Loading summary
A
This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. To watch episodes of Financial Audit a week earlier, check us out on YouTube. You're annoying. Your personality. Your existence is bad.
B
I don't mean to bring you to a breaking point.
A
Oh, I'm gonna be a piece of this episode because I do not like you.
B
Like I said, that's the future Ivory problem.
A
Cut the dumb behavior.
B
I'm just full of the its. They're bursting out of my scene.
A
I hate this episode. I hate this episode. The tools to change your life have just been upgraded. Download my budgeting app, rebranded to Dollarwise today and start your free trial. Sign up for the annual version and I'll send you my budget friendly cookbook that can't be purchased anywhere else and I'll personally sign it and mail it directly to you. Download the dollar Wise budgeting app today and take advantage of your free trial.
B
I'm Ivory. I'm 35, I'm from Los Angeles and this is Financial Audit.
A
Hey, thanks for coming over from Los Angeles. We gave you a stripper name. Didn't. Wait, I didn't come up with it. I blame the producers. I'm sorry, I apologize. But you're Ivory to me now.
B
I love it.
A
Thanks for coming over from la, though. Listen, you look like you're from la. Yeah. You know, you got some head look to you a little bit. You got the keyboard, which is interesting. No one really usually brings toys to Financial Audit, but I accept you as who you are.
B
Thank you.
A
So what do you do in LA for a living?
B
I work as a stock person during the day at a prop house, and then at night I'm a musical prosthetist. So I play weddings, churches, casinos, restaurants, pretty much anything that has music. I've played it. A lot of comedy things. A lot of random things. Scoring.
A
Okay.
B
Yeah. All over the board.
A
That's why that's here.
B
Yeah. It makes.
A
What are you hoping to get out of that?
B
Oh, it just makes me feel a little bit more comfortable. It's like my safety blanket. Security blanket.
A
You're 35. Okay. And how much money do you make?
B
So on my day job, every two weeks, I make about 1250 net.
A
That's what hits your account?
B
Yes.
A
Okay, so every two weeks, 1250. Good. So we're looking at $2,500 a month. La. How the is that possible? I don't know. And then on average, your little evening gigs, how much are you making?
B
About 1500 bucks a month. It was bad. Yeah, it was. In the. In the month I submitted, it was about a thousand.
A
But submitted for what? Taxes?
B
No, submitted to your team. It was a thousand.
A
And then what?
B
To the financial audit team. I've. Last month I made. I made $2,000 with my gig.
A
What's average, though?
B
About 15.
A
And are you setting 20, 20 to 30% aside for taxes?
B
I am not.
A
Well, it wouldn't be financial audit without that, now would it? Okay, so 4,000 hours a month, except I'm going to say it's worth $3,500 because you're going to set aside money for taxes. How long have you been doing this? This evening stuff, this extra stuff where you should be setting aside money for taxes?
B
About 15 years.
A
Have you ever claimed income for taxes?
B
Yes, Yes, I have. And then I've also written off keyboard repairs and then written off different purchases.
A
And when's the last time you filed?
B
Well, I filed an extension the past year and I overpaid. What it said I owed.
A
But you filed an extension?
B
Yeah.
A
And then you overpaid?
B
No, I overpaid with the extension. So when it submits it, you. It lets you money in, so I did that. We.
A
You're not doing quarterlies?
B
No, no. I didn't know that was a thing for good musicians, but I've made sense when I did it at the beginning of the year.
A
Okay, so what's the tax situation currently? So last year you filed an extension.
B
Yes.
A
But you've already overpaid.
B
Yes.
A
So there's no concern?
B
No, well, I. I did a couple. I did a couple jobs and shows and things that didn't submit tax paperwork to me. And from that we ended up getting some paperwork after. The week after taxes were due.
A
Okay.
B
So I get extra conf. And I also don't know who's reporting what.
A
Oh, you're a quirky millennial, aren't you?
B
I try my darndest and yeah, but we. I don't claim him, but yeah, we, we, we. You know, I never know what's going to come out of the blue, what's going to be reported, what's not. I get venmos, I get cash sometimes. Sometimes I get gifts. But that's my least favorite of the payments.
A
What is that?
B
No, no. No jobs.
A
No jobs.
B
I mean, on a good day for paint for shows.
A
Really?
B
I mean there was, I was, I was talking about it right before. I had one person approach me last year who just kept coming to my shows and said she wanted to make art with me. But then she came clean about that. She publicized. She like publishes her art of that nature. And I was not down with that.
A
Okay. Okay, sure. Cool. So $3,500 a month now. LA, not a cheap place. One of the more expensive cities in the country.
B
Yes.
A
Height. That was a very flamboyant yes. I'll be honest. Maybe that's why he turned her down. How you doing on that 3,500?
B
Oh, I am struggling.
A
Why the are you continuing your evening job that doesn't bring in that much money for the time you put into it instead of going and being an adult that provides value to society and gets paid based on their value so that they can then pay their bills and not be a joke of a 35 year old trying to make it in the big city. Even though you're 35, not 25. Give up?
B
Yeah, it's. It's the only way that I find joy. It's the happiest thing that I find doing. And it's like that. It's the way that I feel the most honest and earnest.
A
Yeah, absolutely. Do your hobbies outside of work where you bring in money and pay your bills, what's the struggle like? So I've been showing you how many data brokers were collecting and selling your private information. And I had you use Aura, who is sponsoring today's video, to put a stop to it. Well, check this out. Now Aura is automatically starting to opt your information out of these sites. Data brokers collect your personal information and package it up to sell it to anyone who wants it. Marketers, scammers, even identity thieves, all without your consent. And it's only going to get worse. The government just quietly pulled back a rule meant to stop our financial data like Social Security numbers from being sold to the highest bidder. And this just tells me one thing. Your privacy is just another line item on someone's revenue sheet. We're out here telling people to budget better and protect their finances. Meanwhile, their personal data is being auctioned off behind the scenes. It's like a slap in the face to anyone trying to take control of their financial future. And it's not just about privacy anymore. It's about how vulnerable they're leaving people in. Fraud, identity theft, and even financial manipulation. And the worst part, they did it quietly. No big press release, no warning, just a Casual rollback of your rights while you're busy trying to figure out how to pay Ren. And this is why I've been telling people to use Aura. Aura handles all the hard work automatically. They identify data brokers, exposing your info and submit opt out requests on your behalf. They also do so much more to keep you and your family safe online. And you can go to my link aura.com hammer or scan the QR code on screen to try 14 days for free. That's enough time for Aura to start scrubbing your personal information off the data broker sites automatically.
B
Ooh, it's a nightmare. We get people that don't pay. People who fall through on contracts.
A
What's your struggle, bringing in $3,500 a month?
B
Oh yeah.
A
What's your struggle financially?
B
My struggle financially is that I took out. When I had a really good job about two years ago, I took out some very large loans for what they were. They were the. They were. For that. You. You had.
A
You.
B
You.
A
You could just. What?
B
I feel better when I have money in my account and I.
A
You just got a really good job. Why'd you need to get a loan then? Wouldn't needing money in our account require getting a loan when we have the not as good job?
B
Yeah, I. And then some production materials to try to score more movies and do more things from home.
A
Have you scored a movie?
B
I've scored three.
A
Not a. Not a little YouTube film. Not a little college film. Come on.
B
I've scored one short film that's on something.
A
There it is. What's it on? Tubi?
B
Amazon Prime Video. Yeah.
A
Okay.
B
It was a short film as a part of a anthology series.
A
Why did you get paid for that?
B
I got paid $1,000 for that 15 minute show. 15 minute feature.
A
Okay.
B
And. Yeah, I mean, you know, I just. I can't.
A
Zimmer, ladies and gentlemen.
B
I. You know, I just. And it's with that I. I get the money because I just get this serious case. I. I've been trying to take medication for it, but I constantly come down.
A
Oh, you. Medication?
B
Yes, yes. I'm just full of the. It's. They're bursting out of my scene.
A
I don't know what that means. Explain what that means. That I'm not attempting to be a quirky, funny, millennial way.
B
So I. When I get under bills, when I get different things that don't. That fall through, whether it's payments, whether it's jobs or promises, along with the industry right now has been very hard. So something that I was relying on.
A
About the industry right now, I'd say it's always hard to try to be in a musician in a very saturated market. Oh, yeah, well, everyone wants to do it and there's many talented people.
B
Yeah. So I've been relying that more since my fallback was production and working on production has fallen through drastically over the past year. It's moving out of la and there's no.
A
Why the. Would they pay the taxes? It doesn't make any sense.
B
Yeah, yeah, it's pretty. Pretty dumb. And with that, you know, I. Like I said, I work at the prop house, but they've brought us down to three to four days a week.
A
And why would they pay any taxes? No surprise. Everything's leaving. It doesn't make any sense. Yeah, you tax 20% more than you get somewhere else. Yeah. People are gonna leave. Who would have thought? Basic math. Well, I mean, I have a note from Lindsay that he plays cheap shows, gets paid $30, but he just does it because he loves hanging out and feeling important. How long is that show and hangout that you're getting $30 for?
B
So I. I get to meet some comedy icons when I do those, but.
A
It'S about an answer to my question.
B
Three hours.
A
Good. Put the fries in the bag. You will make that amount of money borderline close in California. Hourly.
B
Yeah. It feels so good to be on stage with some people that I've just, like, watched growing up and, like, can't even name them. The Dane Cook or Dave Chappelle, Eliza Schlesinger, Camille Nanjiani. Like those people when I get around them. You know, it's funny because. Try not to fanboy, but it just.
A
You clearly are. And you're willing to give up your entire life and not being able to pay bills in order to jerk off to some comedians.
B
Yeah, I, you know, it. Just being able to have that picture on my. On my profile and my portfolio, it makes me feel more worthy and more like I'm actually accomplishing something despite that.
A
And you're not.
B
Yeah. Despite the negative bank account.
A
Well, clearly it's not a very competitive. Well, no, no. Well, no, it's not in terms of like, they struggle with getting someone because it's $30 for four hours. So clearly a million people wanted the job and they just accept the lowest bidder.
B
There's not really anyone else who does it in town because I don't. Do I play people on stage, off stage?
A
You're telling me there's no one, no DJ that plays people on and off stage in Los Angeles.
