Living in your car used to be synonymous with being broke, and having no other choice. Yet, more and more people are choosing to ditch their houses for a home on wheels. Here we take a look at who these people are, and what prompted their decision.
Living in your car to achieve your dreams – Nick Andrew (musician)
Nick Andrew decided to experiment living in his car, after living in his own home was getting in the way of his dreams to become a professional musician. Nick found that committing to gigging wasn’t bringing in enough income, so decided to opt for a life on the road where he could concentrate on his music, rather than trying to juggle a full-time job and letting his dreams fall to the wayside.
Nick’s ‘experiment’ soon turned into 8 years on the road, and he has no plans to end his lifestyle just yet.
Nick took some time to speak to us about his story, and gave us an insight into what life is like on the road. Money problems were what sparked Nick’s decision to move into his car, and the move has meant he has more disposable income: ‘Although it means that over the past few years I earn a fraction of someone on benefits, I survive and eat very healthily and I can devote myself to my musicianship and my band, Zipper Tongue’.
Nick has learnt a lot during his time on the road, including ‘how to sleep, putting up curtains, the legalities and public toilets!’ In fact, he has learnt so much that he is releasing a book soon describing his experiences. Nick has found that the cold weather can pose a threat:
Aside from this, Nick has a very positive attitude towards his situation, and his only problem is a very particular one – the cigarette lighter doesn’t pump enough electricity to power his synth guitar! Although there is one more drawback that could be seen as a negative for many… ‘Most potential girlfriends don't understand that when I say I have my own estate...!’ Nick adds a final comment:
Living in your car to save money – Austen Allred (Grasswire founder)
Image: Austen with former Grasswire developer, Garrett Thornburg, in front of the car he lived in
Grasswire founder, Austen Allred, lived in his car temporarily when he was spending time in Northern California pitching the idea for his start-up company to investors. Austen was fresh out of college, and didn’t have enough savings to afford pricey Californian rent. For three months Austen stayed in his car, while he worked full-time, and attended meetings across the city.
We spoke to Austen about his experience, and he told us: ‘Living in a car isn’t necessarily a walk in the park, but it worked great for me temporarily.
Living in your car as a lifestyle choice – Jessica Spaulding (fundraiser)
Jessica lived in a 2007 Prius in California, while splitting her time between fundraising for a local radio station and studying for a master’s degree in accounting. Jessica enjoyed the lifestyle, and says, ‘It’s like traveling with your entire house with you’.
Jessica made a great blog about her experience, called 'A Year in a Car For No Apparent Reason' which documented her time on the road, and all the things she loved about the no-strings lifestyle.
Living in your car for convenience – Google workers
Image: Googleplex, California. By Sebastian Bergmann, CC-BY-SA-2.0
Some staff working at Google HQ in California have decided to live in the Google car park rather than a house. The Google offices are renowned for being well equipped with everything you could need; showers, free food, a laundry service, hairdressers and a gym. As a result of this, some staff members have decided that the office has everything they need to be perfectly comfortable living in their car in the nearby car park!
Living in your car by necessity – Charles Ingram living on the A9
Image: Charles Ingram A9, copyright by Aaron Sneddon.
Charles Ingram, aged 68, has been living in his car for two years now, on the A9 in Scotland. After losing his business, Charles decided to put all his possessions in his car and live on the road. Charles does his cooking on a camping stove and washes his clothes in a nearby river.
After a story about Charles Ingram was published in the Daily Record, where he stated his concerns about getting through the winter, many Scots donated clothing and equipment from Go Outdoors to help him keep warm during the cold months. Charles commented: ‘I’ll have to stay here over the winter as I have nowhere else to go. But I’m better prepared now.’
Reports tell us that since living in his car, Charles has been offered council accommodation, but has refused it, choosing to maintain his lifestyle at his ever-growing encampment on the A9 lay-by. Truckers and drivers who use the road regularly have grown accustomed to seeing Charles, and many either say hello by beeping their horn, or stopping by for a chat.