Desperate times call for desperate measures, and being broke fit’s into that category pretty easily. Stress does have a magical way of making us very, very creative, or at least breaking down our inhibitions to such a degree that we do things we otherwise would never have done.

One netizen wanted to know what was the “brokest” thing people did when they were low on funds and the internet responded with all sorts of comical and sad tales. We got in touch with Nick Loper from SideHustleNation.com to learn more about money management and how to perhaps avoid being that broke in the future.

More info: SideHustleNation 

#1

In the early 2000s the garment district in Manhattan had “Mitzvah Tanks”. It was basically a mobile synagogue for the devout to come handle religious observation during the work day with a rabbi.

Turns out they had bagels in there. I was just starting out my career (I was 21 or so) and money was tight. I would go in 3x a week and get bagels. If no one was looking I would stuff an extra into my suit pocket. I don’t at all look Jewish and almost no one from my part of the world is Jewish. The rabbi approached me after a month and I told him “I saw free food in a house of God and just figured since I am not a bad guy, God wouldn’t be too mad”. Rabbi laughed and said something like “from now on say hello. You don’t have to act like a thief trying not to get caught.”

In a few months when money was less tight I would stop by at lunch and chat with the Rabbi. It was a simpler time.

Image credits: Itchy-Picture-4282

#2

Brokest and stupidest thing I did. I bought scratch tickets in hopes to win money to buy Christmas presents when I was 18. I didn’t want anyone to think I had money problems at the time so I spent $10 on a scratcher and won $500. I don’t know how but it was enough for car insurance and presents.

Image credits: FalseWeeknd

#3

Bought a case of ramen noodles at the self checkout at Walmart with 4 different different debit cards that each had less than a dollar on them. You can make partial payments at Walmart self checkout and nobody has to know how broke you are. Me and my 3 kids ate for the next 2 days.

Image credits: -JunkyardDog

Bored Panda got in touch with Nick Loper from SideHustleNation.com and he was kind enough to speak to us about managing money and not getting into the situations that many of these people found themselves in. First, we wanted to hear what he thought is the biggest misconception most people have about managing money.

“Probably that somebody else will magically take care of it for them, or that they’ll get to it “later” — when they have more time, money, or both. But the truth is you have to be the CFO of your own household and set up the right financial systems for yourself. That means doing the basic stuff — creating a budget, living within your means — but also the longer-term stuff like setting up retirement accounts, automated investing, and being proactive about increasing your income.”

#4

I was subletting a place and needed bus fare to get to work that day, so I searched every couch cushion and coat pocket in the hopes that I could find enough to get there. I ended up finding a ton of pennies, so I paid the bus fare in pennies. I was 30 cents short but the bus driver just gave me a transfer and waved me in.

The first customer of the day tipped me like $5 on their coffee and I’ve never been so happy in my life.

Image credits: GeoGirl07

#5

Stole food for my kids. Really ashamed but I couldn’t let them go to bed hungry.

Image credits: sirensong150

#6

When I was damn near homeless, Literally had no money for food, and food stamps said I made too much to be assisted. (B.s.) I didn’t have any underage kids so I didn’t qualify to be helped by a food pantry, and the only other one I knew would only let you visit once a month.

I would find fast food receipts on the ground, and I would call corporate,

I would always say the staff was super nice and they accommodated me very well but my food was probably mixed up with someone else’s order and I lived far away so I couldn’t go back on the same day. I would either receive coupons for free food in the mail or they would put my name down and I could just go to any of the fast food places in the city and get food.

The city I lived in was pretty big and most of the restaurants were run by independent/ or different franchises. So they never really caught on to me. I once got four free meals from Chick fil for one receipt.

Im doing a lot better now so I promised myself I would never do it again…

Image credits: Rosekun25

Of course, many people do not even reach the “money management” stage, as they focus on just getting by. Even when times improve, this often leads to some degree of financial illiteracy. We wanted to hear Nick’s thoughts on this issue. “I think it can be intimidating and a little depressing/embarrassing if the numbers don’t look good when you’re starting out. It’s not something we were ever really taught in school.”

