Cheap Thrills: 17 Unconventional & Quirky Ways to Save Money
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Within the intricate fabric of existence, there exist individuals who possess a unique talent for circumventing systems, defying norms, and eliciting both wonder and respect. In this captivating exploration, we delve into the captivating tales of those who have mastered the art of outsmarting “the system.” From brilliant strategies to audacious exploits, these examples showcase the ingenuity and resourcefulness that enable individuals to navigate through loopholes and emerge triumphant.
Tax Evasion
One reader wrote, “I know a married couple who started a “food blog” basically so they can write off their entire grocery bill.”
A second reader said, “I knew someone who would hold 1 religious ceremony in his house every year so that it could be considered a place of worship and he didn’t have to pay taxes.”
Frequent Flying Exploits
A popular comment was, “I was flying last month and the plane I was on had Wi-Fi. There was a free 15-minute trial, and then you could purchase a chunk of time. I just kept deleting the cookies on my phone, refreshing, and logging back in. I stayed online for over an hour for free.”
Academic Cheating
One comment was, “A teacher I had in high school always said to his students “if you can get away with cheating, go for it.” It turns out he had gotten a raise for getting his master’s degree but never actually got the degree. This happened for over 10 years before the school system figured it out. Somehow he got hired at a new school too.”
Food Delivery
A user wrote, “At my university, I would always order delivery from a late-night eatery and get a ride home with the delivery guy. Less expensive than a taxi, with a meal included.”
Technology Tips
A helpful comment was, “Every time my old Lexmark printer ran out of ink, I’d tell their tech support that the printer no longer detected my ink cartridges. They’d then send me new ink. I still haven’t stopped doing this….”
Cellphone Contracts
One user said, “If you want to cancel your cellphone contract without paying a fee, pull up the provider’s service map. Find a huge hole in the map, like a desert out west. Look for a town name on that map. Tell them you’re moving to Putzachateeawaka, Arizona, and you want to cancel because they don’t provide service there. Boom.”
Warranty Fraud
A user replied, “About three years ago, I bought an old battered Rrod Xbox from Craigslist for 40 bucks. Apparently, the previous owners never registered it, and, at the time, Microsoft was allowing Xboxes less than two years old to be replaced if they had Rrod. This thing was older than that, but I figured I had nothing to lose, so I sent it in. Microsoft never said a word, and I got a brand new one in the mail about two weeks later.”
Another user said, “Using Best Buy warranties to get a new iPhone every time a new model comes out.”
Ticket Tricks
A funny comment was, “The college I commuted to didn’t have enough parking for the commuters but roughly 10 times what it needed for the residents. one day I was forced to park in the resident parking and got a ticket. every day I had to park there, I’d slip the ticket under my windshield wiper and walk into class. the cars around me would get tickets, but they’d just leave the old one on my windshield, figuring they already got me.”
Return Policy Exploits
A user said, “In Norway, almost every store has a 3 weeks free return policy. So when I had a movie project at school, I bought a camera for about 700$ only to return it when I was finished.”
Streaming Services and Cable
One commenter replied, “I used Limewire to download Limewire Pro.”
A second commenter added, “I’ve been canceling and switching the name on my cable bill now for 10 years between myself and my wife, so I always get the new customers rate. It’s Comcastic!”
Rewards Program Hacks
One reader replied, “I lived in a trailer park next to a Chuck E Cheese, and before they got the shredders, they just threw out the old tickets in trash bags. I’d wait until the shift changed the next day and split the tickets with my friends. Great system.”
Another reader commented, “At Starbucks, they have that Reward Card system. You generate points per transaction, not dollar amount nor quantity of items. I’ve seen several people hold up the line by ordering multiple drinks and having each one rung up on a separate transaction in order to score more points per visit. It’s douchey but there’s nothing the baristas can do but say yes.”
Identity Fraud
A user commented, “I used to be a member of the NY sports club. It is a semi-expensive gym here. At the time, if you forgot your ID card, you could just tell the person behind the desk your number. I always forgot. After a while, I noticed I was transposing two numbers in my ID, and they were still letting me in. I canceled my membership and had a free all-access gym membership for three years. Ha!”
Vending Machine Hacks
A popular comment was, “When I was 12 years old, I was still skinny enough that I could reach into a vending machine and pull out the snacks on the bottom shelf. How do you like that Nabisco?”
Price Tag Switching
One user said, “My buddy used to rent a car once a year – the same model as his – and swap out the tires, air filter, whatever was worn or broken. $35 car rehab.”
Movie Manipulation
A popular comment was, “I do this thing where you buy the ticket for one movie and then nonchalantly walk into the theatres for other movies within the theatre after the first movie finishes. I believe the technical term for this is: movie hopping.”
Another comment was, “Saw a mother at the moves with her family of 4. They bought a large popcorn, one you get free refills on. After entering the movie theater, she pulls out a large Ziploc bag and empties the tub of popcorn into it. She sent each family member to get a free refill until each one had their own bag.”
A third comment was, “I buy childrens movie tickets online and then go print them out at the theater machine and save around 3 bucks everytime I go to movies. It’s not huge but it’s a bit.”
Parking Garage Hacks
A popular comment was, “If you don’t want to pay the premium for parking in a garage, visit the entrance before you leave, punch the button, and get a fresh ticket. This is particularly useful if your brokeazz needs to pay a visit to gramps in the hospital.”
False Eligibility for Discounts
One reader replied, “Back in high school, I would buy massive quantities of arcade tokens from the manufacturers off of eBay. I was getting about $10 worth of tokens for each $1 spent.”
Another reader said, “I graduated from my college 3 years ago. I still use my student ID for discounts.”
Source: Reddit
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