I Speedran the $0.01 Challenge

Ryan Trahan

9 Oct 202215:32

Summary

TLDRIn this penny challenge speed run, the protagonist starts with just a penny and tries to make as much money as possible in one hour in New York City. He sells a pen, plays rock-paper-scissors, buys and resells water bottles, and eventually rents a bike to make food deliveries. Along the way, he faces funny challenges and engages with locals. His final hustle involves drawing quick caricatures in Times Square, earning him a total of $20.60. The challenge highlights creativity, persistence, and the unpredictable excitement of New York City.

Takeaways

💡 The penny challenge involves starting with just one penny and using creative money-making methods to survive and thrive.
🏃‍♂️ The goal of the challenge is to see how much money can be made in one hour in New York City, starting with one penny.
🖊️ The challenge begins with the narrator trying to buy a pen to sell it for a dollar.
✌️ The narrator plays Rock Paper Scissors with strangers to double his dollar, succeeding in making $2.
💧 He buys three water bottles with the $2 and plans to sell them for $2 each to make a profit.
🚴‍♂️ After selling the water bottles, the narrator rents a city bike to start delivering food and makes more money.
🎨 He eventually switches to drawing caricatures in Times Square, which has been one of his most successful methods in past challenges.
💵 The narrator uses a combination of quick thinking, humor, and hustle to maximize his earnings within the limited time frame.
⏰ The challenge is completed within one hour, earning him a total of $20.60.
🌭 With his earnings, the narrator celebrates by getting a classic New York hot dog, reflecting on the experience of hustle in the city.

Q & A

What is the 'Penny Challenge' described in the video?
-The 'Penny Challenge' involves starting with just one penny and attempting to make as much money as possible within a limited time frame using various money-making methods like selling items or performing tasks.
What was the creator's initial plan in the penny challenge speed run?
-The creator's initial plan was to sell a pen for one dollar, then play Rock Paper Scissors to double the money to two dollars. With two dollars, he planned to buy three water bottles to sell for more money.
What were the creator's methods for making money during the challenge?
-The creator used several methods, including selling a pen, playing Rock Paper Scissors, selling water bottles, renting a bike for food delivery, and later drawing caricatures in Times Square.
How did the creator handle setbacks during the challenge?
-The creator handled setbacks by remaining calm, adapting his strategy when necessary, and staying persistent despite previous failed attempts or running out of time.
What did the creator plan to do after selling water bottles?
-After selling water bottles, the creator planned to rent a bike for $3.99 to do food deliveries, using the money earned to continue the challenge.
Why did the creator choose Times Square for caricature drawings?
-The creator chose Times Square because it is a major tourist hub, offering a high potential for foot traffic and customers for his caricature drawings.
What challenge did the creator face when buying water bottles?
-The creator encountered workplace drama at the discount store where he bought the water bottles, involving confusion over pricing and taxes.
How much money did the creator make from selling caricatures?
-The creator earned four dollars from caricature drawings, charging based on donations and completing each drawing in under 60 seconds.
How did the creator make use of a sponsorship in the video?
-The creator incorporated a sponsorship by PayPal Honey, explaining how he used it to save $40.06 on personal shopping before the challenge and encouraging viewers to download the tool to save money.
What was the total amount of money the creator made in one hour during the speed run?
-The creator made a total of $20.60 in one hour, which was enough for a New York hot dog and other small purchases.

Outlines

00:00

💡 The Penny Challenge Introduction

The narrator explains the concept of the Penny Challenge, where they crossed America starting with just one penny. All their expenses for food, accommodations, and transportation were funded through creative money-making methods such as selling water bottles, delivering food, and mowing lawns. Despite traveling across the country, they never entered New York City. Now, they aim to see how much money they can make in one hour in New York, starting with just a penny, by using the best money-making methods.

05:02

🏃‍♂️ Speed Run Begins: From Pen to Profit

The narrator begins the Penny Challenge speed run by asking strangers for a pen, ultimately acquiring one to sell. Their plan is to sell the pen for $1 and then play 'Rock Paper Scissors' to double their earnings to $2. After some failed attempts, they manage to succeed and earn $2, which they plan to invest in purchasing water bottles to sell at a higher price.

10:02

🚶‍♂️ Water Bottle Hustle and Next Steps

With $2, the narrator heads to a discount store to purchase three water bottles, each of which they plan to sell for $2. They encounter some minor drama at the store over pricing, but they successfully purchase the bottles. Now, their goal is to sell these bottles quickly to earn enough money to rent a bike and start doing food deliveries. After making their first sale, they rent a bike and begin the next phase of the challenge: delivering food through a delivery app.

15:05

🚴 Food Delivery Hustle and Navigating NYC

The narrator rents a city bike for $3.99 and starts delivering food. They feel overwhelmed by the chaos of New York but manage to navigate through it. After completing a short delivery, they return with just over $8. With 25 minutes left, they sprint to a store to buy supplies for their next money-making method: drawing caricatures, which has proven to be one of their most effective strategies in the past.

