17 "Unhinged" And "Unethical" Things Millennials Did To Save Money During The Great Recession That Are Bringing Back Memories Of My Youth
Earlier this month, President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on imports from over 180 countries, and as a result, economists have been warning that the odds of the US slipping into a recession in 2025 have risen from 25% to 47%.
Even when Trump later announced a 90-day pause on part of his tariff plan, economists continued to warn that the uncertainty created by see-sawing tariffs may put the brakes on economic growth.
Meanwhile, on TikTok, a possible recession has some people reminiscing about the "unhinged" things they did to save money during the Great Recession of 2008. One millennial creator named Julia (@juliaa120230) stirred up a ton of conversation with a series of videos sharing some "unhinged/unethical" things that she may or may not have done to save money back then.
Here are some of the most interesting tips from her videos and the comment section, and I'll leave it to you to decide which ones are kinda brilliant and which ones are diabolical:
1.Julia says, "If you can't afford new contact lenses right now, call your eye doctor and tell them you're thinking about switching brands. And do they have any samples that you can try before you order new ones? They'll usually give you two or three different kinds of brands and, boom, you're good for another three months."
2.Save your receipts — you never know when you might need 'em.
3.Catering events was one of my favorite college gigs for this exact reason.
4.I've found some of my favorite furniture sitting on the sidewalk, but pro tip: avoid upholstery where bed bugs can hide.
5.Your honor, I plead the fifth.
6.Raise your hand if you also have a drawer full of sauce packets that can make literally anything taste good.
7.There's A LOT of perfectly edible food sitting in dumpsters right now.
8.You know what, everybody poops.
9.Go to the thrift store on the fancy side of town. I got the best little black dress of my life for, like, $5 using this tip.
10.Never, ever, ever turn down a freebie.
11.You might be surprised which bills you can negotiate on, especially if there are competing companies in your area.
12.If there was free food somewhere in 2008, you can bet I was there filling up a plate.
13.As a former restaurant worker, I hate this tip, but I also see the vision.
14.If you check my coat pockets, you'll find coffee shop napkins and more coffee shop napkins.
15.I have a feeling this one will be controversial:
16.Seriously don't pass up free food, no matter where it comes from.
17.And finally, never forget that your college textbooks are essentially a pile of money waiting to be put back in your pocket.
Is there anything else you would add? Share your most "unhinged" money-saving hack in the comments or via the anonymous form below:
