The 'I Have 3 Dollars' meme originates from the SpongeBob SquarePants episode titled 'Can You Spare a Dime?', which first aired in 2002. In the scene, a homeless Squidward asks Patrick Star for some spare change, to which Patrick obliviously replies by pulling out exactly three crumpled bills from his pocket. This moment has since become the internet's premier reaction for expressing being broke, making low-ball offers, or highlighting an extreme lack of funds for a high-cost situation. It resonates across social media because of Patrick’s characteristic dim-witted sincerity, making it a highly relatable template for personal finance jokes and shopping humor.