Because we live in a much smaller space, nomads need to be much more mindful of what we bring in, how much storage space we have, and how we manage and dispose of trash.

According to the EPA, the average American throws away nearly five pounds of trash per day. That’s a lot of trash! Nomads use fewer resources and have a smaller environmental footprint, so we generate considerably less trash.

Living out of a vehicle means drastically reducing what we have. What we can fit in a little home on wheels is a lot less than what fits in a house or apartment. For many nomads, it’s less than what you can fit into one room of a house. Heck, a lot of people have more room in their closet than I do in my SUV.

That’s why we purchase a lot less stuff. We stick to essentials and necessities. But that still means we are buying food and necessities that come in various forms of packaging. However, instead of throwing away all that packaging like I did when I lived in a conventional home, I reuse and repurpose that packaging as trash bags.

Everything from mail packages to plastic bags and containers from items I’ve purchased in stores is used for trash disposal. I reuse everything from oatmeal containers and coffee bags to salad bags, food containers, peanut butter jars, and anything else that can be used to store trash.

I routinely stuff my trash into emptied jars, cans, containers, bags, and other trash items. Because space is at a premium, I compact my trash so it takes up as little space as possible.

I keep a small trash can in my car that I used to keep in my bathroom when I lived in a house. It uses 4-gallon trash bags, but I haven’t had to buy any in quite a while. A subscriber sent me a small 52-count box of 4-gallon trash bags over a year ago, and I still have most of them because I’ve been reusing almost everything I can from products I buy at the grocery store or from items delivered by mail.

Getting rid of trash while living in a house or apartment is more convenient than living in a vehicle. Neighborhoods have trash service that comes around every week to pick up all the garbage residents set out. Nomads don’t have that.

We need to be proactive and dispose of our trash regularly. That means depositing trash whenever we see an appropriate public-use bin and at designated trash receptacles when we stay at paid campsites.

Some places where you can dispose of trash include rest stops, truck stops, campgrounds, gas stations, convenience stores, parks, picnic areas, welcome centers, grocery stores, and public trash cans in cities and towns.

When boondocking on BLM or national forest land, you are legally required to pack out all trash — pack it in, pack it out. I make sure I’m aware of my options when I’m dispersed camping. That means knowing nearby places where I can dispose of all my trash.

There is a campsite rule about leaving things better than you found them. It also applies to trash, which means picking up litter we find around trash bins. Living more lightly on Mother Earth and reducing our impact on nature includes remediating the negative impacts others have caused.

Managing our trash is one of many responsibilities we take on when pursuing this minimalist lifestyle. Creating a lot less of it and having a regular routine of disposing of it makes it easier to enjoy life on the road.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

How do I manage to be happy and joyful while living in an increasingly crazed, dystopian society? Granted, the whole system is profoundly unhealthy and increasingly unhinged. But I’m able to enjoy my life despite it all.

There is this silly notion that we must deprive ourselves of joy while so much bad stuff is happening around us. Yeah, being miserable is really going to help the situation.

Sure, we have people in power who want us to constantly grind, be productive, and be profitable for our masters. We can and should resist their efforts to keep us submissive, obedient, and in line.

But resistance should also include the desire to snatch as much happiness as possible from the jaws of a profoundly sick and brutal culture precisely because we’re opposed to it.

The system wants to see us defeated and miserable. They will shame us for choosing joy. They will shame us for choosing rest. They will shame us for prioritizing fun and free time over wage slavery.

We deserve control over our own lives. We deserve a life filled with an abundance of happiness, joy, and freedom. We should completely reject the voices that tell us we’re undeserving of them.

There is much more to life than work, achievements, and productivity. Not everything has to have a purpose. We can exist simply to enjoy ourselves. We should be doing more of what makes us feel alive. Stop and smell the roses. Experience life. Be fully present.

I’ve shared this before, but it bears repeating. In the words of Melanie Lau: “Western cultures believe we must be alive for a purpose, to work, to make money. Some indigenous cultures believe we’re alive just as nature is alive; to be here, to be beautiful and strange. We don’t need to achieve anything to be valid in our humanness.”

Live a life filled with as much joy as possible. Don’t let the monsters and their small-minded sycophants invalidate you, your lifestyle choices, or your prioritization of what brings you happiness.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

“Be a curator of your life. Slowly cut things out until you’re left only with what you love, with what’s necessary, with what makes you happy.” — Leo Babauta

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My remaining time on this earth grows ever smaller with each passing day. I feel fortunate to have created a slower, simpler, minimalist lifestyle that gives me the ability, resources, and time to pursue what brings me contentment and satisfaction. If life is precious, it’s worth making the most of it while we still breathe. We are worth it.

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Nomadism as Rebellion

I see nomadism and living out of our vehicles as part of an effort to adapt to a failing system that can no longer meet the basic needs of an increasing number of its subjects. It is also an avenue for pursuing a way of life that operates outside the original intent and design of modern industrial society. It is driven by a desire for a more affordable, flexible, and resilient lifestyle, but it’s also an act of rebellion. It is a way for those who don’t fit in to pursue a way of life more on their own terms. It can be a way to expand personal freedom and autonomy. We realized the so-called “American Dream” is a trap. Escaping it can be a viable and fulfilling option. Sometimes you have nothing to lose but your chains.

Treasuring moments of silence and stillness. Finding quiet, calm places to relax, recuperate, and recharge. Seeking places that grant me the space to process thoughts and emotions.

It has been integral to my recovery from years of accumulated trauma, debilitating anxiety, and exhaustive masking stemming from not fitting into a neurotypical culture. It has served as an anchor and support for my overall mental and physical health. I’ve managed to walk down a new path toward a better, more balanced life. Hiking for health and healing.

We should follow the example of our premodern ancestors.

When you notice someone has your back.

Is Jesus coming soon or is it just a rumor?

View of the Potomac River near Washington, DC.

Hawk Rock scenic overlook of the Susquehanna River in Duncannon, PA.

Chickies Rock Overlook near Columbia, PA. This is definitely a popular spot, with plenty of people on the trail even on a regular weekday.

One of my Facebook followers treated me to coffee and a vegan egg sandwich at the Prince Street Café in Columbia, PA. Great meal, great coffee, and great conversation.

One of the nice things about being retired is I can choose to take it easy on a weekday. I have the ultimate work-life balance:

1. No work

2. Live life

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

It has been three years since I gave up traditional housing and began living out of my vehicle (currently a Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid SUV). I have saved a lot of money by living rent-free and have easily adjusted to retired life after losing my full-time day job last year.

I’ve had some incredible experiences and met some wonderful people along the way. I can see myself continuing this for many more years. I’ve tapped into a vibrant and diverse community of nomads and vehicle-dwellers, and I’ve found a way of life I love.

My lifestyle doesn’t fit what most people consider normal, and that’s okay. I’m very comfortable with who I am and how I choose to live. It’s okay to live a life others don’t understand. It’s okay to be different and to choose a path that deviates from the norm.

Besides, completely rearranging how I live over the past few years has worked out surprisingly well. I’ve successfully designed my life around a set of priorities and values that matter to me. I have more freedom, control, and autonomy.

I have plenty of time to pursue the things I enjoy, spend time with people I like, and embrace a slower, more intentional way of life. I like having an abundance of free time to travel and go on hiking trips where I can see so much of the beauty nature has to offer.

Since retiring 15 months ago, I especially like being able to travel with the weather. I took advantage of that last winter and spent it in southern Arizona. I attended the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous in Quartzsite and met Bob Wells. I also met other incredible folks and made friends with many other nomads.

I had my first experience camping on BLM land in the desert. I discovered that this lifestyle is considerably more normalized in this part of the country. I learned a lot during my stay, and I’m already looking forward to returning this coming winter.

While space is certainly limited living out of my SUV, I feel like I have all the essentials I need. The only thing I might change at some point is upgrading to a van. It would be nice to have a vehicle where I can stand up inside.

Other than that, I’m quite pleased with my little home on wheels and enjoy the freedom to go just about anywhere I want. I have plenty of time to connect with nature and with other like-minded souls.

I’m in good mental and physical health, and I feel quite content with my life. I’m happy living and traveling on the road I have chosen, so to speak.

I’m reminded of this quote from Leo Babauta: “Be a curator of your life. Slowly cut things out until you’re left only with what you love, with what’s necessary, with what makes you happy.”

It took some time, but I think I’ve finally reached that destination at this (somewhat late) point in my life. As they say, better late than never!

It’s also been a great relief. I finally have a calm and peaceful space where I can breathe and be myself. I do not miss the anxiety-inducing environment of the workplace nor the stress that comes with trying to afford the high cost of a sticks-and-bricks home.

At this stage of my life, I have become acutely aware that my remaining time on earth grows ever smaller with each passing day. I feel fortunate to have created a way of living that gives me the ability, resources, and time to pursue what brings me happiness, joy, and satisfaction. I hope to continue on this journey for as long as I can.

Life is precious. I intend to make the most of it while I still breathe.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

Financial stability tends to be overlooked as a mental health factor, but they are intricately linked. We are experiencing both an affordability crisis and a mental health crisis as late-capitalist society continues to crumble.

Over the past couple of decades, America’s ranking among developed countries has declined across nearly every major health measure. An increasing number of Americans are living under severe financial strain, with nearly two-thirds saying money is a significant source of stress. About one-third reported “unmanageable” levels of debt, and one in four said they are so stressed they can’t function on most days.

It becomes a self-reinforcing loop: Economic insecurity leads to mental health problems, which in turn create so much stress that they literally cannot function, thus making it harder to be productive in increasingly harsh and toxic work environments. This creates a negative downward spiral, with more and more Americans falling into this dystopian hellscape.

How society is run and organized is the primary source of the problem, not the individuals who are traumatized by it. But in our upside-down, for-profit system, the purpose of mental health professionals and services is primarily to “manage” individuals to be more productive in their roles as exploited workers. It is the individual who needs to be “fixed” and “corrected” to fit properly into the system.

This is why corporations and the so-called self-help industry pursue individualized approaches. They provide mindfulness, positive thinking, and resilience training to help employees “cope” instead of addressing the root causes of worker stress.

When people get mad about exploitation and injustice, their focus isn’t on the problem that causes it; it’s on the victims’ anger. They treat the expression of anger as the problem, not the systemic harm that provoked it. This is how the system is weaponized to sustain economic exploitation.

That’s why anger, frustration, disillusionment, and exhaustion are framed as personal failings rather than legitimate responses to oppressive social conditions. The system invalidates those feelings and instructs those who struggle to “work on themselves” rather than change their conditions.

Our society vigorously promotes the idea that our worth is tied to achievement and productivity. Hustle culture and the grind are glorified. These values are internalized to the point that people feel guilty for taking breaks or time off to recover.

Economic demands take precedence over personal well-being. The focus is on productivity, competition, and consumerism. Rest, relaxation, and recuperation often take a back seat in these environments.

I’ve seen plenty of this during my decades participating in the workforce. Some jobs were horrible, others were tolerable. The workplace often meant living a regimented, suffocating way of life, heavily structured by institutional authorities. It was a repetitive nightmare of doing the same routine every week for years and decades, living on autopilot, with our lives (and labor) controlled by external forces. Anxiety and stress are the toxic byproducts of that environment that accumulate in our bodies over time.

Over the past three years, I’ve made a couple of changes that have greatly improved my overall mental health and well-being. The first step was my decision not to pay for a place to sleep and live rent-free out of my vehicle. Housing is absurdly expensive. Choosing to no longer live paycheck to paycheck turned out to have been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I’m part of a growing number of people doing this. Eliminating the expense of traditional housing is often a personal survival strategy. It is not only a way to cope with current economic realities but also a means of increasing personal freedom.

Nomadism can help give individuals the power to create a more balanced life that prioritizes their mental health and well-being over our increasingly toxic, out-of-alignment, profit-driven system. We are less pressured to grind for essentials.

Instead of working at a job that offers only two weeks of vacation, if any, nomads often need to work only a few months each year. They can reduce the number of hours they work and have more free time. They are better able to find a healthier work/life balance that meets their needs and protects their mental well-being. This provides more time for activities that bring joy and fulfillment.

After I decided to live out of my vehicle, I continued working my full-time job for nearly two years and saved an incredible amount of money. It was fortunate I was able to do this, because last year, at age 62, I lost my job.

The good news was that saving all that extra money while living rent-free helped me handle the job loss much more easily. If I had a mortgage or were renting an apartment, I’d have considerably less savings and more bills, and I’d be in a world of hurt.

That event led to another pivotal decision. I decided to retire early rather than find a new job. I was done with work. I’d been living well below my means on a tiny budget, so continuing this lifestyle into retirement made perfect sense.

I don’t miss spending insane amounts of money on a place to live. I don’t miss the stress and anxiety that come with working so hard to pay for it. I don’t miss being stuck in a daily, repetitive cycle where my life isn’t my own. I’m no longer chained to wage slavery, where the workplace controls me, and I’m not chained to paying rent to a landlord or a mortgage to a bank.

Living in a perpetual state of survival will take a toll on your mental and physical health. It leaves the body under constant stress, which leads to poor mental and physical health outcomes. More of us are realizing it’s no way to live.

To quote the wise Yoda, “You must unlearn what you have learned.”

More people are making a cultural shift away from glorifying overwork and towards valuing rest, self-care, and personal fulfillment. They recognize how societal structures impact mental health and they implement strategies to mitigate them.

Many nomads have chosen to embark on an introspective journey, questioning social norms, challenging internalized values, and gradually aligning their lives with their true interests and desires. They value their well-being over the demands of a system that elevates profit over people. They explore alternatives that allow for more rest, self-care, and mutual aid.

They are discovering a variety of ways to pursue a life that is less busy, less grinding, and less stressful. They are seeking to reduce their dependence on work/wage slavery, and trying to expand their personal time, freedom, and autonomy.

I’ve successfully transitioned to a different way of living. I’ve flipped the script and thrived by adopting a set of values that are completely contrary to what I’ve been taught all my life. I think I’ve been reasonably successful at stopping a profoundly sick culture from inflicting further damage on me. I’m finally in recovery from Western civilization.

I can thank this nomadic lifestyle for dramatically reducing my stress and anxiety. It has done wonders for my mental health. Not being in survival mode and no longer struggling to get by certainly makes it easier to enjoy life.

Nomadism and living out of our vehicles are how we have adapted to a failing system that no longer meets our basic needs. It is driven by a desire to have a more affordable, flexible, and resilient lifestyle. It is also a way for those of us who don’t fit in conventional society to pursue a way of life more on our own terms.

Fitting into neurotypical settings, especially in the workplace, was often challenging, stressful, and exhausting for me. I found myself increasingly struggling with anxiety, sensory issues, and overstimulation. As an introvert, I also needed ample alone time not only to recharge but also a protective space to recuperate, regulate, and stabilize my nervous system.

I’ve been able to better manage these aspects of my life as a nomad. I’ve been able to slow down, spend more time in calm spaces, and treasure more moments of silence and stillness. I’m better able to prioritize self-care and set boundaries.

I also spend considerably more time out in nature, which has been integral to my recovery from years of accumulated trauma, debilitating anxiety, and exhaustive masking. It has helped anchor me and supported my overall mental and physical health.

This has been an eye-opening journey of self-discovery. I’m able to pursue a much more balanced life that is aligned with what I want to do and how I want to live. I’ve created a nice little home on wheels, and I’m able to spend more time and resources on activities that enrich my life.

It has also been a great sense of relief. I finally have the space to breathe and be myself. The steps I’ve taken on this path have led me to a place where everything feels more grounded, stable, and durable. It has been incredibly liberating.

I’m very comfortable with where I am at this point in my life. Frankly, it’s where I need to be to preserve my sanity. I’m finally on a path of hope, health, and healing.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

For those of you who may be wondering why there appears to be an increase in the number of people in the United States living out of their vehicles over the past few years, let’s roll through some numbers.

According to ZipRecruiter, only about 20% of American workers earn $75,000 or more per year.

The median personal income for all jobs in the U.S. is $45,000. That means 50% of all workers earn less than that.

When you exclude part-time, seasonal, and temp jobs, the median income for full-time jobs was $64,000 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

According to Zillow, the average rent in the U.S. is $2017 per month. Many places ask for an income level three times your salary. That means you need to make nearly $73,000 annually in order to qualify.

The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the US is $1,713. You need a salary of nearly $62,000 to qualify.

When it comes to renting, low-cost housing is disappearing. Over the past decade, growth has been exclusively in higher-rent units, while the number of units renting for less than $1,000 (roughly the affordability limit for a household earning $40,000) has declined by 7 million, with all those units either lost outright or converted to higher rent.

According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies, the payment for a median-priced home now stands at $3,100 per month. The income needed to afford that payment is more than $120,000.

The median price for a condo or co-op is $380,000, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The median price for new and existing homes is nearly $450,000.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, nearly 60% of homeowners cannot afford a $300,000 home. The association also found that roughly 75% of U.S. households do not have enough income to afford a median-priced new home at a 6.5% mortgage rate.

A 2025 NAR report found that a household earning $50,000 can afford only 8.7% of listings on the market. Households earning $75,000 a year — often composed of teachers, nurses, and skilled trades workers — can afford only 21.2% of listings. Even households earning $100,000 annually can afford only 37.1% of listings.

Housing has become a luxury for the rich. Higher-income households have near-total access to the market. Buyers earning $200,000 or more can afford 80 percent to 100 percent of listings.

It is becoming increasingly clear that living is more unaffordable for an ever-larger group of people. The cost-of-living crisis continues to worsen. It’s not just housing; it’s also groceries, healthcare, childcare, student loans, and other essentials.

According to the Urban Institute, nearly half of American families cannot afford the true cost of living and lack the resources to cover essential expenses needed to live securely in their own communities.

Against this backdrop, social service programs are being gutted. About 75% of households eligible for federal housing assistance do not receive it because of insufficient program funding.

People who cannot afford or qualify for housing are figuring out ways to be resilient and adapt to the economic realities around them. More and more people are taking matters into their own hands and creating a new form of affordable housing — living in their vehicles.

We didn’t create the affordability crisis. But we can be scrappy, creative, and resourceful in finding alternative ways to exist and even thrive. Some of us have even discovered that this lifestyle gives us more control, freedom, and autonomy over our lives after we eliminate the highest cost burden — sticks-and-bricks housing.

Whether it’s a car, van, RV, bus, or truck camper, more people are choosing alternative living options as a practical response to current economic conditions. For some, it beats living in a stressful, anxiety-inducing, money-draining home.

There is a lot of relentless propaganda trying to vilify, demonize, and criminalize us for simply existing and surviving. Sleeping bans, parking restrictions, and other attempts to make it illegal to live out of a vehicle will not solve the affordability crisis.

Demonizing people who can’t afford housing and choose to live out of their vehicles doesn’t solve anything. Trying to pass laws to hide us from public view and “disappear” us doesn’t address the root of the problem.

We’ve found our own solution to the affordability crisis. Living out of our vehicles has been a surprisingly successful form of “affordable housing” for many of us. It’s how an increasing number of people are choosing to live when a system no longer serves our needs.

We aren’t going anywhere. We exist. We’re here. Get used to it.

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I have lived out of a vehicle since 2023. I currently live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale Club are membership-based warehouse chains that offer a wide range of products at discounted prices. They’re geared toward consumers who buy in bulk. For people living out of their vehicles, paying for a membership doesn’t make much sense. Space is at a premium.

They also have gas stations that typically offer prices that are fifteen to twenty cents cheaper per gallon than regular retail gas stations. Despite the savings, it still didn’t make sense to pay $60 for a membership since I wouldn’t even be able to recoup the membership cost at those discounts with my hybrid vehicle.

However, I recently got a flyer in the mail from BJ’s offering a one-year introductory membership for just $15. I also discovered that new members get $10 off their first order. That brings the cost down to $5 for the year. Now that might make it worthwhile.

BJ’s has 271 stores in the US, with nearly all of them clustered in about 20 states near the East Coast. Most nomads are primarily out west, so a membership is of no use to them. However, I’m spending several months along the eastern U.S. over the next year. I still have friends and family here. After all, it is where I have worked and lived most of my adult life.

I decided to get a membership. Of course, I will cancel next year to avoid the regular $60 renewal fee. I stopped by the store and got $10 off a 2.5-pound bag of fruit & nut trail mix. Then I filled up my gas tank and saved nearly $3 compared with the regular gas station around the corner. I will recoup my membership cost the next time I fill up. After that, it’s all savings while I’m in the eastern U.S.

This is a rare occasion when the membership will actually save me money, so I’m taking advantage of it. Many of us nomads live on fixed incomes and tight budgets, so we’ll take whatever savings opportunities that present themselves.

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I escaped the rat race, retired early, and currently live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

A number of studies have shown that wild animals forced into captivity exhibit depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental disorders. This is due to these animals being exploited and placed in artificial, unnatural environments where they are forced to live in ways they were never designed to.

This is not to say that wild animals never experience grief and loss in their natural habitat. However, they seem to recover much more quickly, and the extent to which these occur doesn’t come anywhere near the level of disorders seen in captive, exploited animals forced to live in highly unnatural conditions. Nature heals.

Some scientists are studying ways to improve the psychological well-being of captive animals so they are calmer and easier to control while still being caged in highly stressful environments. Wouldn’t it be better if we just left animals alone and let them live in their natural environments? That’s where they belong.

Many humans today also live primarily in artificial, unnatural environments and are compelled by external forces to do things humans were never designed to do. The workplace is a prime example. It is one of the leading causes of depression. As Bob Black pointed out in his seminal essay, “The Abolition of Work”:

Work is the source of nearly all the misery in the world. Almost any evil you’d care to name comes from working or from living in a world designed for work.

That’s why they are also studying humans to find ways to help them cope with the system and make their “captivity” as wage slaves more bearable so they can be more productive for their masters. Designing programs to “manage” and “control” workers has become essential. An obedient and compliant workforce is a productive workforce.

Corporations offer mindfulness, positive thinking, and resilience training instead of addressing the root causes of worker stress. These wellness programs are intended to help employees cope with their exploitation and to encourage them to “work on themselves” rather than change their conditions. Worker distress is reframed as a resilience problem.

Economic demands take precedence over personal well-being. Wellness programs are designed with this in mind. This is the science of coercion at work. Wellness programs reframe structural problems as individual failure. It becomes a disciplinary exercise in which workers must be adjusted to the conditions causing their distress rather than altering the conditions.

The first step towards pushing back against their propaganda bullshit is to recognize that you are not a failure; the system is. Don’t let the corporate bootlickers, or the so-called “science-based” consultants tell you otherwise. They can take their meditation advice and breathing exercises and shove them where the sun don’t shine.

Genuine independence, freedom, and the ability to exert more control over one’s life are at odds with those so-called “professionals” whose primary aim is to keep you docile, unthreatening, and accepting of your artificial environment. They are in the business of helping the machine run smoothly and efficiently. Your feelings don’t matter. The company’s ability to profit from your labor does.

Finding ways to protect our well-being over the demands of a system that prioritizes profit over people requires challenging internalized values such as overwork, competition, and productivity. It means prioritizing rest, self-care, and mutual aid. It means learning the art of refusal and resistance. It means organizing and fighting back.

There are things we can do both individually and collectively. We can explore ways to step away from a toxic culture and embrace a way of life that offers greater freedom and autonomy. We can prioritize strategies to avoid, or at least reduce, its impact on us as much as possible. We can work toward dismantling this toxic system that causes so much harm.

When it comes to personal liberty and freedom, my motto is “get away with whatever you can.” Do whatever you can to loosen the grip of those monsters. Do whatever you can to throw sand in the gears of their machine. Any effort that moves towards embracing a way of life that allows you to be more human should be prioritized. Escaping their cage may help heal you and save your life.

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I escaped the rat race, retired early, and currently live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

Last summer, Hagerstown implemented a temporary 6-month ban on outdoor sleeping. The prohibition applied to anyone sleeping outdoors in any public place within the city limits, including anyone sleeping in a motor vehicle on public property.

