Van life has evolved from a voluntary lifestyle choice into an economic necessity for many millennials facing unaffordable housing costs, with rent inflation driving people to live in vehicles as a survival strategy rather than a lifestyle preference. The video reveals that many van life practitioners are working full-time jobs while experiencing homelessness, challenging the romanticized perception of van life as a carefree alternative. Key factors include post-COVID rent increases of $400-500 per month, the inability to afford traditional housing, and the psychological toll of isolation and uncertainty. The content emphasizes that van life often represents a compromise between complete homelessness and stable housing, requiring individuals to balance work, survival needs, and personal dignity while navigating a system that has priced many out of conventional living arrangements.
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Working Full-Time But Still Homeless In 2026Added:
Oh man, what's going on everybody? Hope everybody doing well. Hope everybody been taking care of themselves. And yo, we are back. This is the part two to the last video that we just dropped. This one gets a little bit more real though, I must say. We got van life is getting just out of control. People living in their cars, people are working jobs still homeless. What do we need to do to get out of this jam? We've been doing this thing now for about a month and three weeks and we have been running it up.
Sis, y'all been kicking it with me and and looking at these clips with me.
Do you guys feel like and I mean truly, be honest, do you guys feel like when you watch these clips it makes you more secure inside knowing that you're doing okay?
Does this not make you want to go out and even do better? Maybe pick up a couple more hours at the job. Make you actually be more grateful for your situation. I know at least for me, seeing what everyone else is going through, it really makes me grateful for my situation at least. So, without further ado, let's get into these clips. I just woke up and just picked up our clothes and stuff today. So, spend the morning with me before I go to work. As I homeless 28-year-old in Montana living at campsite with my friend and our dogs.
He is so ready to get out of this car.
Yeah, I'll hook you up, buddy. Don't go too far.
All cleaned up in there. Nice.
Just took a dab, so let's go.
Go Fifi. Oh.
Off to the bathhouse.
Yep.
>> [music] >> Now we are at work until 4:08, so wish me a good day. More like wish me a better day because today has already not been it. So, if you know, you know.
It's going to be better from here though, only up from here.
>> [music] [music] >> You know what? I actually went through this before, being homeless while having a job. Yeah, I've been through this before.
It's It's never a good feeling.
Back in 2018, 2019, I was going through some things, dealing with these women out here, getting in bad relationships. Well, I ended up in a bad way.
And I ended up homeless while still having a job.
Was hotel hopping for a while, stayed at my partner's crib for a little bit, and I until I eventually got a place.
Um I've come a long way, and everybody has a story.
Everybody writes their own history. It's not about how you arrive, it's about how you finish, man. You It's how you show everyone else up at the end. You don't have to get the last laugh now.
That's why it's called the last laugh.
I've been there where you at. Keep your head up.
Things are going to get better. I promise you that.
>> [music] >> What's up, guys? Welcome back to my journey, and this is day two of being homeless. Uh so, usually I work nights, [music] so I would start work around 9:00 or 8:00, depending whatever, and then I get out of work at like 4:00 in the morning. It's kind of late already outside here in >> [music] >> San Diego. Like the sun's coming up, so you're already there. So, this is my first night not having work because I'm off on Wednesdays and I'm off on Sundays.
Um >> [music] >> and this is the first night where basically I stayed out all night.
I [music] tried to do DoorDash for most of the night, but basically it kicked me off and my dash limit hit. Told me I need to go [music] take a rest before I keep on working.
And honestly, guys, I feel like just like [music] living outside, I've never done this before. I've never been homeless. And if I was homeless, like kind of just like running away from home, I was always with friends. So, like [music] somebody would always be with me. But kind of like living alone like in outside [music] homeless, it's kind of spooky, bro. And I don't know if it's just a feeling of [music] loneliness that's like getting to me right now, but like just the feeling of just like being alone, like there's nobody for miles. It's [music] just like it's me.
And that's it. Like in my car.
I know I'll probably [music] get used to it over the days. Like once I'm, you know, kind of adjusted and well, I don't want to get adjusted [music] and like comfortable, you know what I mean? Like I'm looking at my crib like in the in the next month or two months at the most. But you know, once you do [music] something like at least two or three times, you just kind of get used to it or you find your spots where you're comfortable and >> [music] >> things get better.
But I would be lying to you if this [ __ ] felt like normal. It doesn't at all, honestly. And if I had to be like completely honest, I don't like it.
>> [music] >> So, I went and drove my ass to my church.
>> [laughter] >> And I parked [music] my car right in front of it. And yeah, this is where I'm going to sleep at night.
