Financial Audit Podcast: "$60,000+ For New Boobs"

Host: Caleb Hammer
Guest: Bianca (31, bartender, Austin, TX)
Date: September 19, 2025

Overview

This episode features Bianca, a 31-year-old Austin bartender, as she undergoes a thorough “financial audit” with host and personal finance content creator, Caleb Hammer. The conversation dives deep into Bianca’s financial decisions—including major cosmetic surgeries, moving expenses due to pet issues, collections, and debt coping mechanisms post-breakup. The episode’s main themes are facing the reality of one’s debt, coping with financial fallout from personal upheaval, and the importance of accountability and practical planning.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bianca’s Background & Current Situation

• Career Snapshot:
  • Bartender (“for about three years… more money than I was making before”) [01:36]
  • Previously worked in tech support and pre-sales advising, but drifted into bartending due to layoffs and preference for quick income [72:14]
• Income:
  • Around $950/week after taxes, ~$4,117/month [02:00, 02:18]
• Living:
  • Frequent moves in 2022-2025, often due to landlord issues with her dogs [multiple]
  • Currently paying $875/mo in rent (recent move saved her ~$300/mo) [05:41, 13:03]

2. Debt Accumulation & Underlying Causes

• Total Debt Picture:
  • Over $30,000 in collections and various debts, including cosmetic surgery, vehicle, hot tub, and rent damages [07:23, 63:27]
• Expenses Leading to Debt:
  • Major financed purchases close together:
    • Cosmetic breast augmentation (“boob job”) ($10k, mostly financed) [04:01, 33:34]
    • Hot tub for the then-fiancé's house (still paying; ex making payments but loan in Bianca’s name) [03:13, 53:02]
    • Car purchase and subsequent repo due to inability to pay ($615/mo payment) [20:05]
  • Coping with a messy breakup by “going out a lot more,” alcohol/drinks, Uber/Lyft, travel [06:14, 59:19]
  • Regular spending on pet damages (dogs with separation anxiety destroying rental properties) [07:33, 47:06]
• Cascade Effect:
  • Engagement ended five months before wedding; Bianca tried to maintain pre-breakup lifestyle alone, racking up credit card debt [13:36, 14:50]
  • Money owed to friends and current boyfriend (borrowed for moves, travel) [35:28, 39:00]

3. Consequences of Financial Choices

• Credit Impact:
  • Credit score down to 580; many accounts in collections [22:58]
  • Ineligible or subprime for car loans (offered one at ~20%+ interest; then denied) [22:52, 23:58]
• Lifestyle Constraints:
  • Car repo left Bianca reliant on Uber (spends hundreds/month) and boyfriend’s rides, wants another car but can’t qualify affordably [18:45, 23:20]
  • Owes thousands to two previous landlords, including $8k for apartment repairs due to dogs (“chewing holes in walls, anxiety, pee damage”) [47:06, 48:04]
• Ongoing Spending Issues:
  • Continues to splurge on going out, drinks (“teeny time”), Uber Eats, streaming apps, vape pens, even while in debt [42:51–46:48, 66:04]
  • Still struggles to budget effectively, forgetting about debts and not tracking payments to friends [55:54]
• Debt Relief Efforts:
  • Enrolled in a debt relief program: $544/mo consolidated payment—progress is slow, only $839 paid down from $31,530 [63:27, 63:52]

4. Dog-Related Financial Problems

• Summary:
  • Bianca’s two dogs—one with severe separation anxiety—cause rental damage wherever she moves, leading to deposits lost and landlord debts [07:37, 08:03]
  • Has moved three times in 2025 already due to dog issues [08:03, 11:25]
  • Struggles/refuses to invest in “indestructible” kennels or behavior training, resulting in a cycle of damage and eviction [08:32, 08:36, 10:01, 51:00]
  • Host pushes responsibility: “This is irresponsible dog parenting, and it’s irresponsible tenanting.” [10:46]

5. Personal Accountability & Rationalization

• Patterns:
  • Bianca frequently rationalizes her choices (“I thought I could afford it,” “I was coping,” “my ex left me,” “I have to Uber,” etc.) [04:32, 22:19, 27:15, 29:01]
  • Host pushes back: “You are in endless ‘I can’t, I can’t, I can’t’... Pay your boyfriend back before ‘teeny time’” [13:03, 45:04]
• Honest Self-Assessment:
  • Bianca admits she should rate her finances a 2/10 (host: “zero”) [30:25–32:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Debt and Spending

• On credit card usage:
  • Bianca: “I still do [go out], just not on credit cards.” [06:24]
  • Caleb: “You’re not scraping by… You are in endless ‘I can’t, I can’t, I can’t’—that’s all you are.” [13:03]
  • Bianca: “Well, I usually am not the one actually paying for [drinks]...that’s actually…”
    Caleb: “But you did regardless… You owe your friends $700. Still owe your boyfriend $1200. Who the **** are you? You’re gonna go borrow at a 20% interest rate…” [43:02]

On Emotional Coping and Consequences

• Breakup aftermath:

  • Caleb: “So, because you were miserable to be with, or he was miserable to be with, or he was miserable being around you...?”
    Bianca: “I was miserable to be with.” [13:50]
  • Bianca: “I made financial decisions… and then got out of that.” [16:51]

• On big purchases:

  • Caleb: “Hot tub, $9,000... What’s your relationship with [the ex] now?”
    Bianca: “We don’t speak.” [53:02]

On Pet Responsibility

• Caleb: “How many times have you moved this year?”
  Bianca: “Three.” [08:03]
• Caleb: “Kennel training is a very healthy and normal thing for a dog.”
  Bianca: “But it’s where they view it as cruel to have a 12-year-old dog that’s never been in a kennel…” [09:06]
• Caleb: “You just allow them to destroy every apartment you’re in. Clearly that is not an option.” [10:01]
• Producer: “The landlord caught the dog peeing on the carpet in one of the places.” [49:48]

On Cosmetic Surgery and Financing

• Caleb: “The producers really want to know how much they are… 10K?”
  Bianca: “Yeah… I financed like eight, put 2,000 down.”
  Caleb: “Why did you do this?”
  Bianca: “I’ve wanted it since I was, like, 15.” [33:34]
• On collecting debts:
  Caleb: “Maybe they should repo them.”
  Bianca: “It’d cost them more money than I owe them.” [60:40]

On Poor Budgeting and Excuses

• Bianca: “I forgot about that [line of credit]. I don’t use it that much.”
  Caleb: “You—well, no... That’s insane, dude.” [55:54]
• Caleb: “Spending is horrendous, disgusting, unacceptable for someone who owes so much money to people in their personal lives.” [70:04]

Timeline of Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------| | 01:14-02:18 | Guest introduction, income/responsibilities | | 03:04-04:43 | Recap of debt-causing purchases (car, hot tub, boob job), breakup context | | 05:12-06:52 | Housing instability, dog issues start to emerge | | 07:33-10:07 | Details of dog-induced damages, repeated moves | | 13:03-14:55 | Discussion of life after breakup, lifestyle misalignment | | 15:00-17:00 | Coping through spending, loss on cancelled wedding | | 18:45-23:58 | Lack of car, repo incident, inability to qualify for sensible loans | | 27:56-30:25 | Review of Uber/food delivery habits | | 32:19-35:06 | Cosmetic debt breakdown, personal assessment of finances | | 35:25-41:52 | Money owed to boyfriend/friends, casual approach to payback | | 47:06-50:20 | Details on $8,000 landlord debt/dog damage | | 53:02-56:13 | Hot tub still tied to credit report, ex making payments | | 59:01-61:12 | Review of most disastrous credit card (Capital One, $21k spent in 1.5 years) | | 63:27-63:52 | Current progress on debt relief ($839 paid, $30k+ left) | | 66:04-70:04 | Host’s disgust at budget: vapes, streaming, Uber Eats, and charity while in arrears to friends | | 72:14-76:09 | Work history, tech jobs, bartending choices, current plans | | 77:01-78:48 | Caleb proposes aggressive transit & food budgets | | 80:36-83:18 | Pathway to recovery: pay off debt in ~2.5 years, don’t buy a car yet, save for emergency fund | | 84:07-85:13 | Long-term plan: 50/30/20 strategy, start investing before mid-30s | | 85:13-end | Hammer Financial Score assessment: a literal zero |

Action Plan & Host’s Recommendations

• Strict Budget:
  • Rent $875, utilities $150, phone $110, transportation (public) $300, food $300, subscriptions capped at $30-40, dog food/health $90, other basics $100. Total “needs” ~$2,950, leaving $1,000+ for debts and emergencies [78:09–80:36]
• Debt Repayment:
  • Prioritize repaying personal loans (boyfriend and friends)
  • Aggressively attack collections and line-of-credit balances
  • Consider 2nd job for faster payoff [81:08]
• No More Borrowing/Excuse-Making:
  • Take public transit; stop Uber Eats, drinking/eating out, non-essentials [77:01–78:09, 78:09–78:48]
• Pet Management:
  • Proper behavioral solutions to end cycle of rental damages and moves
• No Car Until Debts Are Cleared:
  • Save up for reliable used car; do not take subprime auto loan [83:14]
• Emergency Fund:
  • Build to $2,100 (1 month’s expenses) after debts
• Retirement:
  • Once debt-free and with emergency fund, start 20-25% income to retirement [84:07]

Final Assessment

• Bianca's Self-Score: 2/10
• Hammer Financial Score: 0/10
• Host’s Final Words:
  • “Spending is horrendous, disgusting, unacceptable for someone who owes so much money… You have the opportunity of a lifetime here… Stop the excuses. Grind for 2 years and you can reclaim your financial future.” [70:04, 81:33, 83:14]

This episode is a raw exploration of financial denial and the social, emotional, and practical steps needed for recovery. Caleb balances tough love and real empathy, providing guidance and actionable insight for anyone stuck in a similar debt-and-coping cycle.