WATCH: It’s not just fun and games as TikToker reveals the ugly side of ‘Van Life’ movement

The North Carolina native was struggling to pay her rent and, at times, would skip meals for the sake of writing off her costly debt. Picture: @nikitacrump/TikTok

The North Carolina native was struggling to pay her rent and, at times, would skip meals for the sake of writing off her costly debt. Picture: @nikitacrump/TikTok

Published Aug 11, 2022

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Nikita Crump boasts more than a million followers on TikTok.

The influencer has used the popular app to document her experiences of living in her Honda Civic since 2019, the New York reported.

But if you’re in the mood for impromptu road trips and discovering new locations, she’s not that kind of gal.

The ‘Van Life’ movement recently gained worldwide popularity as families packed up their essentials and hit the road in a van because they refused to be tied down to a costly bond and standard of living.

For Crump, living in her car became a matter of surviving to make ends meet.

The North Carolina native was struggling to pay her rent and, at times, would skip meals for the sake of writing off her debt.

She, like most people struggling to support themselves financially, has drastically felt the effects of rising food and petrol prices.

The result was her trying to keep two jobs down, and that’s when she decided to live in her Honda.

@nikitacrump Day 2 of driving across the country to my PO Box bc they mad @ me. #ILiveInMyCar #hotelcivic #nomad ♬ original sound - Nikita Crump

Over the years, she’s found TikTok fame, giving her followers a warts-and-all behind the scenes look at her daily life.

Most of her videos are posted with a disclaimer: “Participating in this activity could result in you or others getting hurt.”

In one video, she shows the back seat of her car, filled with clothing and her belongings. Sometimes, she admits she goes three days without showering.

@nikitacrump POV: you used TikTok to record your content & it malfunctions as usual. #iliveinmycar #pov #pointofview #hotelcivic #adayinmylife ♬ Quirky - Oleg Kirilkov

“I’ve been homeless by definition most of my adult life. I’ve even lived in my car before, briefly.

“So I’m not that unfamiliar with being in uncomfortable situations and being homeless,” she said candidly in one post.

For those considering taking the same route, Crump also dishes out advice on which neighbourhoods are safe to park a car at night and how to deal with laundry.

Read the latest issue of IOL Travel digital magazine here.