Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer

Episode: I Kicked Off His B*tch Wife
Date: December 8, 2025

Overview

This episode of "Financial Audit" with Caleb Hammer features Mia (37) and James (28) from Hutto, Texas. The couple presents a chaotic mix of personal stories, religious beliefs, troubled financial behaviors, and candid confessions about past mistakes. Caleb brings his trademark bluntness to dissect their finances, challenge their choices, and attempt to instill some financial discipline. The episode oscillates between humorous, confrontational, and shocking, ultimately highlighting the urgent need for the couple to take control of their finances and lives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introductions and Early Chaos (00:00-03:00)

• Immediate tension and a chaotic energy, with Mia and James frequently interrupting each other and the host.
• Early discussion about faith—both claim Christianity "isn't a religion."
• Caleb repeatedly tries to establish order:

  "Let me talk." (00:29, Caleb)
  "Get the f*** out of my studio." (00:32, Caleb, to Mia after excessive interruptions, which is repeated at the end)

2. Background and Relationship Dynamics (03:01-14:00)

• Mia works at a dental office front desk ($26/hr, 40 hrs/week, started recently). She’s high-energy, formerly smoked cigarettes, now vapes for anxiety.
• James works in a Kratom warehouse (approx. $23-26/hr, weekly pay), formerly in prison, just out since Feb '23.
• Their relationship is recent: married August 18, 2025, after knowing each other ~2 years.
• Mia's family structure is complicated: 5 kids, 4 baby daddies, multiple kids cared for by others (her mom, James' grandparents).
• Mia is a Christian rapper and has strong outspoken beliefs about her faith and parenting.

3. Career Instability and Attitudes Toward Work (14:01-30:45)

• Mia has had 7 jobs in ~18 months—she claims she refuses to "take s***" and leaves jobs when mistreated.
• James reveals that Mia is "not long-term employable" with this attitude; Caleb points out the unsustainable work pattern.
• Discussion of Mia's failed attempt to start a dental consulting business, with a half-finished Wix website.
• Frustrations over wanting "financial freedom," but zero evidence of discipline or savings to back it up.

4. Religion & Community Engagement (07:01, 33:00-40:00, 55:00-59:00, 60:00-63:00)

• Heavy recurrent discussion about faith, Christianity, and community evangelizing. The couple regularly preaches in local parks, approaches people with a loudspeaker, and claims to have cast out demons.
• Tensions flare with Caleb over their desire to perform public ministry in peaceful neighborhoods:

  “You’re just wanting to do it and you’re using that as an enablement to do so.” (63:31, Caleb to Mia)

5. Substance Abuse History & Recovery (17:46-22:20, 55:00-60:00)

• James openly discusses his former meth addiction, beginning with his father, and subsequent 15-month prison sentence.
• He attributes weight gain in prison to depression and inactivity after his mother's death in prison.
• He’s been clean since 2022, aside from vaping.
• Mia defends James’ historic meth use as “understandable” given the grueling hours of shrimping/boating work.

6. Financial Disarray: Income, Debt, and Spending (26:06-44:46, 51:00-104:01)

• Household income: ranges $4,000-$4,500/mo (both jobs combined), but wildly unstable.
• Household debt: $27,823.53 and as high as $40,000+ when considering personal/family loans.
• No budgeting; money is spent as soon as it arrives, with frequent borrowing from friends, family, and even employers.
• Regular spending on nonessentials: eating out (17-18% of their income), energy drinks, nails/lashes, novelty/sex shops, fast food.
• Highlighted quote:

  "You spent 60% of your income not spending 60% of your income on miscellaneous." (52:36, Caleb)

• Heavy use of revolving debt, cash app borrowings, and payroll advances (Gusto).
• Frequent overdraft and collections: $8,050 in collections, with some due to unpaid medical, rent penalties, or braces for her kids.