Like I said, it's my [music] first day sleeping out alone in San Diego. I feel like if I was in New York, I would feel more [music] for some reason.
Since this is my first time being homeless in San Diego ever, I don't know. I just feel like [music] kind of I was spooked out for a little bit. Like I don't know what it is, man. I can't put my like >> [music] >> mind on it, but you know, like it's just definitely a new feeling and it's weird, you know?
But >> [music] >> yeah, I just came to my church.
Sleeping as close to God as I could be, you know?
Good vibes.
Yeah, I'm going to take [music] a nap then I'll be back on the block in the morning. Guys, I just thought I would like say that because I feel like you know, I just want to be [music] honest about this challenge and say what was like actually going on and this is just my experience, like literally my [music] second day being out here, but like I said I usually work nights so I have somewhere to be at this time.
So yeah, like this is my first night alone like sleeping and I'm not really a good [music] lonely person. I I have a lot of friends, you know what I mean? I've always had a lot of friends, so now that I don't and like I am [music] truly alone, it's like it's definitely a new feeling that maybe I should get used to. Maybe it's just me and my thoughts.
Like yeah, it's probably just me and my thoughts. Listen, [music] I'm going to get some sleep. I'll see you guys in the morning, man.
What the hell are you doing?
Can't help.
I'm actually glad we're friends.
I can't help.
>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Today makes it 382 days of me living in my car, and honestly, >> [music] >> I'm getting tired of it. I wish I could have my own bed, my own space, my own bathroom. I wish I could walk to the bathroom, shower.
I wish I can cook a hot, nice meal.
I just tired of living in my car.
Do you want to know what it's like to be broken on the road? Well, I'll tell YOU ALL ABOUT IT.
WELL, WHAT I USED TO HAVE to do, and I still do it to a degree, is I would have to figure out how far I could drive on the money that I had, and then I'd have to stay there for a few weeks.
>> [laughter] >> I stayed in some pretty dicey places.
You know, beggars can't be choosers.
>> [laughter] >> Well, I've stayed a lot of places since I've been on the road. I've stayed at Cracker Barrel. I've stayed at Walmart.
I've stayed at rest stops.
I even stayed behind a gas station one time.
>> [laughter] >> Okay, about that night from hell. Here I was behind the gas station, and I did get permission, by the way. I did go in and to ask the people if I could stay there, and they said yes, I could. What they didn't tell me is that they had a lot of >> [music] >> homeless people that would come during the night and go through their garbage cans and stuff. Oh, this isn't working very good. I obviously don't know what I'm doing. Anyway, but [music] it was pretty scary. One guy came in and actually sat on the hood of my car that I was dragging.
Having a smoke, you know.
So, it was interesting.
So, basically, when you're on the road, you got to get creative, and you got to think of ways to do stuff. You just got to stay positive, even if it means that you end up in a gas station.
>> [laughter] >> Okay, now I got to go to work. Bye.
I live in a van. I need to go do some errands. Come with me.
This phone just got a pack of different toiletries, a a blanket from a food bank, and we're going to get some food.
>> [singing] [music] >> All that work, and what did it get me?
Why did [music] I do it?
She making any years to run away so hold it down with soggy clothes and breeze [singing] blocks.
Citrus in your fever could be again.
I'm declaring that all homeless people are considered OC, which means outside citizens. It's so much better than the word homeless. By the way, people who are homeless are not often on drugs like you want to accuse us of. I have receipts for everything I spend my money on. It's food and drinks predominantly or showers. I've met a lot of people who are living in hotels because rent is that high, but we're all OC.
If you're homeless, you are OC, too, an outside citizen.
And for those that judge those that are homeless, when you too become homeless, you will be considered an OC. We can show you the ropes. Homeless people are not judgmental. They are kind community that have even helped elders. I've even spent money staying at a hotel on the really hot day. Only time I take out money is for washing my clothes.
I'm a 26-year-old living at my mom's house, unemployed [music] with no money whatsoever. And I'm making this video to let you [music] know that there is a different way of living. You don't need to be ashamed of yourself.
You don't need to feel bad. You don't need to feel unworthy [music] for whatever circumstance you may be in.
Understand that the literal frequency of reality itself [music] is unconditional love. So, no matter what you do, no matter what position you're in, you are always unconditionally [music] loved because if you weren't always unconditionally loved, you would have already ceased to exist. But, guess what? Since you're still living, that is literal [music] proof that no matter what you have ever done, you are still worthy of existence. [music] So, take this to heart, stop being so hard on yourself, and know that you are always innately, [music] infinitely worthy. Man, I know, right? I remember back in my day, I graduated in 2008.
