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It’s easy to judge a homeless person, but we don’t know how they ended up in this position. From keeping important documents to maintaining good hygiene, people discussing this topic online were forced to prioritize the important things in life. Here’s a list of tips on surviving your first few days of homelessness.
Focus on the Basics
“Keep your documents. Drivers license, birth certificate, social security card. Keep these sacred because life is HARD without them. Keep your phone. If you don’t have one, get one. Get an address. You might be able to use a library’s, a church’s etc. Get a free bank account. You need these things to get jobs, get training, and to get housing”
Make the Library Your Safe Haven
“Locate a library. It’s a safe place that you can be for as long as they’re open. You can get internet access, which will be handy for staying in touch with people and looking for jobs if you don’t already have one.”
Build a Mobile Home
“I moved into my Jeep. Winterized my tiny cargo trailer. Installed a solar panel kit. And found safe places to park. Been like this since February this year. Got a gym membership to shower.”
Move to the Closest City
“Go to the closest city with more than 50,000 people. Every moderately sized city will have at least some homeless services.”
Explore Nature
“Been homeless in Florida and Mississippi. Get a tent, sleeping bag, and use your vehicle as a storage unit. You can take showers at truck stops.”
Lean on Family and Friends
“Start calling friends and family and looking for a couch to sleep on”
Find Reliable Places to Eat
“…Look into Sikh temples in your area- most of them have a rule to always have food ready to provide for anyone who asks. You can steal food if you need to, but honestly, you won’t usually need to. Water is much less of a concern, as you can generally find water fountains and such at malls and so forth. Just keep a water bottle handy and refill it if you need to.”
Maintain Good Hygiene
“Joining a gym is often as cheap as 20 dollars a month, and will give you a place to take a shower- not to mention something to do all day and a well lit place to be- and a laundromat will be your best bet for keeping clean clothes.”
Blend in With the Crowd
“Honestly, once you’ve got those basics taken care of, you’ll find that it’s surprisingly easy. Learning to blend in with crowds and not be noticed is a skill that develops pretty fast, and once you have that down you can usually avoid the hassles and pitfalls that are most dangerous for homeless people.”
Mentally Prepare Yourself to Be Uncomfortable
“If you’re facing homelessness, you may have to trespass, you will certainly have to loiter,”
Appreciate Where You Stand
If you’re reading this article, odds are you’re doing so from a mobile or laptop device and have a home to go to. With stressful jobs and relationships, it’s often easy to forget that life’s not bad. Your problems are real, but don’t forget many have it worse.
What Can You Do Next
Hopefully, these stories have inspired you to be grateful for where you stand. Next time, consider helping a homeless person if you can. Focus on learning, building wealth, and spending time with your loved ones.
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