Could You Survive Living in a Car?
What I Learned From People Doing It Every Day
With the cost of living rising, more and more people are ending up in a place they never expected: looking at their vehicle as their next home.
For some people, living in a car is a last resort. For others, it is a choice they make to escape crushing bills and hold on to more freedom. Either way, after spending time talking to people doing it every day, one thing became very clear to me:
Living in a car is a lot harder than most people think.
In my recent YouTube video, “Could You Survive Living in a Car?”, I went out looking for people living in their vehicles so I could hear directly from them, help where I could, and better understand what this life is actually like. Then, after hearing their stories, I did something I had never done before.
I spent the night in my van myself.
Watch the full video here:
Could You Survive Living in a Car?
Why more people are living in their cars
The people I met all had different stories.
Some were living in a vehicle because rent was out of reach. Some were surviving on disability or fixed income. Some had dogs they refused to give up, which made shelters and housing options even harder to find. Others had chosen vehicle life because they were tired of working nonstop just to barely scrape by.
That was one of the biggest things I took away from this experience:
There is no single story behind living in a car.
For some people, it is survival. For others, it is freedom. For many, it is a mix of both.
What it’s really like living in a car
Before making this video, I had talked to plenty of people living outside, but I had never actually spent a night sleeping in my van somewhere I did not have permission to be.
After talking to several people and trying it myself, I realized living in a car is not just about having a place to sleep.
It is about:
- finding a safe place to park
- avoiding being told to move
- figuring out where to shower
- figuring out where to use the bathroom
- keeping your phone charged
- staying warm or cool enough to sleep
- protecting your things
- trying to get real rest while always staying alert
A vehicle may provide some shelter, but it does not remove the stress.
The hardest parts of car living
Safety
This hit me almost immediately.
During the night, someone pulled on my door handle and tried to get into my van before running off. Nothing happened, but it was enough to make me understand how exposed you really are when you are sleeping in a vehicle.
That moment alone explained a lot. It explained why people block out their windows. Why they stay alert. Why finding the right place to park matters so much.
Sleep
I slept okay, but not well.
I rolled around a lot, and even though my setup was not terrible, it still was not a bed. That was after only one night. If you are sleeping in a vehicle every night, bad sleep adds up quickly.
Bathrooms and hygiene
This is one of those things people do not think about enough until they are in it.
When I woke up, one of my first thoughts was how badly I needed to use the bathroom. I ended up going to a fast-food restaurant. But if you are living in a car full-time, this is not a one-time inconvenience. It is an everyday problem.
Then there is showering, laundry, brushing your teeth, changing clothes, and trying to stay clean enough to work and function normally.
Finding a place to stay
Several people told me the same thing in different ways: parking is always a gamble.
You pull into a spot and hope nobody bothers you. If they do, you move. If police or security keep noticing you, that spot is gone. If you do not have much gas, even moving becomes a problem.
Living in a minivan full-time vs. a regular car
If someone has to live in a vehicle, a minivan is going to be more manageable than most standard cars.
That extra room matters.
A minivan gives you more space to sleep, more room to store your things, and a little better chance of creating some kind of routine. It also helps with airflow, privacy, and just being able to function without feeling completely packed in.
Even in my van, and only for one night, I could already feel how hard it would be long-term. That made it obvious that smaller vehicles would be even tougher.
So when people ask about living in a minivan full-time, I would say this:
It is still hard, but it makes a lot more sense than trying to live long-term out of a small car.
Best cars to live in
When people search for the best cars to live in, what they really need is a vehicle that makes day-to-day survival easier.
The best options usually have:
- enough room to stretch out
- decent storage space
- some privacy
- enough airflow
- reliability
- room for a simple sleeping setup
That is why minivans, vans, SUVs, and some hatchbacks make more sense than sedans for most people.
When looking to purchase my van, I originally wanted a work van or cargo van, but they are actually more expensive than minivans.
A bigger vehicle does not make car living easy. It just makes it a little more realistic.
If you are thinking about getting an inexpensive minivan to live in, I highly recommend a used Honda or Toyota.
I ended up finding my 2001 Honda Odyssey for $4,800 with only 121,000 miles. I bought it from a local dealer, but before I bought it, I made sure they were okay with me taking it to my mechanic during the test drive to have it checked out.
I’m really glad I did, because three newer American vans I looked at before that all had serious problems, including leaky transmissions and blown head gaskets, even though they were over 10 years newer and had less than 100,000 miles.
Car living tips I heard over and over
The people I spoke with gave simple advice, but it was the kind of advice that only comes from living it.
Do not overpack
Too much stuff creates more stress, more clutter, and less room to function.
Manage your money carefully
Food, gas, showers, laundry, and emergencies all matter. When you are living in a vehicle, even small expenses can hit hard.
Stay flexible
A lot of this life comes down to adapting. Your routine changes. Your sleep spot changes. Your comfort changes. The people who seem to handle it best are the ones who learn to go with it.
Be realistic about safety
Where you park matters. Who notices you matters. How visible you are matters.
Power matters more than most people realize
One thing that came up more than once was how important it is to have some way to keep phones and essentials charged.
That was something I noticed too. Having reliable power made things easier for me during the overnight part of this video, and for people living in a vehicle full-time, it can make an even bigger difference.
“Homeless living in a car” is more complicated than people think
This is one of those topics that people tend to oversimplify.
The people I met were thoughtful, kind, resourceful, and all dealing with very different circumstances. Some had jobs. Some were on disability. Some had pets they considered family. Some wanted housing. Others preferred vehicle life over being trapped in constant bills and pressure.
What stood out most to me was this:
Living in a car does not make someone less human, less valuable, or less deserving of respect.
A person’s vehicle situation does not tell you their full story.
Could you survive living in a car?
Maybe.
But surviving it and being comfortable are two very different things.
After just one night, I had a much deeper respect for the people doing this every day. I also understood more clearly why some people choose it and why others feel forced into it.
Could you survive living in a car?
Probably.
Would it be easy?
Not at all.
Would the type of vehicle matter?
Absolutely.
And would things like safety, sleep, hygiene, and even something as basic as power make a huge difference? Without question.
Watch the full video
If you want to hear directly from the people I met and see what happened when I tried sleeping in my van myself, watch the full video here:
Could You Survive Living in a Car?
If you’ve ever wondered whether you could do it, even for one night, I think this video will make you think a little differently.