Top 10 Hobo Hacks for Ultimate Survival: Urban & Wilderness Tips

Discover the ultimate survival skills with "My Top 10 Hobo Hacks!" Perfect for both urban and wilderness settings, this video offers essential tips and tricks, from innovative laundry solutions to budget-friendly food options. Whether you're an adventurer or just love the outdoors, these practical hacks will help you thrive anywhere!

[ChefSpinney]

For the cloths washing bit: if you add a little white vinegar on the second rinse it breaks down any leftover soap and acts as a fabric softener.

[OldGuy]

These vids are great! My grandfather was a "gentleman of the road" after the family farm was repossessed. As I got older he showed me how to do the stuff and the equipment he made. He had his possibles bag packed and ready to go up until the day he died. He said the two years he spent on the road helped him to get rid of his anger towards the govt and banks and he found that no matter how bad things got he would survive and thrive. Thanks for your vids!

[lwhowell]

Hobos were still very common during my childhood in the 1950's. We had two sets of RR Tracks that ran behind our home. Mom would leave a signal at the back door of our service porch to indicate if there was food available on certain days. Left over meat loaf was a favorite as were fresh baked pies. During harvest season there was always an abundance of peaches, apricots, cherries and apples. Mom always baked an extra pie to leave out for the Hobos.

[mrshaneyt]

A large nail is perfect for baking potatoes. When you push it through and have it in the fire it heats up cooking the potato from the middle at the same time the outside cooks . Cuts down on cooking time and helps not burning the outside black to cook the middle .
I’ve done this since I was a kid having cook outs on the fire with my dad .
Great video as usual 👍

[rogerlyons]

I remember back in the early 50s on Easter Sunday saw a hobo sleeping on the sidewalk covered with news paper after church when go got home that same hobo was on our back porch eating eggs and bacon hot coffee that my dad fixed for him.

[CarlSanford]

I love this stuff. I've been homeless and I learned a bunch of this stuff the hard way. I love to see the different ways that people come up with to survive and get along. Necessity truly is the mother of invention.

[Captain-Max]

Here's an improvement on the soup idea. I've started using Knorr Chicken Bullion Powder as a soup for light lunches. You can have soup for a month or more from a small 8oz plastic bottle that will cost about $2.50. Plus, should you stumble across an egg, or some veggies you can make a substantial meal. It won't take up much space in your kit and you just add water.

[jerrysteen]

Brother, when i worked at the local jail, we had a guy that hoarded newspaper. I was trying to figure out why. My mind, due to the evil nature at the jail went to all kinds of evil things. My boss said, "He's homeless. He was saving it for insulation under his jacket." That was an eye opener! 😮

[GVan]

Grate as many soap scrap pieces as you have left over from old bars of soap and add enough H2O to create a thick paste. Pour into a form and allow to dry. BINGO! new bar of soap.

[PulpParadise]

I make a body powder out of cornstarch and baking soda. No perfume and the baking soda is a natural deodorant as well. 🙂I put it inside an empty Arm & Hammer body powder container for simplicity's sake.

I love that hobo sink! I've never seen anything like that before but it's a fantastic idea and very low impact on the environment as well.

I suggest that you wash your whites before your darks - there's no need to change the water. Same with the rinse cycle. Rinse the white, remove, then rinse the darks. If you ever wash anything dark that bleeds dye with your whites, you'll know why I say this (you won't have any whites anymore!). The same goes double for red, as red clothing always seems to run, regardless of how old it is. (Or maybe that's just my experience.) ;-)

As always, thanks for sharing these useful tidbits, James!

[zachparade]

Great video! I’m going to be homeless at the end of the month. Your videos give me some comfort. Thank you!

[unfi]

Nothing beats old school hobo mentality. Cheers mate from Australia.

[BangkokJohn]

I am 73 now when I was a Lad my grandfather told me about the crumpled up news papers to keep warm in your coat. That was 65 years ago. He worked on the Burlington railroad and saw Hobos doing this. Thanks for all the Tips. Bangkok John.

[smd]

Back 1998 when we hit bottom yes I wash my cloths in 5 gal buck with plunger thing was tight ! Deer meat kept going wood heat 18 month before I got job !

[plantmanstudios]

It is terrible to live in a first world country and need these skills but we absolutely do needs this skills now more than ever.

[Oldsparkey]

Riding a motorcycle in nice weather and then it turns chilly. I would get a news paper and leaving the sheets flat wrap some around each lower leg. Some more flat sheets across my chest and even around my arms if wearing long sleeve shirts. You would be surprised how warm they will keep you even at 50 or 60 mph. Also works pretty good in a rain.

[craigeckhoff]

50 of 74 years a hobo. WOW what a bunch of great tips ! A couple of modifications I used tho. One. For the clothes wash can I would use a travel/sample size bar of soap in a sock. Heating the water first and then washing up using the soap sock for face and hands as well as lather for shaving. The soap is well mixed into the wash can and then can be additionally used for washing clothes. So a two for one use. Two. Handles for can cooking I would open all but about an inch from the lid. I used my thumb as a rough measure. Using my pliers I bend the lid to about the inch mark and fold over. On the outside of course. Do the same to the remaining side of the lid. Outside again. Then bend in about half. A easy handle.

[terryrobinson]

Great tips, 99 percent of the world population will need to know these things in the near future.

[Menuki]

A trick I learned from Ethan Becker for storing duck tape, wrap it around old credit/membership cards. It makes the tape easily pocketable and accessible.

It’s a great hack for everyday, not just survival

[mikekares-bq]

Very useful James .in my 70s now my biggest fear my whole adult life was becoming homeless It's highly unlikely but it can happen to anyone and does .So this is great survival information . I've always strived to be successful but you never know now days . Thanks again James.