Three friends, Jeff, Chris, and Robert, participate in the "Cheapskate Challenge" where they have to build the best "unbreakable box" on the cheapest budget. The goal is to build a box that can keep a person inside for at least 30 minutes. They visit Home Depot to gather materials, with each person trying to outdo the others in terms of strength and cost-effectiveness. After building their boxes, they participate in a rock-paper-scissors game to determine the order in which they will choose which box to try and escape from. The person who builds the cheapest and strongest box wins. In the end, Chris wins with a budget of $124, while Robert's box, which cost $140, fails to hold him in for the full 30 minutes.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The challenge is to build the best "unbreakable box" on the cheapest budget.
2. The goal is to keep a "prisoner" inside the box for at least 30 minutes.
3. The participants are at Home Depot to buy materials for their boxes.
4. One participant buys 50 feet of fencing due to its current high price due to fires in California.
5. Another participant buys two 2x4s to reinforce their box's frame.
6. The participants have to build their boxes within a certain time frame.
7. If a participant's box doesn't hold the "prisoner" for 30 minutes, they are disqualified.
8. The participants have to choose which box they will try to break out of, with the closest estimate of a wood cut length getting first choice.
9. The participants have 30 minutes to break out of their assigned box.
10. If all participants break out in under 30 minutes, the winner is determined by the cheapest box and the time it took to break out.
11. The winner's budget for their box was $124.
12. The other participant's budget for their box was $140.