Trading $0.01 Into a House in 1 Week

Summary

In a thrilling week-long challenge, the protagonist starts with a single penny and embarks on a series of trades, transforming it into a house. Beginning with a pen, he progresses through a blue dinosaur, a motorcycle in need of repair, a 20-year-old truck, and a boat. After numerous attempts and setbacks, including a failed trade at a used car dealership, he finally secures a 1997 Chevy Suburban. With time running out, he successfully trades the SUV for a tiny home, showcasing the power of determination and the kindness of strangers.

Takeaways

• 🔄 The video documents a challenge to turn a penny into a house within a week through a series of trades.
• 🚚 The initial trade started with a penny and eventually led to acquiring a 20-year-old truck with 330,000 miles on it.
• 🏠 The ultimate goal is to trade up to a real house for a subscriber named Hannah, who is currently living in an Airbnb.
• 📞 The protagonist spends a significant amount of time making phone calls and sending messages to potential traders.
• 🚢 An attempt is made to trade the truck for a boat owned by Gerald, who is married to Judy, a previous trade contact.
• 🚗 A used car dealership is visited as part of the trade-up process, but the trade is unsuccessful.
• 🏡 The video features a local builder named Fonzie, who is interested in the truck and potentially in trading a tiny home.
• 🛣️ The protagonist drives for three hours to meet Rex, who trades cars for a living and is willing to trade his 1997 Chevy Suburban.
• 🏎️ The Chevy Suburban is a significant upgrade and becomes a key asset in the trade-up process.
• ⏰ Time is of the essence, with the protagonist having only 24 hours left to complete the trade to a house.
• 🔧 The tiny home that Fonzie is willing to trade is not yet complete, adding an element of risk to the final trade.

Q & A

What was the initial item the protagonist started with in the challenge?

The protagonist started with a penny.

What was the first item the protagonist traded the penny for?

The first item traded for the penny was a pen.

What was the condition of the motorcycle the protagonist acquired during the challenge?

The motorcycle was in poor condition and needed a lot of repairs.

How many miles were on the truck the protagonist had on day four?

The truck had 330,000 miles on it.

What was the protagonist's goal for the truck on day four?

The protagonist's goal was to trade the truck for a house within the remaining 72 hours of the challenge.

Who was the first person the protagonist contacted about trading the truck?

The first person the protagonist contacted was Gerald, who was interested in trading his boat.

What was the profession of the person the protagonist contacted about trading the truck?

The person the protagonist contacted was a used car dealership representative named Eric.

What was the outcome of the protagonist's attempt to trade the truck at the used car dealership?

The attempt to trade the truck at the used car dealership was unsuccessful.

What was the final vehicle the protagonist acquired before trading for a house?

The final vehicle the protagonist acquired was a 1997 Chevy Suburban.

Who was the person that the protagonist traded the Chevy Suburban to for a house?

The protagonist traded the Chevy Suburban to Fonzie, a local builder who makes tiny homes.

What was the final item the protagonist traded for, and who was it intended for?

The final item the protagonist traded for was a tiny home, which was intended for one of his subscribers, Hannah.

Outlines

00:00

🔄 Penny to House: The Trading Journey Begins

The script details a man's ambitious challenge to turn a single penny into a house within a week. Starting with a penny, he trades up through various items such as a blue dinosaur bean bag, a motorcycle in need of repairs, a 20-year-old truck with high mileage, and no leads. By day four, he's still working on the truck, making phone calls and searching online for potential trades. He contacts Fonzie about a tiny home and later tries to trade the truck at a used car dealership without success. His final idea involves approaching truck owners at a barbecue place, but he's kicked out without a trade. However, an email from Rex, a car trader, offers hope for a trade involving a 1997 Chevy Suburban. Despite the long drive to meet Rex, the trade is successful, and the man now has a unique SUV, feeling a sense of accomplishment and looking forward to the next trade.

