Financial Audit Podcast Episode Summary

Episode: 100+ Years Of Insane Debt | Financial Audit
Host: Caleb Hammer
Guest: James, 26, Spokane, WA
Date: December 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this brutally honest, highly-entertaining episode, Caleb Hammer audits the financial life of James, a 26-year-old retail store manager from Spokane, WA. James walks Caleb through a labyrinth of debt, failed money-making schemes, bizarre co-ownership arrangements, relationship drama, and questionable decision-making—most notably an ill-fated bulldog breeding "empire." As always, Caleb pulls no punches, delivering tough love and incisive humor while exposing the realities and pitfalls of James’s financial situation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background: Income, Career, and Living Situation

• James’s job: Retail store manager, $68,000/year ($4,108/month net).
• Living in Spokane: Not a cheap state; James owns a 770 sq ft, 100-year-old home with a co-owner; purchased partly to avoid renting.
• Household details: 5 Frenchies, a pit bull, girlfriend ("Lisa," who is still married), and a slew of financial complications.

2. The Dog Breeding “Empire” – Debt, MLM Vibes & Catastrophe

[03:19 – 18:00]

• Genesis of dog-breeding: Started after a friend "owed" James a dog, led to purchase of a Frenchie for $12,000 (for a THIRD of the breeding rights).
• Ownership Structure: Multiple dogs “owned” in fractional shares with “friendly loans,” few if any contracts, byzantine co-ownership and breeding agreements.
• Cascade of purchases:
  • $12,000 for ⅓ of a Frenchie
  • $3,500 for ½ of her daughter
  • $5,000+ per litter just in medical fees
  • $5,000 for a “stud” (⅛ ownership)
  • Total dog “investment”: “Probably around $50,000 including medical purchases, to make $4,000” (James, 17:35)
• Outcome: Lost money, entangled in disputes (including a co-owner who stole puppies and ghosted James).
  • "It kind of is an MLM. It kind of is…'cause the fact is you’re buying into it with the hope to, like, sell your product." – Caleb (18:00)
• Dog situation now: 6 dogs at home, no meaningful profits, ongoing debts.
• James’s reflection: “No, it’s been a travesty.” (17:57)

3. Relationship & Home Ownership Drama

[19:03 – 41:47]

• Girlfriend: German, still legally married to another man; James paid for cross-state move, co-mingles finances (“We paid for it... We also couldn’t afford the move, but did it anyways because it was kind of a closing window.” – James, 24:12)
• House purchase: Motivated by trauma of frequent childhood moves (“I went to nine schools... There's a difference between stupid and in.” – James/Caleb, 41:43)
  • House: 770 sq ft, built as a chicken coop, negative equity (Bought for $235,000, now owes $247,000; market value about $265,000, but only $353 equity per Zillow.)
  • "Why the f*** would you buy this?... I've never called anyone’s this because usually a home’s a home and it’s nice. This piece of s***. This is a piece of s***." – Caleb (39:12)
  • “The places have yards. Yeah, but raisins have yards, dude.” – Caleb (40:06)

4. Financial Habits, Credit Cards & Deferred Interest Traps

[53:00 – 80:00]

• Overreliance on debt:
  • Multiple credit cards (Amazon, Quicksilver, SDCU)
  • Deferred interest on basically every purchase (furniture, home repairs, pet expenses, Magic the Gathering decks, even Ross).
  • Minimum payments that, if only paid, will keep James in debt for “45 years” (Caleb, 57:24)
  • Overdraft protection pulls from credit cards, compounding debt and fees (“It is predatory. I don't understand how credit…You’re the one who set up autodraft!” – Caleb, 57:28)
• Sentimental spending:
  • Purchases justified by emotion or temporary need (e.g., $2,000+ mattress because back hurt, Xbox for entertainment, Magic the Gathering after a pet died).
  • Poor tracking: “You overdraft every second of your life. Why are you overdrafting, Dick? Huh? Dick. Why?” – Caleb (58:42)
• Paying minimums, not progress:
  • “If you paid minimum, ...you’d be 61 years old.” – Caleb (57:41)

5. Shared Finances & Questionable Co-Signing

[54:08 – 64:44]

• Joint cards, loans & car note with girlfriend (who is not legally divorced): Caleb rails against the risk of mingling finances in such a tenuous situation.
• Confused priorities:
  • “You have a credit card together with your girlfriend who just moves in a year?”
  • “Yes, so she has a credit card. I’m on it.”
  • “Why do you do this with everything? Everything. Everything you do, you do the same thing.” (Caleb, 54:29)
• Ongoing cycle: James and his partner are constantly treading water and, in many cases, sinking further by living on deferred credit.

