If you have a sim that runs a vet clinic and don't like tolling over the lab all day you can always go to a pre-made vet and buy all the treats to stock up your own wares or buy them off the net.
If you play a homeless sim and don't want to wait for someone to make food, head to a diner and distract a sim before their food arrives and after it arrives snatch up the plate, free food. xD (That actually works).
If you want your sim to explore the jungle but don't want to cheat simoleons just to explore wait for a random npc to ask you out on a night event to the cantina.