Emily Webb, a 25-year-old Australian, shared a unique solution she used when she unexpectedly found herself without a home.
Emily, a TikToker with 65,000 followers, explained how she ended up living in her car on the Gold Coast during summer. To avoid over-relying on friends, she started sleeping on their couches but soon thought of a different way to secure temporary housing.
Australia’s housing crisis has made it tough to find rentals, even for those willing to pay upfront. Emily shared that despite offering to pay up to a year’s rent in advance, she couldn’t find a stable home.
Emily earns her income from OnlyFans and Instagram, where she has nearly 170,000 followers. She had a weekly rental budget of AU $1,000 (around US $660) but still struggled to find a place.
Instead of stressing, Emily came up with a different approach. She started using the dating app Hinge to meet men, staying at their apartments for a few days before moving on.
In a TikTok video posted in June, she joked, “I can’t believe I’ve been wasting my money on rent. Life hack: If you’re hot, don’t ever pay rent.”
She explained further in an interview: “I’ve been using dating apps to find places to stay. I don’t usually tell them because I don’t want to put pressure on anyone.” Not paying rent allowed her to save money, as she added, “I’m saving so much with the places I’m looking at costing around AU $1,000 a week.”
Emily admitted to using her “pretty privilege” but faced criticism online. Some viewers called out her actions, with one saying, “Stop sponging off people!” Another warned her about the risks: “This is a very dangerous game.”
Five months later, Emily seems to be doing fine. In September, she shared a story about a trip to Bali, where her “two boyfriends” found out about each other. Her recent videos suggest she’s filming from the same apartment, hinting at a more stable housing situation.
While Emily’s approach got her through tough times, it’s not a strategy for everyone.