17 unethical and occasionally illegal life hacks people utilize to get ahead in life

In the pursuit of convenience, savings, or simply getting ahead, some individuals resort to unconventional and often unethical shortcuts. These so-called ‘life hacks’, while seemingly clever, can blur the lines of legality and moral conduct.

The article “17 unethical – and sometimes illegal – life hacks people use to get ahead in life” sheds light on a variety of dubious tactics used in various aspects of daily life. From exploiting loopholes in commercial systems to outright deception, these methods highlight the lengths to which some people will go to gain an advantage, often at the expense of honesty and integrity.

  1. Returning Broken Appliances: Purchasing a new appliance, swapping it with a broken one, and then returning the broken appliance for a refund.
  2. Exploiting Garage Grace Periods: Using grace periods in parking garages to avoid parking fees.
  3. Mislabeling Fruit at Self-Checkout: Weighing all fruit as cheaper varieties at self-checkout stations.
  4. Lying About a Child’s Age: Falsifying a child’s age for cheaper admission prices.
  5. Duping Starbucks for a Free Drink: Pretending an order was not received to get a duplicate drink for free.
  6. Eating Free at Hotel Breakfasts: Consuming free breakfast at hotels without being a guest.
  7. Using an Underfunded Debit Card at Chipotle: Attempting to pay with a debit card that lacks funds, betting on the store’s policy of prioritizing speed over payment verification.
  8. Watching Multiple Movies on One Ticket: Buying one movie ticket and staying in the theater to watch several movies.
  9. Carrying Extra Luggage in a Gift Bag: Using airport gift shop bags to carry extra items without charge.
  10. Wearing and Returning Clothes: Buying expensive clothing, wearing it once, and then returning it.
  11. Bypassing Online News Paywalls: Deleting browser cookies to reset article limits on news websites.
  12. Using an Expired Student ID for Discounts: Continuing to use a student ID for discounts after graduation.
  13. Cheating Coin-Operated Laundry Machines: Using pennies instead of quarters in laundry machines.
  14. Using Luxury Hotel Bathrooms: Accessing high-end hotel bathrooms without being a guest.
  15. Hidden City Ticketing for Flights: Booking a flight with an additional leg to get a cheaper fare and disembarking at the connecting city.
  16. Concealing Items for Purchase: Hiding smaller items inside larger ones to avoid paying for them.
  17. Using Magazine Subscription Details from Waiting Rooms: Taking pictures of magazine subscription details in waiting rooms to access digital versions online.

It’s crucial to note that many of these hacks are unethical and can be illegal, potentially leading to serious consequences. They are shared here for informational purposes only and should not be attempted.