Advocates of universal basic income claim it would eliminate poverty and give people freedom to pursue meaningful work. However, these benefits assume people would use the income wisely. In areas where unconditional cash transfers have been trialled, some recipients have indeed started businesses or gained education. Others, however, have reduced their working hours without pursuing anything more meaningful. The most concerning finding is that in several trials, a significant minority spent the money on alcohol and gambling, worsening their situations. These individuals were not irresponsible by nature; rather, poverty itself creates stress and short-term thinking that impairs decision-making. Universal basic income alone cannot solve poverty because poverty is not simply a lack of money.