What I refer to as “pure homelessness” is something to avoid in every way possible. Try your best to own a running vehicle that has enough room to sleep in and to store your basic possessions. A cargo van is great. But, if the worst happens and you have no place to stay other than a homeless shelter… if there is a shelter present and if there is room for you to stay, the item mentioned at the linked-to Web site may be useful,
You can tell there’s a long-term economic slump when fashion designers come up with coats that can also serve as sleeping bags.
Enter “transformer clothing,” a sort of nitty-gritty take on the indoor Snuggie, but with a much greater and nobler purpose in mind: outdoor use and protection for the poor and homeless.
The coat’s inner layer is made of Thinsulate and Steelcase fabric to help store body heat. It also turns into an over-the-shoulder bag with storage in the arm sockets.
If you are at the level of homelessness where you need this device you have hit rock bottom. One thing that this device will not do is protect you from physical attack. Sleeping in a vehicle with locking doors offers more protection. Sure, windows can be broken but that noise will awaken you and a near-by club or other device can be grabbed to defend yourself. If an attacker has a gun a club may be futile for defense. It is wise to be as stealthy as possible. Try to park to sleep in places where by-passers are rare. Avoid the areas of town where the ruffians tend to gather.
Alternative Living Options 