Escapee’s can give you a legit permanent address in multiple states…
I’ve been using iPostal, and they’ll scan any important mail in and email it to me, or forward it to wherever I want.
There’s cheap land out there, but zoning laws usually kill them for our purposes.
Thousand Trails is fairly new to me, but if I’m somewhere there isn’t a TT campground nearby, I just park in residential neighborhoods, sometimes by a vacant lot, or by a large apartment complex, where the overflow parking parks on the street. On the street in front of churches is sometimes good too.
Most places seem to have a 72 hour time limit, so I just make sure that every 3rd day, I spend some time elsewhere, like a park, lake, river, etc. Before returning later that day.
In a cargo van, I was constantly hassled, but in an obvious camper van, motorhome, bus, or step van with many added windows, it’s been mostly clear sailing. The trick seems to be NOT trying to hide, and getting to know your neighbors. If you’re a good neighbor, they usually are too.
On the streets, the cops will do welfare checks, but if everything is clean, tidy, & legal, things usually go smoothly. If they do need you to move, they will often be able to direct you to places where you won’t be hassled.
There are also LTVA (long term visitor areas) out west, where you can stay for like 6 months really cheap. The catch is no hookups, but it’s usually places that are warmer during the winter.
In many areas there is BLM land, NFS (national forest service) land, COE (corps of engineers) land, and utility company land where you can camp for free for a certain amount of time. Again, no hookups, but free. Sometimes there is also free camping at some fairgrounds, city, & county parks.
Some people do campground hosting in exchange for a free campsite. Very few actually get paid.
Slab City is a free boondocking site in southern California. In the winter it would sometimes swell to over 3k people. Salvation Mountain is also a must see.
Marinas and boat launches can sometimes be good too.
On the street beside or behind malls can also be good, as well as small businesses with big parking lots. (only with written permission.) On the street by larger motel chains can be good too, especially with my bus.
Mobile home parks sometimes have daily, weekly, & monthly spots available. I’ve stayed at many for under $500/mo including full hookups. I often did this if I needed a residential & mailing address for official stuff. Cheap month to month rent with no credit or background checks. Sometimes a refundable deposit though.
Many small towns have no house mail service, but might have a post office. I have given them the address of vacant lots, and they collected any mail for me. I have also used vacant lots as residential addresses then listed a separate mailing address.
If we think like nomads instead of the housed, things can become pretty easy fairly quickly.