7. Personal Loans & Enabling from Family/Friends (70:33-84:28)

• Owe $2,600 to a neighbor/employer who "helped out" on rent; Mia owes $5,000 to her mom for a now-sold Camaro and another $5,000 to her daughter's father for a current car.
• Other debts: $500 to grandmother (bailing James out of jail for disorderly conduct), $1,800 to brother (support during prison), smaller amounts to siblings, and $3,000 from a very old friend’s loan.
• Both admit their support networks rescue them repeatedly, which enables their bad behaviors.

8. Climactic Confrontations & Caleb’s Assessment (94:43, 102:19-103:10)

• Caleb kicks Mia out of the studio—twice—for being "too annoying to have a conversation with."
• Blunt financial assessment:

  “Hammer financial score, unfortunately 0 out of 10.” (103:13, Caleb) “You bounce around… you’ve been trying it for years and you have a wix.com unpaid for site.” (35:42, Caleb)

• Caleb restates: if they continue borrowing and behaving this way, they are at constant risk of homelessness.

9. Budget Assignment & Action Plan (97:31-101:13)

• Caleb lays out a strict survival budget:
  • Rent & utilities: ~$2,200/month
  • Groceries: $650/mo (for two adults, one child)
  • Transportation: $200 gas, insurance covered by baby’s father
  • Pet care: $100/mo insurance, $50/mo food
  • Miscellaneous/TP fund: $175/mo
  • No subscriptions over $40
• Prioritize paying off Wells Fargo ($1,485) and building emergency fund ($3,700 for 1 month; target 6 months, $22,000).
• Recommends both take his budgeting/debt classes (free to them), use financial tools, and work together before planning for more kids or bigger financial steps.

  “There is no point in doubling your income if right now you do not follow this budget together...”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Memorable Quotes

• Caleb, on Mia’s job-hopping:
  "Seven jobs in a year and a half. Crazy. You could never build a career off of that." (27:14)
• Mia, about her employment:
  "I don't take nobody's s***, period." (28:05)
• Caleb, on their financial situation:
  "This is how close you were (to being homeless)... and still, you will leave this job—batting average, let’s go!" (72:02)
• James, on his brother relapsing:
  "My whole life, the examples I was given is what not to do. And... him doing that, he's teaching me a lesson in itself." (79:41)
• Caleb, assigning a financial score:
  "Hammer financial score, unfortunately 0 out of 10." (103:13)

Memorable/Confrontational Moments

• Immediate chaos:
  Multiple early interruptions, culminating in:

  "Get the fuck out of my studio." (00:32, again at 94:47)

• Religious debates, public loudspeakers:

  "I would snipe you from my house...if you are actually disturbing the peace from all the nice, peaceful children." (60:06, Caleb)

• On borrowing and enabling:

  "We have lifelines." (71:51, Mia)
  "Only takes so many times until people will not lend you money. Then we're talking payday loans...then you're gone." (72:04, Caleb)

• Spending on nonessentials:

  "You spent 60% of your income not spending 60% of your income on miscellaneous." (52:36, Caleb)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Religious life and evangelizing: 07:01, 33:00-40:00, 55:00-59:00, 60:00-63:00
• Mia’s chaotic job history & attitude: 26:49-31:16
• James’ substance abuse, recovery: 17:46-22:20
• Debt breakdown & spending habits: 41:02-44:47, 52:00-54:00, 70:33-84:28
• Caleb's intervention & financial plan: 97:31-101:13
• Final assessment and zero out of ten score: 102:19-103:13

Tone & Language

The episode is marked by confrontational humor, blunt honesty, and a no-nonsense approach from Caleb. Mia and James are open, unfiltered, often defensive, and prone to tangential or chaotic storytelling. The tone vacillates between candid vulnerability and almost-comedic absurdity—a signature of the "Financial Audit" show when dealing with particularly challenging guests.

Summary Conclusion

Mia and James are in a financial and relational crisis made worse by personal chaos, impulsive spending, loan dependency, job instability, and a lack of financial discipline. Caleb Hammer, through direct questions and hard truths, attempts to hold up a mirror to their reality and provide an actionable survival budget and resources. While they express good intentions and desire for change, the episode ends with serious doubts about their ability to implement sustainable improvements—unless both partners take his warnings and plans seriously and work together.