B
Not. Not on the comedy venues. Talking about the melanated theaters all they tend to have, you know, more fun kind of random things. I play a lot of variety shows aren't even. I'm not doing standup and I'm not playing a set. I'm more so sitting there and then playing the transitions and the underscore whether it's a scene or whether it's a standup comedian acting.
A
Right. And it's $30 for four hours. So clearly this is. Again, this isn't a good job, buddy. No, no, no. I don't give a. Stop it. Stop. Okay.
B
I just. I kind of just play things like that to whatever anybody says on stage.
A
Do that again and I will break it. But I. I will legitimately break it. That is not me saying that as a bit for the show. I will break it.
B
You know, because there's a. There's a song.
A
I will break it. No, I Seriously.
B
I found that from a beautiful composer online. Actually makes me. You know, I don't mean to bring you to a breaking point, but I really enjoyed that song and I wanted to bring it here today.
A
I hate this episode.
B
If you want to play it too. I mean, I feel like you might have some. Some chops or not, but. Yeah, $30 isn't the same price for all of those shows too, because there's some that are one hour long and they pay $100. And those ones are the people that I like to lean towards more. They make me feel. They make me feel worthy and they make me feel like I'm actually getting.
A
You look like someone who leans in the middle of the street after a overdose.
B
Well, yeah, I try not to lean off of other things, maybe, but that one. That one's killing people left and right. But I'll play in the streets.
A
We could only be so lucky.
B
Yes. They, you know, to fall in the street or to play in the street. That's actually. I built a rig to go in the street with my music too, but I. Making my own thing is something that I've kind of fought against. And with this financial issues that I've had, I haven't had the confidence to pursue that wholeheartedly. So I kind of latch on to other people's projects, whether it be shows or productions or anything, and make that work. I even not. It wasn't 30 bucks, but we've done full musical productions that we took off Broadway and then we also sold them to high schools, and that was much more than 30 bucks.
A
Okay, so what the have you done to try to fix your finances?
B
Yeah. So I tried to reach out. I've done Debtors Anonymous meetings, and I've also done. Reached out to a debt consolidation company, but they ghosted me.
A
They ghosted you?
B
Yeah.
A
What is. What is. They ghosted me.
B
I called them and I, I was actually at my day job and I called him, said, hey, I'd like to see the options, because I'm feeling overwhelmed with all of these debts, and I don't know where to go. And then they were like, oh, yeah, that sounds great. Here, what do you got? Okay. Yes, send us over your documents. And I sent them over two or three of the bigger ones, and then they never called me or responded back. I called them and they said, oh, sorry, we got no record of you. And it kind kind of sucked. It kind of sucked.
A
Why don't you go through it again then?
B
Well, I, to be honest, I actually did a debt consolidation program about 12 years ago.
A
Of course you did. And look where we are. This is what happens when we do not change behavior. For sake.
B
Well, I, I, It's. With this. It's a different place in my life here. It's a different place because I'm not as crazy as I was back then. Back then, there was too many cases of the just it's left and right up. Yeah, I think it's. Oh. And then I've also started to try to make difference. I've. I started trying to do Uber, but with that. My car is not practical for Uber. It's both too old to drive people. And then. What is it, a 2006 RAV4?
A
Dude, what the are you doing? What is your future? What are you even trying to do? Because this isn't a clay you've been on just like this, this treadmill forever, trying to become this musician, trying to do all this stuff. You bet. You make, like, minimum wage. Honestly, in LA, LA. Minimum wage. Like, what are we even trying to get to. What is your plan here? What was your plan? Obviously, we know what's wrong.
B
Yeah, I wanted to. I want to have a family. I want to have a family. I want to. I want to get a dog, because then maybe I'll find a. My roommate actually takes care of dogs, and it's been a nice little surrogate thing.
A
Roommate?
B
Yeah, he's. He's a dog sitter. And so we get tons of little surrogate babies that come through the house, and I'd like to be able to do that on my own without freaking out, because I can Barely take care of myself. But I'm trying to get by so that. That's not as hard.
A
So you're just trying to get a family?
B
Yeah, I'd like a family and I'd like to. I'd like to support them. Have my joke.
A
You're buddy, you're a joke.
B
Well, I make a lot of jokes.
A
No, no, no, no. First of all, no. Second of all, no. You're living life as a joke. You're not in your 20s anymore. You're not in the up period where you can just go doing anything and everything. This is. Time is against you here. You're losing compound growth in the market. You're in an expensive city. Clearly it has no demand for you or else it would pay for it.
B
This.
A
You're not. No, you're a joke and you're a failure.
B
I mean, I. I feel like. I feel like you just. You're not. You haven't been chasing the dream. I. I feel like, you know, you.
A
Don'T think I've hit the dream.
B
Well, I mean, of music. The music dream of that I made.
A
More money a month offer than you do when I was just out of college with music.
B
I mean, there's some.
A
That song you played, the Breaking Point? Well, actually, no, I didn't make any money off of that one, but the ones around that I did.
B
That was. I'm glad we wanted to point it out. It was your song. It was a great song. But yeah, I mean that's the thing is composition. I found this. This vibe on it.
A
But. But you've been trying for a long time. It's just not working. And I'm good with you pursuing your passions and lots of hobbies. That doesn't mean that. I mean, do you ever miss bills? Like what are we doing? I'm sure you're borrowing to pay bills, right?
B
The borrowing, the take out or the taking 30% from my income to. To pay for taxes doesn't even seem practical with the amount of bills that I've already.
A
You don't think you have to pay taxes when you earn money? Listen, you're in the bottom 50% of earners in this country. In the bottom 50% of earners pays literally 2% of all income taxes in the United States. You're not demanded for that much. Well, my rest of us are paying for you and you're not even willing to contribute that well.
B
But the prop house I have full taxes came out and that's why it always.
A
Yeah. W2.
B
But even still, that one seems to work better because I just want to chase that dream. I just want to be the working guy.
A
Because I mean, in your conversations with Lindsay, I mean, you were taking a lot of pride in being an artist who makes a living. But you don't make a living off of being an artist. You have a daytime job that pays double. I'm sorry, I don't, I'm not sure on your dreams. I still want you to pursue it. I would love you to be successful in it. Just so far it is not working. Like you haven't hit there and you've been doing it for a bit. When you moved to la.
B
I grew up in la.
A
Okay, so you've had all the time in the world.
B
Yeah, I moved away for college, but then I came back because I got, I got a chance to be a music person on a TV show and that was the best paying job I've ever had.
A
What was it? How long? I'm sure it was contractual though.
B
So it was.
A
The show ended and you're done. Right?
B
That was three. Three seasons on a children's show. But it was a very unique.
A
I would never, never, never allow you near children.
B
Oh, but I love them.
A
Hold up, wait a minute.
B
I mean they're so, they're so fun and friendly.
A
Stop it.
B
But, but yeah, you know, it was, it was actually. That was the best paying. And that one wasn't even doing the composition. It was more of a production sided thing where I facilitated. I'd watch the kids and make sure that they were playing the right chords or that they were playing in time. I got to yell behind a director and that just felt so good. But then there's not many shows like that anymore. Along with.
A
I just. How are you even able to pay rent? Rent? Like rent controlled?
B
Yeah, it's pretty rent controlled.
A
Okay, so for the sake of the 2% that refused to go out there and actually work their ass off, that is this guy 8. The other 98% are stuck with their endlessly high housing costs to subsidize you.
B
Well, I'm also, you know, donating sperm which gives me $150 every time.
A
Oh, they're just going to be, they're going to be running around, hey, I'm.
B
Not going to pass along my financial tendencies, but I want to pass along the energy and the good vibes and plus, I mean, the way it's been going. The way it's been going.
A
What do you make off a nut?
B
150 bucks each time per night? Yes.
A
How often we do. Do we not. Can you do that daily?
B
Oh, you have to wait 48 hours in between nuts.
A
Oh, you gotta save up.
B
You gotta save up. And you gotta be a good eater and drinker and not party. So it also, you don't.
A
But you're always going to the clubs and stuff.
B
Well, it keeps me honest. I, I, A lot of the times the clubs and whatnot for that are to support my friends or to support the people that I'm with.
A
So you can do it 182 times a year. What do you get paid per.
B
Yeah.
A
40.
B
You get. Well, you get how much? So the way the system works is you get paid 120. You get 120 each time. But then once you've done 10 submissions, they pay you $300 out.
A
And then you can't go back anymore.
B
No. And then you just restart the next batch.
A
Oh, 140 bucks. Sounds like a retirement plan. Can I just go jack off $25,000 a year in nutting? Whoa, hold on.
B
It's.
A
I'm hard right now.
B
I mean, so am I.
A
What?
B
And it's, you know, and it's, it also, I mean, with the, with the struggles, there's the, There was a part of me that thought, especially when I was reaching out to the debt relief program, that, like the family dream might never, not ever happen.
A
Probably not. Who would date you?
B
This is a nice way to throw it into the mix. You know, I like to think that there's a little bit of an essence that's existing out in the world. Of course.
A
Yeah. Someone might seek you down later in life. We'll find out.
B
Oh, yeah, you have to sign paperwork about that.
A
Saying what?
B
Well, they, they, they have a contractual thing that if you, when they turn 18, they have the option to.
A
Yeah.
B
Be able to know who you are, but you can also remain anonymous. But I, I did not remain anonymous. I wrote that. I'd be happy for them to find me.
A
Yeah. Because it's the only people who will ever love you. I get it. So how much do you spend on a monthly basis? We know 3500 comes in.
B
Well, my spending is a little, is a little crazy.
A
That's an interesting number.
B
Yeah. Because it's so, I believe it's around 20k.
A
That's ridiculous. No, that's, that's what, how, because, no, by the way, it's 15. But even still, what the are you talking about?
B
So due to the amount of payments and different things that I have, I have a little finagling that happens, which is one of my accounts was opened in a separate state.
A
Stop hitting the table.
B
Yes, sir. When I open one of my accounts in the other state. So whenever I have one account that is overcharged, I have 48 hours to then replenish that account back to zero to stop from an overdraft fee or any other fee. So I can take from one of the other accounts, put it in there, overdraft, and then they bounce between.
A
Whoa, whoa. How long has this cycle been going?
B
Probably since the beginning of the year.
A
What, just this year?
