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Homeless Teen Goes Viral With 19M Views After Showing How He Prepares His Food
People become homeless for various reasons, but regardless of the motive, the need to survive is real. This homeless teenager decided to open a TikTok account and show how he cooks his meals and on how little a person can survive when in need. Calling himself @randomhomelessguy2, he now has nearly 580k followers for having only 3 videos.
His first TikTok was viewed more than 18.5m times. You can check out the cost-efficient meals he prepares using only a few things below and share your thoughts in the comments.
More info: TikTok
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This homeless teenager shared a video that went viral overnight of how he cooks meals in a park
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
The hardship of being homeless is unfortunate, but this TikTok user decided to share how he prepares meals and actually does that with a very tight budget. The teenage @randomhomelessguy2 posted his first TikTok showing how he sets everything up for cooking in a local park that is equipped with power outlets and has drinking water fountains.
He uses water from drinking fountains and has bought an electric cooker, which he plugs into an outlet in a public park
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
He starts the video by plugging in his cooker, bought for 15 dollars at Walmart and fills up a $3 pot with water he got from a water fountain. He then chops up hot dogs with a plastic knife, adds noodles and pasta sauce—all 1 dollar each. Some of the users note that @randomhomelessguy2 cooks better than they do when he whips up a meal that cost him 3 bucks.
He cuts up the hot dog sausages with a plastic knife
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
All of the ingredients he used for cooking in this video were $1 each
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
The comments were exploding with concerned people suggesting to set up a GoFundMe, CashApp, and Venmo for him and his mother in order to add some cash to his daily budget.
Although some people were feeling quite altruistic, some users suggested he should sell his phone in order to have more money and even questioned the authenticity of his homelessness as he can afford to have a cellphone.
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
No pasta is complete without a sauce
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
One TikTok user, @sovietman535, questioned how the teenager is homeless and is still making TikToks, to which @randomhomelessguy2 answered with another video. According to the homeless teenager, he has an iPhone 11 that his mom bought for him last year at the beginning of 2020 before becoming homeless—and it has been his most cherished item that he has ever owned. In the comments, he thanked everyone for the concern, but declined the financial help.
And the meal is ready!
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
The TikTok video showing how the homeless teenager prepares his meals now has 19m views
@randomhomelessguy2##fyp##foryou##foryoupage##food##homeless♬ Coffee for Your Head – Vinyll
In his second video, he shared that his budget that day was $1.25
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
The second video starts with him explaining that the budget of the day is $1.25—but luckily he has some ramen noodles for 50 cents each that he had in his backpack for about a week. He buys sourdough French bread that he shares with his mom, according to the video. He prepares the noodles using a park’s electric outlet, his electric stove and pot filled with water from drinking fountain. He seasons the noodles and stuffs them in the bread he bought at Walmart.
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
He used $0.50-a-pack ramen noodles he had in his backpack from the week before
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
Together with his mom, @randomhomelessguy2 are living in their car. They both have phones and their contract includes unlimited data; because of that, he is able to watch videos and make his own TikToks.
The teenager eats from the same pan he used to make the noodles
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
The bread bought for $1.25 he shared with his mom
Image credits: randomhomelessguy2
And here you can check out the full video made by @randomhomelessguy2
@randomhomelessguy2Thanks for 100 k guys 🔥💙👍🏽🙏🏽 ##fyp##foryou##foryoupage##food##homeless♬ Coffee for Your Head – Vinyll
In his recent TikTok, he expressed understanding of doubts from the online community questioning his situation and the teenager agrees that some accounts are often chasing after fame.
He thanked the viewers for support and their encouraging words. According to Homeless Children’s Education Fund, as many as 62% of youth experiencing homelessness have cell phones. In fact, they share that having a cellphone is a great way to locate resources that can help people to battle the hardship. Cellphones can also help with the isolation homeless people are facing—it helps them to connect with friends and family they might have and it’s also very important to be reachable in the process of job hunting.
Many people expressed their surprise, concern, and support, as well as being impressed with the teenager’s resourcefulness
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Mama Panda 4 years ago
I escaped a sex trafficking ring when I was in my 20s and it caused me to be homeless for about 8 months. I didn't know anyone and I was a couple thousand miles from home. This was before cell phones were popular and the only people that owned them were the rich snobs. I did what I had to do to survive like dumpster diving before it was cool, slept in a cardboard box to protect myself from the weather, carried a handmade knife to protect myself and hustled pool when I got the chance. I learned a lot about myself and how naive I had been about people in general. For the most part, people are just downright judgemental and cruel. It was tough but I learned many valuable lessons during that time that I will never forget. To those here in the comments: Stop judging people until you walk in their shoes and then keep it to yourself! Show some kindness to others, it's the right thing to do.
DeeAnn Pruitt 4 years ago
I lived in a homeless shelter for 6 mths with my children, all while employed. All it takes is one bad decision, one lost paycheck, and you can experience it too. It was humbling and damned difficult, but we made it through. It changes your perspective, it changes your willingness to change things. This is reality for so many people.
Uncommon Boston 4 years ago
A homeless man told me it is a lot of work to be homeless. One afternoon a week he could do laundry for free. A few days a week he could get a shower. To get a bed he had to be at the shelter before it opened. He had terrible dyslexia and despite years are trying, he couldn't read.
