A Blainville man has just passed the 100-day milestone of living in his vehicle in order to save and repay a debt totaling nearly $100,000, and he doesn’t plan to stop just yet.
“The results are there, I even think about continuing for the winter,” confided Marc-André Gagnon.
For 3 years, Marc-André Gagnon had struggled to repay even just the interest on his debts, totaling nearly $100,000. Last July, he decided to live in his vehicle for 30 days. He laid down his passenger bench as a bed and added a pillow on top for a little more comfort. He claims to have never had back pain. A hundred days later, he’s still there. Despite the small difficulties, Marc-André finally feels that he is moving forward, and morale is good.
Maude Larin-Kieran
“The fact of not paying rent currently to put the money towards my debts surpasses all the challenges I can experience,” he explains.
Working as a deliveryman for delivery applications, he spends 100% of his time in his vehicle.
“It’s a great discovery about myself too, my capacity for resilience, to be able to be committed to my goals,” explains the 33-year-old man.
TikTok to hold on
A few days after the start of his challenge, Marc-André decided to document his adventure daily on TikTok.
“It’s a way for me to be involved. I have an account to give [à ses abonnés]it helps with motivation. People are there to encourage us,” explains Marc-André.
Social networks have also allowed him to be inspired by people who are going through the same situation as him.
“Sometimes, when we feel emotions, we experience challenges, we wonder if we are alone, then when we see testimonies, it comforts us a little,” he explains.
He also wants to prove that his situation is not inevitable. “I think it’s not as bad as people think,” he says, adding that he would be very happy if his situation allowed other students not to repeat the same mistakes.
Screenshot of Marc-André’s Instagram account
Winter in your car
As winter approaches, he is still analyzing his options.
“Either I adapt my vehicle to live there in the winter, or I take a very small studio for a few months,” explains the man who is also thinking of heading to Vancouver to escape the Quebec winter.
His objective for the coming months is clear. “By the end of November, I should have paid off my first credit card debt and by April 2025, my second credit card should have been paid off too,” he mentions.