# Lifestyles & Discussion > Freedom Living >  Hobo Survival Guide - Tips for the soon to be homeless....

## Brooklyn Red Leg

Okay, 

sorry it took me so long to get back around to do this. With the work from the RNC last month and everything else, I kinda just felt wiped out longer than usual. Needed time to veg out. Anyway, I will say this is from my own personal experience, so YMMV. I will also say that other States/areas may be different as Tampa is kinda unique in several regards. So, with this first part I shall attempt to give advice for those who know they are about to become homeless. 

First things first: *Remain Calm!* 

Seriously, its going to suck, but it won't be the end of the world. This will be especially true for the first few weeks before you get yourself established (if you do). Going off the deep end will not help you and quite likely make things worse. Its depressing and you're going to be depressed, no matter how upbeat you can be as over time it wears you down. At the worst you could end up talking yourself into jail time and/or time in psychiatric observation (here in FL its called The Baker Act/being Baker Acted). Be cool and be calm and it will make things alot better in the long run (not to mention the short run).

Second: *Take stock of your stuff.*

If you have alot of crap you've collected over your life (which I did) you need to go through it and see what you will need, immediately. If you have a bicycle and pump for the tires, that will be useful. A tent and/or sleeping bag, even better. Old tarps are good too. Clothing, especially given the time of year/weather is good to prepare. A backpack and/or military surplus sea-bag are good too. Camp stove is a good item to have as I can tell you cracking open a can of cold ravioli SUCKS. A light blanket or two (or three) doesn't hurt, especially when its cold as $#@! outside. 

You will then need to think of how to store the rest of your junk. A friend/family would be the first choice as they will usually not charge you and/or throw it out. Failing that, well, check your local storage sites and if you have the money, get a storage locker. If neither of those are an option, well, maybe someone will like that collection of history books you have and cannot bear to toss in the garbage. The last option may even net you some cash. 

Third: *Transportation.*

The very first time I became homeless, I still owned a car and managed to sleep in it for a month before I landed back on my feet (somewhat). Second time as well. This last time, all I had for transportation was shoe leather and the local bus system. It was more than a month before I got a bike. Take stock of your transportation. If you're like me and only have a bike or your feet, well, get used to it. Backpacks/sea-bags come in real handy for carrying your stuff with you (so learn to pack essentials). If you have a car, find out where in the area you can park without getting harassed (depends on the locale and the cops/Sheriff). You will probably get harassed (I did), so pay attention to where you are as there are $#@!s out there who will call the Popo on your ass for merely living in your car and taking up their valuable oxygen. 

Fourth: *Food!*

No $#@!, find out if there are local food banks, homeless feeds (usually churches) and/or some way of getting nourishment. Find out BEFORE you end up on the street if you can. If not, get a damned EBT card! Don't fall into the trap of "that's stealing from others" bull$#@!. You're getting $#@!ed by taxes every time you have a job, every time you buy something (embedded taxes) and by the hidden tax of Inflation. Its not pretty and its horrible to have to depend on it, but FFS, the goddamn money has been robbed from you already, get it back! Never forget that all funds are fungible and that you pay for your own EBT every time you visit a store to simply buy food. 

As I said earlier, Tampa is kinda unique. As the saying goes, "There is no reason to go hungry here". Where I am, the USF area, there are feeds every day of the week. A number of churches host local feeds within a few miles of the campus. You travel on your stomach and like any old campaigner, think of where your next meal comes from FIRST.

Sadly, alot of cities are cracking down on Feeds. Its $#@!ing SICK and I personally think every single stupid SUMBITCH politician that does so should be forced to be homeless for months in an area where they do that $#@!. If you're in one of those areas, you have my condolences. Get used to being harassed by pigs cause Cops/Sheriffs that enforce that $#@! are nothing more than swine. 

Fifth: *Living Accommodations.*

Find out if there are any local homeless shelters that aren't deathtraps (in Tampa, I know of none). Avoid the scammers in The Salvation Army (turn you into a goddamn slave to work back breaking labor) and other bottom-feeding scum that inhabit this strata. If no shelters, see if there is a Tent City set up (the Catholic Diocese of St. Pete set one up that worked but the NIMBY asswipes voted down the one to be set up here in Tampa). If not, think about maybe storage locker place, assuming you have the finances, where the homeless sometimes stay (never did that, but word to the wise: dogs are smart enough not to $#@! where they eat; ie - keep a low profile cause the Cops would love nothing better than to roust everybody). If none of those are an option, look around and see if there are heavily wooded areas and/or train tracks. CSX will $#@! you by trespassing you if they catch you, but its Federal land so the local cops can only bug you. Of course, do something stupid and the dudes with the tin stars <US Marshals> will show up and you will do time in a Federal Pen.

