15 Brokest Things People Did When They Were Too Poor to Buy Necessities

How do you survive when you barely have enough money to cover the bills?

Countless people throughout much of human history have been faced with this horrible dilemma simply by dealing with the reality of being poor. The reality is that most of us are much closer to being homeless than we are to becoming a billionaire, and many would be plunged into financial uncertainty by something as simple as an unexpected expense. If they lose their job or can't work on top of that, they are certain to be in a position that nobody would envy.

When we think of the term 'hustle culture', most of us conjure up the image of one of those LinkedIn warriors who is forever boasting about their next new venture that they believe will make them millions. Arguably, though, hustle is a concept that is more applicable to poor people who are just trying to make ends meet. When you can't pay for what you really need without thinking long and hard about it first, you have no choice but to get creative in how you make sure that you and your family can survive another day. Perhaps the most famous version of this is the struggle meal, where you cook based on whatever you can find at the back of your cupboards, but there are also plenty of other tips and tricks that those in poverty have figured out. With a little open-mindedness and a lot of desperation, somebody can scrape by with the few pennies that they have.