#7

I had $10 for food for 2 weeks so I got things to make a large pot of veggie soup (lentils, broth, canned veggies) and a large tub of plain outmeal and ate vegan (not on purpose) for three weeks till it was gone.

I’ve been told that rich people call this a “cleanse” diet now.

#8

Hittin’ a day old Hostess bakery outlet dumpster.S**t was still packaged and just fine.My elderly Mom would get so excited when we brought that stuff home.She had lived through the depression and couldn’t believe it was thrown out.Such a treat.

Edit:Ty all for understanding.To be clear,my story happened 20+yrs ago.I know nowadays, stores will purposely damage throw outs.Such a shame…

Image credits: Dumblond11

#9

When I was a single mom struggling, i had to ‘make arrangements with the landlord’ 3 months rent paid in 3 mins. Still ashamed to this day. But my son needed a roof over his head.

“But there are a couple of simple things you should keep track of on a monthly, just to get in the habit:

1. Your personal profitability (what you made – what you spent = personal profit) This helps you start thinking as the owner of the little business that is your life.

2. Your net worth (what you own – what you owe = your net worth). Some months it’ll be up, some it will be down, but tracking it over the long-term lets you see the positive progress you’re making, and may even lead to early retirement.”

#10

In my brokest days, I worked with animals. I was perpetually hungry because my parents were also struggling financially and helped me as much as they could, but I still couldn’t afford much. I remember once a guy came in to my company to promote dog shampoo that he said didn’t taste bad to the dogs, and he put a little dab on his finger and ate it to show us.

I was so hungry that I went to the grooming room and tried it thinking it could satiate my hunger for a little bit. It was disgusting, and it did not make me any less hungry.

That’s the most depraved thing I did out of poverty, but I also remember trying wet dog food (even though I was a vegetarian), eating sausage egg biscuits (that I consider unethical) when my manager brought in breakfast for us because I was so hungry, eating people’s leftover fries when they walked away at bars, and so much more.

Poverty is something else. I remember how stressed I was back then and how many double shifts I took even though they drained me completely. But I still had it better than some people because my parents still threw me a few hundred dollars each month. This was also many years ago, and despite inflation, the minimum wage has STILL not gone up nationally. I don’t know how people in situations similar to mine survive.

#11

Picked up dropped coins from the floor of a laundromat when I was a kid, to buy a pot pie for my mother. She made me eat it because she was a saint.

Image credits: dmorris427

#12

Told my brother his Christmas gift was going to be delivered a couple of days after Christmas. Waited until I got a couple of gift cards, that I asked for a Christmas gift, and bought his gift using those.

Image credits: thuglife_7

“Plus, we’re naturally loss-averse and investing can seem risky and volatile. That’s why you have to take a long-term view and slowly let compound interest start to work in your favor. And the younger you are, the more you’ll benefit from that,” he added. He recommended some resources, such as the books “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, “The Simple Path to Wealth,” and “I Will Teach You To Be Rich” as a start.

#13

Reading through these, and I’ve had to do so many of these to ‘survive’ over the years.
I think my most shameful and ‘felt so low’ moment was having to use toilet paper and scotch tape, as I couldn’t afford pads or tampons.

Image credits: blackbear008

#14

Had sleep for dinner and breakfast

#15

Stole a roll of TP from a public restroom because I was out and couldn’t afford any. It was an extra roll. I didn’t take the one in use and leave none behind, lol. That’s just mean.

Image credits: Nitehawke88

Nick left us with some parting thoughts. “A lot of personal finance content is focused on saving and investing, but there’s a limit to how much you can realistically save every month. If you still don’t have much breathing room in your budget, it’s time to address the income side of the equation. In some cases, that means learning new skills to advance your career, exploring a side hustle, or starting a business of your own. Because your earning power is limitless — and it’s a lot more fun than clipping coupons or never turning on the heat trying to save a few dollars.” You can find his site here. 