✏️ Caricature Drawing in Times Square

The narrator rushes to a discount store to buy supplies for caricature drawings, including markers, tape, and sketch pads. After gathering everything they need, they head to Times Square to begin offering 60-second caricatures to tourists. They succeed in drawing several caricatures, earning tips from participants and engaging in fun conversations with them. Despite the rushed nature of the challenge, they manage to earn $4 from their first clients.

🖌️ Last-Minute Caricatures and Final Countdown

With the clock ticking down, the narrator continues drawing caricatures for passersby. They manage to attract more people, earning donations and engaging with the crowd in Times Square. Despite the rushed nature of the drawings, participants are entertained, and the narrator enjoys the interactions. As the final seconds of the challenge count down, they manage to complete their last caricature, bringing their total earnings to $20.60.

🌭 The Conclusion and Celebration

At the end of the one-hour challenge, the narrator has earned $20.60, enough to buy a New York hot dog. They reflect on the experience, describing the sensory overload of Times Square and the thrill of hustling through various money-making methods. The challenge proves that with determination and creativity, it's possible to generate significant income starting with just a penny.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Penny Challenge

The Penny Challenge is a social experiment where the participant, starting with just one penny, attempts to make money using various methods. In the video, the challenge's goal is to see how much money can be accumulated within a limited time frame. The narrator uses techniques like selling small items or offering services to increase the initial penny's value, turning it into a metaphor for resourcefulness and hustle.

💡Speed Run

A speed run is a competition to complete a task or game in the shortest time possible. In the video, the narrator uses this concept to describe his quick attempt at making as much money as possible in one hour, turning the challenge into a high-pressure, fast-paced event, similar to speed runs in video gaming.

💡Rock Paper Scissors

Rock Paper Scissors is a simple hand game used as a decision-making tool or challenge. In the video, the narrator uses this game to double his money, adding an element of chance and playfulness to his otherwise strategic money-making methods.

💡Water Bottle Sales

Selling water bottles is one of the practical money-making methods the narrator employs during the challenge. He buys three water bottles for $2 and plans to sell them for $2 each, demonstrating his approach of using small investments to generate profit and scale his earnings.

💡City Bike

City bikes are public rental bicycles used for commuting or transportation in urban areas. In the video, the narrator rents a city bike for $3.99 to deliver food, using it as part of his strategy to make money quickly by taking advantage of local resources and services.

💡Food Delivery

Food delivery is a service where meals are transported from a restaurant to a customer. The narrator uses this as a money-making method, combining it with the rented city bike to earn money through Uber or other delivery services, showing his adaptability to use gig economy opportunities during the challenge.

💡Caricatures

Caricatures are exaggerated, humorous portraits of people. The narrator decides to draw quick caricatures of tourists in Times Square, relying on this artistic skill as his most profitable method. This reflects his creativity in monetizing his talents within a short time frame.

💡Times Square

Times Square is a major commercial and tourist hub in New York City. In the video, the narrator chooses Times Square as the location to sell caricatures due to its high traffic of tourists and potential customers. It symbolizes the bustling, commerce-driven environment where people try to capture attention and make money.

💡Hustle

Hustle refers to energetic effort and resourcefulness, often associated with making money through creative or opportunistic means. The entire video showcases the narrator’s hustle, as he uses different money-making methods such as selling pens, playing games, delivering food, and drawing caricatures, all to maximize his income in a short amount of time.

💡Commerce

Commerce refers to the exchange of goods and services, especially in a busy urban environment like New York City. In the video, the narrator highlights New York City as the 'Commerce capital of the world,' emphasizing the importance of capturing a small portion of the immense daily flow of money through various entrepreneurial activities.

Highlights

The penny challenge begins with a speed run in New York City, using just one penny to make as much money as possible within one hour.

The initial plan involves obtaining a pen for free, selling it for a dollar, and playing Rock Paper Scissors to double the money.

After multiple attempts, the participant successfully sells a pen and wins a Rock Paper Scissors game, earning $2.

The next strategy is to buy three water bottles for $2, planning to sell them for $2 each to make $6.

Despite some confusion at the discount store, the participant manages to buy three water bottles for $1.95, a key moment in the challenge.

Quickly selling the water bottles, the participant uses the money to rent a bike for food delivery, one of the more reliable money-making methods.

With 45 minutes left, the participant successfully rents a city bike and secures an Uber Eats delivery, biking through New York City traffic.

Successfully completing a food delivery adds more money to the challenge, allowing for further investment in the next task.

The final money-making method is creating caricatures, a proven strategy from previous penny challenges.

After purchasing supplies for caricature drawing, the participant heads to Times Square, known for high foot traffic and potential customers.

The participant draws multiple caricatures in Times Square, receiving donations and creating a fun atmosphere for passersby.

One caricature attempt is described as ‘Paranormal Activity’ inspired, but still results in a satisfied customer.

With less than 10 minutes left, the participant continues drawing caricatures, promoting their service with the help of other people.

The challenge ends with the participant earning a total of $20.60 in one hour, a remarkable feat given the starting point of just one penny.

The participant reflects on the experience, mentioning the overwhelming nature of Times Square and the fast-paced nature of New York City.