05:01

🏡 From SUV to Tiny Home: The Final Trade

With the 1997 Chevy Suburban in hand, the man sets his sights on finding someone interested in fully modified vehicles to trade for something bigger and better, but not a vehicle. He contacts Fonzie, a local builder, who shows interest in the SUV. After a test drive and some negotiation, Fonzie agrees to the trade for one of his tiny homes. The man is ecstatic, as this brings him closer to his goal of a house. Meanwhile, the subscriber Hannah, who has been involved in the process, is shown to have successfully set up an e-commerce store with the help of the sponsor Shopify. The man, now in possession of the tiny home, faces the challenge of finding a way to turn it into a real house within the remaining 24 hours. He considers trading the tiny home for a boat and then for Fonzie's next build, a more impressive tiny home. The narrative ends with a phone call to Gerald, hinting at a potential final trade.

Keywords

💡Trade

In the context of the video, 'trade' refers to the act of exchanging one item or service for another. It is central to the video's theme as the protagonist aims to turn a single penny into a house through a series of trades. The video showcases various trades, starting from a penny to a pen, then to a motorcycle, and so on, highlighting the creative and strategic nature of bartering.

💡Timeline

The 'timeline' in the video represents the limited period within which the protagonist must complete the trades to achieve his goal of turning a penny into a house. It adds a sense of urgency and challenge to the narrative, as seen when the protagonist mentions 'I have approximately 72 hours remaining to turn this truck I'm driving into a house.'

💡Tiny Home

A 'tiny home' is a small, often mobile, living space that is both minimalistic and efficient. In the video, the tiny home becomes the ultimate goal for the trades, symbolizing a tangible and significant reward for the protagonist's efforts. The term is used when the protagonist trades a truck for a tiny home, showcasing a successful culmination of the trading journey.

💡Mileage

In the video, 'mileage' refers to the number of miles a vehicle has been driven, which is a common metric used to assess the condition and value of used cars. The protagonist mentions a truck with '330,000 miles on it,' using mileage as a key factor in evaluating the truck's worth for potential trades.

💡Leads

'Leads' in the video refers to potential trading opportunities or contacts that the protagonist is trying to secure. The lack of leads creates a challenge for the protagonist, as indicated by the line 'and no leads at all.' It underscores the difficulty in finding suitable trade partners and the need for persistence in the trading process.

💡Boat

A 'boat' is a watercraft mentioned in the video as a potential trade item. The protagonist considers trading a truck for a boat, which illustrates the diverse range of items that can be involved in trades. The boat represents a significant step up in value from the truck, highlighting the strategy of trading up for more valuable items.

💡Modification

In the video, 'modification' refers to the customization or alteration of a vehicle, such as the SUV mentioned by the protagonist. The term is used when the protagonist seeks a trade for a 'fully modified vehicles from 1997,' indicating the desirability and potential trade value of customized or unique vehicles.

💡Airbnb

An 'Airbnb' is a short-term rental service where people can list or rent out their properties. In the video, the protagonist keeps a subscriber 'trapped in this Airbnb,' using it as a temporary solution while attempting to trade up to a real house. It provides a backdrop to the urgency and goal of the trading challenge.

💡Subscriber

A 'subscriber' in the video refers to a follower of the protagonist's YouTube channel. The protagonist's goal is to trade up to a house for one of his subscribers, Hannah, who is portrayed as a small business owner. The term 'subscriber' personalizes the trading challenge, making it more than just a personal achievement but also a gesture of appreciation for the community.

💡E-commerce

E-commerce in the video refers to the online retail industry where transactions are conducted electronically. The protagonist distracts Hannah, a subscriber, by having her set up an e-commerce store with Shopify. This subplot illustrates the potential of online businesses and serves as a testament to the versatility and opportunities in the digital economy.

Highlights

Starting with a penny, the goal is to trade up to a house within a week.

The first trade is a blue dinosaur pen, marking the beginning of the trading journey.

A motorcycle in need of repairs is acquired, adding a new asset to the trade chain.

A 20-year-old truck with 330,000 miles is obtained, representing a significant step in the trade-up process.

Day four involves a strategic use of technology and communication to find potential trades.

A failed attempt to trade the truck at a used car dealership is a setback but also a learning experience.

