# How To Survive a Freezing Winter Sleeping Outside with no money



## XAlbertaWarriorWomenX

For personal reasons, I cant stay at the shelter house during the winter and i hate being around strangers, im considering sleeping outside in the winter, but on da cheapest fundz possible. Any suggestions and comments people?


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## MarsOrScars

It depends on where you're staying but these would be the most ideal pointers. 

(1) Stay dry. That includes sweating. Don't bundle up so much that you are sweating endlessly. It will act as a conduit and the heat will be sapped away from you. If you can afford it, get water/sweat wicking thermal gear. Walmart has UnderArmour knock offs that fit this bill. I can go outside in below 0 weather with just shorts and my long sleeve, off brand thermal and still be comfortable enough, at least long enough to get the mail, start the car and smoke a j. 

(2) Shelter. If you have a free standing back packing tent, then you're kind of already set, but just in case you might want to look into DIY survival shelters http://www.practicalsurvivor.com/urbansheltercoldweather & http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/winter-shelter-ze0z1301zsau.aspxand how to set them up with the land so you can give yourself a break from the elements. Exposure, more than hunger, is deadly in it's own right. Fire is also helpful but might be prohibited. http://survivial-training.wonderhow...re-from-your-enemies-dakota-fire-pit-0116303/ This is a super informative article on how one would conceal a fire, tips on wood to use that produce the least amount of smoke and what not. I haven't read it all because it is really long, but in you're case it will pay off. If you're able to establish a semi-permanent squat, try scoring some wool insulation and build a cot or something to get you off the cold ground. 

(3) Food. Stock up on high carb/calorie foods, you're going to be too busy shivering away your energy to be concerned with figure. Your immune system will also be more susceptible during the colder season so make sure you're also getting a whole diet (or close) with vitamins. I listed a resource here not too long ago on how one would go about getting excess food from gardeners:
https://squattheplanet.com/threads/site-for-finding-fresh-produce-for-free.26873/

(4) Clothing. Learn the core components of layering and how to layer for different weather events:
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/layering-basics.html. DO NOT FORGET your feet and extremities. I'd rather have warm boots, socks over a tent any day. Get yourself some gloves. 
Your head is going to be where most body heat leaves, so a beanie like mine, maybe a bandana or neoprene face wrap when it's windy and definitely a cozy hoodie. 

If that sounds like too much work? 
Hitch South.


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## Mankini

also see : gen 5 ecwcs.


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## kecleon

Next winter? 

Where?

Basically go somewhere warm (for most of us south) then shelter, if that's a tarp, tent, house, railway station, bridge, whatever and insulation, sleeping bag, clothes. 

Fire yeah but to keep a fire going through the night is a hell of a lot of wood and effort. 

I would say get the best synthetic sleeping bag you possibly can. Everything's better if you're warm.


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## Kim Chee

I've stayed beneath buildings long term and stayed warm.

Granted, you can't always get access and sometimes when you can get access, you run the risk of being noticed right away. 

Snow house, eh?


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## angerisagift

i was lucky and had a sweeeet spo near Thompson river in Loveland . so i was able the have a air mattress and lot of blantkets and a sleeping bag. but the sheds in the parkin lot of Lowes r nice if u dont have a spot to put a tent


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## Mankini

angerisagift said:


> i was lucky and had a sweeeet spo near Thompson river in Loveland . so i was able the have a air mattress and lot of blantkets and a sleeping bag. but the sheds in the parkin lot of Lowes r nice if u dont have a spot to put a tent



Ive always fantasized about buying one of those sheds and offering it to a homeowner in exchange for letting me place it in their backyard for a few months.


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## angerisagift

voodoochile76 said:


> Ive always fantasized about buying one of those sheds and offering it to a homeowner in exchange for letting me place it in their backyard for a few months.


true they r like tiny houses. b4 i got a cool stop . i would sleep in 1 just sucked to wake b4 Lowes opened


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## angerisagift

spot #typo


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## Mankini

Ive also fantasized about squatting yachts in the marinas around san fran. it seems like people just store them long term without using or maintaing most of them. ive also noticed large rv and boat storage yards, childgoddess. cough cough hint hint.


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## XAlbertaWarriorWomenX

MarsOrScars said:


> It depends on where you're staying but these would be the most ideal pointers.
> 
> (1) Stay dry. That includes sweating. Don't bundle up so much that you are sweating endlessly. It will act as a conduit and the heat will be sapped away from you. If you can afford it, get water/sweat wicking thermal gear. Walmart has UnderArmour knock offs that fit this bill. I can go outside in below 0 weather with just shorts and my long sleeve, off brand thermal and still be comfortable enough, at least long enough to get the mail, start the car and smoke a j.
> 
> (2) Shelter. If you have a free standing back packing tent, then you're kind of already set, but just in case you might want to look into DIY survival shelters http://www.practicalsurvivor.com/urbansheltercoldweather & http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/winter-shelter-ze0z1301zsau.aspxand how to set them up with the land so you can give yourself a break from the elements. Exposure, more than hunger, is deadly in it's own right. Fire is also helpful but might be prohibited. http://survivial-training.wonderhow...re-from-your-enemies-dakota-fire-pit-0116303/ This is a super informative article on how one would conceal a fire, tips on wood to use that produce the least amount of smoke and what not. I haven't read it all because it is really long, but in you're case it will pay off. If you're able to establish a semi-permanent squat, try scoring some wool insulation and build a cot or something to get you off the cold ground.
> 
> (3) Food. Stock up on high carb/calorie foods, you're going to be too busy shivering away your energy to be concerned with figure. Your immune system will also be more susceptible during the colder season so make sure you're also getting a whole diet (or close) with vitamins. I listed a resource here not too long ago on how one would go about getting excess food from gardeners:
> https://squattheplanet.com/threads/site-for-finding-fresh-produce-for-free.26873/
> 
> (4) Clothing. Learn the core components of layering and how to layer for different weather events:
> https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/layering-basics.html. DO NOT FORGET your feet and extremities. I'd rather have warm boots, socks over a tent any day. Get yourself some gloves.
> Your head is going to be where most body heat leaves, so a beanie like mine, maybe a bandana or neoprene face wrap when it's windy and definitely a cozy hoodie.
> 
> If that sounds like too much work?
> Hitch South.