6. The Vehicle Collection – More Liability, More Emotion

[83:12 – 86:51]

• Seven vehicles between James and his girlfriend.
  • Only three are runners; others are project cars (e.g. Jaguars, Cadillacs, Chevy Avalanche, Blazer).
  • Resistance to selling any despite the urgent need for cash; heavily emotional attachment to some cars.
  • Caleb’s prescription: “Liquidate everything else other than the Jaguar and your car... Use this opportunity.” (86:07)
  • “You are willing to sacrifice your girlfriend’s income to bail you out instead of you actually taking care of some sh*t and sacrificing some things you like. It’s disgusting.” – Caleb (87:35)

7. The Plan (“It’s In My Head, Bro”) & The Brutal Audit

[19:39, 53:35, 92:24]

• James’s current plan:
  • “I’m trying to be debt free in the next 12 months… It’s in my head, bro.” – James (19:39, 53:35)
  • Massive disconnect between “plan” and reality; monthly bills and minimums outpace income, especially with deferred interest about to hit.
  • “You spent more than you made last month. I don’t understand this girlfriend thing. Who even knows if she wants to stick around...” – Caleb (56:10)
• Caleb’s solution:
  • “$19,000. Take it. That pays off… well, let’s see, let’s see… your bad debt outside of your car and mortgage is $21,540. You can wipe it out and then we’re done.” (93:24)
• James’s self-rating:
  • “So what do you think your finance score is, 0 to 10?” – Caleb
  • “Half. Point five.” – James (34:48)

8. Social Life, Friendships, and Communication Failures

[26:17 – 33:42]

• Broken friendships due to bad relationships and living arrangements.
• Reasoning for co-housing: Trust, familiarity—ultimately ends poorly with lost friendships and additional money problems.
• Caleb: "Sometimes people can be kind of petty middle schoolers, and that is hard to deal with, but it doesn’t sound like either of you are, so it’s repairable and worth it.” (32:42)
• Closing challenge: Caleb urges James to try to rekindle a lost friendship in the post-show.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the dog breeding business:

  • “You spent $12,000 for a third of a dog to make $2,000, of which you paid $7,500 to produce.” – Caleb (11:50)
  • “It kind of is an MLM. It kind of is...” – Caleb (18:02)
  • “I've lost way too much money, as you're aware.” – James (61:49)

• On the house and home ownership:

  • “Why the f*** would you buy this?... This is a piece of s***.” – Caleb (39:12)
  • “It was completely torn down and renovated in like 1999.” – James (39:20)
  • “The places have yards. Yeah, but raisins have yards, dude.” – Caleb (40:06)

• On car collecting:

  • “You cannot have this. This is a shortcut that... sometimes that requires sacrifices. This is a sacrifice. You are taking a sacrifice. Also it’s a truck. Who gives a f***? It doesn’t matter. It does not matter.” – Caleb (87:08)

• On partnership & money:

  • “You do not do one thing correctly in life.” – Caleb (88:31)
  • "You have a credit card together with your girlfriend who just moves in a year?" – Caleb (54:24)
  • “You overspent. 0 to 10. Debt? ...about a one out of 10. Emergency fund? Zero out of 10. Retirement? Zero. Real estate? Three…” – Caleb (94:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dog breeding saga & debts: 03:19 – 18:00
• Discussion of failed home purchase: 36:26 – 41:02
• Friendship fallout & ex drama: 26:17 – 33:42
• Credit cards & financial breakdown: 53:00 – 80:00
• Car collection and liquidation debate: 83:12 – 87:08
• Full audit, the “plan,” and closing thoughts: 92:24 – 95:29

Episode Takeaways

• Compounding bad decisions: James’s situation is a warning on the dangers of emotional, impulsive, and poorly considered financial choices.
• Entanglement: Repeatedly mixing money, friendships, and romance without clear boundaries or contracts can be disastrous.
• The "Plan": Having a vague “plan” in your head is no substitute for real, honest numbers and accountability.
• Hard truths: Sometimes the best (and only) way out of a debt spiral is radical honesty, pain, and immediate action—even if it means sacrifices you’d rather avoid.

Caleb’s Final Summation

• Hammer Financial Score: 1/10
• Prescription:
  • Liquidate extra vehicles (except Jaguar) to wipe out high-interest and deferred debts
  • Stop all unnecessary spending/hobbies
  • Separate finances until relationships are secure
  • Never, ever buy ⅓ of a dog again

“Time to take care of your sh*t. Time to grow up for the literal first time in your life. And sometimes that requires sacrifices.” – Caleb Hammer (86:39)

For more episodes, resources and to take your own Hammer Financial Score assessment, visit calebhammer.com.

End of Summary