The penalties for sleeping outdoors included up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 per offense, with each day treated as a separate offense. The ordinance was in effect for six months, from Aug. 8 through Feb. 8, 2026. Local media extensively covered the outdoor sleeping ban last summer.

Hagerstown then made the ban permanent in early 2026. How did the media cover it? It didn’t. I searched the local news outlets for any coverage of the now-permanent ban and found none. It appears that those who had previously reported on the ban never followed up.

It’s a process of normalization. What seemed a bit shocking a year ago has become the new normal. Normal isn’t newsworthy. It’s just another way to disappear the houseless and homeless. They are forgotten and removed from public view.

More than 300 cities have enacted sleeping and camping bans since the Supreme Court ruled two years ago that cities can ban such activities, according to the National Homelessness Law Center. These laws are justified by claiming they are aimed at curbing homelessness. This is laughable. We are in the midst of an affordability crisis, and criminalizing and punishing the victims does nothing but exacerbate the problem.

This is part of a deliberate effort to target and criminalize people for being homeless. The prison and surveillance industries have deep ties to the right-wing, billionaire-backed Cicero Institute, which stands to profit from anti-homeless laws by operating detention and forced labor camps. Cicero has been at the forefront of advocating for forced labor, forced treatment, and detention camps. These policies are designed to line the pockets of those connected to the prison and surveillance tech industries.

That’s the real reason these laws are being implemented. There’s money to be made by targeting, dehumanizing, imprisoning, and imposing forced labor on a growing “disposable” population.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

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For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

I once had a friend tell me that I took everything in my life, put it into one big pile, and set it on fire. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I get their point. They meant it as a huge negative, but I saw it as a big positive.

I chose to be who I really am, not what traditional society demands. It meant letting go of many things. There is no point in maintaining connections with people who disapprove of how you live your life and who condescendingly attack you for your unconventional beliefs and views. Stepping away from, discarding, and letting go of people, places, and things was a necessary cleansing of the mind, body, and soul.

I’ve also had a few people tell me that the way I choose to live is a form of “failed” living. They judge me a “failure.” Some are genuinely upset and angry that I’m living a happy, albeit unconventional, life outside what they, in their narrow minds, consider “acceptable.” It says nothing about me, but it says everything about them and who THEY are — and none of it is good. Let people expose themselves. I take great pleasure in removing them from my social circle. My life is so much better without them around.

I don’t have to explain myself to anyone. I’ve set boundaries and no longer have any trouble removing anything that crosses them. There are plenty of things I no longer accept and things I won’t compromise on. I never apologize for making some people uncomfortable with who I truly am.

I’m different. I don’t fit in. I’m very comfortable not being “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” I have zero tolerance for those who offer unsolicited advice on how to move me back into alignment with such a sick, dysfunctional culture. I’m content with where I am and how I choose to live. People who don’t accept that have no place here.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

I’m not homeless. I am free.

No rent. No mortgage. No debts. No regrets.

Stepping away from a system that seeks to enslave us.

Living a life unshackled and unburdened.

Being alone and being lonely are two completely different things.

I love being alone. I enjoy solitude. It’s calm, relaxing, and therapeutic. It’s an opportunity for reflection and contemplation. It’s a safe space to unwind and be at peace.

Solitude is not the same as loneliness. I feel most alone in crowds, yet never in solitude. Welcome to life as an introvert.

My favorite way to find solitude is being outdoors in nature. I can eliminate all the annoying distractions from society and unnecessary drama from people.

Herons are generally solitary animals that spend most of their time alone. If you get too close, they’ll fly off to another location. They prefer their solitude. And so do I.

Some days are just meant to relax, chill, hang out, and do nothing.

Sometimes doing nothing is the most productive thing you can do.

We are better off doing less and reflecting more.

Having abundant idle time is the key to a healthy and happy life. ​

Recognize the root of the problem.

The income needed to afford a home has nearly doubled since 2020. According to a new report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies, the payment for a median-priced home was $3,100 in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from $1,700 in early 2020. That has pushed the income needed to afford that payment to more than $120,000 — a significant increase from $66,000 in 2020.

The median price for new and existing homes is over $400,000. Existing home prices have risen 54% since 2020 and are about 5 times the median income — a level well above the 3 times ratio that prevailed in the 1990s.

When it comes to renting, low-cost housing is disappearing. Over the past decade, growth has been exclusively in higher-rent units, while the number of units renting for less than $1,000 (roughly the affordability limit for a household earning $40,000) has declined by 7 million, with all those units either lost outright or converted to higher rent.

It is increasingly clear that living is becoming less affordable for an ever-larger share of people. The affordability crisis continues to worsen. The numbers tell the story.

I’ve had a number of people ask me what my backup plan is for unexpected expenses. What is my backup plan for an unexpected event?

I have a substantial emergency fund for unanticipated expenses. I built it by eliminating my housing costs and putting that money into the fund.

I started this journey of living out of my vehicle nearly three years ago to save a lot of money while I was still working. When I lost my job last year, I was glad I wasn’t paying rent or a mortgage. I would have had considerably less in savings, and I would have been screwed.

It turns out that living this way has been a great backup plan that has helped me survive and thrive after a job loss. This lifestyle IS my backup plan. It put me in a much better position to handle an unexpected event. It is what saved me.

Enjoy the summer.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

I’m a big fan of movement. We were meant to be in motion. I hike regularly. I occasionally jog and do short 5k races. I also incorporate some resistance training. But the most common exercise I do almost daily is walking.

Ever since I gave up conventional sticks-and-bricks to live out of my car, I have been spending considerably more time outdoors. I go on frequent walks and hikes. The great thing about walking is that it doesn’t require any special equipment or training, and it can be done anywhere at your own pace.

I consider walking regularly in nature or green spaces part of my broader effort to maintain good physical and mental health. It’s also a part of my routine to calm my nerves, relieve stress, and ease anxiety. A 2024 study found that increasing your daily step count is linked to fewer symptoms of depression. Those who walked between 7,500 and 10,000 steps per day had 43% lower odds of depression.

I always prefer walking outdoors over a treadmill. Being out in nature is the best. But hitting a treadmill at a gym can be a good option on occasion when the outdoor weather doesn’t cooperate.

I see many articles urging people to track their progress. I don’t care about any of that. I don’t track, record, or measure miles, steps, reps, sets, or my weight. For me, it’s more important to just do it. I try to exercise regularly and incorporate a variety of movement at least five or six days a week. That’s good enough for me.

I do two types of walking. Solo walks and walks with a friend or small group. While some may consider me a hardcore introvert who loves solitude, I do enjoy regular walks with friends and walking partners. My ratio of solo walks vs. walks with friends is about 50/50. I think that’s a good mix for me.

Going for a walk is one of my favorite ways to spend time with friends. Walking is free. Not to mention, we are getting regular movement rather than sitting down to chat at a coffee shop or restaurant.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the occasional get-together at coffee shops and restaurants. I do! But the most common way I interact with friends is outdoors. It certainly helps that my friends are fellow nature lovers.

When it comes to solo walks, I prefer quiet trails surrounded by nature. Walking in more urban settings around town is fine on occasion. But walking alone in isolated natural environments is where the mental health benefits kick in. It’s a great way to unplug and soak in the beauty around you.

Our culture often views solitude with suspicion and associates it with loneliness. But solitude for me isn’t loneliness or isolation at all. Quite the contrary. It is freedom. It increases self-awareness, allows for introspection, and gives me the space I need to process thoughts and emotions.

Solo walking can be a form of meditation. For those of us who are not neurotypical and find it difficult to do sitting meditation, walking alone is a great alternative.

Walking in nature can serve as a counterbalance to modern life. Taking a step away from the screens, digital stimulation, noise, distractions, and the constant demands for our attention can be a welcome respite. In fact, I consider it essential.

Humans are part of nature. We did not evolve to spend significant portions of our waking hours slaving away at a desk in a windowless room, staring at a computer screen. These artificial environments are causing so much stress, anxiety, and depression.

Studies show that regular walkers report lower baseline stress, greater emotional resilience, and increased life satisfaction. Walking in stillness and solitude has been my “therapy without the couch.” It has become essential for my mental well-being. The practice has helped reshape my mental health over the past few years.