Thank you very much for your input!  this helps out alot, i just wanna know this in case i have 2 resort 2 sleeping outside in da winter.


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## MarsOrScars

Childgoddess said:


> Thank you very much for your input!  this helps out alot, i just wanna know this in case i have 2 resort 2 sleeping outside in da winter.



Yep, and I'm one to talk because I don't do it enough, but these skills do require practice. The more you expand your knowledge, the better if not enjoyable time you're going to have crustsurfing Mother Nature.


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## spectacular

if you can't find a way to be a snowbird then get two thick sleeping bags and double them up, wear lots of layers, snow shearling boots are good, tent doesn't matter as long as it's fairly weatherproof and those are all the suggestions i can really think of. but yeah what i do is go to a nice warm place.


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## jaws

If you find some thick enough woods on the outskirts of the city than you can have a fire everyday.
Make a shelter against something so your back will be against a wall. Give it a good roof (discarded tarps at construction sites or crap pieces of wood/metal). Side walls can be made from enough brush & logs to keep the wind off of you. You can raise your shelter floor with logs and soften it with straw so your sleeping bag stays dry during rain.
Build your fires directly in front of you so that all the heat is reflected off of the wall behind you.
Look online for edible plants in your area, cook them with rice to make it filling. Dumpsterdive to supplement.
5 gallon buckets for toting water and laundry.


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## ShadowOfOdin

Honestly, when I had no money and had to sleep outside in the winter
I went to Wal-Mart at 12 am off the interstate 
And grabbed a -15 degree mummybag, a Colman tent and a New pair of boots and winter coat.
Didn't get harassed at all, just walked out with everything in a cart and wore the shoes and similar looking, but New coat out.
Now I'm not telling you to do that but if you are down and out and are no where near a town with resources that's what I would do, 
Other wise there are programs in cities, or churches even that will help you get sleeping bag tent etc. For free
I guess I should of started with that :/


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## AlwaysLost

jaws said:


> If you find some thick enough woods on the outskirts of the city than you can have a fire everyday.
> Make a shelter against something so your back will be against a wall. Give it a good roof (discarded tarps at construction sites or crap pieces of wood/metal). Side walls can be made from enough brush & logs to keep the wind off of you. You can raise your shelter floor with logs and soften it with straw so your sleeping bag stays dry during rain.
> Build your fires directly in front of you so that all the heat is reflected off of the wall behind you.
> Look online for edible plants in your area, cook them with rice to make it filling. Dumpsterdive to supplement.
> 5 gallon buckets for toting water and laundry.


Wild edibles are pretty rare during wintertime where I live.


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## Johnny Maddox

Kim Chee said:


> I've stayed beneath buildings long term and stayed warm.
> 
> Granted, you can't always get access and sometimes when you can get access, you run the risk of being noticed right away.
> 
> Snow house, eh?


Trap house lol.


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## jaws

AlmostAlwaysLost said:


> Wild edibles are pretty rare during wintertime where I live.


Gotcha,
Sometimes us Southerners forget that snow is a thing.


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## AlwaysLost

jaws said:


> Gotcha,
> Sometimes us Southerners forget that snow is a thing.



All good advice thoug and the wild dumpster edibles don't rot in the sumer heat during wintertime so there is that...Winter is hard here but at least their is privacy down by the river, all the train kids move south and no fishermen or bike riders. Plus no bugs.


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## Odin

Be like that key maker in the matrix... Never loose a copy to anything. :-o I'm still learning. *_*;P

Other than that lotta good info here... Clothing n gear...but if you have to improvise look for what you can... I have folks making use of an out of use car wash around here... But its mostly open air so about this weather below 30s better options needed.

Imagination n try stay outa trouble.


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## Eyegor

Conduction sucks heat. Have AT LEAST as much insulation under you as you do over you. While YMMV in general air mattresses are colder than equivalent thickness foam pads. Good luck and please have a back up plan for extreme weather.


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## ChristoCooper

Childgoddess said:


> For personal reasons, I cant stay at the shelter house during the winter and i hate being around strangers, im considering sleeping outside in the winter, but on da cheapest fundz possible. Any suggestions and comments people?


If you are ever stuck outside and the temperature gets too low, you could always use this breathing method that eventually makes you warm. or at least FEEL warm. this guy calls it the Wim Hof method, but it's been around since buddha probably


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