Very low acceleration and brakes went out

Just trying to figure out the problem and a very low cost way of fixing it.
My girlfriend left to go home this morning and she could tell her car was acting funny after she started it. She said it had very low acceleration but was able to drive it okay. As she was getting off the exit her brakes went out. She somehow avoided traffic and made it to the side of the road turned on her hazards and used the e brake to make it home. It became harder and harder for her to accelerate and before turning into her garage she had it floored just to make it in.