@Ego:
Okay, putting aside the fact that I think living in my Smart car (if outfitted more towards camper) would be super-minimalist fun and is actually one of my 3 plans for becoming poly-homerous (the other two involving (1)establishing a footprint further north near a great lake where I vacation every summer and my second permaculture project location and (2)re-establishing a footprint in the most-educated-city-in-the-U.S. where my kids, sister and Mom live.) ...
Let's calculate the odds:
1) Medical condition makes WFH a necessity:
At this juncture, I would give this 20%, although I was much more concerned before mostly successful treatment was found.
2) Master's Degree leading to WFH is not panning out:
I am actually, perversely, more afraid that it will work out too well, and I will drift or osmose into a conventional lifestyle. Still, given my age, let's give it (30%).
3) Lenti-baby backstop is disappearing:
One weird thing about being a rational female is that it is nearly impossible for me to sexually fantasize. I literally can not make the sex life in my head any better than the sex life I rationally believe I could obtain in real life. I mean, it would be nice if I could summon up 1986 Jimmy Smits and imagine him getting busy upon me in my currently chubby-old-not-feeling-so-hot manifestation, but, nope, the best I can do is Dick Cheney, and, obviously, not the real ex-VP Dick Cheney, but just somebody who looks/vibes like him, but maybe manages the diesel parts division of Acme Motors. IOW, all I rationally believe I deserve at this juncture is somebody in possession of the bare minimum masculinity to get me off, but nothing else I might want or prefer. Luckily, I do possess enough power over my imagination that I can at least not allow him to talk afterwards.
My point here being that you may be seriously underestimating my flexibility or my competence in this realm. For instance, if I truly believed that this was my only option besides being a burden on my kids, I could either take up IPhone14 guy on his outstanding offer or round-up another offer/opportunity within 6 months maximum. One of my role-models, the author of "A Round-Heeled Woman" was still getting offers after age 70, although she couldn't quite manage to get any of her lovers to buy her a cottage in an expensive town on the West Coast, so I know that it is possible. Still, let's give this 25% , because also clearly not independent of (1).
4) Social Security is insufficient:
Definitely possible if I take early withdrawal. Much less so if I hold off until 70, as I now have calculated to be my best, most rational plan. So, maybe 40% likelihood.
5) Cost of medications shifted from Medicaid to self:
This is a serious consideration, because could be as much as $10,000/year. Prior to being diagnosed with Crohn's disease, I was a very low consumer of medical services/prescriptions. In fact, during the years I was running my business and only had very high deductible private health insurance, I didn't even usually choose to buy my moderately expensive asthma prescription drugs and made due with coffee, over-the-counter, and the occasional "loan" of an inhaler from another family member with a prescription plan. So, I really do feel pretty "trapped" by the fact that I haven't (yet) been able to hack an alternate solution to this problem. OTOH, given that my income has consistently been within the qualifying range for Medicaid for quite a few years, I don't think I am at great risk of being disqualified anytime soon. If Medicaid stops covering the particular drug I am on now, I will take on the risk of trying another means of treatment. There's a good possibility that I will take this risk just so I won't have to feel so trapped. (10%)
6) Exuberance/optimisim causes me to give up apartment for unique living situation:
Yeah, definitely could happen. (85%)
7) Unique living situation fails:
Yeah, this could happen too. (80%)
8) You no longer have the income to get approved for an apartment:
I didn't have the income to get approved for the apartment I currently occupy. I do have good credit and a very middle-class appearance. I also may have fudged a bit on the self-employment income
Okay, not a foolproof tactic, so let's give this one (50%).
9) Family members are in moment of transition and you are reluctant to be a burden:
A lot of this applies to LentilBaby option too, especially given that I have on more than one occasion been financially supported by a man who wasn't even all that or at all interested in me sexually/romantically, but appreciated me as a housemate/companion, so I only focused on the more "Baby" aspects under that possibility. I am generally recognized as being the opposite of a burden as a housemate, even in situations where I pay no rent. I am highly to reasonably skilled in pretty much every homemaker category including those usually assigned to members of the male gender, and I am very easy-going towards helpful or entertaining in most social situations. This is one of the reasons why I do feel like it is kind of wasteful that I am currently living by myself.
Also, I have a fairly extensive circle of family/friends, so there would have to be a whole lot of simultaneous transition (especially considering that there are a good number of transitions I could help with) going on to make this a likely possibility: (5%)
10) Assets too high for housing assistance:
Obviously, if it comes to this juncture, I will then choose to use whatever financial assets I have to purchase whatever I can afford that resembles a house. (20%)
Okay, so plugging it all in, and correcting for some lack of independence in factors, given that I am not freely choosing to live in my SmartCar, the likelihood that I will be forced by the above contingencies into having to live in my SmartCar is approximately: Less than .5% = >insignificant.