What to do if you find yourself homless- written by someone who has actually been homeless
Most important: Spend the money you have on a motel. Churches probably will not actually help and shelters can be dangerous or turn you away. At a motel you have free breakfast, access to running water, and a lockable place to sleep. Do not waste money on a gym membership like the popular version of this post says to do, YMCA memberships are like $40.
2. Contact family and friends. Now is not the time to worry about being a burden. Your survival and safety comes first and that is all that matters, anyone worth having in your life will agree.
3. Start a gofundme. Even if someone canāt offer you a place to stay, they might be willing to toss out $5 so you can eat today.
4. Libraries have free wifi. Apply to any and all jobs you can think of if you arenāt already working.
5. Any home is a good home. Even if itās a dingy apartment in a bad neighborhood. If its cheap and you can afford it, snatch it up.Ā
6. Pancake mix and peanut butter are filling, cheap, and last a long time.
PLEASE SHARE THE FUCK OUT OF THIS
Especially in the world we live in this could be ANYONE. It could be your bestfriend, your child, your sibling, your parents, or even YOU. Most of us are one paycheck from homelessness
its a lot to lug around, but try to keep blankets and sheets, especially if youāre in a northern climate. When my wife and I were homeless, we ended up sleeping in an outdoor skating rink because it was the only shelter from the wind. If I hadnāt kept my blankets and sheets, we would have froze to death those nights. Show up at McDonaldās or some other fast food place real early, and ask for a small coffee. Sometimes they might just give you one, if not someone in line may buy one for you. That little cup of hot coffee was sometimes the only thing that kept me from giving up entirely.
Biggest advice is to not give in to dispair and sadness. Keep fighting. Keep trying. You can do it. You can survive. If you keep fighting, you still have a chance to find housing and get on your feet, but if you give up and give into dispair, finding your way becomes almost impossible
