Staying in one place for a long period is sometimes a necessity when you live in a vehicle, but it's not nearly as easy as it sounds. Doing so for free is even more difficult. Family or friends may be willing to let you park on their property, but this type of arrangement is hard to find and is often illegal. Many countries, states, and local governments have laws and ordinances against temporarily or permanently living in your vehicle, even on your own property.
The only real unlimited camping in the United States is Slab City in California. It's not everyone's cup of tea and gets unbearably hot in summer. "Slabbers" self-police and may not suffer fools gladly.
Parking in the city
If you are staying in one city, you may be able to manage if you have a large number of places to park overnight and your vehicle isn't very memorable. The longer you plan to stay, the more places you'll need to rotate between. Stay only one night in any spot, and choose a random spot from your list. For example, don't show up every Friday night at the same location. If your vehicle is somewhat stealthy, it will be much easier to go unnoticed. Free parking in business lots only works if you have a nondescript vehicle and don't spend too many nights in each lot.
You might be able to find a paid parking lot or parking garage with reasonable weekly or monthly rates. However, renting a parking space usually does not allow you to sleep or camp in that parking space.
Parking on someone else's land
There are RV parks with long-term rates but they cost money. In the United States, there are small number of public Long Term Visitor Areas you can stay at for months on end; they require a low-cost permit, such as $180 for 6 months.
Boondocking and dispersed camping on public lands may be an option for you, but most locations have a 14 day limit and other restrictions. You can stealth camp in cities, but you will need to be discreet and have many rotating spots.
It is very unlikely that you can camp at businesses that allow overnight parking, such as some Walmart and Planet Fitness locations. You will need to get explicit permission from the store's lead manager before you try to stay longer term.
If you come to an arrangement with someone to park on someone's land for the longer term, be aware that their neighbors may not like the arrangement and may complain to the authorities.
Parking on your own land
Before buying your own land to park your vehicle, research local rules. Most people are amazed to find out that there are almost always rules governing what you can do on your own land. Research local laws and codes before buying anything. Permanent habitation is generally not allowed unless your property has connections to the utility grid, sewer/septic, etc.
If you have more than one property and can move between them, you may be able to legally camp on each one for an extended period, especially if your property is large and remote. You can find land to buy by searching real estate sites for terms like "recreational land" or "hunting property". What states allow you to live in an RV?
For those in the United States, you may view individual pages for each State to see quick links to state and local ordinances.