It has also been a form of self-care. It has been integral to my recovery from years of accumulated trauma stemming from not fitting into our neurotypical culture and from the stress, debilitating anxiety, noise, and chaos I endured while trying to navigate and survive this profoundly sick society.

It has served as a way to anchor and support my overall mental and physical health. I’ve managed to walk down a new path toward a better life.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

One of the challenges of living out of a car is staying cool on hot summer days and sleeping comfortably on warm, muggy nights. Here are a few things I do to keep cool while living out of my hybrid SUV.

1. Travel with the weather

As a nomad, I pay close attention to the weather. Since I have a home on wheels, I can travel with the weather and chase cooler spots. Spending my time at higher elevations has worked out quite well for me. This is my favorite way to escape the heat.

During one summer trip, I visited the highest points in several states during an especially oppressive heatwave. When triple-digit temperatures hit many of the cities along the East Coast, I spent my days in the mountains, where it was considerably cooler. On one of those days, I visited Mount Mitchell in North Carolina, where the afternoon high was in the mid-60s.

During another heatwave, I was dispersed camping in the mountains of West Virginia, where daytime temperatures were mostly in the 70s and nighttime temperatures in the 50s and 60s, while eastern cities once again flirted with the 100-degree mark during the day and stayed in the 80s most of the night.

2. Go to indoor places with A/C

If I’m unable to escape to the mountains, one of the best ways to stay cool during a heatwave is to go somewhere with air conditioning. There are several places I can hang out when it’s oppressively hot outside. My favorite place is the library, where I can read a book, listen to music, watch videos, surf the web, and charge all my electronics.

Other options include hanging out at a coffee shop, bookstore, community center, or dining at a restaurant. Hanging out at a friend’s house or with family in the area can be another way to escape the heat.

Cooling centers are increasingly used in cities and have become essential places to seek relief from the heat. The National Center for Healthy Housing has a state-by-state listing of cooling center resources.

Many municipalities will have community centers and other designated areas as cooling centers during times of extreme heat.

3. Spend outdoors in wooded areas

As I’ve said before, I live “out of my vehicle,” not in it. I use it primarily for two things: transportation and sleeping. That means I’m usually not in my car during the day. I especially avoid spending time in my vehicle during the hottest parts of the day.

If I’m unable to escape a heatwave and I’m stuck in town, I can still spend time outdoors if I don’t feel like being cooped up in the library for the entire day. I will head to one of the many forested trails in the area. Temperatures can be as much as 10 degrees lower under a tree canopy in a nearby wooded area. I usually like to do this in the morning. Staying in shaded areas away from concrete and asphalt can be a viable outdoor option.

4. Park in shaded areas

I also try to keep my car as cool as possible during the day. I park in shaded areas or in a covered parking garage to keep it away from direct sunlight. Parking in the shade can keep your vehicle’s interior temperature much cooler.

5. Use window covers and screens

I have a set of reflective window covers specifically designed for my car model. They reflect sunlight and help keep the interior cool. They also protect the dashboard from sun damage over time. They serve a dual purpose because they provide privacy by blocking out street lights at night when I’m stealth camping in town.

Besides window covers, I have screens I can use so I can crack open the windows for a cross breeze. The screens are a good way to keep insects out too.

Another feature on my SUV is tinted windows, which can reduce the car’s temperature by blocking up to 99% of harmful UV rays and some of the solar heat.

6. Use fans / Run the A/C

Sleeping in a vehicle can be difficult on warm, muggy nights. I have a hybrid vehicle, so I can run the A/C all night if I want to. My first option is to travel and avoid the heatwave. But for those occasions when I can’t, I typically run my car’s A/C after I park for the night. The vehicle has an automatic shutoff after 90 minutes. I can circumvent this by keeping the seatbelt plugged in if I want to run it all night.

I’ve never had the need to run it for an entire night. My preference is to let it run for 90 minutes while simultaneously turning on my battery-powered fan. It usually does a pretty good job of cooling the car. I keep two battery-powered fans in the car, but one is enough for most situations. Once the car A/C shuts off, the fan is usually enough to keep me comfortable until morning.

7. Stay at a Hotel

Since I upgraded to a hybrid vehicle, I don’t really need to do this anymore. I stayed at hotels on a few occasions for two summers when I still had a job and had to stay in town. My previous car was not a hybrid, so my options for staying cool were more limited. I learned my tolerance level and what I could reasonably handle to get a decent night’s sleep. I placed a great deal of value on quality sleep, so I would stay in hotels as needed while working my full-time job. This can still be a good option for those who don’t have hybrid or electric vehicles during heatwaves.

8. Stay with family or friends

Again, I don’t really need to do this anymore now that I have a hybrid vehicle. But it was an occasional option when I still had a job and lived out of a different vehicle. This can be a viable option for some people, depending on their location and circumstances.

9. Stay hydrated

The hotter it gets, the faster our bodies lose water. It’s important to stay hydrated. I drink water regularly throughout the day. Staying hydrated is vital to helping your body stay healthy.

Dealing with heatwaves while living out of a vehicle presents some unique challenges. But some of us nomads are lucky enough to be able to travel with the weather and minimize our exposure to high heat and humidity. Even when we can’t get away, there are options we can utilize to stay safe and protected. Knowing where you can go to stay cool, having access to resources, and having a social network of friends, family, and community resources you can rely on as needed can help mitigate those challenges.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

Over the past year, I’ve realized that what I like about this lifestyle isn’t just the ability to travel and do what I enjoy, wherever and whenever the mood strikes. It’s the sense of freedom that comes with it. I feel like an independent, sovereign human being. I’m no longer chained to wage slavery where the workplace controls me. I’m not chained to paying rent to a landlord or a mortgage to a bank. My life is my own more than ever before. It’s a good feeling.

The decades spent living a regimented, suffocating way of life, heavily structured by institutional authorities and toxic authoritarian managerial jerks, are in the rearview mirror. The repetitive nightmare of doing the same routine every week for years and decades, living on autopilot, with your life (and your labor) controlled by external forces, is gone.

The tedious tasks, the petty rules and regulations, the low-intelligence micromanagement, the insulting levels of forced conformity, the gaslighting, not to mention all the anxiety and stress from being forced to comply with so much idiotic bullshit on an almost daily basis, have been removed from the equation.

I like having this level of freedom, with more autonomy and control over how to spend my time. The pace of life has slowed. Having the space to relax, unwind, and experience calm is very important to me. I’m right where I want to be. Frankly, it’s where I need to be to preserve my sanity. I’m fortunate to be at this point, and I intend to make the most of it.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider a paid subscription.

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

For those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash, I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to:

Tom Wheeler, 6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419, Columbia, MD 21045

You can also make a one-time donation via PayPal

or Venmo (@Thomas-Wheeler-101)

I also have an option for those of you who don’t want to do digital transactions and prefer plain old cash. I accept donations via cash, check (payable to Tom Wheeler), or money orders to my UPS mailbox address at:

Tom Wheeler

6925 Oakland Mills Rd #419

Columbia, MD 21045

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you can also support my work by subscribing to my page. A subscription is just .99 cents per month.

Another way to support Facebook creators is to buy and send Stars. 100 Stars = $1.00. Click the star next to the “write a comment” feature to send Stars to creators. This feature isn’t available on a computer, but you can access it on a mobile device.

My work is entirely reader-supported, and I greatly appreciate paid subscriptions and donations. A big thank you to everyone who already subscribes and supports my content.

All of my content is freely accessible. I believe everyone deserves equal access. A significant portion of my audience consists of people living out of their vehicles who aren’t exactly swimming in money. I don’t want to create a tiered system in which those with money can access “special” content that would be denied to those who cannot afford it. Your paid subscriptions and donations help me continue creating content available to all, regardless of financial status.

Thank you.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

After spending the past winter in southern Arizona and taking advantage of free dispersed camping on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, I decided to explore dispersed camping options in the eastern United States.

There is no BLM land in the eastern US. However, there are places where you can camp for up to 14 days for free. It’s not as plentiful as it is out west, but with a little research, you can find a decent number of spots in National Forests, State Forests, and Wildlife Management Areas.

