I live in a tiny smart car so I can afford retirement — I even have an ‘emergency toilet'

New York Post

28-04-2025

She's giving the van life a minimalist makeover.
An enterprising woman has devised a unique way to retire on the cheap amid the housing crisis — by transforming her European Smartcar into a house on wheels.
Kai, who did not reveal her last name, gave a 'Cribs'-style tour of her tiny digs in a viral video posted to the YouTube channel CheapVRLiving.
'I discovered I could actually lay flat in her and take everything I needed,' said Kai, 65, while describing life in the driver's seat.
For the last 14 months, the retiree has been living in the 2006 Smart ForTwo, a smart car range from Mercedes-Benz.
At just 8 feet, 2 inches long and just 4 feet, 12 inches wide, her abode seems like it barely has room for one — let alone all of her belongings.
4 Kai keeps food, spare parts and kitchen utensils in bins in her trunk.
@CheapRVliving/YouTube
However, Kai said she had a good reason for her unusual arrangement.
'I wanted to retire at 65 and I couldn't afford it,' she said. 'I need to wait until I'm 70 to have Social Security.'
She added, 'I already had the car and she gets 55 miles a gallon.'
While living in a smart car might seem like hell on wheels, Kai said she's devised some MacGyver-esque ways to make the fun-size automobile feel like home.
For sleeping, she's reportedly stacked up two small air mattresses on the passenger side so she can lie down. This is pretty much all she has room for because she stands 5-foot-5 and has only 5 feet, 8 inches of space inside.
'I can sleep fully stretched out,' said Kai while demonstrating the contortion-like process of getting into the slumbering position.
'My head is toward the dash and I can see the stars at night through the windshield.'
4 Kai demonstrates how she beds down at night.
@CheapRVliving/YouTube
She claims her car bed is quite comfortable despite requiring some agility to get into.
As for her other necessities, the self-proclaimed 'old backpacker' doesn't have a kitchen but rather keeps her 'survival food' and snacks in bins in the trunk along with a portable stove, spare parts, and clothes.
Meanwhile, Kai fits three gallons of water in front of the passenger seat as well as personal hygiene products — like a real-life clown car.
4 'I wanted to retire at 65 and I couldn't afford it,' said Kai while explaining her rationale for converting her car into a house.
@CheapRVliving/YouTube
There is no bathroom, either.
'Usually — I'm an old backpacker — I go outdoors,' she said.
But in the event of inclement weather when she can't leave the car, the automotive MacGyver said she simply pops a squat on a bin filled with pine-scented kitty litter.
'My emergency toilet is right here. There's a bin inside of a bin,' she said as she demonstrated sitting on top of the container.
4 Kai sleeps on two air mattresses in the passenger seat.
@CheapRVliving/YouTube
The minimalist said she hopes to be in the smart car until she receives 'double social security' at 70.
According to autoinsurance.com, it is legal to live in one's car in most states as long as the person follows local loitering ordinances and makes sure to only park at open campgrounds and designated overnight rest areas like truck stops.
However, site experts warn that 'spaces can become overcrowded or less safe as time passes, so it would be wise to have more than one place where you can seek shelter.'
In fact, both young and elderly Americans are resorting to living in their vans for a variety of reasons, including freedom, convenience, and the difficulties of navigating the increasingly expensive housing market on a fixed income, Business Insider reported.
Of course, van life is not without its speed bumps, ranging from unforeseen repair costs to isolation and tiresome logistics.
However, for van lifer Siena Juhlin, 23, the juice is still worth the squeeze.
'Everything is 10 times harder,' she told the Wall Street Journal. 'But everything is also amazingly beautiful and rewarding.'