B
Well, no, that was incorrect. That was incorrect. Ever since the. About November. I want to say November.
A
What happened in November? Something started this.
B
Yeah, I had a. I had a fall off. I fell off on some production. Fell apart and I didn't have a job. I lost my job. I was laid off from a previous thing.
A
That's why when you're just on the entrepreneurial gig, the gig. You should have a 12 month emergency fund.
B
Yeah, I need. I. I had spent it all. I spent it all and I should.
A
I want one on what?
B
I mean, it was just kind of just trying to live. I was living in Sherman Oaks, a kind of.
A
I don't know what that means.
B
I was living in a fancy, fancy spot.
A
Why?
B
It was with someone that I cared about and was a spiritual leader of mine.
A
Cult. They.
B
Some call it that. Yeah. Just someone who inspired and kind of helped me try to be rigorously honest.
A
Were they using you for your body?
B
My mind. They're using me for my mind.
A
And you never even told Lindsay about. This is so rare that Lindsay says I don't even know what he's talking about. This is impossible. Tell us more.
B
Yeah, I have a friend who back when we went in. This is a long time coming, but back when we went into lockdown, I found myself in some precarious situations with different mental issues and dependencies and different things I was dealing with.
A
Oh, I see it. Keep going. Ladies and gentlemen of financial, this is one of the most exciting moments in this channel's history. You know, I've been working on building all these educational tools, our budgeting app, all this crazy stuff over this past year, because that is where my passion is. We finally did it. And now we put it all into one program called Dollar Wise Central. You get the premium version of my budgeting app. You get the cookbook mailed to you and signed by me. You get to learn about debt, investing, budgeting, real estate, basic beginner stuff, and finance all the way to the advanced stuff. Collaborated by experts with the lowest refund rate in the industry for a reason. And guess what? You can try Dollar Wise for free until September 1st. If you are struggling or you want to learn more or you want to change your life in any way whatsoever like literal tens of thousands of people have done with our programs, go to Dollarwise.com click that link below. Your life will change. It'll be incredible. And I am here for you with an incredible support team that you can reach at any time. This is a no brainer. Dollarwise do. Let's go.
B
The only person that I knew who had dealt with similar things, I reached out and he has since then become a confidant, a manager, a supporter and someone that I kind of talked to earnestly and honestly about.
A
You moved in with.
B
Yes. Yes. Not the best decision.
A
And he did not use your holes.
B
No, he didn't.
A
Okay.
B
There was a chance. He wanted to.
A
Oh, see I very.
B
Polly smell this from the poly. I'm not one of them. But, but hold on.
A
Easy.
B
But he's.
A
He's not a racist show.
B
Yeah, but very. No, very much. That's not my vibe. But yeah, he's. He's a good human. A good human that I wanted to learn more and be more like though he's a manager.
A
So what was wrong with the move in though, if this equated to all this? What. What the.
B
I was working at a. I was working for YouTube and Google at the time. As. As a stage manager. For their former YouTube. No, no. For their productions. There was a brief moment where they tried to do their own originals.
A
Yes, yes. That was a. I thought that was a long time ago.
B
It was like two years ago. And then I basically was hired as a part of that. They started to cut down on their own production, saying wonderful creators can handle it on their own. And they kept us around for about a year just in case. And then they completely laid off all of the people in that kind of area and world. It's cool to go to the Howard Hughes hangar every day and get the Google facilities, but I was never a Googler. I was just.
A
Why was it bad to live with this person?
B
Because it was too expensive. It was too expensive.
A
Okay. You really loaded the fact that living with him was bad or something. So I gotcha. I gotcha.
B
He also had lived by himself for seven years, so it was. He was not used to having roommates. So it's. I became the dish man and the. The dish man. The clean.
A
You were his little boy.
B
I was the little boy.
A
Well, you look like everyone's Little boy. Yes, we get it. We got it.
B
I mean, if you want one, I'm here.
A
Nope. Absolutely not. I will kill myself. And what was your rent?
B
It was 2400amonth.
A
Yours?
B
Yeah. That one. Yeah, that one was crazy.
A
No, no, your cut was 2400.
B
The rent for the place was 2400, and then I paid 1400.
A
Oh, even still, that's crazy. That is.
B
And that was before utilities. Yeah.
A
What was your income? The same at that time when I.
B
Was working at Google. So there was about a year of when I was living there and I didn't have the job, but when I was working at Google, it was 76k a year was my salary.
A
And then they just closed it down.
B
And then they just shut down all of the vendors that were associated with.
A
That happens. It happens.
B
And I didn't have an emergency fund at the time and tried to figure out my.
A
When that just equals going into debt forever.
B
It was a problem.
A
That's what you started.
B
It was a. I.
A
It was only since November.
B
Yeah. I looked.
A
Were your finances good before that?
B
No. No. There was a lot of thinking, oh, Future Ivory will deal with this. Future. This is a Future Ivory problem.
A
That is what we named you. That is a weird name. Yeah. Doesn't even sound right. No.
B
Okay.
A
Okay. Okay. So pain bills today is literally just transferring onto other things.
B
Then it's. It's finding the means of, you know, donating mixed with other jobs, not.
A
You don't do blood plasma?
B
No, no, I haven't. I applied for plasma about two years ago, and I didn't get it. I was. I was drinking at that time, and I don't drink now, but maybe I should try again. But it's working. The day job.
A
Try drinking again or.
B
Yeah, try donating plasma and applying for that again. But yeah, they. The day job, the prop house mixed with the good gigs. We did reference the 30 gigs, but there's a lot of 700, 900 travel gigs. I was actually here about two months ago with some shows at south by Southwest and stuff, and those ones really do help out with rent.
A
Okay, so. Oh, yeah. Yeah, dude.
B
And yeah, so that was. I mean, from. From the. It was just the Arizona bank hack where I was. Yeah, because I basically, I opened the account in Arizona and then I had mine one in California. And then when I would try to make these things happen, I mean, you. You called it. But it's the swap between the two until I found a job or something to bring me back to zero. So I get a charge for 300, I go to negative 250 and then I have to bounce that between the two until I can find a job. Whether it's donating, whether it's working at a crazy out of town thing, or selling my body in musically, okay?
A
Oh, you're a tough one to be around.
B
You sound just like my father.
A
Yeah, he's never coming back, I promise. You just made an Austin Powers reference. The quirky millennial. Come here, man. Dude. Oh, you are. Oh my gosh. Okay, what do you think your financial score is 0 to 10, 0 being the worst, 10 being the best.
B
I'm gonna say a 1 just because we didn't talk.
A
Why are you so excited about this? You just had to say one. If you want to see where you're sting into the world of finances, take the financial score assessment@calebhammer.com or dollarwise.com and if you don't want to end up like a guest who comes on the show, make sure you download the dollar wise budget. Ruin my plug, I will murder you. I will end your entire life. I will make sure that you. There is no chance you even make it to the airport after this. You dumb little. If you don't want to be like a dumb, download the doll wise budgeting app, take the free trial, sign up for the annual version. You get your budgeting cookbook signed by me, mail directly to you, sign up for Dollar Central if you want all of our education bundled with it for 80% off dot com.
B
Sounds like a deal. I'm holding it back. I'm not playing any songs. They're in me. They're in me. You can, you can hear them if you think hard enough. But I'm not playing them. I want to make it to the airport.
A
Oh yeah. Yo, buddy, I don't even know, man. I just, you know, I'm a band kid. That's what I did. And wow, I don't like performative mother such as yourself, I'll tell you that. Fifteen hundred dollars on miscellaneous in the last month. Fifteen hundred dollars? What's your rent? Because you couldn't do a fourteen hundred dollar rent payment.
B
It's eight hundred now. Eight hundred.
A
Okay, then why the are you spending fifteen hundred on miscellaneous?
B
Well, the eight hundred is. It's all cash. The way I work it out with my person is eight. It's 800 cash.
A
No, you actual. Come on, don't be a dumb. Don't be stupid. Don't be a moron. You couldn't afford a fourteen hundred dollar rent payment, so you Downgraded now why the in the last month are you spending fifteen hundred dollars on miscellaneous bullsh.
B
You know it's the only way I know how to find joy in my life.
A
You just said the only way you can find joy was going out digging the low paying gigs.
B
I said the two ways. Those are the.
A
Well, choose one. You can spend more on miscellaneous bullshit if you actually go make some money by providing value to society or you can cut all your dumb three and go out and make no money doing your hobbies. Choose.
B
I want to make. I want to make the music good.
A
Then cut the dumb behavior. No more. I don't give a.
B
It's the only way I know how to feel good.
A
You just said the performance was. No, no, I told you I don't you damn dare. I said no. I will break it next time if you think that's a joke. I don't even care if a get any criticism for it. I will smash this on there. I will do it. And unfortunately it looks a little old, so I hope it doesn't mean anything, but if you can even try to play something, I'm gonna destroy it.
B
All right?
A
And that's. That's not a. I'm not joking.
B
Give me this.
A
Okay. What is a Moby loan?
B
A mobile loan? It was one of the loans that I got from a letter I when I applied on.
A
No, it came in via mail.
B
Yeah, it came in via mail. I had applied for some other options.
A
APR ranges from 73.7 to 405. What is this?
B
Yeah, it's a nightmare cash advance. It was after I got shut down from everything.
A
Oh, we need to shut you down, buddy. What the is this? You have one of that? You. Oh, what do you. Oh, oh.
B
If I pay it off immediately, it's 32yo.
A
3200 right now.
B
But then it's. But then. Yeah, it's also.
A
I know it goes up, obviously way up. But there's no chance of you affording 3200. It's at 141.75 address. What is your minimum monthly? No, it's a 210. 210 is your average outrage.
B
And that's every two weeks.
A
No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm talking about the interest rate. What's your minimum monthly payment? About $4,000 is your total fucking payment. 10,000 if you pay it off with minimums in no way. You can't do anything more than minimums.
B
I mean, that was the one place I was debating taking out from the retirement to just hit that in one fell swoop.
A
But it doesn't make any sense because you'll just do it again because that's all you do. Because you never fix your behavior that got here in the first place. Buddy, how much is your minimum monthly?
B
It's 420.
A
That's your monthly?
B
Yeah, it's two payments of two, two ten every two weeks that match my pay cycle.