Like BLM land out west, Forest Service areas allow dispersed camping in 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands, covering 193 million acres across 43 states, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

I’m using the term “dispersed,” but “boondocking” or “dry camping” are also common terms. It typically means camping without amenities such as dump stations, electrical hookups, water, trash facilities, picnic tables, or toilets. It’s a good idea to be prepared with everything you need for your stay. Another thing to be aware of is that most dispersed campsites are in remote areas with limited or no cell service.

And don’t forget to follow the Leave No Trace principles while you’re there. Pack it in, pack it out. Take everything with you when you leave the campsite. Some of us nomads have also been getting into the habit of picking up any trash left behind by previous campers. Leave it better than you found it. Keeping extra trash bags on hand can come in handy for this.

One of the reasons I enjoy dispersed camping is that it’s usually more peaceful and private than paid campgrounds. It can be a good alternative for those who wish to avoid crowds. It also offers more opportunities to find campsites with picturesque views.

Another obvious benefit, especially for those with very tight budgets, is that they are free. While the benefits of a paid campground include access to water, dump stations, restrooms, showers, laundry (in some cases), picnic tables, trash receptacles, electrical hookups, and sinks, these amenities come at a cost.

I have a lifetime National Senior Park Pass, which gives me a 50% discount on camping fees, making it affordable for my situation. I typically pay only $10–15 per night at most sites. But for those paying regular rates, $30 per night can add up quickly. Free dispersed camping can be a viable alternative.

There are several tools you can use to find dispersed campsites. iOverlander is a popular app among many nomads. I’ve used it not only to find free and paid campgrounds but also to find viable places to stealth park overnight in cities and towns.

It has a comprehensive database of sites covering the United States, Canada, and Mexico. iOverlander currently offers both a free and a paid version ($5.99/month). I still use the free version, but it limits downloads to one state at a time.

The Dyrt is also a good resource for finding both paid and dispersed campgrounds. When I looked up dispersed campgrounds in West Virginia, it listed 24 different locations in the state.

Like iOverlander, I use the free limited version. The paid version costs $59.99 annually and includes additional features, such as access to PRO Maps that show free dispersed camping on public lands and the ability to download maps for offline use.

Freecampsites.net is another option. It is less comprehensive and less accurate overall, but it can be an additional tool to utilize.

During my visit to West Virginia, I decided to try out two dispersed campgrounds in the state. Both were in the Monongahela National Forest in the eastern part of the state.

The first campground I chose was in the Mower Basin region off Forest Road 227. This area appears to be an introvert’s delight. Many of the campsites were very far apart, and some were spacious and private. Mine was tucked away in the woods a couple of hundred feet from the forest road. The nearest campsite to mine was more than half a mile away. There were also a few sites in open areas with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. There was plenty of variety, depending on your preferences.

I really enjoyed trying this out. It was a nice alternative to paid campgrounds, where the sites are often close together and can sometimes get very crowded. While I do like having access to drinking water, bathrooms, and showers at campgrounds in national and state parks, there’s something to be said about remote, quiet places like these where you can truly be away from everything, including other people.

The other campground I visited in the Monongahela National Forest was the Lower Glady Dispersed Camping Area off Forest Road 162. Lower Glady has a couple of dozen campsites along a 2-mile stretch of a flat gravel road, part of which runs right alongside the beautiful Cheat River.

Some of the sites are clustered close together in semi-circles off the forest road, while others are more private and secluded. I was able to get one of those spots, perfect for us solo campers who prefer the more isolated ones scattered along the road.

My campsite was surrounded by forest and had all the space I needed. There was a creek behind me, and the Cheat River was just 100 feet in front of me. I love the sound of flowing water while I’m relaxing outdoors. What more could I ask for?

Lower Glady was another peaceful camping experience for me. I appreciate these moments of solitude and the chance to be surrounded by nature. It was a great place to disconnect from the noise and distractions of modern life. What a wonderful place to immerse oneself.

Both sites I visited allow up to 14 days of free camping with no permits or reservations required. These are primitive sites with no amenities or cell service. However, Lower Glady had two pit toilets about a mile apart. Car camping in these locations can be more challenging than in a van or RV, but it is still doable and can be a great experience with proper preparation.

While I do enjoy the extra amenities at paid campgrounds in national and state parks, these free, more primitive and isolated sites certainly appeal to introverts like me who love some alone time in nature. The pit toilets are a bonus.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

I’m part of a growing number of Americans living out of their vehicles as rents and housing prices have skyrocketed in recent years. I started living this way in 2023, while I still had a full-time office job, which helped me save a lot of money. Deciding not to pay $1600+ a month for a place to sleep has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. I gave up a few conveniences for a lot more freedom.

Saving all that extra money came in handy when I was laid off last year. I probably would have panicked and been stressed out if I still had to pay rent or a mortgage. Instead, I had a much larger pile of savings, which allowed me to give up the 9-to-5 grind and retire early.

Some of us have discovered that another world, another way of life, is possible. Many of us nomads, outcasts, radicals, non-conformists, and unconventional folks have managed to build vibrant lives inside the rotting, dying shell of the old. In the process, we gained more freedom, control, and autonomy by circumventing a system that does not serve our needs.

When I first started living out of my vehicle, I thought it would be a sacrifice. However, I discovered I actually liked it. Hot damn! This is a heckuva lot more fun than living in a money-draining apartment!

Nomadic living has certainly been cheaper. I’ve managed to live a pretty good life on a shoestring budget. Is it less convenient? Yes. Are there challenges? Yes. But I’ve been able to do so many things I couldn’t do when I had a conventional job and lived in a conventional home where most of my paycheck went to rent, bills, and expenses. I’ve tapped into a level of freedom with this lifestyle that I’m not willing to give up.

Now that I was out of a job, continuing this same lifestyle in retirement made perfect sense to me. What started as an unconventional path to saving large sums of money has turned into my unconventional path to an affordable retirement.

I recently marked the one-year anniversary of losing my job, and I’ve tracked every dollar I’ve spent over the past 12 months. I’ve listed my expenses by category, from highest to lowest, and rounded all amounts to the nearest dollar.

This covers the period from June 2025 to May 2026. Let’s review the numbers.

Groceries/Toiletries/Necessities — $3,360 ($280/month)

Not surprisingly, my biggest expense is groceries. I’ve included toiletries since I usually purchase them at grocery stores. I’ve also accounted for expenses on what I call necessities, such as paper towels.

Still, I was surprised by how low this expense was for the year. I expected it to be well over $300 per month, so I’m very happy to be spending only an average of $280 per month. Given how rapidly grocery prices have been rising, I think it’s more likely I’ll average north of $300 over the next year.

Hotels/Lodging/Camping — $2,678 ($223/month)

Since I spend most of the year in the eastern United States, I tend to use paid campgrounds during my travels. I enjoy visiting a variety of state and national parks and usually take advantage of the campgrounds to do multi-day stays. Because I have a lifetime senior National Park Pass, I get 50% off camping fees.

During my two months in southern Arizona, I stayed primarily on free BLM land, and I will take advantage of free camping whenever I can. But that’s a bit more challenging in the eastern US.

Besides paid campgrounds, I occasionally book an overnight stay at a hotel during my travels. I also do the occasional two- or three-day stay at a hotel in certain areas. Sometimes it’s just easier and quieter than a crowded campground, or I happen to be in an unfamiliar area where I don’t want to do stealth camping, or it’s just to take a short break from living out of the car.

Spending a little over $200 per month on hotels and camping fees is very affordable. Renting an apartment for $1600+ a month isn’t.

Gas — $1,849 ($154/month)

My third largest expense was gas. Some months, I’m mostly in one area and use very little. But I also enjoy traveling, so my expenses can vary from well under $100 one month to over $500 during the month I traveled across the country.

One thing I appreciate is that my hybrid SUV gets excellent gas mileage (around 36 mpg), which makes travel much cheaper than in a van. While having a van that I can stand up in and that offers considerably more room would be a nice luxury, I can manage with my SUV and its much lower gas costs.

That said, I’m seriously considering upgrading to a van next year. It will make this lifestyle a bit more expensive, but I can afford it. It’s still considerably cheaper than rent or a mortgage.

