25 people reveal the 'brokest thing' they have ever done and share why one should always be grateful

Not having enough money is not an easy ride but the hard time also teaches one valuable lessons. People come up with all sorts of ways to survive it. Although these are stories of resilience, they are also cases where people have solved these problems and even managed to make others laugh in the toughest circumstances. From searching couch cushions for some money to buying lottery tickets and calling out sick at work due to lack of money for traveling, people have come up with epic solutions while handling financial stress. These and many other answers were given when a Reddit user, u/w3stward, asked, “What’s the brokest thing you’ve ever done?” Some of the posts can make you laugh but many will also help you be grateful in life. So, sit back and read these 25 posts that we have selected for you:

1. 

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. u/GeoGirl07

2. 

Synagogues usually have what are called Mensch funds that we use to help spot each other financially in times of need. I am sure the rabbi would only have asked for your company or maybe some synagogue help if he thought you had to "pay back", but usually they don't. u/hobgoblinsreacharound

3. 

There are Jews all over the world! :) And as I’m sure the rabbi told you, we’re more than willing to help someone in need where we can. If you need the bagel, it’s yours. u/daniediv23

4. 

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

5. 

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. u/trailerparkprepper

6. 

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

7. 

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. u/FalseWeeknd

8. 

One time I was down to $5 and had to pay my car insurance that day and it was $100. Figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. Bought a $5 scratcher and won $120! Got super lucky that day! u/themudbloodlystherin

9.

Hittin' a day old Hostess bakery outlet dumpster.Shit 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. u/dumblond11

10. 

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

11. 

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. u/thug_life7

12. 

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

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. u/blackbear008

14.

Washed dirty clothes in the bathtub with dish washing liquid. Couldn’t afford quarters for the machine. u/roseangel63

15.

I’d wear my clothes into the shower, wash them and myself at the same time, remove them, rinse myself and the clothes, and then hang them to dry. I also ate once a day because I got a shift meal. u/queephbubble

16.

Saw a cashier steal hot food at a truck stop just today. He saw me see him and gave me a kind of begging look. But I believe in not seeing people steal food. u/vivellavendetta

17. 

Sold my plasma for grocery money. u/skidmarkzzz

18. 

Got a gym membership just for the shower when I was living in my car for 3-ish months at 22. u/chiva0356

19. 

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. u/ladyluxlord

20.

I used to eat free breakfast at motels. As long as you don't look like complete sh*t it's easy enough to pass as a guest. u/sadconcept4191

21.

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. u/carefulguidance1719

22. 

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. u/dmorris427

23.

7-11 throws unopened food out every night into the dumpster. Brokest thing I did was go in the dumpster and eat one of those subs. u/drjimmywhichard

24.

Determined that vegetable oil had the lowest cost per calorie, and so tried to live off nothing but veggie oil for a few days. u/snarkybear53

25.

When I was a teenager, my dad and I would spend hours looking for aluminum cans to cash in. If we were lucky, we would end up with enough money to buy groceries for supper and have a few bucks left for gas.
 u/perpertuallypanicked