A
This is insane. What kind of. Okay, when did you borrow this and for. So I know it was a part of that whole thing, but what did you use this for specifically?
B
I had other thing. I used it to pay off other loans. I had other loans kind of default on my account when I lost some jobs and we were cut back on our work. So I went extra negative in all of the accounts and mice tricks that had worked in the past did not work.
A
What tricks worked? Transferring back and forth over and over.
B
Yeah, the Transferring back and forth. It happened. And my. My family doesn't. My family doesn't support financially. So because of that, I tried to find a way that I could handle it myself. Felt like good.
A
I'm glad they don't enable you. Why would they enable such bullshit behavior and immaturity? Why would they. You think they should?
B
You know, I wouldn't. They. They. You know, I love my family dearly, and they'll give me food and they'll give me shelter if I ask for it, But I don't want to burden them with this. I want to be a. I want to be like. Just like how I want a family. I don't want them to have to worry.
A
Buddy, in what world could you possibly take care of a family?
B
Probably a good, like, Lord of the Rings kind of world where we're just like, giving bread.
A
You're obnoxious. Oh, you might be. Oh, there's a few. It happens. It happens once a quarter. Once a quarter. Not that I'm everyone's biggest fan, but once a quarter, I meet someone who I think is the. The guy I've hated the most in the history of this show. I don't think I like you. I don't think I like you. I like you. I don't think I like you. You're annoying. You. Your personality. Your existence is bad. Your. Your existence is bad. Oh, I'm gonna be a piece of this episode because I do not like you. And I am incapable of hiding my emotions. I'm incapable. It is one of my biggest flaws. One of my biggest flaws by far. Okay. And then you were denied by upstart for serial delinquency I had applied for.
B
I already had one loan with them, so I'd applied for a second one. And yeah, when the mobile loans came through, that was to fight the serial delinquency because I couldn't make two payments that I was struggling with.
A
Oh, man, have you been making your payments on? This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. Between two factor authentication, strong passwords, and a VPN, you try to be in control of how your info is protected. But many other places also have it, and they might not be as careful. That's why LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast for 40% off. Terms apply.
B
Yes.
A
Really? How?
B
I mean, working the 8 to 5 and then getting up early and donating and then playing whatever. Show those you're doing.
A
Morning Nuts.
B
Morning Nuts. They open at 7am I'm more of an evening nut. I.
A
That's okay. I don't know if I could pull it off myself now that I'm 30.
B
Unfortunately, but just works, you know, whenever, wherever.
A
Well, it's not true. That's not true at all.
B
It's true. 48 hours. You got to wait that and drink plenty of water.
A
True. Okay. Okay. So do you go every 48?
B
Not every week, especially.
A
Because why though? If you're willing to do it, why not take full advantage?
B
Just because when I have the good paying shows that come in, the 300 to 700 types, that'll keep me out until about 12 or 1am Good.
A
Wake up. And not.
B
It's then the Nuts not as pure.
A
Doesn't matter. They give you the money.
B
That. That is. That is. I'll consider that.
A
I just need you to make money because this is insane, buddy. This is insane. We're talking 25000 a year just to literally jack off. And that's my. That's my passion.
B
It's a decent passion.
A
Okay. I have Empower slash Tilt.
B
Yeah, they just switched over to the name Tilt from Empower, but it is a banking app that basically links with your bank account, watches what you get paid regularly, and then will cash advance you towards your paycheck.
A
Crazy. This is crazy. That's why. That's why I advocate for the Fizz card because it only lets you spend what's in your checking account. So it's basically a debit card that builds credit. That's what I advocate for. This is madness. This is madness. And you owe 309. Repaid. Zero. Shocker. Oh, but you have to pay the full thing.
B
Yes, you pay. They give you $300, and then you pay back 309.
A
What a deal. Okay, so when do you have to pay it back? Oh, so it happens every month that you have to pay. And what happens if you don't? Do you.
B
Yeah, yeah, it happens every month, and it really happens actually every two weeks.
A
So they just have unlimited money. They just get unlimited 9, 18 bucks from you forever.
B
It's.
A
You're on a subscription to them forever. Because the moment you pay this back, you need it.
B
Yeah, yeah. And then in.
A
Oh, my goodness. Oh, can someone please take my morals away from me so I can just start one of these companies? Because this is incredible money. Incredible money for nothing.
B
Yeah. It. It tracks itself or markets as a way to track your spending and to work with how to see where it's going. And. And it actually does the breakdowns. And that's where I got my general ideas of what was happening, because a lot of those on that list are in a similar vein.
A
Dude, I don't even know, man. I don't even know, man. Yeah, And I'm being told you figured out how to scam the AI assistant to get more time to pay things off.
B
Yeah. Well, all of them basically use AI assistance for whenever you need support or whatnot. So on one of the previous times, when I did. When I did have a hard time to make that payment or to get it taken care of, I went in and asked for an extension. And then I found out that if you say that you can't make it in the next two weeks, the AI assistant basically says, all right, when can you make it? And it'll give you about a month. So I've done that a handful of times where I try to just extend the time. So instead of not 18 bucks of profit going to them, it's nine bucks of profit.
A
Dude, I don't know, man. And you think you're doing something good. You think you're making progress. You think you're being effective in life with that? All the time and energy you spend on that, buddy, it's just like, what is your hourly at this?
B
8 to 5 at $20 an hour.
A
Do you have a degree?
B
Yes, Jazz piano performance and a business minor.
A
As someone who went. What? Business minor. Shocker. As someone who went to school for a relatively similar thing. What a worthless degree. But you can leverage. You could. You could take the Fact that you had a degree, became a well rounded student and graduated, get some work experience, leverage that into a career position. At some point you decided not to.
B
Clearly that was never an option. In my brain it seemed kind of just like chasing the dream and following following. I've been a yes man to whatever project comes towards me. I've had a lot of friends blow up and go off to bigger, better careers with their performance, whether it be on watch. Like, like one of the things I worked with a lot was playing music behind Dungeons and Dragons games. And a lot of those people now are working on big networks as D and D players or game show contestants, things of that nature. And hoping, you know, I would like, I'd hope for that to be something. To be a piano player at one of those fun kind of live show networks.
A
Play Breaking Point again.
B
I, I added some chords on the end because I didn't memorize the whole thing. I just memorized that motif.
A
So all your friends became successful and now the thing you've done at the highlight of your career is play a song that someone else wrote while they were in college for a student project poorly on their own show.
B
I thought it was well done.
A
Maybe it's time to go into a career.
B
There's a lot of music careers. You can make really bad music or.
A
You can go do a career work in a call center, man. It's more effective.
B
Yeah. You had asked earlier about things to pursue other options and the biggest one that also kind of pertains was going back to school for music therapy.
A
Oh, you know where your money goes? I just learned smuggling in illegal cigarettes into California.
B
Yeah, they made menthol cigarettes illegal about a year and a half ago. They lumped them in with the flavored. With the flavored vapes that the kids smoke. And there's just. That's the one last thing that I have on my vices.
A
Your bank might not be your friend. I see so many people on financial audit get stuck in vicious cycles of paying off late fees, overdraft fees and interest from their own bank. Which is why I'm excited about Current. Current isn't a bank. It's better with Current. Your money actually works for you. Qualifying members can get up to $750 with Paycheck advance fee free overdraft covers when you accidentally go a little over. And you can use the build card to actually grow your credit. No credit, check no interest, earn up to 4% APY in savings pods and access 40,000 plus ATMs without fees and get 24.7live support. It's not just banking. It's banking that actually has your back. Join millions choosing better banking. Go to current.com hammer and use code caleb50 to get $50. Start building, saving and breathing easy. See their website for terms and conditions. The thing is that is the third time you've used essentially the similar excuse for smoking, for continuing your evening, low paying music and for going in miscellaneous bullshit. It's basically the third thing. It's like it's the last thing I have. It's the one thing I have. There's nothing else I have. Pick something, buddy.
B
Yeah. Living day by day, trying to take it each day by day has just been hard to kind of see farther than that. Especially with the debts that have been.
A
Are you at a pack a day?
B
I'm a little bit less my.
A
A little bit less than a pack.
B
About 16 a day.
A
That's insane. Insanity. Do you not know how insanity that is? That is disgusting.
B
It makes me and horrible. I mean it seems like less years where I don't have to file extensions.
A
That is true. Less years that I have to allow you on the follow up channel. That is true. So that's essentially. Yeah, it's 1750. Pack of cigarettes is 1750. But what about the smuggling? Or is that what it costs?
B
That's. That's what it cost me.
A
So 1750 a day is your subscription to lung cancer. Basically you've subscribed to lung cancer for 1750 a day. 365 days a year. Okay, that is 6300. That's insane. That is insane. That is two. That is like. That's two months of your income goes to cigarettes a year. Two months of your income goes to siggies till future lung cancer to just.
B
And it goes to feeling so, so good.
A
No, it goes to you looking older than 35 because you smoke.
B
I mean, I got the Botox before I came on. I thought it would look better.
A
Dustin, you got lines on that forehead like crazy. That botox is not working, my dude.
B
Oh, and I did come with a big ass pimple on my forehead too. I don't know.
A
Does Botox do anything about that? I don't know, but it ain't working. Okay, so I'm not gonna write down the three or nine as a deck because I mean like you can just pay it off and it's done and you're required to pay it off, but it's. Because it's not a minimum. Well, okay, I'll write it down. Okay, so he owes 309 but the minimum payment is just paying off. So I'm not going to add that into the minimums. So you just got to pay it and it's done. So one time. Listen, and if you ever decide you want to grow up and get a real job, I'll get you a course career certification anyway. Okay? Course careers. To try to get into something, I'll get you like an accountant certification, a trade certification. Something to just get your butt in the door and start making money. Okay. So we don't even have statements. These are just written down on paper.
B
Yeah.
A
Why?
B
Those ones are apps that don't present statements similar to the earn.
A
In apps, people usually give screenshots and I'm pretty sure upstart has statements. We've received many upstart statements in our. In our time, have we not? Yes, yes.
B
But you know, I. It's a pretty chunky stack. I think we.
A
We extended some grace. We extended some grace.
B
I had never seen my credit report before, but it was 52 pages. There's quite a lot. It seemed like a lot for a report of credit.
A
So earning the O.300 and then you owe that 300 immediately. Right. It's the same type of thing that one. So we'll add it to the debt.