#16

Walked into a Costco with an expired membership card and had samples for dinner. I made the rounds a few times.

Image credits: TheTyGoss

#17

I stole 20 gallons of baby formula to feed my baby son. Walked right out the door and nobody noticed.

#18

When I was *really poor* and hungry and had $1.32 to my name, I bought one of those super cheap frozen tv dinners that cost a dollar, peeled the top back, put a little salt on my tongue, sniffed the meal like *a lot* to just visualize how good it would be, and then put it right back in the freezer to save for when I “near-death” starving.

I lasted 4 days and then actually ate it for real. I thank the lord I was never in a position like that ever again after that day

#19

Getting evicted and leaving a hidden key so I could go back and squat there for a few days tops my list.

#20

Sold my plasma for grocery money

Image credits: skidmarkzzz

#21

1992, 22F divorced single parent 2F, working part time, going to nursing school full time. I was broke enough to qualify for food stamps and back then they were actual paper. If you paid in food stamps the store gave your change to you in paper food stamps and coins. Every day on the way home I would stop at a couple stores to buy something for $1.05, or $1.10 so they would give me the maximum in coin change. I would use the $3 – $4 for gas to get to school and work the next day. Did that for a few months to get through a hard time.

#22

I used to eat free breakfast at motels. As long as you don’t look like complete s**t it’s easy enough to pass as a guest.

#23

called in sick on Wednesday because I didn’t have enough gas money to drive to work but one more time, which I waited til Thursday to do, because that was payday.

Image credits: TrailerParkPrepper

#24

Donated blood to get the free cookies, juice, and a $20 gift certificate to Walmart.

#25

Ate nothing but rice for 3 months. Want a different flavor? Add bouillon, sugar, or extra butter. We were poooooor for a while. Almost wanted to kill the mouse that got in to use as protein ?

Image credits: captainsquattythighs

#26

Washed dirty clothes in the bathtub with dish washing liquid. Couldn’t afford quarters for the machine.

Image credits: roseangel663

#27

My motorcycle headlight broke, so I started riding around with a flashlight in my mouth. True story. I was young, and very, very dumb.

Image credits: TedW

#28

Had to fish for our food. Sometimes would get one fish sometimes nothing. Would go to bed hungry most nights.

#29

Got a gym membership just for the shower when I was living in my car for 3-ish months at 22.

#30

Ketchup soup made with stolen ketchup packets from a fast food restaurant.

#31

Hocked wife’s engagement ring that she wasn’t wearing so I could buy her a Christmas gift. She thought I just took it back because we were “on a break.” I was eventually able to buy it back and return it to her jewelry box. That was over 25 years ago, and I still haven’t told her.

Image credits: isleoffurbabies

#32

Made a fire outside to cook food because the electric and gas were shut off

#33

Joined the military

#34

Looked up google images of steak and milkshakes and other good meals while I was actually eating crackers and water trying to envision good food to make the experience more enjoyable

Image credits: gillguy34

#35

I had two bank accounts at two different banks.

When I was really low on money. I would transfer money from one back to my other bank. Knowing there was nothing to transfer.

My bank would honor the transfer while It waits for the funds. This… I know takes 1 business day. (So you get extra days if it’s done on a Friday after 5pm)

Which means I have 24 (48) hours to deposit that exact amount into the account before the bank drafts it.

Now I was an uber driver at the time… So if I was really short on gas for the day but I needed the money… That’s what I would do.

I would transfer $100 to my account. Buy $40-50 worth of gas. Drive 8-10 hours as fuel efficient as possible

Deposit the money at an atm by midnight. Kept (if any) any profit…

No one was the wiser.

It wasn’t sustainable. It sucked. But that’s just what I had to do…

I had no job. No money. All I had was bills and creative ways to make money out of nothing.

