A Blainville man has passed the 100-day milestone of living in his vehicle while saving and paying off nearly $100,000 in debt, and he doesn't plan to stop just yet.
“The results are there, I'm even thinking about continuing for the winter,” said Marc-Andre Gagnon.
For 3 years, Marc-Andre Gagnon struggled to pay back even the interest on his debts, totaling nearly $100,000. Last July, he decided to live in his vehicle for 30 days. He laid out his passenger bench like a bed and added a pillow on top for a bit of comfort. He said he never had back pain. A hundred days later, he was still there. Despite the minor setbacks, Marc-Andre finally felt he was moving forward and morale was good.
“The fact that I don't have to pay rent right now to put money towards my debts trumps all the challenges I could be going through,” he explained.
Working as a deliveryman for delivery applications, he spends 100% of his time in his vehicle.
“It was also a great discovery about myself, my capacity for resilience, being able to stick to my goals,” explained the 33-year-old.
Tiktok to catch up
A few days after his challenge began, Marc-Andre decided to document his adventure on TikTok every day.
“It's a way for me to participate. I have an account to give [à ses abonnés]It helps with motivation. People were there to cheer us on,” explains Marc-André.
Social networks also allowed him to find inspiration from people who were going through the same situation as him.
“Sometimes, when we feel emotions, we feel challenges, we wonder if we are alone, then when we see evidence, it gives us a little comfort,” he explained.
He also wants to prove that his condition is correct. “I think it's not as bad as people think,” he said, adding that he would be happy if his situation allowed other students not to repeat the same mistakes.
Screenshot of Marc-Andre's Instagram account
Winter in your car
As winter approaches, he's still evaluating his options.
“I either swap my vehicle to live there in the winter or take a very small studio for a few months,” explains the man, who is also thinking of moving to Vancouver to escape Quebec's winters.
His goal in the coming months is clear. “By the end of November, I should pay off my first credit card debt and by April 2025, my second credit card as well,” he noted.
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