B
There's no AI extension on that one. So that one is every two weeks.
A
Buddy. I don't even understand you man.
B
Found the ways I could make it work without asking friends or family for money. This is the easiest thing to do without troubling them and not being a burden on them.
A
So $300 turning and how frequently are you using that? I mean, you started using it since 2018, which is right when the app started. Like literally when the app started, you downloaded it and you just can started going crazy.
B
Yeah. I also get ads for it whenever I watch this show, which is crazy.
A
Really?
B
Yeah.
A
That's interesting.
B
Yeah.
A
And then not a sponsor, but it's a.
B
A.
A
It's a ad.
B
Yeah, it's interesting and that. But then with that. Yeah, it. They used to rise.
A
Actually I should be clear. I have to notate the same with consolidations and a lot of other things. 0% credit cards. It is. Okay. There. There are ways to actually utilize a tool like this. But I. Every single person obviously on this show does not know how to use it. They get abused by it. They abuse it and they give. There are ways to finesse. You were just using it incorrectly. But go ahead, keep going.
B
I was just going to say that when the. When the layoff that I previously previously spoken about happened. I had actually used those loans to pay off all of these in one giant lump sum. But then once I had no work or nothing promised, I had a very weird job for a minute, but it wasn't very good paying. And that one, that was when I paid them off. But then with the layoffs, it kind of ended up making me go back to them and not utilizing them correctly, Thinking I would get paid for something and then losing it.
A
Okay, what is this? H Cast express? This is 769% interest rate. Is that a payday loan?
B
Yes, it's a payday loan.
A
That's a payday loan. What are we doing, dude? Just so you can have your menthols. What a disgusting joke.
B
Menthols and paying off my other bills?
A
No, it's menthols because you'd be able to pay off your other bills if you didn't have a $6,000 a year subscription to menthols.
B
That was one that I just found and it was accessible.
A
How do you even do this import? What is this? This is menthols.
B
I basically, in my days when I was partying a lot, I would. I would support. I basically put a smoke shop lady's son through college because I paid so much for different things back in the past from her. And so her little payoff to me is that she brings them across the border and then charges a little bit. The Nevada border or the. The Ohio border, you can't get.
A
She sells menthols under the table.
B
Yes.
A
That is wild. I love how we always create industries by band.
B
And I think it's worth noting that I. When I was still working at that YouTube spot, there was a guy who would leave his business cards around because he sells Menthols for 25 a pack in California and he'll only sell a minimum of two.
A
What's good about it? It says minty, right?
B
They're minty. Yeah, it's minty. And just some of them have more nicotine in them.
A
You're paying a premium for for that.
B
Shuts down my brain a little bit quicker than the others. Plus, I don't like the taste of normal cigarettes. I only like the one good quit. They taste like what I. I brought my. I brought my lozenges and my gum today because I am trying to shift down and counting how much I do daily and then also adding in alternatives.
A
Why is your life so performative? So weird?
B
Yeah, it's funny because it's not me trying to have a voice as Much as it's me trying to be the sprinkles on all the other artistic cupcakes that I'm surrounded by, it's always felt.
A
Like, what the are you talking about?
B
Well, so being performative, it's always. I'm assisting the talent. I'm assisting the thing. Whether I was working production or whether I'm playing piano, it's never my name on the marquee.
A
Still isn't. Literally. You played three things on today's show. Two of them were one song that I made as a literal school assignment in college.
B
And it was a brilliant song.
A
It's fine. It was too long. I should have cut about two minutes from it.
B
The comments of it said that it was one of the hardest songs they've ever played too, which I thought was really cool.
A
It is.
B
But yeah, it's. You know, it's. It's finding that. Finding that voice. That's something that I've been trying to explore over.
A
Also, I'm gonna have to. And link it because he did not give it a good representation, I'll tell you that.
B
Yeah.
A
That to be my legacy.
B
They. I mean, I can do it again if you want.
A
No, no, no.
B
But yeah. Trying to find. I mean, trying to find confidence in myself if this is. You know, all of these things are decisions I tried to make to step forward and be my own person without asking other people for help, without trying to trouble my family, my friends.
A
So instead you trouble me. Wonderful. $255 owed to Ace. Now, is there a minimum monthly payment with that?
B
That's also a. Or that's the payday loan.
A
What's the.
B
So it's 255 given to you and then 300 is paid back over the course of when, a month? Yes.
A
So every time.
B
Yes.
A
And you just repeat it.
B
Yes.
A
You do it. Monthly 769 interest. Oh, Caleb. Get rid of your morals. Get rid of your morals. Go make an infinite amount of money. There's so many dumb out there that will give you an infinite amount of money. Oh, just abuse them. Oh, what the. Why can't. Oh, I'm a Gooner Prime. I'm a Gooner Prime. Why can't I also just be a piece of that milk Society?
B
We can work together on a theme song for that company.
A
I was trying to have a moment with myself pretending you weren't here.
B
Gunar Prime.
A
Oh, dude, you don't. You don't even know how close I am. You don't even know.
B
We can go to the. To the Sperm clinic. If you're that close.
A
Oh, I do not like you audience. I do not like him. Shut the up. Seriously. Seriously. Seriously. I don't. You what? Hey. Hey. You little. Why are you here? Why am I spending my time with you?
B
Because I don't know where to turn anymore and I. I am screwed. I'm screwed.
A
Doesn't matter. Your skin's turning yellow from all the you do to your body. So you're not going to be here long anyway.
B
Yeah, I want to. I want to get out of it. I want to get out of it at with out going 40 years or whatnot. Paying the super big 10,000amounts on them without cashing out my retirement and with building an emergency fund because I'd like to have a dog. I'd like to have a family. I haven't dated in forever because of the self hatred that is present.
A
Oh my God, he's a horrible human. You are the person that nobody wants to be around. You are the person that nobody wants to be around. And I am forced to be for my job. And I have the best job in the world. Why am I complaining about it? Because it's miserable right now. Oh, is anyone Even watching this? 2,163 owed to Upstart for what, what and why? And give me more details.
B
Yeah, that was the $2,000 loan that came a while back to help with like the time when I was in the layoff. Yeah, I get a weird self confidence or a weird feeling of myself whenever I'm in, whenever I have debt or whenever I have a negative bank account and can't really do anything or go anywhere because it feels like you have to spend money to make music or to do any of this stuff to even go to your day job.
A
How much did you even spend on a stupid little piano thing like that? What are you wasting your money on just so you can be cute on camera?
B
Oh, this one. I mean this is actually gifted to me, but it's only about 30 bucks.
A
Gifted by who?
B
One of the groups I work with because I work with. I also coach and teach several different groups. Like improv.
A
Why didn't you buy yourself?
B
I mean, I have another one that I did by myself. It's rainbow colored.
A
So this one's sentimental.
B
No, I mean not, not, not, not too much. It's pretty. It's just a good easy thing to take on a plane that I don't have to check when I put in my bag.
A
Okay, okay. The way you're spending money on things, I'm glad you at least didn't spend money on that because I just don't understand what you're trying to do. So the upstart is 2,163. Tell me, what's your minimum monthly payment for that one?
B
It's $54.
A
$250 every what? Every what?
B
No. $54.
A
$254.
B
Yeah, once a month.
A
Okay, so $54 once a month. What is the interest rate on this? I hate this episode. I hate this episode. I hate this this episode. I'm buying him a new one because I'm not a piece of. But I had to confirm it wasn't sent a mental first. I hate this episode.
B
I want to see that happen with the labubu.
A
Oh, trust me, I'm burning that thing. Okay, so you. You were 54 hours a month upstart. When did you take that out? Did you already answer that question?
B
No, I didn't answer with the date. No, that one I took out in. That was October.
A
And what was it for? Because that's before your November crash out. Yeah, I actually do feel better.
B
That one was to kind of help just with the moving out and moving around expenses to help me pay off all the other monthly things that had been tabulated up.
A
Okay. Oh, dude, you have a credit one.
B
I have two credit ones.
A
Two credit ones. It's like the worst credit cards you can get. That means you're in the worst position you could ever possibly be in.
B
Yeah, that happened after I went through the debt relief program. They were the only credit card that would give me any sort of card.
A
Of course, because they make an infinite amount of money off of you. They got to pay for their stadium in Vegas somehow.
B
I didn't know that they have a stadium in Vegas. That's hilarious. Are they the sphere?
A
It's not a stadium, is it?
B
I thought. I thought it is. I don't know.
A
It's a venue credit one. Okay. Certainly not paid off every month, I'll tell you that. Not purchasing. Oh, it's because it's over the credit limit by 86. It's over the credit limit by about 25%.
B
I've been paying the minimum. But that doesn't bring it down to the even that limit.
A
No, it doesn't. Cuz you went well be of. And you know why? Because there's, you know, late fees. You dumb. If you pay the minimum, but it's a late. And then a late fee comes on. You're right. It doesn't go below. Oh, weird little Bit. Wait, let me. Let me check that math one more time. Oh, true. I'm correct. Who would have thought you. You think you go and you pay late your minimums. It's gonna go down.
B
You.
A
You dumb piece of. How the do you even say. Oh and look at me. I'm paying my minimums, guys. I'm paying my minimums. This is you every morning. I paid my minimums. Oh my goodness. And that's gonna make it go down. Oh, but I pay a leaf. You. Why would you even set it up with. I pay my minimums and it's not going on. You. No, that's not going down. You dumb. Actual.
B
Yeah, 7:15am I'm always jerking it like that. But that is. You know that. That the credit one is the one that I've dropped the ball on that one. I kind of got it all by.
A
By three months now. You've been late. You've actual dumb. Why do you exist on the same planet as me? Why am I not entitled to being around better humans? I've never been one to be entitled. I talk against entitlement all the time, but this is the first entitlement I will grab and it is. I am entitled to not have to deal with pieces of. Oh, I hate this. Okay.
B
It's. You know that. That card. I just. I kind of hate the company and it was done out of spite for a little bit.
A
That doesn't make sense. They're making more money off of you dumb. You benefited them, you actual dumb creature.
B
Well, now that I know there's.
A
Shut the up. I don't even give a class action Lizard. What.
B
There's a. There's a class action lawsuit going against Credit one right now too, for the predatory tactics.
