Due to physical disability. The non disability welfare isn’t enough to cover rent. My disability makes my muscles weak and makes me get tired very easily.
Definitely interested in ‘radical’ solution like squatting. I’ve heard shelters are pretty bad in my area.
I have a storage locker which I’m using to keep a suitcase of clothes, but like half of it is prescription medication or over the counter meds like pain killers or things like my cane, which I sometimes need.
Tips i’ve found:
It’s easier to get a specific item than to get enough money for a specific item. Flying a sign that says “I’m freezing my fucking ass off” will get you a coat pretty quick. People find it easier to part with extra stuff than extra money.
Otherwise, if you have a support structure in place, now’s the time to start using it. Offer your friends services or assistance, in exchange for things you need. I couch-surfed and stayed fed by doing handiwork for my friends.
If you have a support structure in place, now’s the time to start using it. Offer your friends services or assistance, in exchange for things you need. I couch-surfed and stayed fed by doing handiwork for my friends.
Because you have a disability, I’m not sure any of the things that made homelessness bearable for me would work for you. You’re probably unable to hop fences and stealth camp in abandoned factories or in wooded areas, I don’t wanna make a broad assumption at your abilities though. So If you are able to do those things, you’ll rarely be without a place to sleep and store things in the short term.
Otherwise, if you have a support structure in place, now’s the time to start using it. Offer your friends services or assistance, in exchange for things you need. I couch-surfed and stayed fed by doing handiwork for my friends.
depending on where you live in the US, busking/begging will have wildly different outcomes. Where I was homeless, begging gets the cops called or guns pulled. Which is the main reason I tell people to find other means of finding the things they need, but if it’s the only option available to you there’s two schools of thought on doing it. You can either be very honest and direct with people, or you can be dishonest and try to tear-jerk people into giving you stuff. Both work, both have drawbacks, do what feels best for you.
No matter where you stay, if it isn’t a closed room with a bed that expressly says you can sleep there, you will eventually be flushed out if the certain group who hates the homeless finds out where you’ve decided to keep safe. If you squat, be smart about it. Don’t stay in one place for more than a night (or two if you’ve done the research and have found it to be safe), don’t build a fire or do anything to generate light at night, if you hear people just heckin’ get out of there. I’d personally also add to that, only stay in the squat house at night, as soon as the sun comes up, you need to already be somewhere else, and you need to stay gone until the sun comes back down. Many of the same things go for if you’re camping.
Public libraries are a wonderful place to go for short durations during the day, if you have a laptop or can pay for a library card it’s worth it to take a little while checking the internet. Public libraries also tend to hire pretty liberally, same with most public services. Though, it’s tough to tell people to “just get a job”, because forced poverty is a thing, and it’s possible to be too poor to be considered “hireable”.
If you need to steal food, do it during the busiest hours in the most crowded stores, or try your hand at dumpster diving behind stores. Though those dumpsters are usually locked, and if you don’t have lockpicks it’s a no-go.
I’m not sure I have any other advice, But whatever you end up doing, just make sure you do it safely. Safety is the most important thing to surviving.