This is me sleeping in my car to save on accommodation costs

 

It was by accident, or really lack of planning, that I first slept in my car overnight while on a road trip driving from Melbourne to Sydney. What I discovered that night is I am not alone when it comes to sleeping in my car or tent camping for that matter. And lots of other people are doing it too. So if you heading off on a road trip, here’s how you can sleep in your car to save money on accommodation costs.

 

Firstly, My Story of How It Happened

 

The drive is usually 11 hours between Melbourne and Sydney, but on this occasion I deviated from the main road to do some sightseeing. As afternoon came and went, I was no where near where I needed to be so after having dinner I decided I couldn’t drive any more and began to look for accommodation for the night. Usually I can drive into a town and find a room in a motel, but not this night. Australia was now out of covid lockdown and everyone was travelling. Everywhere I went had a No Vacancy sign. Even the caravan park was overflowing.

Not sure what to do, I went to the service centre on the highway and had a cup of coffee in McDonalds. I noticed there were lots of trucks and cars parked and this is when I got the idea to sleep in my car. Scouring the parking area I found a spot to park my car, laid the seat back, threw a blanket over me, locked all the doors and dozed off. Reflecting on the night I realised I could sleep in my car to save on accommodation costs when I travel. It needs more planning that what I did. So here are my best tips and tricks on how you can sleep in your car to save money on accommodation costs.

 

Pros and Cons to Sleeping In Your Car Overnight to Save Money

 

I believe there is only one pro of sleeping in your car and that is it will save you on accommodation costs. It can save you heaps if you are travelling on a tight budget. The money you save can then be spent elsewhere or even allow you to travel for longer. Sounds good so far!

The biggest disadvantage to sleeping in your car is that it isn’t that comfortable. Plus, it can be scary when you aren’t use to it and it isn’t that private either. The best way to overcoming the disadvantages is to be prepared for spending a night in your car. When you are prepared, it can become a more enjoyable experience.

 

Be Prepared for Spending a Night in Your Car

 

My biggest tip for sleeping in your car is to be prepared for it. I wasn’t prepared for my first time, but I am now. Before any road trip I think about whether I need to spend the night in my car or will book accommodation. If I decide to sleep in my car I am sure I am ready by packing some essential items. They include the following that can be bought on Amazon or at camping and outdoor specialist stores:

Travel Blanket & Pillow
Eye Mask
Headlamp for Light
Body Wipes
Solar Powerbank
Wacaco Coffee Maker – read my honest review on this coffee maker here.

 

What Part of the Car Should You Sleep In?

 

Before I went to sleep I considered the best part of the car to sleep. My car is a sedan, so I was limited. Should I lay across the back seat? Maybe sleep in the passenger seat so I had more leg room without a steering wheel? Should I see if the back seats fold down opening up the boot (trunk) of the car? However, the best place I decided to sleep was in the driver’s seat. I chose this for safety reasons thinking if anyone tried to get into the car while I was inside, I could easily start the engine and drive off. Thankfully, this didn’t happen and in the future I still think I will sleep in the driver’s seat. But the choice is yours as to where you choose to sleep. If you prefer to sleep across the back seat you might want to invest in a mattress, such as these.

Car mattress front seat bed
Mattress for the back seat

 

How to Make Your Car Safe and Private

 

I don’t think you can make your car more safe than locking the doors. For privacy though, you have more options. You could hang curtains along the windows. However, having tinted windows, the darker the better, is a great privacy option. Having tinted windows can also help keep your car cool on a hot day and warmer on a cold night. I would only do these things if you are planning to sleep in your car regularly or live in it. In my case, I only sleep in my car on long road trips. Like I said, it is a long 11 hour drive from Melbourne to Sydney and I often don’t make it in the one go which is why I sleep in the car to save on accommodation costs.

 

Making Yourself Comfortable in the Front Seat

 

It was going to be a cool night for my night in the car so I put on some leggings and sox – and I’m glad I did, because my feet got cold and I wish I had thicker sox. I put the keys in the console so I could easily reach them. I wound down the back passenger window by 1cm (half an inch) so there was a little air getting into the car – thank goodness it wasn’t raining! I reclined the seat as far as it would go. Surprising, my driver’s seat in my Audi A4 reclined a long way and I was almost flat. I then had my pillow to lay my head on and I had my blanket over me to keep me warm. I also had a hoodie on and I strategically moved it over my face which helped to block out the light. I adapted what I could to ensure I was warm and comfortable.