Find a place to set up a little Bush-Obamaville if you can. However, be aware of your surroundings and always keep something handy to defend yourself (expandable baton, machete etc). Try your best to camouflage your area and keep it clean if you can. Be careful starting fires in winter time if your "urban camping" as smoke attracts the attention of the local fire department. Be smart.

If none of those are options, find local JayCee benches to sleep on in lighted/traveled areas (less likely to be stabbed, robbed, beaten etc). I've slept many a night on one, uncomfortable as they are they beat the ground. Don't sleep on one that is a local bus stop or you'll get trespassed. If the ground is your only option, then find a place that is out of the way and try your best to camouflage yourself (not just from the cops but also local pests and/or vermin like feral cats, possums, raccoons ($#@!ing HATE RACCOONS!) and other nasties like spiders and ants (especially ants!). Naturally avoid places near water as mosquitoes will make your night miserable. 

I think that's pretty much it for the first post. Others who have been homeless can add their thoughts/observations. I'll try and update this at least once every few days.

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## amy31416

Thanks so much for sharing...crazy times.

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## KCIndy

Great info, and darn useful even for those not in an immediate homeless situation.  

Brooklyn, are things going better for you?  Your last few posts indicated you were getting back on your feet.  I hope it's still going well for you.

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## TheTexan

I imagine soon this will be very valuable advice

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## squarepusher

maybe you could have some friends or family help you out?

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## Brooklyn Red Leg

> Brooklyn, are things going better for you?  Your last few posts indicated you were getting back on your feet.  I hope it's still going well for you.


I'm good. I'm living in an apartment and I work more than I used to. Things are not perfect, but I'm no longer on the streets. As others will attest, I actually kinda miss it in some ways. Sounds bizarre, but it has a certain attraction to it (lets be honest, you've got freedom unlike what most people know).

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## VIDEODROME

There are some driving jobs you can get where you basically live in the vehicle.  I did Expediting last year and slept in the van.

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## juvanya

On the Street and On Facebook: The Homeless Stay Wired 




> SAN FRANCISCO -- Like most San Franciscans, Charles Pitts is wired. Mr. Pitts, who is 37 years old, has accounts on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. He runs an Internet forum on Yahoo, reads news online and keeps in touch with friends via email. The tough part is managing this digital lifestyle from his residence under a highway bridge.
> 
> "You don't need a TV. You don't need a radio. You don't even need a newspaper," says Mr. Pitts, an aspiring poet in a purple cap and yellow fleece jacket, who says he has been homeless for two years. "But you need the Internet."
> 
> Mr. Pitts's experience shows how deeply computers and the Internet have permeated society. A few years ago, some people were worrying that a "digital divide" would separate technology haves and have-nots. The poorest lack the means to buy computers and Web access. Still, in America today, even people without street addresses feel compelled to have Internet addresses.
> Homeless and Online
> 
> View Slideshow
> [SB124362943678067395]
> ...

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## PaulConventionWV

> I'm good. I'm living in an apartment and I work more than I used to. Things are not perfect, but I'm no longer on the streets. As others will attest, I actually kinda miss it in some ways. Sounds bizarre, but it has a certain attraction to it (lets be honest, you've got freedom unlike what most people know).


I find this very interesting.  With more stuff comes more responsibility.

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## juvanya

> I find this very interesting.  With more stuff comes more responsibility.


I have so much stuff in my room and it feels absolutely enslaving. Im trying to clean it all up and get rid of a lot of stuff.

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## angelatc

> Avoid the scammers in The Salvation Army (turn you into a goddamn slave to work back breaking labor)


That's the first time I've ever heard anybody criticize them.   Back breaking labor used to be called an honest day's work.

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## Brooklyn Red Leg

> That's the first time I've ever heard anybody criticize them.   Back breaking labor used to be called an honest day's work.


If they did not make scads of money off of donated stuff, it would be one thing. They're not a charity and treating them as one is what enables them. Sorry, but I had bad experiences with them and as far as I'm concerned, they can go $#@! themselves.

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## NoOneButPaul

If you have a car and drive on the highway to a rest area are you not allowed to sleep at those places?

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## Brooklyn Red Leg

Sorry for taking so long to write my next post. 

