Have you ever been Homeless?

[TylerDurden]

Just wondering, have any of you ever been homeless? Out of money, no job and living in the car or the cardboard box?

 

[TylerDurden]

The poll's anonymous, so don't worry no one will know who voted yes or no..

 

[Clemson]

I'd be very surprised if you get anyone who says yes.

 

[Piobaire]

Does living in a motel for a few months count?

 

[globetrotter]

for about a month I didn't have an actual residence, and, frankly, couldn't afford one. I crashed with different friends while I was waiting to get a paycheck and then a new apartment.

 

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

for about a month I didn't have an actual residence, and, frankly, couldn't afford one. I crashed with different friends while I was waiting to get a paycheck and then a new apartment.

Yeah, I mean, if this counts, then my answer is also yes.

It's not like I was in totally dire straits, though. I was new in town, couldn't find an apt. I could afford on my **** salary, but I had friends I could stay with relatively indefinitely until I found a suitable place (it took 4 months) and I always could have called my parents and gone back home.

Today, it's not possible that I could be homeless, unless the economy were to totally collapse.

 

[Tangfastic]

I've come as close as I can imagine possible within my lifestyle - I was laid off from a job unexpectedly (two big construction projects my company was set to work on got pulled at the same time), and soon after had the misfortune to get evicted as my landlord wanted to refurbish the block my flat was in (my rent was up to date, I'd not been a problem tenant in any way). It's not easy to get a new place to live with no money and none coming in... I could have stayed with friends or gone to my dad's, but bit the bullet, got a new job in a different city and ran up a little debt to move.

I could only ever see myself becoming genuinely homeless if I was unfortunate enough to develop some mental or substance abuse problems that would either make me too ashamed to ask friends and family for help or to have sponged off people and worn out the goodwill available to me.

 

[skyman]

I lived in a motel for like 3 months whilst relocating, but not really.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by Douglas

Yeah, I mean, if this counts, then my answer is also yes.
Same here. Not sure it qualifies though. I never thought there was a risk of actually ending up on the street. Just a transition as I was looking for a place to rent.

 

[sho'nuff]

i havent been homeless but i did experience being kicked out into the streets on two occasions by my parents.
i mean literally. lot of it my fault though. long story short, they are great parents, tough love, and i was a screwball. lot of things they did i didnt appreciate at the time, but now i am so ever better for it.

i had issues back in my early twenties. and my parents told me to get out. empty my belongings and get out in 24 hours. at that time i was driving a car my dad gave to me, he took that away.
my mother said i cant return to see them until i had clean, nice clothes on, had a stable job, and a car in my own name to drive back in.
i had to leave walking to my friend's work 3 miles away and waited till he got off work so he can hopefully take me to orange county where i tried to get things lined up there with some other acquaintances and found a small room in a house to rent. and i kicked ****** to get a job, made some money, paid all everyone back there money that i borrowed, and got my first car.

i drove back to see my parents after 9 months of no contact, finally in nice clothes, a stable job, and a car in my name (loan, not lease).


yes, this was my early twenties (i know it was late relatively, and might be 'been there/done that' type of story to a few of you sure) but this is my story.

 

[A Canuker]

When i was in my late teens to early 20's I lived with a bunch of friends whom moved from location to location with never a very fixed place to call home. I don't know if it was homeless but it was a time I'd rather not revisit(not that it didn't have it moments or memories)

 

[turboman808]

I ran away at 13. Wasn't as bad as people might think. I lived in an old barn and built a fireplace(and didn't kill myself). Had a part time job at a convenience store. Went to school and got free meals and would shower and live out of my gym locker. Lived like that for 3.5 years til I went into the Army. This was over 20 years ago now.

I really enjoyed it and look back on that time in my life quite fondly.


I should really quit being so open on public forums LOL

 

[sho'nuff]

this has nothing to do with other replies here but just reminded me of someone i once known: a friend of my brother's (who went to this one church where seemingly they all were like that, cheapskates),
used to work out of his office and sleep there and shower there as well. for 2 years.

not because he didnt have any money (he made decent money and had enough saved)
he just didnt want to get an apt, so he spent weekdays sleeping at his office/cubicle,
and mooched off of friends (like my brother, thus stayed at my parents home alot) on the weekends whoever can offer.


he gave off a sob story that he was poor so parents like mine and other people gave him charity not knowingly he was just a freakin cheapskate.

 

[playdohh22]

yes, when i ran away from home, for about a good week.

 

[Faded501s]

Late teens I lived "out of my car" for about 3 months during the summer. Crashed at friends often but I do remember at least one morning being woke by local police while sleeping in my car. They proceeded to "kick me out of their town". Showered and worked out at the Y but, for whatever reason, I remember "freshening up" in the local forest preserve early one morning and looked up to see my aunt drive by as I was pumping well water over my head. Thankfully she didn't see me.

I was into a lot of drugs and partying at the time. Somewhere along the line I hit bottom and remember walking (not sure where the car was but I know I still had it) like 5 miles to the Navy recruiter, whom I'd already talked to. So I get about 3 blocks away and a couple of friends are driving by and see me. They call me over and I jump into their car, the joint was already burning, and ended up staying with them for a few weeks until I got my first roommate. Needless to say I lived on the edge of normalcy for the next 3 or 4 years when I made a conscious decision to leave those friends and that lifestyle. Having heard through the grapevine, I know I can find many of them at the same haunts doing the same things as 25 years ago.

Times seem different now and I'm not sure it would be as "easy" as it was back then. All in all it was a "good" time in my life in the sense that I value the experience and the story over personal comfort.