Have you ever tried to play a “homeless” Sim?

I have definitely done this before. My backstory was that I had a married couple but the wife cheated and had a second child with another man. Her husband didn’t know at first, though he always has a bit of a strained relationship with the younger son. After the wife died in a fire, he ended up finding out when going through her things and so, he disowned the teen and I had him move out and be homeless.

He lived on an empty lot. I only gave him enough cash to ‘purchase’ the lot so he was left at 0. I had him scavenge for everything. He was rarely on the lot and didn’t really have any possessions. He slept most nights on park benches until he had enough to buy a tent. Showered at gyms, etc. It was tough but between a part-time job and busking, he eventually earned enough to rent a cheap empty apartment in San Myshuno. Definitely a departure from my regular play style but so much fun. Definitely recommend it as a challenge.

Unfortunately, shortly after getting the apartment he was busking in the Fashion district when his electric piano broke in a sudden storm. Stupidly tried to repair it and got electrocuted and died. I hope your sim fairs better than mine did on their homeless journey.

"BK747;c-17942347" wrote:
I have definitely done this before. My backstory was that I had a married couple but the wife cheated and had a second child with another man. Her husband didn’t know at first, though he always has a bit of a strained relationship with the younger son. After the wife died in a fire, he ended up finding out when going through her things and so, he disowned the teen and I had him move out and be homeless.

He lived on an empty lot. I only gave him enough cash to ‘purchase’ the lot so he was left at 0. I had him scavenge for everything. He was rarely on the lot and didn’t really have any possessions. He slept most nights on park benches until he had enough to buy a tent. Showered at gyms, etc. It was tough but between a part-time job and busking, he eventually earned enough to rent a cheap empty apartment in San Myshuno. Definitely a departure from my regular play style but so much fun. Definitely recommend it as a challenge.

Unfortunately, shortly after getting the apartment he was busking in the Fashion district when his electric piano broke in a sudden storm. Stupidly tried to repair it and got electrocuted and died. I hope your sim fairs better than mine did on their homeless journey.

Oof what a tragic twist at the end!

Definitely insightful though, thanks! I’m looking forward to it.

Yes, one of my favorite sims to play starts out as a homeless teen. Similar to the post above, I put him on a plot of land and take away the remaining money. I have him fish or collect things until he can afford to buy a tent, solar shower, cooler, so forth. He sleeps on a bench for the first few days. He'll eat the fruit or veg he harvests, or buys things from a food stall if he can afford it. He also dumpster dives. Sometimes I send him to the humor & hijinks festival and put him on the mischief team. If they win, I have him sell the fireworks and doll. He is also a kleptomaniac, so the mischief helps him build up enough skill to start swiping items. At some point between selling off the things he finds or steals I build him a little shack on his land and he also furnishes his house with the things he finds. He struggles a lot in the beginning but things eventually get better for him. Oh yes, he did get struck by lightning by running around during a storm instead of going into his tent and died but I exited without saving for that. Dumpster diving is what really brings in the bucks.

Technically you can't play a homeless Sim.
Your Sim has to live on a lot somewhere.
I suppose you could put that Sim on an empty lot and add the "off-the-grid" trait to the lot. Then have them mooching everywhere else. ;)

I have, few saves. Recommend buying the smallest cheapest lot you can find and have sim sleep in tent and use portable shower or shower at the gym. I created an urban community farm lot (park) that I placed on the largest lot in Del Sol Valley so the sim can harvest and sell them, including tons of bees for honey. And since there are alien plants there it can be profitable. I have a couple of versions on the gallery. One with a bed and another with a tent. I did my 1st rag to riches story that way. After purchasing the lot I changed the family money to $500. Also helps if they are gluttons and they can rummage for food in the trash (once that bug is fixed) or you carry trash in your inventory, place it in the can and the sim can rummage for food in the trash. Then place the trash back in your inventory.

"troshalom;c-17942442" wrote:
I have, few saves. Recommend buying the smallest cheapest lot you can find and have sim sleep in tent and use portable shower or shower at the gym. I created an urban community farm lot (park) that I placed on the largest lot in Del Sol Valley so the sim can harvest and sell them, including tons of bees for honey. And since there are alien plants there it can be profitable. I have a couple of versions on the gallery. One with a bed and another with a tent. I did my 1st rag to riches story that way. After purchasing the lot I changed the family money to $500. Also helps if they are gluttons and they can rummage for food in the trash (once that bug is fixed) or you carry trash in your inventory, place it in the can and the sim can rummage for food in the trash. Then place the trash back in your inventory.

No!!! A homeless sim can't have anything on their lot. ;)
A real homeless sim is not allowed to go there.
However, getting the gear: like a tent, or portable bed, portable grill (though cooking can be done on a map grill), portable fridge (handy), lamp. Could try singing or painting (then selling the painting).
Mooch at a non-rabbit-hole career. Unless you want to stay un-employed.
Don't have to 'steal' stuff. Though that makes it easier.
Rummaging for food as a glutton is an easy way too I suppose, yet I'd rather fish or something. Then sell some of the fish and maybe eat one. Or look (for vegans) for those trees and bushes that grow fruits and vegetables.

To be honest, as an experienced player now, I should try the "rags to riches" challenge. (No cheats of course and avoiding vanilla easy ways like painting)

Pretty often~!

Now with simple living in combination with off the grid it makes things even more difficult if that's what you want to roll with. Usually get a empty lot and have the start with $0 for the most part. Had a sim that moved out to live out on their own, BUT doesn't really have the funds so they just sleep in the park or anywhere they can while having them scavenge about for food. Try to work them up to eventually being able to buy a selling table so they can sale whatever they can get. Only ever have the mark-up price at 25% and will raise it when they get their charisma up a little higher over time for them to sale items at a higher percentage.

Sometimes have a sim that have a instrument to play for sims, but usually they have no skills when I start for the most part at times less I raised them in another household.

Going to restaurants and taking other sims food cause i don't want my sim to waste money on food. XD

For those who haven't done this type of challenge before, could anyone share what the cheat is to delete household funds so you can start at $0?

@Amapola76 -

testingcheats true
money 0

Hope that helps :)