*Bush-Obamavilles* 
Okay, I touched on this earlier, but I want to expand upon it. The simplest thing to do is find a heavily wooded area that is a decent distance from any residence or business. Seriously, the locals will not (usually) take sympathy on you if they see you around the area. If you manage to locate one and don't get $#@!, stay out of sight as much as possible. Find alternate entrances/exits if possible to avoid detection. I know that some of the local homeless where I was staying along the railroad tracks found an alternative to being on the tracks (thus avoiding the CSX trespass issue) while still remaining out of sight. 

If you've found your spot, clear it as much as practicable, but keep as much foliage/camouflaging as possible. That will at least give you some defence. Of course, the local cops (if they are like the ones here) will do flyovers of the area in helicopters every now and then using FLIR (which is supposed to be illegal). Soon enough they will know where you are. A multi-tool with a sawblade (or foldable saw if you have one) will come in handy as will a D-handle collapsible shovel (which also doubles as a defensive item). Speaking of which, you want items that have dual (or more) uses as it helps. 

If you can, find a few milk crates to get for chairs (assuming you don't have a camp chair). An old pallet is also good to use as a table (especially if you can find a piece of plywood to make it flat on top). Our camp had one stacked on a series of milk crates. Of course, there is the fact that the more 'homey' you make a camp, the more likely you're going to get trespassed eventually. 

A tarp strung over the top of your area can make a difference in a rain storm from what I understand. Having the bottom of your tent lined with one can also make the difference between sleeping on wet blankets (which I had to do many times) and a cold, but dry floor. Even better if you can get an air matress to fit in your tent. Speaking of tents, if you can afford one, shop around. In my opinion, avoid the tents from Target as they suck (that's what I had). The Ozark Trail stuff from Wal-Mart actually appeared to be better constructed. Of course, none of them are designed for long term habitation (maybe there are models that are, I don't know). 

Having a camp stove is a great idea, in my not so humble opinion. When its cold as $#@! outside and you can have hot cocoa/coffee and a hot meal, its a great morale booster. The one we got was a butane fuel stove found at a local farmer's market for about $25 (4 cans of fuel are about $6-7 or so) . Look around at the local Chinese and/or Ethnic Food markets and they probably have them (they're used by alot of restaurants). A small propane grill isn't a bad idea either (our "neighbors" had one and we often had meals together). Camp cooking is often going to be limited to heating up a can of ravioli, beans, soup or the like. Get used to eating peanut butter, tuna fish and other basic staples (assuming you're not allergic). Since you won't have refrigeration, eating a meal from a can will be common. 

Be very careful whom you let into your camp. We had a situation where one of the local dumbass drunks invited himself and a "guest" to our camp without checking with us first. This will happen alot if you're not careful. Back in May, a fellow homeless woman I know was beaten to death by a drunk asswipe. This is why you have to have something (big stick, blade of some type, shovel, gun) to defend yourself. 

Get a garbage can and lid that you can seal. Trash buildup will happen even if you're vigilant, unless you can build a fire and burn 90% of it (which we couldn't). Seal that sucker as tight as possible and be prepared to defend it from raccoons. A trick we never tried, but were told about, was to leave bait out (bread soaked in antifreeze) that will essentially get the raccoons drunk (zombifies them), but doesn't kill them. A good idea is also to have a good supply of small stones/gravel handy to chuck at them. Failing that, snarling at them and chasing at them with a stick works (usually). Just be prepared to have to use it if they are rabid. And the raccoons will get into EVERYTHING. If you have a food 'pantry', try and keep heavy stones on top of it (a plastic bin with a lid that overlaps is good as it should keep out the water, line it with a garbage bag just to be safe). 

*Making Ends Meet*
Assuming you have found yourself a tidy little spot, what to do. You're going to get bored cause you have LOTS of time on your hands. If you're screwed, like those of us in the Tampa area, you're restricted on panhandling (or even selling water/soda/sports drinks). If you can sell, then by all means do so. It will help you crawl out of your situation and the short term funds can be used to buy items you may need (like a tent, other gear and maybe a storage locker). 

You can sell your plasma if possible. I just started doing this so I can get more stable (since work is averaging only 10 hours a week for me now). While its not much, relatively speaking, $100 a month can make a huge difference for only a few hours 'work'. 

*Staying Sane......*
If not learn to read or, if you're really lucky and have a laptop, go the local internet cafe/wi-fi zone and keep your mind occupied. This includes going to places like malls (which we could do, which helps). Just, as always, be cognizant of your surroundings. Falling asleep can get you tossed if the security isn't sympathetic. Naturally, avoid being belligerent if they do toss you. 