A direct approach at a barbecue place to find a truck owner willing to trade is both creative and bold.

An unexpected opportunity arises with an email from a car trader named Rex, offering a potential trade.

The acquisition of a 1997 Chevy Suburban signifies a major upgrade in the trade chain.

A local builder named Fonzie expresses interest in the SUV, bringing the trader closer to the goal of a house.

The tiny home offered by Fonzie is a significant milestone, being the first non-vehicle asset in the trade.

The introduction of Hannah, a subscriber who might receive the house if the trade is successful, adds a personal touch to the mission.

Hannah's success with setting up an e-commerce store using Shopify while the trade is ongoing is an inspiring side story.

The final trade for a more impressive tiny home is a testament to persistence and the power of networking.

The narrative concludes with a reflection on the journey from a penny to a house, highlighting the challenges and achievements.

Transcripts

this is a penny and i'm turning it into

this house in one week

okay probably a different house three

days ago i had a penny and traded for a

pen been a blue dinosaur been this been

this been this been these then a

motorcycle that needs a lot of repairs

then a 20 year old truck and now it is

day four of seven i have a 20 year old

truck with 330 000 miles on it and no

leads

at all

i spend most of day four on my computer

and making phone calls hey fonzie i'm

just leaving a message about the tiny

home if you'd call me back to be awesome

thanks so much bye-bye it's definitely a

work truck for sure it's you know it

runs yeah i'm just uh i'm just on a bit

of a timeline so it's got over 330 000

miles but you i basically can't tell

yeah

hello i have approximately 72 hours

remaining to turn this truck i'm driving

into a house and i've got a trade idea

maybe judy's husband will want to trade

his boat now

on day one i was walking to judy's

garage sale with a pair of gas station

earbuds now i'm driving there with a

truck if you didn't watch episode one we

traded for this nice woman named judy's

vintage polaroid and you probably know

by now that we love judy well so does a

man named gerald who's her husband and

on day one of our challenge gerald

showed us this boat he's trying to get

rid of and obviously we didn't have

anything to trade him but now we do

howdy mr gerald hey hey you ready to

look at the boat yeah

and then we looked at his 1999 cobalt

whoa

that is nice gerald i don't know

anything about boats but i was impressed

i hope he likes our truck offer

you okay closing your eyes

three two one

i already have a tundra oh you do have

it you have a tundra that's mine over

there

oh that's a newer one

gerald may not be interested in our used

car but now i know someone who would a

used car dealership i'm here with eric

and he's our carmax rep he's gonna help

us try to find a trade-in

this is our truck

so what do you think we could maybe get

for that

so equivalent cars might be a little bit

tough for just the truck my dad always

taught me two things to believe in

myself and to never trust a used car

salesman so i found a car that i liked

myself and then asked eric if he would

do the trade after talking to his

manager for a while i needed answers so

do you think there's gonna be anything

that we can

do

absolutely not

[Music]

that was my plan b and it failed i only

have one more idea and that's standing

outside one of my favorite barbecue

places and explicitly asking truck

owners to make a trade on the spot

all right

a nice guy nice guy i spent an hour here

and no one with the truck even pulled up

that's when an employee kicked me out

what are you even doing bro

one thing's for sure i'd have to be an

idiot to eat at this barbecue place ever

again

[Music]

just watch what happens next

[Music]

[Music]

one excuse me

turtle 103.1 that's they're talking

about me right now

oh it's over now this was the moment

where things started turning in my

direction i got an email back from a man

named rex who trades cars for a living

he has a 1997 chevy suburban that looks

frankly insane and after hearing about

my mission he says he would be open to

trading for our tundra the only issue he

lives three hours away but this truck

has drifted a lot more than that so

screw it this thing might break down but

we've got a chance of a lifetime and

three hours of sketchy driving later i

found myself in the presence of

greatness i learned how to drive in a

1997 suburban but it was not like that

we don't know where he is we don't know

where the guy is after a few minutes of

waiting i greeted rex like a side

character in an animated pixar movie oh

hello

hey i'm ryan rex man nice to meet you

rex nice to meet you so y'all are

trading from a penny to a house yeah we

got shirts made at this point i feel

pretty guilty because rex's only

motivation to make this trade would be

out of kindness for our mission and not

because it's a beneficial trade for him

and when he started up the suv i felt

even guiltier

[Music]

