{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7b\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7b\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-1.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 1 Get a good car. It's best to have a large vehicle like a van or an RV. But if you are forced to live in a small car, you can make it work. Make sure to buy a car cover so no one can see you sleeping in your car at night.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/ef\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ef\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-2.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 2 Make a comfortable "bed." Get a sleeping bag and recline the passenger seat. If your passenger seat goes all the way back, this is actually a pretty comfortable way to sleep.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d9\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d9\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-3.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 3 Keep eating healthy. The McDonald's Dollar Menu is great, but you can't eat burgers forever. There are several other options. The homeless shelter (O.P.C.C) on Olympic serves meals regularly. Another option is to just buy a loaf of bread and a can of beans from Ralph's on Broadway and Lincoln. Packages of uncooked hot dogs will provide a lot of food. Make sure you are eating both carbs and protein, and take vitamins if you can.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/42\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/42\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-4.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 4 Make sure to shower! The O.P.C.C shelter has showers. If you sign up for classes at the Santa Monica College, you can take their shuttle bus across town and use the showers in their locker rooms. This is much easier and more private.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-5.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 5 Find parking. It's very difficult to find a place to park in Santa Monica, and if you park in the wrong place you will get a $60 ticket within 5 minutes. The parking regulations are very strictly enforced. However, there are certain spots you should be able to park overnight and not have a problem. 10th and Arizona, as well as 11th and Arizona, are good spots. Venice can work since there are a lot of other car-dwellers there, but it is a very dangerous place. The best thing to do is just drive around until you find a place that works, and if you see a tow truck parked nearby the next morning, leave!

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b9\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b9\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-6.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 6 Try to make money. Many people perform on 3rd Street Promenade, which can be a lot of fun and a great way to support yourself. If you have any talent at all or can even do something out of the ordinary (or you just have a funny outfit) you're sure to at least make a few dollars every time you go out. The license to perform is $35 and can be purchased from City Hall.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-7.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-7.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-7.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 7 Know where the bathrooms are. The Promenade has several public bathrooms, but you will have to go searching for them or ask one of the locals - they are pretty hard to find.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/58\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-8.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/58\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-8.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-8.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 8 Take steps to better your life. If you can afford classes, this is a great way to invest in your future and add a sense of purpose to your life. With no structure, every day begins to look the same, and you start to wonder why you're even here on this earth. Another idea is to spend time in the Library, reading books, watching movies, and getting out of the sun for a few hours.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-9.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-9.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-9.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 9 Dress Well. How you look plays a big role in how others treat you. If you can bathe and pay for laundry, most people probably won't be able to tell you are homeless. If you keep your hair short and clean, people will assume you are well-off. On the other hand, if you grow it out, people will assume that you can't afford a haircut and other homeless people will start messing with you. It is possible to be homeless without anyone knowing, and to keep applying to jobs or pursuing your dreams.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4f\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-10.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-10.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4f\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-10.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-10.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 10 Get a Mailbox. There are several places to rent mailboxes in Santa Monica. It is best to get one that doesn't say P.O. box in front of it. For instance, if your address is 7th Street., Santa Monica, #28, people will assume that #28 means Apartment #28 instead of a mailbox number. Many companies require your home address(insurance, bank, etc.) and this will pass.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-11.jpg\/v4-460px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-11.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-11.jpg\/aid1366383-v4-728px-Live-in-Your-Car-in-Santa-Monica-Step-11.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 11 Don't Tell people you are Homeless. This is just a good policy to keep. If people know you are homeless, is is easier for them to look down on you, take advantage of your weakness, or pity you - none of which you want. When people ask where you live, say the street name where you park or where you have your mailbox. If you are walking with someone, say goodbye to them before you get to the street where your car is parked. If anyone wants to come see your place, tell them it's messy right now (It probably is!). Don't lie, but you don't have to tell everything to everyone.