, they're super cheap and SUPER effective. they reflect 99% of your bodyheat back at you I believe, it makes you sweat at room temperature in 2 minutes lol I keep them in my car since I live in a cold area, never know when you might get stranded
The problem with a mylar blanket is that os not breathable and sweat soaks your clothing. Doesn't work over multiple days. Essentially not even a full night depending on conditions. In cotton clothing you risk frostbite.
and nice a soft and not loud with every micro movement you make .
They're great for emergencies but for longer times you want to get a little comfortable :P Absolutely keep them in case you need to get warm ASAP tho
@@ratoh1710 100%
Better option: get oven mitten fabric. Big roll for 5$ at Walmart. Not shiny, won't wake your butt up every time you breathe, thin but thick enough for sewing into clothes or blankets,---- DURABLE--- and traps/reflects heat 👍👍
Tip for the cold when living in your car: drive somewhere warm
I was homeless in Camden nj for about 8 months, 4 of which were freezing. I made it out and never looked back. I think it's why I never call out of work to this day. We're all about 3 weeks away from being homeless if a few things all go wrong at once. If you're in a situation like this right now don't get discouraged, just keep plugging away and things will get better if you try.
Yo I was homeless in AC. Got kicked out in February and didn't get out of that situation until October. Shit was rough.