I was up out of my mama house soon as I graduated. I had my own apartment and everything.
I had a job. I got my first car when I was 16, 17.
Yeah, my third year in high school.
Um I already had a job. I was already set up and ready to go.
You know, but you got to also look at it in in today's times, that's not that feasible. The kid is right here letting you know that, you know, they're trying. They're trying to get in.
Back then it was easy. You just put your job application in, go up there, nag them a couple of times, you'll get that phone call. You show up for the interview, you got the job.
You know, uh it was very easy back then to get jobs and to really get on your grind. I moved out here in Colorado right at the right time. I moved out here with $200 and a suitcase of clothes and made it shake.
Luckily, I had some certifications behind me. I had my CNA certification and some some other things, CPR and stuff like that that helped me get into the health care field and I was able to really take off from there and build everything up from from the ground up, basically. But, it's hard. I want everyone to realize that you do not need to compare yourselves to nobody.
There is no need to compare yourself to anyone. Why? We all have our own stories. We all write our own history.
We do that.
It's not for you to look over and see what they're doing and compare how fast they're moving up to you. Why?
That's not how life works. That's not how the game works.
In today's time, I would stay at my folks' house for as long as they would allow it.
I would make sure I'm helping them with the rent. I'm making sure I'm helping them with the bills. I'm making sure I'm I don't even They wouldn't even know that I live there.
They wouldn't even see a dish. I would make sure as soon as the dishes are are mess, wash them off, put them in the dishwasher. They wouldn't even know I was there.
In today's time, it kind of feels like that might be the way.
People banding back together because trying to do it solo, unless you make a substantial amount of money, I just don't see it being feasible.
So many people are doing van life or they're living in their cars, they're living in the back of their trucks because who can afford three, four K rent for one person? It's just not obtainable in this economy. It is absolutely ridiculous. You would think that they would be able to do something about it, but the thing is these greedy landlords do not care.
After COVID, that was their chance to raise rent and they had no reason for raising it. They would do their little renovations and they would add an extra 400, 500 dollars to the rent of a one-bedroom apartment. When I left my apartment in South Carolina, I was paying $900. When I got in, it was 850 and then it changed to nine. That same apartment, as soon as I moved out and they did their renovations, I looked online and it was 1350. Now, in some cities 1350 is not a lot, but for South Carolina, that was a lot of money for a one-bedroom.
Tell me guys what you think about this.
>> [music] >> I've waited a hundred years and I'd wait a million more for you. [music] >> [bell] [music] >> Nothing prepared [music] me for what the privilege [singing] of being yours would be.
Bad life is common in America, you be having neighbors.
That's funny. We all in our vans.
With our degrees. Here goes somebody else pulling up.
There go my van. You guys see.
I'm pretty stealthy with it.
But you can always tell who's van life in by the way they park. Usually people park this style that you see this car pulling up now, where you see the lights back in there, like this way.
I park this way because I just like it more.
But yeah. And my doors is like easy to get out of in the back.
I was just brushing my teeth and I seen my little neighbor.
But yeah, y'all. Hey, we doing what we got to do out here.
Hey everybody, my name is Tyler and because of the out-of-control inflation that we're having in our country right now and rent prices being over $1,500 a month, I have been outpriced of the rental market and I live here in my car full-time and I wanted to give you a brief tour. So, starting with the bed here, it is a 3-in memory foam mattress topper, super comfortable. I have about four layers of blankets, which keeps me warm, especially right now we've got 20° weather at night, so it's pretty cold.
Moving over here, I have my cooler. I've had a few people tell me I'm not supposed to have this cooler because I live in my car, but it actually was a birthday gift uh last year for my 30th birthday and I just can't part with it. I absolutely love it. Keeps all my food cold and fresh for days. I absolutely just adore this cooler, so I'm not going to get rid of it.
>> [laughter] >> And in the back there, you can see my I have two really comfortable pillows. And her parents. Life is honestly a struggle, guys. Like this is the year for me of just trying to get my life together, going after the that I want.
Like I'm 23 years old. I just turned 23 in January and I'm not where I want to be in life and this is just [music] This is my journey into becoming the woman I'm trying to be. This is a journey of me going after my dreams, my passions, my aspirations because this is the year of us. This is the year of going after what we want. This is not the year of staying stagnant in the same place that we were last year. And it's funny because I just got a job at Chick-fil-A so I can start having some income come in so that way I can do more makeup videos for you guys. I can do like going out videos because I'll have money then.
