Toilets are not mystical mechanisms; the flush is simply pouring water into the bowl. When the tank's empty, or (as is common now with "low flow" toilets) insufficient to the job, pouring more water into the bowl from a bucket or jug will work.

I submit that that aint "broke". You're "broke" when you have to decide whether to repair the car so you can get to work, or repair the heater so you can sleep and shower and stuff, or buy food. "Broke" is when you know all the places you can hit for free crackers on your way to somewhere else.