Living in your car, obviously, is not a preferable situation, but in this day and age, with economic upheaval, civil unrest, even SHTF moments like dangerous weather, you never know.
Because of that you must be prepared and these critical tips will help you be just that.
Where to Sleep:
Where to sleep is probably one of the most key elements of sleeping in your car. A good sleeping area can make or break you living in your car. You have to find a place that is safe, but also a place where you can stay on the down-low enough to not be noticed.
I personally slept at a 24-hour grocery store I used to work at. I lucked out, but I’d say if you can manage to sleep at a 24-hour store somewhere that would be good. Or in a neighborhood that is safe where you can stay under the radar.
Once you do find that place you have to make sure to do everything you can to not be noticed. Your car has to be primed and ready.
Have the radio off long before you get to your spot so you don’t draw any attention to yourself.
Additional tip: do not open your doors once you get to your spot or get out of your car at all. It only draws more attention to yourself.
Key items to Keep in your Car:
Gallon of drinking water: It’s important to always stay hydrated when living in your car. You are always going, always on the move much of the time. There were many times it was after work and I hadn’t had any water. It was always nice to have my gallon of water in the backseat under a towel. It costs about $.25 to fill it up at a grocery store.
Car Fan: At night time I find it tough to sleep without some background noise, so this came in handy. It costs about $20 at an automotive store. It is enough wattage to be on all night and not kill the battery.
Many nights it is too hot to sleep in a car without a fan. In the summer time, if I didn’t have a fan I would have suffered greatly.
Power Inverter: This is a device you can plug into your cigarette lighter and charge your laptop, cell phone, or any other electronic device as long it is a small enough wattage. It costs about $20 at many stores. Be careful what you charge. Some things will kill the battery if you charge it too long. Try to charge things while driving when possible because it doesn’t use the battery. The one I had had was 100 watts, which means anything you charge has to generally generate less electricity than that. You can also charge your things at libraries, the gym or charging stations before night fall to make sure you have a full charge.
Sleeping Bag: A good sleeping bag is key in any environment. Even in Los Angele’s in the winter and many times other seasons of the year as well I needed it. If I hadn’t had a good sleeping bag, I would have frozen and been very uncomfortable the entire night.
Snacks/ Food: It is important to always have some sort of food in your car. Preferably on the floor on the passenger seat side as I did. I used that section for my food. It was easy when I got hungry, I could just reach over and grab a banana to eat when I needed it. It’s crucial to always have at least some stuff ready to eat anytime you may need it.
Jumper Cables: Sometimes for a couple different reasons, I found that my car battery died and I needed a jump. Most likely because I left the lights on or I charged my electronics too long without driving. It was a pain standing in front of a store asking people if they had jumper cables. I eventually got some jumper cables so when my car battery died, all I had to do was ask anyone who had a car around me if they could give me a jump rather than also having to ask them if they had jumper cables too.
Spare Keys Container: Having spare keys around are very important while sleeping in your car. You never know when you may need them. I kept a spare key for my car always in my wallet. Also, I went to an automotive store and got 2 containers for about $10 that store keys and have a magnetic cylinder on the back so you can connect it to any metal at the bottom of your car for when you lose or lock your keys in your car. Make sure to put it where no one can see it. Make sure no one knows it is there. Only you.
Your car can be used as a place to live, short-term or long-term. You want to avoid it if you can, but sometimes, like in a weather event like Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, you have no choice.
So, you must be prepared.
To find more tips on living in your car, please visit American Preppers Network.
Have You Ever Lived In Your Car?
If so, tell us about your experience. What you learned, what you found to be useful and how other survivors can better prepare in the event this happens to them.