A
I'm sure there is. And who even knows it will actually work. Class action doesn't mean it succeeded.
B
Yeah, it got me inspired. It just made me feel better.
A
Are you part of it?
B
Yes. I signed up with their. I signed up with the website. I found it through. It was like Washington Post had done a post about it.
A
It's interesting. I'm curious to see where that goes, but I don't know. You opened this in 2019. Like if it was fully taken advantage of you predatory things, then you would have paid it off at least a couple years ago when I said you're above the credit limit. Like a dumb.
B
Yeah, I paid it off when I took out the big. There's another fund that you're going to get to that I haven't. That we haven't Dealt with. And that one, I actually paid it off and then had to. I used it as an emergency card for those emergency menthols.
A
Hundreds of dollars of fees and interest from that card alone this year. Normally a $30 minimum payment right now is 90 because he's late the past few months. I have to make it to the end of this and actually give you a budget because I know you actually want help. You're just. It's. It's your. It's. It's your personality that is performative and quirky. Millennial. And I hate it. So I know you're genuine. And that's why I'm going to do this though.
B
Trying to stay positive and grateful.
A
No, buddy, you look like someone who's been HIV positive for the last 10 years.
B
Go survival.
A
$557.05. You're what happens before they invented prep.
B
Is that something you do in Excel?
A
Okay. Another late fee.
B
Why? For the credit one. I honestly had lost track of it.
A
What did you lose track of? You can have automatic payments on. What do you mean I lost track?
B
Well, so everything kind of turns into a day by day payment with. With all the funds and the mixing between of these different kind of one off cash advance loans that link up with the account like the Tilt or the earning or the Clio that's going to come up and with those different ones, I get to a place where I take care of some of them and then didn't take care of. Didn't take care of things like credit one like I should have.
A
Okay. Yeah. That's crazy. Late fees, like madness. Hundreds of dollars interest. Late fees. 28% interest over the limit. You owe $557.05. The limit is 500. The minimum payment is normally 30. Right now it's 60 because you've been late by a month. Cast Central Payday loan. People don't even call themselves payday loans anymore. This is when you know you've gone to the bottom of the barrel.
B
That one was through an email.
A
So you got an email and you signed up?
B
Yes.
A
Oh, you creature. When? Where? Why? How? Why?
B
That one was about last year February. I.
A
Last year February. So don't tell me you got this in November of last year. It was a last year February. You.
B
Well, that one. Yeah, that one. I mean, that one was kind of. I didn't want to use any of the other ones I had used before. And then when I read reviews online, that one was a little bit better than Ace or Speedy or the other ones that are.
A
If you're taking out a singular payday loan. That's bad. There is no good payday loan. You can finesse a lot of things. The pay advance. You can even kind of finesse here and there. Payday loan. I can't think of a way to finesse that.
B
Yeah, it made. I mean, the $45 or the. Yeah, the $45 charge made sense when I had good jobs on the books that seem like I'd be able to pay them forward, treating it as a cash advance. But I've had a lot of jobs fall through or.
A
I don't know. So you still owe 290 and you took it out. Well, it's because you just do it every month, don't you? It's one of those. So promo code brought it down. $9.
B
Yes.
A
Cash central. Okay. It looks like you owe $290.38. Again, not gonna put it in the minimum because you just got to pay it once and it's done. But you just. You're just in this cycle where you're just using one to pay for the other and to pay for another. To pay for another, to pay for another.
B
That's like, the main reason I wanted to come here, because it's kind of felt like a brick wall. I first thought I was taking care of it myself, and then it just is completely without a paddle.
A
This is just crazy, man. Oh, my gosh. I can't believe this is even more going. This one's out of Las Vegas. 188.86 interest rate. I'm not even, like, surprised anymore. Okay, here we go. 36.76amonth? No. Every other week. Okay, so it's. I mean, it's just two monthly payments, and then it's done. You borrowed 125 for what? Literally 125. $124. I'm not $125. I'm not saying it's an insignificant amount of money, but when it comes to, like, everything, it shouldn't be make or break a life. And you had to borrow that at 188.86 interest. What. What happened?
B
I needed gas. I needed food.
A
And.
B
Yeah, I. Getting around in my RAV4. Getting from the gigs, the west side. I mean, I drive probably about. I drive probably about, like, way too much.
A
It makes it. That's an interesting number. But it. That makes it so that Obviously, obviously, then these gigs are just not work. It worth it because you're not even getting paid what you're using to travel. This is not working worth it, man. You gotta stop, join community bands and, and just call it there, buddy. This is not working. This isn't working. I don't know if your networking's flawed or if your skills are flawed, but something's flawed.
B
Yeah, I want to play. There's. There's things that I want to still play, but then I think there are a lot that they are starting to look a little lame and it's not worth it to go down to Hollywood and do, you know, six hours for 30 bucks maybe.
A
Go with the wind. Go with the wind. You just said all of the market there is moving out anyway. They're going to Tax advantage locations, they're going to London, they're going to Georgia, they're going to Vancouver before they're leaving. Even Texas just passed the massive subsidy and encouragement for film organizations. And maybe they'll come here.
B
Yeah, I've heard of some things here, but then it's actually. Yeah, because with that, when I. Before I moved back home or back to my home state, there was. I was actually surviving California.
A
Oh, wait, where'd you. Wait, where were you?
B
I was in Arizona.
A
Why?
B
Because I went to Arizona State.
A
Oh, yeah, okay. Sorry.
B
That's where I studied music. And then after I got out of school, you know, the networking was kind of pre built from school and it was very easy to make a living just doing the music. Prostitute live.
A
Ever thought your tax return felt like a courtroom drama and you're the defendant? Well, what if I told you you could turn that chaotic vision into a full blown cinematic masterpiece? With Today's sponsor, InVideo AI now you can. InVideo is the only AI video creator that turns your wildest ideas into actual full length videos, not just random clips. We are talking beautiful hyper realistic videos. And it all starts with a simple text prompt. Literally, all you need to do is tell it your idea. Make a one minute video as if your tax return is a dramatic courtroom trial and you're losing. And then boom, your video is ready within a few minutes. You sit there palms sweaty as the prosecution presents, filled with echoes of legal jargon and shuffling papers, a damning case against your financial decisions. Want to tweak it? All you have to do is type in start the video with the mysterious spin or even make it funnier.
B
Imagine your tax return on trial and you're losing.
A
You can even clone your own voice and have it narrate. That's it. No timeline, no editing degree required. You're not just creating content, you are Directing it. So if you've got a vision but don't want to get bogged down in the process, try InVideo AI for free using the link in my description below and start turning your ideas into stunning videos today. This will save you hundreds on editing, animation, and studio fees. All right, let's get back to today's episode. Well, then it should have been able to be maintained if it was that easy in Arizona.
B
Yes. But then I was kind of enticed.
A
Arizona, I don't know.
B
It's kind of hot there.
A
It is. That's why I would never.
B
It's pretty. It's pretty toasty.
A
I would never.
B
And the rent was super cheap. It was 475.
A
Brandon, I would never. He's giving me a look. He lived in Arizona for a long time. Why the would I live in the middle of the desert? Not near any coast you're not getting in a benefit. At least Vegas, you can drive to LA in three hours.
B
There's Philibertos in Arizona.
A
I'm not gonna drive for six hours to go to LA from Arizona.
B
Phoenix, I mean, after I moved back, I was also playing casinos.
A
Urban sprawl doesn't even. It's not even walkable. It's just suburbia forever. Yeah, this is depression. And stick a barrel in my mouth immediately.
B
They have a lot of casino.
A
Last city I would consider moving to.
B
Yeah, they have a lot of well paying casinos there too, that also work out well. Which were good for the music gigs. Those ones usually pay 300 to 500.
A
Okay. So this gets paid off in two months, but then you probably just. Just take it again and we'll find out. Okay. Money Line. We've seen Money Line before. Okay, what's going on?
B
So with Money Line, it was a credit builder loan, one of those ones where once you have an account with them, they give you a certain amount of money. And then as you pay that off bi weekly, I believe in $35 increments, it reflects on your credit building.
A
Yeah, but it's at a 23.99 interest rate. This is not a generous program.
B
And then once you get to the amount, like if they give you 800 bucks, then once you pay off 600, they hold 200 in a reserve that's unlocked. Once you've made those good payments.
A
Okay. Your monthly payment comes out to $78.48.
B
Every two weeks. With the. With the paycheck.
A
No, that's. That's your monthly. Because I added your bi weekly payments. But it's at a 23.99% interest rate, it is not beneficial to you. This is making money. This is making money forever.
B
After I did the, the first debt relief, my credit was real low. So it's kind of come up much higher than it was then, which feels better. But still don't have a lot of options in building or getting funds whenever.
A
There's a different thing.
B
This Moneyline Instacash that is similar to. Yes, that's through the same thing, through the same app. But it's.
A
But it's a different thing.
B
Yeah, similar to.
A
What do you owe to this?
B
That one? I owe about $800.
A
What's your minimum?
B
The minimum, it's a, it's a one time payment.
A
So this is back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And you pay a fee for it every time, huh?
B
Yeah, it forwards you 760, but then you pay back 808.
A
Oh, you creature. These companies, man, These companies. But listen, listen. Yeah, these companies are evil. But look at this guy. Look at the life choices he's made. He's actively decided to go do these and not cut back on his wants in order to. Even while doing his nothing. His nothing income. Hobbies like this is all on him. He signed up for the rent. I don't have sympathy for that. He signed up for the expensive rent, inexpensive area because he wanted to be with his cult leader. I. This is like. Normally I'm vehemently against these companies, but it's not even their fault. You just did this. Well, where you just kept going.
B
But where else would someone go then the market though, with that?
A
I mean, your market, buddy, you could get a job paying better than 20 an hour.
B
I mean, Costco right now is at 30 an hour.
A
Oh, oh, he solved it.
B
So that was actually a pretty opportune thing.
A
There it is. And you get a hot dog on the way out, buddy. It's the prime life.
B
I'm more of a chicken roll guy, but I'm down with that.
A
False.
B
That's trash. Yeah, I mean it is, you know, it's. It's to do the art. I mean, because that's the one thing with working where I'm at right now. I was working production and was making good money from that because those days would be like 250 a day for the short, for the short three month contract or whatever it is. But now I'm working at a more corporate entity that utilizes like vacation hours and has a job at Costco.
