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 can’t 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 aren’t already working.
5. Any home is a good home. Even if it’s a dingy apartment in a bad neighborhood. If its cheap and you can afford it, snatch it up.
6. Pancake mix and peanut butter are filling, cheap, and last a long time.
PLEASE SHARE THE FUCK OUT OF THIS
Most of the motels I know charge at least $60 a night give or take fees and taxes and you’re really only allowed to stay from 3pm-11am for that $60. Gyms like Planet Fitness cost $10 a month and sometimes have deals where their signup fee is waived or reduced to $1. You will have to have a bank card that they can bill and will not be able to pay in cash. They also give out free pizza once a month as well as free bagels once a month (one of them is on a Monday and the other is on a Tuesday I don’t remember exactly) Also planet fitnesses are 24/5 so they’re open for 24 hours on the weekdays. They did close for covid and kept charging some people so ulitimately it is your choice if you want to join a gym for their showers (as well as access to water fountains) but having the membership for a year would set you back a bit over $120 depending on the signup fee. That’s about the same as 2 nights at a motel.