#36

Collected change from a public fountain to buy something from the dollar menu when I was a teenager, starving and super poor

#37

Went around my university finding abandoned textbooks to sell back to the store.

#38

I squatted for about ten months w some “gutterpunk” types and lemme tell you that was the dirty broke behavior Olympics. No utilities, in an ancient moldy bug infested Illinois house. Pissing in bottles pooping in bags, cooking on a lil Coleman camping stovetop, using pie trays as a skillet for eggs, refilling 5 gallon jugs of water at walmart…

#39

Using my uni student ID as a free buss pass to get to my minimum wage food service job which will also be my only meal for the day

#40

I had a small boneless, skinless chicken breast and a shriveled grapefruit in the fridge and only ground pepper in the pepper shaker, I had even run out of salt. That was all the food I had in the apartment. The grapefruit pepper chicken I made for dinner was disgusting but I ate half and saved half for dinner the next night.

Driving home from work the next night I got 2 flats in my car tires and had to abandon my car on the side of the road. I had to leave it there until the weekend, I was lucky not to get towed or ticketed. I walked the two miles home, and then walked to and from work the rest of the week so embarrassed and afraid some coworker would see me coming or going without a car.

I was able to borrow some money and added it to my paycheck to get my tires repaired. That was the poorest I have ever been in my life. I moved back in with my parents the next month.

#41

Refused transport to the hospital, or any medical care at all, after I was hit by a car. I had been riding my bike home from work and going to the hospital would have meant leaving my only transportation on the side of the road. I didn’t carry a lock because I only rode my bike to work and had secure indoor storage for it at home and work.

#42

Was so broke that eating three meals a day was rare, and eating twice a day was a luxury. Most often it was Ramen for lunch.

I worked at a small truck stop.

I would look through the garbage to find cans and bottles to take into the recycling center. Some days it was one or two cans. Most of them time, it was only a couple dollars worth.

The truck stop had some hot food, hotdogs, pizza, sometimes taquitos or corn dogs. We got one bottle of water and one hot food item when we worked. The 4-11pm shift was responsible for cleaning that. When I worked that shift, I’d normally grab a hotdog and a vitamin water at 5 for my free food and water.

By 8 or 9 when they cleaned the machines and utensils and s**t, it was usually only a few pieces of pizza left that had been sitting all day. My brokest thing was that I would take the pizza and eat just the cheese and toppings because the crust was a rock. Those were the good days.

The best was a day where I got my hotdog, got my old pizza, got lots of recycling from the garbage, and even found two garbage bags full of cans and bottles that must have blown out of someone’s truck. It was like $30 worth altogether. I bought myself a meal at the restaurant next door (different owners so we didn’t get free food from there.)

#43

When I was in high school, I lived alone. My bathroom was in the hall and I had to bang on the door to scare the rats off if I had to use the bathroom at night.. still had little rat footprints on the toilet. Often, I couldn’t afford to pay my rent and eat, I would shove tuna cans down my jeans and buy a loaf of bread. There was a bakery in town that gave away unsellable items at the back door…

#44

Let’s see….as a broke uni student I:

•Stole napkins from the cafeteria to use as toilet paper

•Since I couldn’t afford a car or Uber I carried those 32 bottle water crates, 5 miles back from the grocery store to my dorm. One time it was in 25° windy
weather and I used socks as gloves to far it back

•Avoided friendships cuz it costs money to go out with people and I didn’t want them spending on me

•self harm was a less expensive way to cope than therapy or drugs and I used napkins as bandages

#45

Stole toilet paper from work so I didn’t have to buy it

#46

I drank work coffee a lot because I couldn’t afford to eat lunch

#47

Green beans and tap water for dinner while I was waiting for payday. Doing wayyy better these days.

#48

Showers at the gym, taking napkins and plastic utensils from restaurants, living off of protein powder and ramen.

#49

Boiled water to take a bath.

#50

Back in the 90s I wrote myself a check to cover me until payday.

Image credits: Beersapper

Source: boredpanda.com