this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2025
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12
How to double under constraints (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 day ago by FScratch@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
40 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

You have a $20 bill, and you need to double it. You have 1 month, you must keep it in cash (No banks, cashapp, credit cards), you don't have an address, a phone number, or and you can't interact to people in public. using just the internet and an email, how do you double the money?

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[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

100% return in one month? Just using the internet? Impossible.

That's one of those things that would be immediately, completely used up the moment it exists. A free lunch, basically.

In theory, you could get a few percent annualised return for nothing the conventional investment way, but I don't know how easy that would be especially with a small amount, and anti-laundering laws exist to (try to) stop you from doing it anonymously like that.

It feels like you might be hoping for a hustle, but you either need to deliver something of value right at the time of the transaction, or promise to deliver value and have an verifiable identity where they can come and find you if you don't. Because the other people with the money you want aren't stupid.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

In the money value system? Buy and resell drugs, or prostitution.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (1 children)

With prostitution, you don't even need the initial 20, but that's basically a kind of work so I don't think it's in the spirit.

Probably ditto for finding someone dumb enough to buy your overpriced single gram. If you can actually build a client base and find regular suppliers that changes, although then you have to deal with the risks of being a drug dealer.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 1 points 2 hours ago

I would hope sex work involves soap, condoms, some sort of deodorant, clean clothing, a clean room, etc. I don't think the single gram is an issue when the main dealer cuts you off because the bill is too high and will keep your 20 and give you nothing.

In fact, trade a sex act for a few grams, purify, resell. But I'm not doing any of that and understand people need food and shelter so I'm not mad if they do.

[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 16 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Don’t delete this after getting responses like you did last time. That’s a real jerk move.

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago

It got removed for not being an open-ended question, i did not remove it. I was genuinely enjoying the criticism!

[–] LostXOR@fedia.io 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I've archived it on the Wayback Machine.

[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Check their post history. Asked for help setting up some online club, got loads of helpful responses. Deleted the post but not their comments.

Wouldn’t be the first Lemmy leech I’ve seen who takes advice and then rips away the discussion.

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Didn't delete it, it got removed for not being an "open-ended, thought provoking question" lol.

[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Sorry, figured you were like that guy who keeps asking about Turkish land values and then deleting.

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago

That's really funny, no lol. People hated the idea i had but I appreciated all the feedback, and I've been working on it and I'm liking the updated version of it.

[–] tyo_ukko@sopuli.xyz 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The same as always: sexual favors behind a fast food joint dumpster.

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (3 children)

you can’t interact to people in public. No face-to-face communication.

[–] socsa@piefed.social 2 points 6 hours ago

Glory hole.

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 1 day ago (1 children)

interact to people

face to face

You might be confused about the physical logistics of these so-called favors — and that's likely a good thing, heh.

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

lmao, fair enough

[–] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 2 points 23 hours ago

If we wanted kissing we wouldn’t be behind the dumpster.

[–] Lumidaub@feddit.org 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

"Using just the internet no interaction with people but keep it cash" wat

[–] Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org 10 points 1 day ago

No time constraint. So it's very easy: you just follow a random person until they accidentally drop a $20 bill.

[–] bizarroland@fedia.io 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

If I knew how to do that, I would do it with $10,000 or $100,000 and not $20.

How the fuck are you not gonna interact with people but have cash change hands?

You can't talk to people. You can't meet people, but you must somehow get money from other people. The fuck.

You also can't use banks or credit cards? How the fuck are you gonna meet someone online and get them to mail you $20?

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

get creative. Find local boards, email and make connections, do not contact trades with the cash and a product and trade it up enough. Email companies. think outside the box

[–] octobob@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 hours ago

Sooo interact with people?

[–] bizarroland@fedia.io 3 points 1 day ago

I want to add that I know this sounds mean like I'm angry, but it's kind of more like I'm frustrated with the impossible constraints of the mental exercise.

If I have offended you, I do apologize. It's not my intent.

I enjoy solving puzzles, but assuming that none of your constraints can bend, then the only thing I can think of would be for you to send out a mailing list begging for money and hope that enough people respond, like a letter saying, "hey, send me a dollar and you'll get good luck", or something.

For $20, you should be able to send about 40 letters, and if all 40 of them send you $1, then that would meet your requirements.

[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sell 40 $1 raffle tickets with a $20 prize, I guess.

[–] How_do_I_computah@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That will leave you with $20

[–] deegeese@sopuli.xyz 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

No, $40

[–] How_do_I_computah@lemmy.world -3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

40*$1-$20 prize=?

[–] hddsx@lemmy.ca 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You start with $20 so it’s really

20+40*1-20

[–] zout@fedia.io 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

20+40*1-20. The first 20 you had already.

[–] How_do_I_computah@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Except you're not gonna sell any because I'm going to sell 42 tickets to a $21 prize. You'll just be left with your $20 prize, $20 dollars, and 40 free tickets.

[–] TwoBeeSan@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Learn to draw dragons fucking cars

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

No-contact delivery shit like this is crazy

[–] LostXOR@fedia.io 4 points 1 day ago

you must keep it in cash

you don't have an address, a phone number, [and] you can't interact [with] people in public

using just the internet and an email

What do you expect me to do, download a $20 bill from the internet and print it??? I guess the only realistic option is to walk around busy places after everyone's left and hope you stumble upon someone's dropped wallet.

[–] regdog@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Find someone who will lend you 20 bucks

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Remote roulette table. Bet it all on black.

[–] remon@ani.social 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Email a buddy to lend me $20 and leave it somewhere where I can pick it up.

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

nice lol

[–] BeigeAgenda@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Go back in time and buy Apple stock when it was $20 and sell when it's $40

[–] FScratch@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

temo time machine here we come