Car Insurance — $1,774 ($148/month)

My car insurance costs have increased significantly over the past few years, even though I have a perfect driving record and haven’t received any tickets in the past 15 years. My monthly payments averaged $148, but my current premium has already increased to $160. Maryland has some of the highest car insurance rates in the country.

Restaurants/Entertainment/Movies — $1,031 ($86/month)

My goal was to average around $100 per month in this category, and I stayed a bit below target. I don’t eat at restaurants much and prefer to prepare my own meals. Besides restaurants and the occasional coffee shop, this category includes any out-of-pocket state park fees or entrance fees for privately run parks, music concerts, and festivals, as well as the occasional online movie rental or purchase.

iPhone (T-Mobile + storage) — $861 ($72/month)

My unlimited data plan, plus the extra storage fee for my backups, currently costs $37 per month. However, I upgraded my phone late last year, which added about $46 per month to my phone bill, spread over 24 months to cover the cost of the phone. My current monthly total cost is $83. I averaged $72 per month over the past year because I had several months when I paid only $37 per month before getting the new phone.

Clothing/Personal Items/Books — $830 ($69/month)

Besides clothing and books, this category also includes personal purchases such as camping gear, cookware, bedding, computer/electronic equipment, and any car accessories.

A few things I purchased over the past year include my prescription reading glasses, a camping chair, an extra portable battery-operated fan, a tent, and a portable battery-operated blender. I love making smoothies.

I spend very little on clothing, but I do like physical books, and they are one thing I still purchase on occasion.

Storage Fee — $687 ($57/month)

I have a climate-controlled 5x10 storage unit that costs only $57 a month. Although I downsized in the summer of 2023, I still maintain a storage unit for extra clothes, blankets, a couple of pieces of furniture, such as my bookshelf along with my books, a toolkit, and a few other odds and ends. I also use it to store my tent, some camping/outdoor gear, and a few other things when I’m not traveling. And it makes a great pantry for storing extra food.

Gym Memberships — $685 ($57/month)

When you live in a car, you need a regular, reliable place to shower. I had the Planet Fitness Black Card for over two years, which gave me access to any of the 2,700+ Planet Fitness gyms across the country. The cost was very affordable at $25/month, and it definitely came in handy.

I recently tried Anytime Fitness, which was more expensive ($70/month), but they offered private showers and cleaner, higher-quality facilities. I was very happy with the one I used regularly when I’m in Maryland, and I’ve been quite satisfied with the quality and availability of Anytime Fitness gyms while traveling across the country. They have over 2,300 locations in the United States.

I also joined a 50+ Center in Maryland that offers a gym membership for only $89 a year. That’s $7.42 per month. The centers have six different locations in the area. Since returning to Maryland in April, I canceled my Anytime Fitness membership and now rely on the 50+ Center for showers while I’m mainly in town here. I like their gyms and appreciate the private showers.

When I travel, I’ve been able to utilize showers at campgrounds. Some are free, others charge around $5. I’ve taken advantage of the free showers and have only had to pay $5 once when I was camping in Shenandoah National Park.

I will be traveling more later this year, so I plan to reactivate my Anytime Fitness membership at a different location for a lower price. That location charges $45 per month, so my total monthly cost later this year will be about $52, including the cost of the 50+ center’s gym facilities. That is double the cost of the Planet Fitness Black Card, but it’s worth it to me.

Streaming/Subscriptions — $596 ($50/month)

I have several annual subscriptions that I’ve broken down into monthly costs. I pay an annual fee of $139 for Amazon Prime membership, which comes out to a little under $12 per month. For Panera’s Unlimited Sip Club, I spend $119.99 annually, which averages $10 a month.

I also paid $4 in streaming charges. During the holidays, Amazon offered a discounted HBO/Max subscription for $2.99 per month for 12 months. I also have an annual Starz subscription for $11.99, which breaks down to just $1 a month. These low rates will expire in December 2026, and I will cancel them before the rate increases.

This is usually how I handle streaming services. I use free trials or discounted rates to watch content I’m interested in, then cancel afterward. I also have an American Express card that offers three-month free trials for services like Paramount+, Discovery+, and Disney+, among others. I’ll take advantage of those free options to catch up on any programs I want to watch, then cancel.

I also have a few websites, blogs, and software subscriptions, which all total $24 per month. That brings my total monthly cost for memberships, subscriptions, and streaming services to $50.

Medical Insurance — $452 ($38/month) (includes out-of-pocket costs)

Since I am no longer employed and I’m not 65 yet, I had to go on the ACA exchange and get an insurance plan for 2026. Because my Social Security income will be considerably lower than my previous salary, I qualified for subsidies and was able to get a plan for only $52/month. I didn’t have health insurance for a few months after I lost my job in 2025 and only paid the $52 premium for five months during this period. I also had one out-of-pocket expense for an eye exam not covered by insurance.

Gifts/Donations — $439 ($37/month)

I donate to a few causes every year. Most of my donations support animal sanctuaries and homeless organizations. I also keep a few dollars in the car to hand out to those in need. I have very limited financial resources, but I’ll continue to do this as long as I am able.

Essential Services (laundry/car wash/misc) — $314 ($26/month)

I typically do laundry about every two weeks. Sometimes it’s at a laundromat, and other times I can do laundry at a friend’s or a family member’s house. This category also includes car washes and the occasional paid shower I take at a campground.

When I spent the winter in southern Arizona, I had UPS forward my mail to me while I was there. Since I do almost everything online, most of my mail is junk. I had my mail forwarded once in February to get all my 1099s, W-2s, and everything I needed to file my taxes. I plan another three-month stay in the desert Southwest next winter and will probably only need to forward my mail once.

UPS Postal Box Fee — $264 ($22/month)

Living out of a car requires having an address for mail and packages. I rented a UPS box for $132 every six months, which averages $22 monthly. I chose a UPS box instead of a regular PO box because UPS provides a street address with my box number, making it look like an apartment address. Starting next month, the cost will go up to $30 per month.

Car maintenance/repairs (tags/license renewal) — $253 ($21/month)

My automotive repair and maintenance costs were zero. I have a 36k/3-year free maintenance agreement with Hyundai, so my only expenses were to renew the tags and my driver’s license. My license is good for another eight years, so I’ll only have to renew the tags next year.

I will have to start paying for my regular maintenance and any repairs once the free maintenance agreement expires. And these expenses will go up as the vehicle ages.

Total Expenses for January 2026 — $16,073 / $1340 per month

Averaging $1,340 per month in total expenses is pretty good and definitely within my budget. I thought about going really hardcore and trying to keep my expenses below $1,000 per month. I managed to do that for January and February 2026 while I was in southern Arizona, staying on BLM land for free.

But that’s not realistic over the long term. Once you add in extra travel, especially at today’s elevated gas prices, potential unanticipated expenses, and the occasional treat for myself, it just ain’t gonna happen. I also spend most of the year on the East Coast, which means more paid campground stays.

I expect my average monthly expenses to increase over the next year as my free maintenance agreement with Hyundai expires. There’s also a possibility I may upgrade to a van, which will cost more to run and maintain. I’m certainly not going to get the same gas mileage I do with my current hybrid SUV.

I have a substantial emergency savings fund that I’ve never had to tap into while living in my little home on wheels, but it’s nice to have just in case I ever need it. It certainly gives me peace of mind.

In fact, during my first year of retirement, my total savings grew substantially. That’s partly due to a decent severance package, along with my CDs and high-yield savings still providing good returns as interest rates remain elevated. My goal for the next year is to meet all my needs on my meager monthly Social Security check while still growing my overall savings.

Living out of a vehicle to avoid the high cost of living has become the best way to survive and even thrive on a very limited budget. I’ve been told the best things in life are free, but traditional housing certainly isn’t. I’ve adjusted accordingly.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

“What is needed is a profound shift in the way we regard the Earth, not as a resource to be exploited but as a living, breathing partner in our journey.”

I’ve seen this quote attributed to Terence McKenna, but I haven’t been able to find the source. However, it does align with his philosophy.

Terence did say: “Nature is not our enemy, to be raped and conquered. Nature is ourselves, to be cherished and explored.”