And I really want to start just prioritizing saving up my money because I really want to move out of the state.
I live in Michigan. I really want to move out by end of this year or early next year and I just want to go after my dreams. I want to be a full-time content creator. I want to be an actress. I wanted to be an actress ever since I was little and I just want to go after my dreams. I want to step out of my comfort zone. I don't want to be stuck in the same place >> [music] >> and I'm just 23. I still live at home and life is a struggle. I just got a job cuz I've been like unemployed this entire time. But [music] this is just like a little reminder that it's okay if you're not where you want to be in life.
It's okay if you're still like in your 20s still living with your parents. It's okay if you don't have a job as long as you're working on your dreams or your [music] goals, then you're okay. I promise. I told God, I'm like, "Lord, if you could just give me like $2,000, $3,000 for me to live off of without working a job, I'll be straight. I'm so tired of not having no kind of freedom, not having no kind of flexibility. Like, I'm 28 years old. I live with my parents and this is not the life I want to live. I had to pray and I had to ask God like, "Lord, please continue to give me patience.
Please continue to help me to show gratitude even though I'm in a place where I don't want to be.
I don't want to be here, y'all, but I had to quit being a CNA because I just knew that God had more in store for me than that.
I was working 60-70 hours a week. I kid you not cuz I needed to pay my bills. I needed decent checks and I just became so overwhelmed and that's not the kind of life that I want for anybody.
So, I came back home. I started over.
I'm like, "Lord, I'm ready. You know, bless me with the opportunities, something that I can do. I promise I'mma work hard.
I [snorts] promise that I'mma give it my all.
I promise I'mma stay consistent. Just give me something that I could do and I needed to be easy on my time.
>> [snorts] >> I needed to be easy on my money cuz, you know, I don't have money like that to blow. I don't have money like that to spend.
So, um I got a friend introduced me to selling digital products online.
And um it's been 7 months I've been doing it and I have not seen any income from it. I'm not even going to get on here and front.
I'mma be real with y'all. I have not seen any income from it. And [snorts] it could get very frustrating. It could get very discouraging sometimes. I just finished praying and I'm like, "Lord, anything that's in my life, can you remove it? Can you remove it cuz I don't want nothing that'll make me stagnant.
Nothing that's going to block my blessings."
Because next year around this time, I really want to be out of my parents' house. I want to have enough money to sustain my cost of living. You know, I don't want to have to depend on no job.
I want freedom.
I [snorts] want flexibility. I even want to financially be able to bless my family.
All my intentions are pure, y'all.
They're pure and I'm getting to the point where it has to work or it has to work. I got evicted, so I'm living out of my 2011 Honda Pilot that I turned into a micro-camper with my two senior dogs. And it's raining. This is It's a rainy day. And we're out in the desert, so with desert rains, you never know when they're going to hit. Like you They give you an idea. The forecast originally said it was going to rain tomorrow. Um but it's raining today, and you don't know. Is it going to be super windy? Is it going to be a torrential downpour? You You never know with these things. So, I washed my hair, and I didn't care about doing anything to it cuz I knew it was going to rain. It was already starting to sprinkle. Um So, I'm going to show you guys what I do with my camp that will help it not get so wet and rainy cuz if you know, I don't have a tent. I We stay inside the car. This is the bedroom space. Um and all my electronics are in the car with me. Um but I have my little 3x4 trailer, which I have caulking to fix the little leak that I do have in the roof. Uh but it's raining, so and I didn't fix it yet, but I got the caulk, so I can fix it. So, I put a little tarp over the top of it, so that way all the stuff that I have inside the trailer does not get wet. Um I currently have like my clothes and some of the outside dog blankets and the dog beds in there. Um let me show you what I do with the awning that cuz it only has two walls on it.
So, this is my bathroom tent, and normally I have like a little gap here just to let you know, air circulate and stuff like that, but I pulled the top down, so the walls are covered, so the rain doesn't get in there. And then here is tarp number one. So, the green sides that's already built in. This is a little zipper side, so that came with it. But, I take a tarp on this side, and I just I have these zip ties from the Dollar Tree, so they're super cheap. So, I zip tie it there, and I zip tie it here. I forgot to take this down, but oh well.
And I have this side here, and it's not perfect. There's still gaps in it, but that's okay. And then all my outside stuff goes in here. And I can see already that >> [laughter] >> some of the rain is getting in, but that's okay. Like, you know, nothing under here.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm too institutionalized.
I'm too institutionalized.
