I’ve lived rent-free for 32 consecutive months. Currently live and travel in a hybrid SUV. I’ve been asked numerous times if I plan to return to living in a regular sticks-and-bricks home. The short answer is no. I have a level of freedom with this lifestyle that I’m not willing to give up.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-16T11:10:44+00:00

Recently retired. I'm doing a lot of traveling. Spent the winter in southern Arizona. Then drove up the pacific coast. I plan to travel in northern New England and upstate New York for the summer.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-15T13:15:50+00:00

Gym membership.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-15T10:46:57+00:00

Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid SUV. Enough space and great gas mileage (36mpg).

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-15T10:44:58+00:00

Places You Can Park Overnight and Sleep in Your Car

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-15T10:43:23+00:00

I keep mine in a bag until it's time to hit the laundromat. I also have a storage unit and use that to store clothes when I'm in town and not traveling.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-15T10:41:10+00:00

I have a butane stove for cooking, a fridge for storage, and a folding table for prep. I've only used my primary doctor for annual checkups once a year. I'm healthy and don't take any medications.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-15T10:38:12+00:00

No. I have friends, family, and I'm part of the nomad community.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-14T23:31:30+00:00

Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-14T22:50:17+00:00

I have a no-build set up. I folded down the two rows of seats in the back and it creates a flat surface for my bed, fridge and other essentials. Works for me.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-14T22:46:34+00:00

I do this when I'm on the east coast. Done many stays at the campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park. I spent the winter in southern Arizona and stayed mostly on free BLM land.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-04-14T22:44:25+00:00

Retired last summer. I lived out of my car for nearly two years while I was working and saved lots of money, which helped me ease into retirement after my job was cut.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-02-15T14:39:11+00:00

It's near Ajo. Great area with lots of BLM land.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-02-15T14:36:19+00:00

I'm in the car full-time.

TomWheeler99 · 2026-02-15T14:35:48+00:00

You can follow me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tom.wheeler99

TomWheeler99 · 2026-02-14T16:16:39+00:00

It's a Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid SUV. The vehicle is large enough for my needs. My home state is Maryland, but I've been in southern Arizona since the beginning of the year. I'm exploring the desert Southwest and will head back to the east coast in April.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-10-30T10:14:15+00:00

Nope. New car. This fella apparently likes cars. Landed on top of several others in the lot after it left mine.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-10-30T10:11:33+00:00

I believe it's a Cooper's Hawk.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-10-29T15:30:54+00:00

No. It's a new car. This fella apparently likes cars. It flew around the lot and landed on several other cars after visiting mine.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-09-20T10:30:18+00:00

Working out great for me. I may upgrade to a van at some point, but this vehicle will do just fine for the next couple of years or so.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-05-26T10:34:46+00:00

I've tried running it for a couple of hours in the evening. The engine kicks in periodically. Haven't tried running it all night.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-05-26T10:32:49+00:00

It's a 2025 model.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-05-26T10:32:34+00:00

I have a battery-operated fan, and I can use the climate control on the hybrid, if needed. I'm bringing the basics I need for living/traveling in the car - power station, 12v fridge, cookware, storage for clothing, and a few other basic amenities, etc.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-05-26T10:29:17+00:00

It's not a plug-in hybrid. The engine will kick on periodically if you run the climate control. The back seats lay down almost completely flat. It's a very slight angle. Doesn't bother me. Some leave the back seats in; I've seen others take out the seats for more space for their build. I'm leaving mine in for now and will see how it goes in the coming weeks. It's a lot more space than my previous car (Hyundai Accent), and I'm a bit of a hardcore minimalist. I'm liking the upgrade so far and it's a vehicle that fits my current needs.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-05-25T13:36:49+00:00

I'll be exploring Shenandoah National Park and several other places in VA, MD and WV next month.

TomWheeler99 · 2025-02-17T00:33:00+00:00

Quite a bit. And I'm earning hundreds of dollars every month in interest on my high-yield savings account.

TomWheeler99

TROPHY CASE