Mail, electricity, internet access, and phones.
Mail:
Mail and Mailing Address Options
How to Get a Street Address for Your Mail
Virtual Mail
Address Verification Challenges and Modern Software
Internet and Electricity:
These two are lumped together because they were so interrelated for me while I was homeless. I mostly needed electricity for my internet capable devices, including my cheap smartphone with which I sometimes accessed email and internet.
You can get free Wi-Fi at most libraries. If you have a library card, you can log in via a public computer at many libraries.
Starbucks and many other eateries also offer Wi-Fi, but you need to buy something to eat or drink first. When I was on the street, I would stay an hour or less at Starbucks, whereas I stayed all day at the library.
If you are homeless, it is important that you be able to also plug in while taking advantage of the Wi-Fi. This can be harder to find than Wi-Fi. Some libraries don't have good access to outlets and many eateries with "free Wi-Fi" have few or no outlets.
So, I always (as discreetly as possible) scouted out where the plugs were beforehand and I only booted up to take advantage of free Wi-Fi if I could get plugged in. When I was homeless, I got free Starbucks gift cards from Microsoft Rewards (aka Bing Rewards) and used that to not only get coffee or food, but also to supplement my internet and electricity access after the library closed in the evening.
A Higher Amp Plug for Faster Charging URL to PDF This is being included here because being able to save things to my tablet and read them later when I only have battery power is one of the tricks I use for extending my access to stuff in the face of limited internet access.
Phones:
Pre-Pay Phones
Tracfone games and browser
Finding Public Pay Phones
Telling Time:
Telling Time
California Resources
Libraries This is commentary about some of the libraries in San Diego County that I actually spent time in while living there. Some of it may well be out of date and no longer accurate. I left San Diego County more than 2 years ago.
Electricity (in Downtown San Diego)
Mail:
Mail and Mailing Address Options
How to Get a Street Address for Your Mail
Virtual Mail
Address Verification Challenges and Modern Software
Internet and Electricity:
These two are lumped together because they were so interrelated for me while I was homeless. I mostly needed electricity for my internet capable devices, including my cheap smartphone with which I sometimes accessed email and internet.
You can get free Wi-Fi at most libraries. If you have a library card, you can log in via a public computer at many libraries.
Starbucks and many other eateries also offer Wi-Fi, but you need to buy something to eat or drink first. When I was on the street, I would stay an hour or less at Starbucks, whereas I stayed all day at the library.
If you are homeless, it is important that you be able to also plug in while taking advantage of the Wi-Fi. This can be harder to find than Wi-Fi. Some libraries don't have good access to outlets and many eateries with "free Wi-Fi" have few or no outlets.
So, I always (as discreetly as possible) scouted out where the plugs were beforehand and I only booted up to take advantage of free Wi-Fi if I could get plugged in. When I was homeless, I got free Starbucks gift cards from Microsoft Rewards (aka Bing Rewards) and used that to not only get coffee or food, but also to supplement my internet and electricity access after the library closed in the evening.
A Higher Amp Plug for Faster Charging URL to PDF This is being included here because being able to save things to my tablet and read them later when I only have battery power is one of the tricks I use for extending my access to stuff in the face of limited internet access.
Phones:
Pre-Pay Phones
Tracfone games and browser
Finding Public Pay Phones
Telling Time:
Telling Time
California Resources
Libraries This is commentary about some of the libraries in San Diego County that I actually spent time in while living there. Some of it may well be out of date and no longer accurate. I left San Diego County more than 2 years ago.
Electricity (in Downtown San Diego)