A gig! A short term bit of regular and steady employment. It isn’t much of a job but it’s money! It’ll last the Christmas shopping season of Thanksgiving to just past New Year’s Eve. The pay isn’t the greatest but it’s enough to keep me in a building for a while.

I was actually contemplating walking away from my apartment this month. Making a valiant attempt at finding a sub-lessor and just departing. But now I can afford to stick around for a while.

(This entry written retroactively.)

Realizing that my fortunes were changing, and not for what is commonly regarded as the better, I hedged my bets and bought a van. A big, full-sized American van. This was done for several reasons.

Not owning a powered vehicle I’m limited to employers and clients sites that are on public transportation routes or those located within walking or biking distance. With the continuing downturns a vehicle may just open up more possibilities for employment. And at worst it’ll provide shelter in the upcoming financial storm.

Having kept well above the financial waterline since long before I was even of age to work legally, I’ve realized that financial planning doesn’t happen from paycheck to paycheck, week to week or even allowance to allowance. It’s a long term outlook that sees weeks, months or years into the future. With money reserves dwindling, credit tapped out and job prospects bleak I wagered from the top of the cash stash two months rent. One month as my budget to buy the van and the second to license, title, insure and fix it up.

With such a vehicle I could have means to distant jobs or in a worst case scenario a home of sorts. At the least, walls to protect myself and keep my and what little I may still own safe.

Coming to this conclusion was not easy and took a huge shift in what I could consider “normal.” But fundamentally incoming must be greater than outgoing. As such, with my incoming decreasing with little hope of changing this for the better I simply much decrease the outgoing. Already I’ve cut my budget to the almost nothing that my income is, but still, survival was traditional means is no longer viable. The single largest budget item was housing. Smaller items that were not of vital importance were already cut out and things like food and medications would be life threatening if eliminated. Something needed to give, clearly, and my research showed that vehicle living is the only feasible means of not living in a traditional home.

A vehicle provides security with its steel and glass enclosure. Possessions can be locked inside and left while the rightful owner can safely go about their day knowing their goods will be there when the return. A vehicle can be had inexpensively, for much less than even the cost of the most minimal traditional housing. In terms of job flexibility, a vehicle can take a person to employers not easily reached otherwise.

Rather than spend another month or two in a traditional home I’ve chosen to avoid the streets and take what control over my life I can make. I choose the safety, security and comfort of not catching lice at shelters, or having my life in a back pack, or not sleeping under a tarp somewhere. I’ve chosen my new home. It has glorious 55 square feet of living space. Small, but very affordable.

(This entry written retroactively.)