Yes, for many, many years.
How did I survive? By travelling around and wandering aimlessly as a sort of modern nomad.
Food? Snap cards, churches, food pantries, hunting, or fishing. [Sometimes stealing but very rarely] Sometimes I would steal vegetables or fruits outside of people's gardens.
Money? Virtually non-existent most of the time, on the street bartering is the name of the game. I of course would take up odd jobs here and there if I needed money bad enough, they would always be temporary or seasonal.
Winter? Homeless shelter, under a bridge with a burning metal can, sewer aqueduct system, or abandoned buildings. Sometimes in the middle of the woods with a camp fire going assuming you can find some dry unfrozen wood to burn.
Pissing and shitting? Anywhere when nobody else is present, leaves become your toilet paper or an old rag.
Personal protection? Metal pipe as a club, and then I use to walk around the city with a bag of sand that had glass shards in it just in case I feel threatened, thankfully I never had to use it. [For blinding purposes.}