A
Then go get a job at a second Costco. And then a third Costco. Go get a million Costco. Like jobs. Costco on repeat. Give up your stupid passions that are not working.
B
Or Trader Joe's.
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
B
It's another payday loan.
A
Oh, it sure is. At 230.04% interest. This is insane. Oh, my goodness. Are you making history? Is this the. Is this the most amount of payday loans we've had? It is. Oh, I'm gonna murder you.
B
Can't break my face because it's already broken. Yeah, it says that. She sounded like my mom now.
A
Okay, so $225 for advanced America. Very patriotic.
B
Gotta support America. And two.
A
Well, you're draining it.
B
Yeah. Two of these four payday loans, by the way, do still have an option that you can once a year go for a payment plan. Doing four payments. There's. I don't think we've gone over it yet, but Speedy Cash and Cash Central do not offer that program. But Advanced American Ace Cash do offer that.
A
Are you gonna do it? I don't know. Because they. Look, you just have to make the full payment and then borrow it again. It's just endless repeat.
B
Yeah, it's. I mean, I was looking at the. I think it's called the popcorn method. My friend, who has been in a similar struggle, told me to pay it off and then take less. And then pay it off and then take less.
A
Personality is insane, by the way. Not with what he was just doing right there, but with the brown ba ba and everything. This is an ultimate. Now that we know how bad this is and how this is more payday loans than anyone's ever had in the history of the show. You are cope performing and trying to be interesting and trying to be entertaining and trying to be funny because you're just coping through your life because it's nothing but misery and despair. Because there is nothing here. There is nothing here. Upside for you, your hobbies, your passions are not working. You're a failure at that. You're taking out more payday loans than anyone in the history of the show. That features all the worst finances you could possibly imagine. You have nothing. So your little goofs and gaffes and your performative nature, it's just a massive cope.
B
It. It. You know, I gotta find happiness somehow, because otherwise the hopelessness just kind of takes over.
A
But unfortunately, your desire and quirkiness to try to find happiness drains everyone else around you of happiness. You just don't know that yet, because people aren't normally candid enough to tell it to your face. Luckily I have the show as an excuse to do so. Okay. Speedy cash.
B
That one's just the payday loan. Three just the payday loan number four 255 and you get a payback 300.
A
Hammer loans, ladies and gentlemen. Hammer loans. I swear. I swear. Just let. Just. I need to let myself be just a horrible person and I will make all the money.
B
I liked the other name but.
A
Huh?
B
I said I liked the other name. Gooner Prime. I thought that was a fun.
A
That's like an energy drink, buddy.
B
Okay. Energy that gets you funds.
A
Okay.
B
Wow.
A
We're actually to a traditional credit card who I. No, wait. No we're not.
B
Nope.
A
It's a car title on a car title loan.
B
Yes.
A
What the is wrong with you? Why?
B
I had two. I had two Priuses before that had completely died. And after that happened I got this.
A
Car but then knew he was gay.
B
I used up all of my. I used up all of my savings to kind of get to this car. And so after that I. I still had these other loans that were sticking around and I had this all amassed together. And then that was when I thought if I take out the one I could have a. A. I could have a debt consolidation type payment with the car title loan. But then that all fell apart with the layoffs.
A
Yeah, it sucks. Sucks. I mean you owe over what your limit even is on this. It's kind of crazy. I'm sure you were late, right? Actually you owe the full thing.
B
I haven't been late on this one.
A
How are you over what you're literally able to borrow them. That doesn't make sense.
B
Well, they gave me. I mean I think it's the interest with it. They gave me the 10k or that it was like 115 with that one.
A
Because it was first the previous pounds was 448 and then it went up to 756.
B
Yeah, well they. They. I re loaned when I was.
A
Oh man. That's insane. That's insane. Okay. $756.84 is owed.
B
Yeah, we lost a couple months of work. We lost January and February due to the fires. The. The places I was working with that.
A
Another reason to move.
B
Yeah, that was the way we couldn't. I didn't know where else to go.
A
It's crazy, man. Yeah. 30% interest on that piece of. Oh one main financial. We've seen her. We love her. Here she is. That was the same one that we already saw.
B
Yeah, that was the one. This is all one main. What the past Two pages you just threw.
A
Well, but this balance is substantially higher.
B
Oh, then that must have been the real loan. There's only one. I only have one loan with one main. It. It was reloned where I got the 10k and then they brought it up to 11. They gave me 500 on top of that.
A
Oh, so you o. Owe a total of 12,456.
B
Yes. Oh.
A
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. So first national is a part of that?
B
No, First National.
A
Wait, what's the one? Maintenance.
B
So this. So this is the. So we've got mixed up. That was.
A
I thought that was First National.
B
Oh, I thought you threw one main page. I thought.
A
I haven't seen one main.
B
Okay, I thought my bad.
A
This is a new death.
B
I done screwed it up. No, so for. I was mixing it up then. The first national is a cash advance.
A
That they see against the $12,456.56.
B
Yeah. Yeah.
A
This is the car title.
B
Yeah.
A
Oh, oh, okay. Your monthly payment of which I'm sure you don't make is $446.
B
I do make it. I haven't missed that one. Borrowing all this in months and jizzing in cups in months. Yeah, that one I make. It's in. It's twice a month every time with the pay cycle.
A
35.49% interest rate is crazy.
B
I. I kind of.
A
That is crazy.
B
I didn't know any other options. I didn't know where else to turn. And then that was like one of the career things. I have a value.
A
A career.
B
How do I afford school?
A
I don't give a sh. About. Wait, you took this on when as Arizona State.
B
No, no, I said how do I like go for a career? Yes, a career would be a great idea.
A
Can be a career.
B
Yeah, the. I mean, I don't have many things that are assets to me. When we were talking about it before I came on here, not a cool things. I mean, I have one like. Like cool Batman artwork, but it's not worth much at all.
A
I don't like you.
B
You don't like Alex Ross.
A
And then a pawn shop that.
B
Yes.
A
Two things there you owe a pawn shop that.
B
Yes.
A
What?
B
It's my fender roads. It's a offender keyboard.
A
Oh, okay.
B
So it's a. It's a keyboard that instead of strings it uses tine bells.
A
You have pawn chaplains. That's also a first time in the show history.
B
Yeah, it's got.
A
This is sad. This is becoming just sad. Oh, okay. So how did. Go ahead and walk us through. If I'm not mistaken, you give it to them, they give you money, but you have to give them more money to get it back, right?
B
Yeah, so. So they gave me a 400 loan when I lent over my keyboard and tube amp. And then six months down the road you pay 435 to get it back.
A
Six months.
B
If they, they actually changed it, it was six months last year because I've not the first time I've done it. This year it's down to four months. But you can also go in and pay that 35 interest if you can't pay the full amount on time. So you go in, if you can't pay 435, you pay 35 bucks and then you have another four months to either get the full amount.
A
Oh my goodness, what a racket. Dude, you've fallen into every trap. The only trap I don't know is like, just like. What is it called when you. Loan shark?
B
I haven't done those recently. I did those back in my early 20s. In my early 20s.
A
Tell me. You have to tell me, tell me.
B
Yeah, I mean, I did one of those. Like they gave me. I was working at a $5 store on Hollywood Boulevard where I had a regular, a regular paycheck and I was very performative there. I was the mc, but with that I was into some dastardly kind of things and partying a lot. And from there they would give you $1,500 and then if I remember correctly, it was about 6,000% interest. So in total you would pay back about $24,000. You get 15,000 by when who gave this to you?
A
Not name, but like just a person that would come up.
B
It was. Yeah, it was like a Google search. I thought they've been outlawed because those are the one things that I try to look and not fall into. I mean, I have some pretty bad interest. Percent on the mobile loans is the closest to that. But on the other side of that, the loan, the shark loans, I've always, I was always told they were called shark loans, but those ones, yeah, they would be upwards of.
A
No, I mean like the shady dude at a bar that'll give you money if you don't pay it back. He'll literally break your knees.
B
Oh, no. This was like a Google. This was like.
A
Actually, that's still insane. Yeah, through my last time you took.
B
One of those out when I was 20, so 13 years ago.
A
She's 22. Yeah, 22.
B
22.
A
That's insane. What were you doing? Why did you have to take it out?
B
I was living outside of my means. I was living outside of my means and I was definitely partying my off trying to, I mean, trying to just like forget everything. Trying to just be in a stupid moment that I learned is kind of not in gratitude.
A
What now is different. What now has changed that has made you come on here and actually want to change because I know you have. You're just obnoxious.
B
Yeah.
A
But what has actually changed?
B
I'm realizing that, you know, there's a lot of things that you got to be more. I got to show gratitude. I got to have gratitude. I mean, I try to force the gratitude. And that's where this happiness kind of comes. And then I also got to just kind of give myself grace. I, I hate it. I've hated myself for the longest time. That was me. I mean, when I took those out, that was the longest. Like I said, that's the future ivory problem. Future ivory. We will deal with it. Let's do this other stuff in. Who knows what'll happen. Maybe I won't make it through the weekend. It'll be a fun time. And nowadays I do want to keep going and keep doing stuff. I mean, a family would be ideal, but to actually just be a normal human who doesn't have the problems like this and the end all be all running around like a chicken with his head cut off when things fall apart.
A
What is this? Klarna?
B
That is.
A
I heard. Huh? From, from Lindsay. So I guess it's Klarna.
B
Klarna? Yeah.
A
Oh, baby. You got Klarna.
B
I did Klarna for a flight.
A
No. And TikTok Shop and Airbnb and Tik Tok Shop. You actual creature. You don't even remember how up were you. Dude, seriously.
B
Gas. I, I, I didn't even know I have a Tik Tock Shop account.
A
Are you getting scam? Are you getting scammed? Lindsay just asked after she just gave a face of like shocking confusion that I have not seen in since I've met her.
B
Yeah, that's, I mean, that's, that's even a document that I don't remember even submitting.
A
I mean, this was one of like the most chaotic that we've ever put.
B
Together and terms of documents and thank you for working through it.
A
This was a financial crime scene.
B
Yeah, I'm, I'm glad everyone's still alive. May I see that? Yeah. It has autopay with Tik Tok and autopay with Airbnb. And I don't use either.
A
Morgan St.