Parmeisan 4 years ago
The idea that "poor people can't have cell phones" needs to die a burning death. One, a cell phone is the biggest lifeline you can have these days. Imagine trying to get a job with no internet and no phone number. Cell phone should be the LAST thing you give up because once you lose that, your chances of getting out of poverty are decimated. And two, mental health is very important and EVEN if the phone was nothing but a way to stay connected with friends or to play video games, it's worth it because it's very cheap for what you get out of it. Please stop judging people for making perfectly reasonable choices about how to spend their own money.
Andy Acceber 4 years ago
There's a federal program in the U.S. that can help people who are homeless or very low income get a phone or internet access. It's essential. The program is called Lifeline.
Load More Replies...
Sasha Kuleshov 4 years ago
This is madness, how can we have the highest profits margins Ever and at the same time people have to live on the streets? ._.
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 4 years ago
How do you think they got their profit margins so high?
Load More Replies...
Leslie Burleson 4 years ago
This kid won't be homeless for long . With his attitude and ingenuity , and kindness taking care of his mom , this kid is going to be a success
Wolfstar 4 years ago (edited)
I was homeless for about a year in high school. During that period of homelessness, my ADHD got worse and I was practically shaking because I was fidgeting a lot and I couldn't pay attention in class. My parents kicked me out because they were rich, stuck-up a**holes and I didn't believe in their beliefs (homophobia, misogyny, racism, etc.) and all I had was my backpack with a week's worth of clothes, my phone, and a novel I managed to snag from my room when I sneaked back to the house to get some stuff. I lived in the park, using a cardboard box as a shelter against rain and snow. I had a Swiss Army knife but the blade got snapped off by this jerk who thought it'd be funny to break my only weapon. I lost so much weight during that year, I went from 110 pounds to 87 pounds. At school, people didn't really judge, and some helped me out. There were a few rich kids who made fun of me, though. Thankfully, my friend's parents found out where I was and took me in. They let me live with them and they were the ones who sent me to college and paid for my cello (I'm a music major).
Mama Panda 4 years ago
I escaped a sex trafficking ring when I was in my 20s and it caused me to be homeless for about 8 months. I didn't know anyone and I was a couple thousand miles from home. This was before cell phones were popular and the only people that owned them were the rich snobs. I did what I had to do to survive like dumpster diving before it was cool, slept in a cardboard box to protect myself from the weather, carried a handmade knife to protect myself and hustled pool when I got the chance. I learned a lot about myself and how naive I had been about people in general. For the most part, people are just downright judgemental and cruel. It was tough but I learned many valuable lessons during that time that I will never forget. To those here in the comments: Stop judging people until you walk in their shoes and then keep it to yourself! Show some kindness to others, it's the right thing to do.
DeeAnn Pruitt 4 years ago
I lived in a homeless shelter for 6 mths with my children, all while employed. All it takes is one bad decision, one lost paycheck, and you can experience it too. It was humbling and damned difficult, but we made it through. It changes your perspective, it changes your willingness to change things. This is reality for so many people.
Uncommon Boston 4 years ago
A homeless man told me it is a lot of work to be homeless. One afternoon a week he could do laundry for free. A few days a week he could get a shower. To get a bed he had to be at the shelter before it opened. He had terrible dyslexia and despite years are trying, he couldn't read.
Parmeisan 4 years ago
The idea that "poor people can't have cell phones" needs to die a burning death. One, a cell phone is the biggest lifeline you can have these days. Imagine trying to get a job with no internet and no phone number. Cell phone should be the LAST thing you give up because once you lose that, your chances of getting out of poverty are decimated. And two, mental health is very important and EVEN if the phone was nothing but a way to stay connected with friends or to play video games, it's worth it because it's very cheap for what you get out of it. Please stop judging people for making perfectly reasonable choices about how to spend their own money.
Andy Acceber 4 years ago
There's a federal program in the U.S. that can help people who are homeless or very low income get a phone or internet access. It's essential. The program is called Lifeline.
Load More Replies... Sasha Kuleshov 4 years ago
This is madness, how can we have the highest profits margins Ever and at the same time people have to live on the streets? ._.
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 4 years ago
How do you think they got their profit margins so high?
Load More Replies... Leslie Burleson 4 years ago
This kid won't be homeless for long . With his attitude and ingenuity , and kindness taking care of his mom , this kid is going to be a success
Wolfstar 4 years ago (edited)
I was homeless for about a year in high school. During that period of homelessness, my ADHD got worse and I was practically shaking because I was fidgeting a lot and I couldn't pay attention in class. My parents kicked me out because they were rich, stuck-up a**holes and I didn't believe in their beliefs (homophobia, misogyny, racism, etc.) and all I had was my backpack with a week's worth of clothes, my phone, and a novel I managed to snag from my room when I sneaked back to the house to get some stuff. I lived in the park, using a cardboard box as a shelter against rain and snow. I had a Swiss Army knife but the blade got snapped off by this jerk who thought it'd be funny to break my only weapon. I lost so much weight during that year, I went from 110 pounds to 87 pounds. At school, people didn't really judge, and some helped me out. There were a few rich kids who made fun of me, though. Thankfully, my friend's parents found out where I was and took me in. They let me live with them and they were the ones who sent me to college and paid for my cello (I'm a music major).
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