>> [snorts] >> As soon as she she lost me. She lost me as soon as she said the bathroom tent.
No, I don't want to go take a [ __ ] outside, my guy.
No.
I want to be indoors where it's the temperature is to my liking.
I want to be on a toilet seat. I don't want to be on a freaking bucket.
I don't want to hear nature while I'm taking a [ __ ] I want to play my PS Portal while I'm taking a [ __ ] My Steam Deck while I'm taking a [ __ ] Laugh at a couple of memes and jokes while I'm taking a [ __ ] in the privacy of one room, not a tent.
You outside having to figure out how to caulk up the ceiling to a trailer and a Listen.
Is it really worth all of this? Can we not just Can we not just go back to paying bills?
Look, I know a lot of people are really trying to buck up against the system.
But, it seems like this thing is either going to swallow you whole to where you end up full-blown homelessness, or you're going to end up going back and get in the house eventually anyway.
Now, I don't know her situation. All I know is she got evicted. If she's saving up If she's doing all of this to save up to buy a house, I completely understand. I get it. I'm with you. But, but, but, but, but.
If she's doing this to buck up at the system, there's only two outcomes. You're either going to be full-blown homeless, or you're going to eventually crack and just get another place.
It's going to get absolutely destroyed if it gets wet.
And yes, I do have rugs outside, but you know, if it rains, it kind of washes them. Now, anytime you're in your vehicle for an extended period of time, whether sleeping, hanging out, waiting for somebody in a store, you want to make sure that you always leave the window cracked. If you are doing car life, van life, whatever, you have to have some sort of ventilation. These little rain guards are perfect because I can crack all of my windows and still have an air flow going, but I also I also have a moonroof sunroof, so I do leave that cracked. So, usually at night time, when we're sleeping, I have that cracked and it lets in It does let in a good amount of cool air, but we have plenty of blankets, so we don't get too cold. Um but, it also brings in fresh oxygen because you breathe in oxygen, you exhale carbon dioxide, and it does build up. And you also have moisture in your breath, and you sweat while you sleep or just existing.
So, it it helps get some of that moisture out, and my theory is is that if you have a sunroof or a moonroof, I do also have a little fan um to keep the air circulating, but you know, heat rises. So, in my head, just like a fan for like a van van life thing, like a Maxxair fan or something, it's on the roof, right? So, to me that I'mma keep it a hundred. Ma'am, you seem like a uh a cool lady.
Just go ahead, fix your credit up.
If it's an eviction you worried about, there's workarounds around it. Just just go ahead and get you another apartment.
Just this ain't the life for you.
You wearing you out here doing way too much to exist. Is this what homeless people really have to deal with? I mean, I know homeless people that are full-blown homeless, they don't have as many belongings as you do, ma'am. So, I mean, you kind of part of an an exception to the rule kind of.
Like, you got a lot of stuff.
A homeless person, they maybe got a backpack a cup a backpack or two, and maybe a cart.
I mean, you trying to You're trying to civilize being homeless.
J- You're Just Just admit it. You're institutionalized, ma'am. Just Just go back and get you an apartment.
Fix your credit up.
And and just call it there, because from just this video, I can tell this ain't the life for you, and I'm going to keep update on this. I want to know. Now I'm invested. I'm curious about this whole thing. I want to see Did she actually pull through with this, or did she get another apartment?
This I would love to know.
If you made it to this point in the video, I just want to say thank you so much. We are crushing it. Right now at this point, we are well into the 900s and any day now we will be cracking [music] at 1,000 subscribers. Just to let you guys know, I put a post up. I'm going to show it right here. Basically saying, once we hit 1,000 subscribers, I will be going live every Sunday night Mountain time, 7:00 p.m. Do not miss it.
This is going to be a [music] blast.
Going to be talking about all types of things, fan life, evictions, just economics in general. [music] And soon, I will be making a pivot on the channel.
We're going to also start talking about conspiracy theories, things along those lines. This [music] will not just be an eviction channel. I got a lot of things coming in the works for you guys. So, please stay tuned. And also, like I always say and preach at the end of my videos, time to get yourselves together. Start off small, but get your ducks in a row.
Work on yourselves. Do whatever you need to do to start saving, getting your things together so that you don't have to deal with this. I get it. It may seem cool and all that first. Everything has a honeymoon phase and when I tell you when that [ __ ] is over, it's over.
>> [music] >> I know she wants a crib again. I think she should have another crib again. What do you guys think? But hey, I'm just a simple messenger. Until next time, this is your boy Q. Signing in and out.
>> [music]
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