B
These are accounts that I have.
A
Have.
B
These aren't debts.
A
You have 11,000 of Morgan Stanley.
B
Two accounts. Make that. It's at about. It's at about 10k right now.
A
So 10k total. So this seven's just a part of that.
B
The seven is the traditional IR.
A
So that's something extra separate. That's so 17,000.
B
No, no, no. Those. That's part of that. That's part of the 10.
A
Okay, well, there is a piece of hope on there, I guess. I mean, that's surprising, oddly enough. What? Okay, started the checking account with negative $30.
B
Can only move up from there.
A
Nope, that's not true. But you did at a 1017 ending smoke shop. No one surprised atm withdraw atm transaction fees smoke shop bright.com membership smoke shop atm cash overdraft approved great. 120 atm withdraw smoke shop, Apple Bill, Starbucks or belief in the name of the Smoke Shop for reasons you've learned earlier in the conversation. Jack in the box. ATM with draw. Smoke shop ATM with draw Apple bill, smoke shop, Starbucks ATM withdraw, ATM withdraw going in against some B.S. probably smoking Starbucks smoke shop. 711 NNs, NNs C store, C stores Smoke Shops Zelling out Smoke Shop. Dude, this is disgusting game. You should be disgusted hearing how much you get. Smoking man market Traveler Where Traveler atm withdraw overdraft authorized. $140 atm withdraw reoccurring payment from Cleo AI yeah, that's. Oh, good dude. Reoccurring payment atm withdraw for overdraft authorized $260 atm withdrawal Starbucks, Hellcrest Liquor, Smoke Shop, A crew Smoke, Apple Bill, Apple Bill, Smoke Shop, Bubble Up Express, Smoke Shop, Viola vola Smoke shop atm withdraw going against mbs atm withdraw apple bill, smoke shop, smoke shop atm overdraft approved. $340 atm cash approved. Overdraft $50 bright.com membership atm with trom $1,000.
B
Yeah, a lot of those atm withdrawals are when I would transfer it over to the other one to prevent overdraft. I would acknowledge the overdraft, which could happen, but then I'd have 48 hours to get that covered.
A
I don't know why you why you accept this. Life savings went down from 200 to 20. Well, this is even savings. Is this just another spending account? Smoke Shop bs, Google one Smoke Shop, ATM withdraw, Intelligentsia Coffee, Microsoft ATM withdraw ATM withdraw ATM withdraw Hollywood Fringe ATM will try ATM withdraw, ATM or draw. I can try to budget you out of this. The budget, unfortunately, is not going to be the answer because I doubt you can afford it. This makes no sense like does right now. This doesn't make sense. The real answer to this big guy, the real answer to this is change your behavior to prove that you're actually able to budget and not completely mess up your life life and then go through bankruptcy. That's it. Get as close to a fresh start as you can. Lots of rage this episode and annoyance and upsetting. But the reality and honestly it doesn't really matter. Cuz again these minimum payments you're stuck in these cycles in order to get. Well the minimum payments are actually not the worst because you just have to. What sucks is everything that's owed right up front in order to get rid of the other debts. But the ongoing minimum payments alone are not the actual worst. Well they are bad for your income. They're about a third of your income at $1132. But you don't make enough to pay for all the rest of that. The. The ones that come out all in one to pay them off, you know. What's your rent? 800.
B
800Amonth.
A
Utilities?
B
It's included.
A
Okay. Gas?
B
Yeah, it's about. That one is about. About 250amonth.
A
Phone bill.
B
Phone bill is 25amonth.
A
That's pretty good. That's like doing helium. The one we. The one that we support. So that's good. Okay. Car insurance.
B
That one is. I. I just paid it. It is 137amonth but I. But. And it's every six months.
A
137Amonth. Every six months.
B
Yeah. I don't know. I don't know why but they, they. I can.
A
Groceries. $300. Use our cooking book. Known as a cookbook. Budget friendly cookbook. $100 for TP. Fun medical health care. I mean you're probably dying.
B
I get it through my job.
A
Yeah, but co pays or anything.
B
Yeah. Okay. I pay about $50 a month.
A
In 50. You have any pets? Please?
B
No.
A
Thank. Thank subscriptions. I'll give you 25. Figure it out from there. I mean yeah, you're going to have room, but the fact is you just need to either let these things that you cannot pay off go to default and then just never go into debt again and then live by the skin of your teeth and pay off this. The rest of this debt. Cuz technically you'll have a 700. 600 maybe 6. 6 to 700. Okay. You need $2819.01 to survive. Unless there's something I'm missing. I don't think there is.
B
2,817.
A
But if you bring in 3,500, if you set aside some money for taxes, so 3,500, that you can knock out the rest of this debt. But the fact is, the rest of the stuff, you're either going to have to settle some and give some up or settle some and be dramatically laid on some and then settle the rest the next month, which you might be able to do. You might be able to settle over the course of multiple months and just be late on some. Or just do bankruptcy after you change your behavior or do a consolidation. Get that payment on here and start. And then you only have maybe $200 left on a monthly basis and you have to grind out your debt. There is a way to do this. It's just changing behavior and no more fun. And honestly, I'd give up the little side hustles. I'd do some hobbies. Absolutely. Do some music. You know, maybe to just keep up the resume and skills a little bit. But you got to pick up an evening job, make more money and pay off the stat. You can do this. This is a cycle of you making a choice at this point because the numbers actually do work.
B
Are you serious in regards to the, like, doing the donations as often as possible? Because that's something I've thought about.
A
If you don't care, then sure, yeah, okay, cool. If you do, if you don't like it, then I don'. Want you to do it. But if you don't give a then.
B
Sure, it's been considered. I just kind of. I get so many judgy friends and family whenever I talk about it.
A
You're already doing it, so I don't see what the difference is. Nah, I mean, don't do it or do it is kind of what I'm thinking.
B
Just make more low ivories all around.
A
All right. Lindsay told me we have something absolutely juicy in the post show. I don't know what it is yet or we're about to show you the teaser, so make sure to join Hammerly and do that. But let's get the Hammer Financial score. Score. Spending in a budget. 0 out of 10. You overspent debt. This is like some of the worst debt ever without collections. And I'm sure you have collections. 0 out of 10. Emergency fund. There's nothing. 0 out of 10. Retirement surprise. 35 still behind for retirement. But I'll give you a solid 2 out of 10 for that. Real estate. 0 out of 10. So Hammer Financial score, we're going to round you up to a point. 5 out of 10. Join Hammer Elite for the post show and get three exclusive shows posted Monday through Friday on the best YouTube membership in the history of the platform. Subscribe below or click that join button. I'll see you on the Post Show. You owe money to your parents.
B
I mean, I was taking advantage of them when I was a junkie.
A
They enabled this bull. How much do you owe to your parents? You're breaking history left and right. Exclusive Members Content Click the link in the description or pinned comment below and watch thousands of hours of extra and uncensored content.
Host: Caleb Hammer
Guest: "Ivory" (35, Los Angeles)
Release Date: September 10, 2025
In this raw and often confrontational episode, host Caleb Hammer performs a Financial Audit on Ivory, a 35-year-old musician and prop house stock person from Los Angeles. The conversation offers an intense, unfiltered look at Ivory’s extreme debt, fraught financial habits, persistent side hustles (including sperm donation), and the emotional toll of chasing a creative dream amidst financial chaos.
Throughout, Caleb oscillates between sharp criticism, biting humor, and genuine attempts to intervene. The result is a rollercoaster episode—alternately funny, frustrating, and poignant—that exposes the traps of paycheck-to-paycheck living, payday loans, gig economy struggles, and the high cost of refusing to confront hard truths.
Ivory: "I am not [setting aside taxes]." — [03:19]
Ivory: "Whenever I have one account that is overcharged, I have 48 hours to then replenish that account back to zero to stop from an overdraft fee… they bounce between." — [23:17]
Multiple Predatory Loans: Ivory lists an unprecedented number of payday loans, rapid cash advances, and a car title loan (35%+ APR), with balances outstanding on each.
[35:37–80:44]
Interest Rates: Some loans carry 400%+ APRs, with rolling cycles of paying one with funds from another.
Caleb: "Are you making history? Is this the most amount of payday loans we've had? It is. Oh, I'm gonna murder you." — [74:10]
Pawn Shop Debt: Pawned a Fender Rhodes keyboard to cover bills ("not the first time").
[81:08–81:52]
Spending Patterns: Large amounts spent on cigarettes ($6k+/yr smuggled menthols), miscellaneous fun, and ATM withdrawal fees.
Caleb: "That's two months of your income goes to cigarettes a year. Two months!" — [47:15]
Side Hustle Details: Sperm donation brings in $120–$150 per sample, with a 48-hour waiting period between donations, yielding potentially thousands per year.
Ivory: "I'm also, you know, donating sperm which gives me $150 every time." — [20:44]
Health & Lifestyle: Smokes heavily (~16 cigarettes/day), former substance issues, struggling with self-worth and confidence.
Chasing the Dream: Ivory justifies low-paying gigs as essential for happiness, despite financial hardship.
Ivory: "It's the only way I find joy. It's the happiest thing... it's the way I feel the most honest and earnest." — [06:11]
Performative Coping: Caleb frequently points out Ivory’s “quirky millennial” banter and comedic deflection as a mask for loneliness and despair.
Caleb: "Your little goofs and gaffes… are just a massive cope." — [76:07]
Host’s Approach: Caleb vacillates between ridicule, harsh honesty, and calls for behavioral change, at times expressing exasperation but ultimately offering a path forward.
Caleb: "You're not in your 20s anymore. You're not in the up period where you can do anything… time is against you here." — [17:26]
Possible Solutions:
Caleb: "There is a way to do this. It's just changing behavior and no more fun…pick up an evening job, make more money and pay off this debt." — [92:51]
This episode is a deep-dive case study in what happens when creative dreams, gig economy realities, mental health struggles, and exploitative lending collide. Caleb’s tough-love approach, while caustic, underscores the urgency and severity of Ivory’s situation. For anyone navigating irregular income, predatory loans, or the psychological costs of “chasing the dream,” this conversation is a bracing must-listen.
Hammer Financial Score:
Noteworthy:
Post-show segment (for members) is teased as containing more “juicy” revelations regarding loans owed to parents and historical family dynamics.
End of summary