Unfortunately, human civilization is destroying nature at an alarming rate. As we destroy nature, we are destroying ourselves.

Currently living the dream. Would love to be living in a van down by the river, but I’ll have to settle for the SUV for now.

It’s okay to live a life other people don’t understand.

It’s okay to choose a path that deviates from the norm.

It’s okay to be different.

Embrace who you are instead of trying to fit in.

Prioritize your mental health and happiness over other people’s perceptions.

Albert Einstein: “The one who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. Those who walk alone are likely to find themselves in places no one has ever been before.”

I always see squirrels climbing trees. But chipmunks can climb trees too.

It’s a nice feeling waking up in the forest to the sounds of nature. I have no mortgage or rent. I have no debt. I no longer have to work to afford a very simple, minimalist lifestyle.

Living and traveling out of a vehicle has its share of nuisances and inconveniences, but the freedom makes it worthwhile. When I started, I thought living this way would sacrifice my overall quality of life. Not so.

I don’t miss spending insane amounts of money on a place to live. I don’t miss the stress and anxiety that come with working so hard to pay for it. I don’t miss being stuck in a daily, repetitive cycle where my life isn’t my own.

Living this way has shown how little I need to be happy and content. I achieve more freedom by needing less. Having more personal autonomy, control, and independence has its benefits.

“Hiking is a way to cleanse the mind and escape the noise of everyday life.” — Unknown

“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” — Edward Abbey

Hiking the trails boosts my mood, reduces anxiety, and is a great way to get regular exercise. Every hike provides an opportunity to experience peace and tranquility. It’s a great way to calm my nervous system and soak in the beauty around me.

Hiking allows me to unplug and step away. It is an opportunity to disconnect from the pressures, insanity, and BS of modern life. It allows me to live in the moment and experience a sense of true liberation and freedom. It opens a world of unbridled joy and wonder. It takes me to exhilarating places and beautiful spaces.

Hiking is my path to a healthier, happier life.

My cordless portable blender for making smoothies. This is a mixed fruit smoothie with strawberries, pineapple, peaches, mangoes, and grapes. Great to have after a long hike.

Solitude is calm, peaceful, relaxing, and therapeutic. It allows for reflection, contemplation, introspection, and growth. It’s a safe space to unwind and be at peace. It helps one stay grounded, happy, and sane in an insane world.

The natural world is beautiful, inviting, and calming for the soul. A place to disconnect and spend time away from the daily chaos of modern society.

Time spent alone can be deeply satisfying. Slow down. Set boundaries. Reclaim time for self-care, self-awareness, and self-reflection. Rest, relax, recharge, and rejuvenate. Solitude is my best friend.

In the end, many people regret not living more. They regret working so hard for so much of their lives. They would ask, “Is this all there is to life?” Birth, school, work, death? They bought the propaganda they were fed, but now they have buyer’s remorse.

They plugged themselves into the matrix to serve as batteries for their slave owners. They are angry about having the best years of their life stolen from them.

Too many casualties of the system. Live while you can. You deserve it.

A few people were more upset by this type of humor than they were about children being raped. When people show you who they really are, believe them.

Live wild and free to the extent that you can.

I’ll end with this quote from Joe Strummer: “Authority is supposedly grounded in wisdom, but I could see from a very early age that authority was only a system of control and it didn’t have any inherent wisdom.”

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

Prince William Forest Park (PWFP) contains the largest Piedmont forest in the national park system and the largest green space in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Located just 35 miles south of DC in Triangle, VA, this 15,000-acre park features 37 miles of hiking trails and 21 miles of bicycle-accessible roads and trails (12 miles of paved roads and 9 miles of gravel roads), along with several campgrounds and picnic areas. It also includes eighteen miles of streams and four small lakes.

This was my first solo hiking and camping trip since returning to the East Coast two months ago, and my first visit to this park. I’ve often seen PWFP described as an “oasis,” and it certainly delivered.

I had a great time camping and really enjoyed my daily hikes in the park. My stay was surprisingly quiet and very relaxing. It felt like I had the campground and the hiking trails all to myself. While they are often full and crowded on weekends, my stay during the week was at a mostly empty campground with not a single soul within several hundred feet of me. I would hike for hours on the trails and never see another hiker. Just the sounds of nature. What a wonderful dose of peaceful solitude.

I stayed at the Oak Ridge Campground, a 100-site campground with bathrooms, grills, picnic tables, and drive-up campsites. The campground has three loops (A, B and C), with each loop having restrooms. The “B” loop has a restroom with showers. The one thing I liked about this campground is that the showers are free. That was a nice bonus!

For large groups, the Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground is a 9-site campground that accommodates 25 to 40 people per site. Another option for large groups is the five cabin camps, which can accommodate 60 to 200 people. These cabin camps include sleeping cabins, an activity building, restrooms, and large shared kitchens and dining halls. One of the cabin camps is also available to individuals and small groups.

The entrance fee to the park is $20, and campsites can be reserved for $26 per night. Since I have a lifetime senior national park pass, I get in for free, and campsites are 50% off for senior park pass holders. Campers may stay no more than 21 days in a calendar year. The campground is open from March 1 to November 30.

Besides hiking and camping, biking is a popular activity at PWFP. There are 21 miles of biking trails, including the entire Scenic Drive Loop, an 8-mile-long, hilly paved road. There are also 10 shorter gravel “fire roads” that are closed to public vehicles. Bicycles are allowed on paved roads and designated unpaved “fire roads.” I saw more cyclists than hikers during my weeklong stay there.

The weather was great all week, and I was able to hike for several hours each day. I especially enjoyed the long South Valley Trail, a portion of which runs along South Fork Quantico Creek for several miles. I love hiking on trails where I can hear the sound of flowing water.

The park has a few short loop trails, but it’s mostly longer single trails. The South Valley Trail runs for about 10 miles before continuing on for several more miles as the North Valley Trail. I also hiked about a half dozen other trails in the park and several of the connecting fire roads.

I was surprised to find such a quiet, serene, and peaceful park (at least on weekdays) so close to the DC metro area. It is literally an oasis where one can escape the hustle and bustle, not to mention the crazy traffic and overly crowded shopping centers that are the norm for this northern Virginia region.

I had a wonderful experience at the “oasis” and am looking forward to another weeklong stay here sometime in the future.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

I am celebrating the one-year anniversary of losing my job. When I first got the news, I jumped for joy. I wasn’t sad; I was relieved. That job had turned into a toxic hellhole. Saying goodbye to that place was immensely gratifying.

Rather than dusting off my resume and searching for another one, I decided to retire early. I was completely done with work.

How’s it going so far? Better than I imagined. I never thought losing a job would bring so much happiness. I do not miss work at all.

I have finally achieved the optimum work/life balance:

1. No work

2. Live life

I have more time to do things I enjoy. Liberation feels good.

I have made some significant changes over the past few years. Leaving the nine-to-five grind was the final step in transitioning to a slower, simpler, and more intentional way of life.

My first step after retiring was to take time to unwind and detox from the stress, noise, and chaos. I traveled, hiked, spent more time in nature, and deliberately engaged in more moments of silence and solitude. It proved quite therapeutic and became part of the healing and recovery process from that poisonous, unhealthy workplace.

The last few years of my life have been quite a wild and interesting trip. Three years ago, I lived in a 3,600-square-foot house with my significant other and her four cats. Now I’m a nomad living and traveling out of my SUV full-time.

I think I’m finally at the place I want to be. I feel comfortable with the steps I’ve taken to follow a very different path. It took a few crazy turns, but I’m happy where I’ve landed.

I’ve spent years striving to reach a destination where my life feels more grounded, at ease, balanced, and durable. I’m at a place where I have more freedom, control, and autonomy. It feels good.

Deciding to retire early was the final chapter of the transition. I’ve successfully walked away, let go, and discarded what no longer serves me. I’ve reclaimed my life.

I’m happy being an unconventional human living an unconventional lifestyle. I enjoy life off the beaten path and spending time on the road less traveled. I don’t know where it is going to take me, but I’m looking forward to new experiences and adventures. It sounds like fun.

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I live and travel out of my SUV. You can follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram.