Knob outside, dummy inside. Help me.

[sigh]

Okay, so on one side of my house there is a door. Last night I was going for a snack and I wandered over to see if this door was locked, because I'm paranoid, and hey, it falls off. I'm like uhh, stupid knob. That'll have to be fixed.

I sat there for a few minutes and tried to get it all back together at least to hold until morning when I could buy another door knob and put it on, but I ended up locking it and when I shut it, the inside part of the knob fell off and now the knob on the outside is hanging (if that's not a call for burglars, I don't know what is.) and I don't know what to do with this mess at all. I have no idea how to unlock the door, and until I do, I can't put on a new knob or do anything at all. I don't have the money for a locksmith, and I don't even have anyone to help me by holding the knob on the other side so I can try and unlock it the way I locked it.

I took the button from the one side of the knob inside the house and put it into the part going through the door from the knob outside, but that didn't help, and when I turn it, it just turns and does nothing.

I have no idea what kind of lock this is, but that it looks fairly cheap and probably very common.

My question for you, dear friends:

Is there anyway that I can unlock it from the inside still in anyway without breaking the frame of the door (by kicking it open) or calling an expensive locksmith?

I guess at least I don't have much worry of burglary, considering the door is locked, afterall. Perhaps I should have a burglar, maybe they could unlock it for me. I really don't know much about this door, but that it's depressing me. I might be able to take a picture of this mess so you can help me figure out a way to unlock it, if so I'll post back.

I hate my life.

[Chucklz]

Without a decent picture or two, I am not sure what we can do, becuase without some specific details about brand etc, it will be very very difficult to give you specific information.

Could you tell us everything you can about this lock and its key?

[CaptHook]

With the doorknob removed, look into the bore, you will see the side of the strike mechanism. Insert a screwdriver(flathead) into the cutout where the spindle goes through. Turn it towards the hinges on the door.
Chuck

[Romstar]

Pretty much what he said.

[PickslikeRodenbarr]

To unlock it:

Look in. There should be a metal bar with a hollowing grove in it. normally, the turning of the mechanism moves this bar and it moves the bolt. Now take a screwdriver and mess with the bar to retract the bolt.

Easyer way to remove it without damaging the frame:
Take a hammer. Now vary carefully hit the lock (make sure u don't hit the frame and damage it)

[CaptHook]

Correction on terminology replace strike with latch..... brainfart.

Chuck