If you smoke, you could go 'duck hunting' which consists of hunting up cigarette butts that aren't finished and using the tobacco to roll your own cigs. Since I don't smoke, this wasn't a problem for me but others may. Protip: be careful hunting as the cops and/or security sometimes don't take kindly to people doing that (which, in all honesty, is absurd as it is a form of trash cleanup). 

It goes without saying to NOT fall asleep in certain areas even in the daytime. Benches will sometimes attract $#@! cops whose only fun is harassing the homeless. It also attracts other scum that love to prey upon the weak. 

That's about it for now. I'll try and cover more again soon, such as IDs, social services and the like.

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## kcchiefs6465

My advice if you become homeless is this: Don't hesitate to crack someone's $#@!ing head wide open when they come trying their prison yard bull$#@!. The creatures come out at night. And I'm not talking about raccoons.

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## VoluntaryAmerican

Great thread, I always thought of myself being homeless at some time in my life. Then when I read Kerouac's On the Road I really understood the feeling better... your posts remind me a bit of that.

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## Anti Federalist

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.

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## Anti Federalist

*Diogenes of Sinope*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope

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## PaulConventionWV

> That's the first time I've ever heard anybody criticize them.   Back breaking labor used to be called an honest day's work.


It's not exactly honest if you're not accomplishing anything worthwhile and aren't being paid for work you do for others.

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## PaulConventionWV

> If you have a car and drive on the highway to a rest area are you not allowed to sleep at those places?


I suppose you could, but it takes money to get back to town.  Rest areas usually aren't in town anywhere, so buying gas to get to and from a rest area all the time really drains the finances when you have such a meagre supply of money.  What's more, if people were living here all the time, you'd think somebody would file a complaint.  I suppose you could try to live out of the woods and just go back to your car to sleep, but I doubt many people would find that suitable to living in a town or city setting.  It comes with its risks, but I guess that's just the stuff of life.  No risk, no reward.

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## Matt Collins

Of course this doesn't mean we should be uncharitable or incompassionate, but aren't most (not all) of those who are homeless the result of their own bad decision making?

In other words if they had the capacity to follow your advice, they probably would not have been homeless in the first place?

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## Brooklyn Red Leg

> Of course this doesn't mean we should be uncharitable or incompassionate, but aren't most (not all) of those who are homeless the result of their own bad decision making?


Oh definitely. Its not an exaggeration to say that many of them are drunks and/or drug addicts. Quite a few had 'screws loose' too. Alot of them are former felons (or those who can't afford to pay costs associated with legal proceedings that they are the equivalent of felons). However, there was a growing percentage of those who simply had bad luck and ended up without a home. 




> In other words if they had the capacity to follow your advice, they probably would not have been homeless in the first place?


Maybe, maybe not. I will say that the funniest thing ever is that when you go to the government to get help about being homeless...the first they give you is a goddamn list of private charities. They know they can't help the homeless when you actually look beneath the surface. The problem is that many people in the US either don't know (propagandized) or simply don't care (500 channels and nothing is on). 

I sure as hell know this, private charity is the ONLY way this problem will get solved. It just needs to stop being squeezed by the government.

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## presence

My 2c

music festivals
+
north and south migration with the seasons
=
not really homeless; with family

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## Mach

If you, at least, have a car, then you're _almost_ not even homeless, dig in....... 

http://cheaprvliving.com/

http://www.cheaprvlivingforum.com/

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## Brooklyn Red Leg

> If you, at least, have a car, then you're _almost_ not even homeless, dig in....... 
> 
> http://cheaprvliving.com/
> 
> http://www.cheaprvlivingforum.com/


If I had the money....

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## Brooklyn Red Leg

Came across this vid and figured I would share it. Easy, cheap and doable tent. God help me, but I am looking more and more into going back on the streets for a while to save money (assuming I don't end up back there for other reasons).

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## PaulConventionWV

> If I had the money....


It doesn't take much.  You can get a pretty nice one where I live for under 5k if you look.

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## PaulConventionWV

> Came across this vid and figured I would share it. Easy, cheap and doable tent. God help me, but I am looking more and more into going back on the streets for a while to save money (assuming I don't end up back there for other reasons).


If you know what you're doing, you could do it and try to save up for an RV.  My guess is it would suit you better than an apartment, especially because you don't have to pay rent and you can do whatever you want with the space.  I've considered it, and I live comfortably at home.

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