oh my god

our truck doesn't sound like that what's

your goal man i'm trying to get a house

you know like for yourself that's when i

told him i make youtube videos and it's

for one of my subscribers hannah but

more on her later yeah

this fist bump meant a lot to me

throughout this journey i've met a lot

of cool people who are rooting for me

but rex is giving up something he really

values to bring us one step closer to

that house and that's exactly what this

handshake represents

[Music]

as i peeled out in this lifted behemoth

and channeled my inner texan i couldn't

help but think about where we started

and where we are now and at this point

there's really just one thing on my mind

i feel like a man for the first time in

my life

on the night of day five we have one of

the coolest cars i have ever seen my

goal for tonight is to find someone that

likes fully modified vehicles from 1997

suvs in particular

who's willing to trade me something

bigger and better that isn't a vehicle

okay obviously i went to sleep but you

can't lie that was a cool transition

i'm gonna get some coffee hi can i get a

skinny vanilla latte with oat milk an

extra shot of espresso whipped cream

caramel drizzle sprinkles pumpkin spice

and a little bit of honey

hello the starbucks employees were

shocked to see my sexy truck after

hearing my order

i did spend a lot of last night online

looking for potential trades in this

area by the grace of god i was able to

get in touch with a man named fonzie

he's a local builder who makes tiny

homes and sheds and stuff and he's

interested in our suv nice to meet you

man

how you doing

got some cream and sugar in there

yeah that's where it goes

yeah okay

our business negotiation wasn't really

going anywhere so i decided to let

fonzie take it for a spin fonzie

insisted on drinking his coffee even

though the vehicle was shaking

rigorously i was really nervous that he

wouldn't want the suv because i have no

other leads especially when he started

kicking the tires and other random stuff

but we drove to the shed that he has for

sale and at this point this is the

closest we've ever been to an actual

house so here goes nothing oh my gosh

bonzie's gonna show us this bad boy

you're still sipping on that coffee

[Music]

no way

oh my gosh dude fonzie's place has the

following features as well as a dining

area a living area but most of all four

walls a roof and paint so do you like

the truck you like the suv

yeah

yeah the mud toy dude this is really

really cool i'm like

getting emotional right now speaking of

emotional this is the last day we're

able to keep one of my subscribers

hannah trapped in this airbnb we got you

see hannah's a small business owner in

austin where i live and if we're able to

trade up to a real house she's the lucky

subscriber to get it which is why i'm

trying so hard to make this happen yeah

i'm debating whether

to keep it

really

while i was nervously biting my nails

hannah was sharing her apartment

situation my office is literally the

dining room table and this is the couch

it's crazy you can start a business from

your couch nowadays fonzie's talking to

his friend on the phone and showing in

the suv and i can only hope that's a

good thing over the last week we've

distracted hannah by having her set up

an e-commerce store with our sponsor

shopify but the crazy thing is in six

days hannah set up her website made

several sales and shipped out products

with shopify meanwhile fonzie is doing

this

somehow i got talked into getting into

the suburban and going mudding i was

horrified but it was pretty fun and as

my friend preston who was supposed to be

a shopify expert was laughing on the

couch hannah said this to our filming

group yeah i've always known he hasn't

worked for shopify

well that's awkward i guess you don't

need a preston to figure this stuff out

if you want to sign up use my link

shopify.com ryan trahan and as hannah

said goodbye to preston for the last

time i said goodbye to rex's suburban

and traded for fancy's tiny home and

that's when fonzie showed me something

even crazier yeah this is my next build

okay i'm finishing it out

it's not definitively a house but it's

the best tiny home you could possibly

imagine give me a boat and

eat the trick

trade for this yep i got to get you a

book give me a vote and just like that i

found myself back where i started but

now i only have 24 hours

hey gerald sorry to call so late