dirt bagging in a city - long term

jeremy broombaugh wrote: Ha ha! Wow, so much for rule #1 eh? How does it make it nasty that I'm a nurse and want to do this exactly? Is it because I do make a bit of money but choose to live frugally? Or because of the hygiene factor because regardless of whether I live in an apartment or my truck I shower and change my scrubs when I get off. I am a (currently employeed, thanks) travel nurse, working three month contracts and moving on and I didn't really want to pay $2,000 a month for rent in San Fransisco during a contract or three. So I'm assuming I can't surf your couch on my way back out west? Thanks for your help though buddy! Cheers

From most travel nurses I've spoken with( while I was still in nursing school), they mention that their contract consist of having living expenses paid. If you were to opt from those expenses, does that mean you get to pocket that? I have a three year contract with my hospital as of now and was thinking of doing the traveling thing afterwards.

Come up to Canada. Tons of logging roads really close to cities in which you can camp for free. No meth heads, no cops, no rangers, no regulations really. I did it for close to 6 months and I miss it a lot. REAL FREEDOM!

Look up van dwelling, that dude has some good stuff as I recall.
I see some problems with the standard suburban/sprawl mart plan working in the bay area. A there aren't (m)any wal marts in the Bay and a mcdonalds bathroom in Oakland ain't a mcdonalds bathroom in Norman, OK or even Holister no matter what Ray Kroc said. Same can be said for Safeway bathrooms.
There is a $hit ton of camper vans parked on the streets in Berkeley. I often wonder what percentage have people living in them.
I'd pick some spots that have a more rural flavor. I can't imagine you wont constantly be harassed by all manner of real homeless people and street freaks if you are in a city. But I could be way off here.

This is an interesting thread.

For some, there's a tendency to characterize what you're trying to do as being a bum, but really all you're trying to do is avoid paying rent for a place you don't really need and that, in many ways, is just a furniture receptacle. If this was part of the accepted norm, there would be a place for people to park their cars long term (like a trailer park). But since this isn't the accepted norm, you're seen as something like a homeless person with a car, even though you'll have what's likely a decent paying job. You're not homeless; you're simply apartment-less by choice. I could never do it though. Seem too anxiety provoking. Plus I think using the public sink thing for bathing, etc., pushes the boundries a bit much, at least for my personal tastes. Good luck though.

Can't imagine the ladies are going to go for the arrangement though.

FYI... I knew of a pilot for a major airline who lived basically in a homeless camp, why, he didn't want to pay rent.

But to the OP you can get a room in north Oakland for ~$500/month if you live with roommates. Oakland offers a ton more space for a lot less. Just need to figure out the commute thing. A 15 minute walk to/from Bart on either ends is doable, but personally, the Bart schedule sucks pretty bad. Little to no night service.

If you want a cheap room to rent near Mt woodson, I might be able to score you a great deal.

To OP. I know travel nurses can get paid $40-50 dollars an hour from what other nurses have told me their contracts have been. If you opt out from the living expenses and pocket that tax free $2000 of rent money, I am sure you can pay $500 into renting a bedroom. As a fellow nurse, wouldn't you want a comfortable bed to lay on after those long 12 hours shifts, or an actually private bathroom to do your business and eat in an actual kitchen. I can understand someone with limited funds wanting to dirt bag in a city, but your making pretty good money as a travel nurse.

Jeremy
For some it’s just too scary so they call names.

Sims wrote:Jeremy For some it’s just too scary so they call names.

I think you nailed it.

I was going to say that living out of a vehicle should be a right of passage for all climbers. Though I think most would do so while on the road climbing and so they wouldn't be in a city.

Sounds like the travel nurse job could work for this though if you could shower everyday at work rather then the hobo bath in public places. I should also think you could eat there and would it be possible to just crash right there in the hospital parking lot.

Consider joining Bally's Total Fitness gyms. Right now the memberships are cheaper than the YMCA and are good nation wide. I joined more than a year ago for around $125.00 a year. Showers; hot tubs for sore muscles, and work out equipment all for the same price. Just a thought.

Jeremy
You have many options.
Probably take showers at work if you are working at hospital.
Gyms Rock or fitness another option.
I know people who have rented spots, driveways, back yards, barns, with or without house bathroom privileges. Craig’s list for longer term is a good source. Couchsurfing for short term has worked.
Trick is low key; I had a combination of triple curtains in my van sheer, mid weight and blackout. When the rangers would beat on the side of my van I would lay still knowing they could not see in.( I am told the rangers are better equipped now)
Condensation on windows is a giveaway of a person habituating a vehicle.
Leave nothing in site in the cab.
Two approaches a vehicle that looks well maintained gets less scrutiny form the law and more from crooks. An older beater appears to probably not have contents of value.
In six years I was only outed once when in our haste we left the keys in the van door.

If you are in San Francisco try Locksley Ave. When I lived on that street 4 years ago there were no parking restrictions, a few long term parkers, and no broken glass. There is a population of homeless who live in the open space down the block, so any valuables left in the van may disappear.

The old bunkers in the Presidio and Marin headlands have provided lodging for the low profile climber before. My biggest worry would be getting your truck cleaned out while you were away from it. I would look into storage options if you plan on leaving your truck on the street in san francisco.