I've talked to you all about my divorce previously (15 years, wife decided she wanted to leave as soon as she graduated and got her degree after I supported her and worked multiple jobs).
She's officially moving out in two weeks. Then, my lease ends in just five weeks.
Landlord already told me they're going to be selling the home and also raising rent nearly 40% if I wanted to stay. Can't afford it. Have no where to go.
Going to transition to being a 'nomad', selling the remaining few things I own, and just bouncing from airbnb to airbnb along with camping. I figured this would be a good opportunity for me to get out, travel, visit national parks, kayak, camp, fish, see the US and get my mind off everything. It's not stable. But I can't find anything. Everywhere requires "3x income" or some ridiculous score that I don't have.
Anyway. Not sure why I'm posting this here. Guess I just wanted to share with you all since I never did give any updates from my previous posts about "what should I do?"
So, really, for me, the storm is here. And the "build back better" now makes so much sense in my personal life. Weird that now I now have to suddenly build my life back. I've completely lost my identity.
No clue where this road is going to take me. But it's either 'get busy living or get busy dying.'
Say a few prayers for me. God has been good to me recently and has gotten me into the 'acceptance' phase of all this.
Edit: By the way, if anyone wants to give me a follow over on X, I'll be documenting all of my journeys. Hoping to one day get some camera gear and a drone and film everything. Might make some personal podcasts and documenting my testimony. Maybe it'll help someone in the future. https://twitter.com/@thinktankfranks
Just a reply- message in a cyber-bottle, from a complete stranger: I agree that now is an opportunity to see the country and enjoy some peace, after the arguments, pshycological pain and betrayal. But go forth, to find a community that is functional: I mean a place that has a bakery and a butcher, a petrol station and a general store, and some residential areas. And talk to people. Really - don't go to a city. Find something useful in that community, to do straight away - even volunteer work at the church. People in small communities will judge you by your actions, so don't be a hermit and lurk in the bushes. Keep calm and stay friendly. This is really an opportunity after all.
It is important to imagine being amongst people, not the wide open sky - that is a myth drawing you to a symbolic peace-of-mind. Nice for a holiday, but it can play games with your mind and accentuate weirdness. The quiet will spook with memories, and everything, including wild animals (and even strangers in the middle of the night), will send your nerves into top-gear. The rule is: the further you park from civilization, the weirder the encounters.
However for the short term: Try and liquidate most of your posessions and turn the funds into a van. Put a mattress in it. If you are good with your hands, build up the bed base so that you have (nearly) twice the floor area - put stuffboxes (even sturdy cardboard boxes) under the bed. Also attach nets on the ceiling, around the edges, for stashing towels, socks and bags of food etc. And hang curtains in the windows or shades (or put dark tint on the windows as well - for privacy).
Don't plan to cook inside with gas (the van will be too sealed so there is a danger of carbon monoxide) - so get used to eating things that don't always need cooking (e.g. salami, peanut butter sandwiches, fruit etc.), and look forward to warm food on a still day, when you an cook outside. Pack a spade (bury your poo in a hole please). Also useful, is a couple of 4-gallon jerricans for tap/rinsing water. That's freedom. It depends on the tonnage of the van - the more water you have, the longer you can camp out.
Later on, when you are on the road, you can figure out a battery/solar panel/cell-phone charger/satellite connection and figure out a first-aid/hygiene kit etc.
Each van is different, but the sooner you start preparing, the sooner you will be better off, once you start driving. But, at a pinch, start with the van and a mattress. (can you get 3-yr finance for a running van?). This plan means that you must keep the van running, and keep up with insurance etc. That's your freedom, and your responsibility to your future self.
BTW. One is not homeless in a van - once you have wheels, you are free, and the little details, for example, a lidded bucket with personal bits and pieces and a couple books, make it home. Sure there is much less judgement coming from others, when you are self-sufficient and can just move at short notice. This is how you stay ahead of the curve.
Stay in airB&B by all means, but do it occasionally, to freshen up.
Thank you. Sold most of my things before we moved into current place. Cant afford the van but will be doing similar in my SUV. Hopefully it works ... much smaller space but will have to make do for now.
I should have read down, I gave the abridge version of your recommendation - get a van. It's real easy to boondock or stealth in the cities. Get a gym membership for showering and working out. I've cooked plenty of things wrapped up in aluminum foil and placed it on the engine - exhaust manifold while I drove too.. works fine.
Have a "real" address, even if it's a friend's address who can get your mail and forward it to you. Some states think if you don't have an address, you are a vagrant. Had a run-in with a cop in SC about it. Had to prove I had a "real" home while living in my van for a long project.