 

How to Choose the Right Spot to Park?

 

The biggest question that I have found when sleeping in a car overnight is finding somewhere safe to park the car. I drove around for a while trying to find somewhere that looked safe. I drove along residential streets, near parks, down the main street of the town and had a look at shopping centre car parks. Here are the safest and most convenient places I have found to sleep in my car overnight.

 

• Truck Stops / Service Centres

 

If you are driving along a major highway, like I was, I found a truck stop or service centre were great to sleep at. At the particular service centre I stopped at there was a petrol (fuel) station, a McDonalds Restaurant as well as a KFC and there were public toilets plus loads of car spots. I parked up not directly under a light but near a light. There were a few cars around which I think belonged to workers. I felt quite safe parking here. It did get a bit noisy at times with the cars and trucks stopping to get fuel.

 

• Highway Rest Stops

 

Highway rest stops are my second choice to sleep in my car overnight at. Although a little on the dark side, there is access to toilets and mostly there are lights. I have mostly slept in rest stops during the day when I need to as I prefer a truck stop or service centre as there are more people around.

 

• Residential Street

 

The third place I would suggest to park your car up for the night is in a residential street. I do prefer if the house I stop in front of has a high fence or a tree in front because it makes me feel more comfortable that the home owner won’t call the Police. I usually wait until it is dark before parking in a residential street as it will be less likely residents will be looking outside at that time.

 

• Other Places to Park Your Car to Sleep Overnight

 

I haven’t tried these myself (yet) but other places to park are in supermarket car parks, park and rides and places that have activity. I think when choosing where to park, you need to consider your safety first. You want to feel comfortable (and safe) in your car so you can actually sleep. Also consider Free Camps. There are a number of apps available such as Wikicamps that can advise you where the nearest free camping area is. These areas will mostly have others, sleeping in their cars, vans and tents.

 

TIP: Evaluate each place before you park up for the night. Ensure you feel comfortable, private and safe in the place you choose. Be sure to check if there are any signs about ‘no overnight parking’ before you hunker down for the night.

 

• Places I would not Park my Car to Sleep in Overnight

 

I would not park at dark public parks or in national parks, unless there was lighting. I wouldn’t go off-road either as it may look suspicious.

 

What About Going to the Toilet?

 

Guys have an advantage here, they can use an empty bottle to pee in without having to get out of the car. Don’t forget to put the lid on the bottle as you don’t want any urine spilling throughout the car! Girls, well – it’s not fair really but what can we do. This is why I like to park where I know I can access a toilet if I need to. What I did though my first night sleeping in my car was not drink anything after 6pm. Then I went to the toilet and emptied the bladder. These two things helped me get through the night without needing to go until morning. I have heard some girls wear special leakage pants that they dispose of in the morning. Others use a sheewee and a bottle. I haven’t tried a sheewee myself, but I hear they work wonders! Check out these sheewees.

Portable Urinal (Male)
Female Urinal

 

What about Showering When Sleeping in Your Car?

 

Personal hygiene needs to be attended to know matter where you are living. If you don’t have access to a shower you can wash in a hand basin with a wash cloth and dry yourself with a towel. I have found some public toilets have a shower, particularly those at beaches. You may be able to join a gym that has many branches in a particular country and use the showering facilities. Also consider travelling with wipes. These handy things are great for personal hygiene and clean yourself after spills.

 

Are You Ready to Sleep in Your Car to Save Money on Accommodation?

 

As I said, it was purely an accident the first time I slept in my car. What I realised though, that if I do, I can save loads of money on accommodation costs as I travel. And having done it a few times now, I am learning each time extra things I can do to make my night more enjoyable and restful. Now as you know, the cost of accommodation is the most expensive part of our travels because we need to sleep somewhere. So if you are looking to reduce your accommodation costs, consider sleeping in your car as an option. If you do this already, I would love to hear from you in the comments following. If you have any questions don’t hesitate ask away in the comments section also.

 

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