This Is The Hardest Episode I've Ever Done

Summary

Financial Audit Podcast Summary

Episode Title: This Is The Hardest Episode I've Ever Done
Host: Caleb Hammer
Guest: Travis, 25, Whataburger Manager, Fort Worth, TX
Date: October 5, 2023

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Episode Overview

This unusually candid episode departs from standard financial audits as host Caleb Hammer sits down with Travis, a 25-year-old Whataburger manager from Fort Worth, Texas, for one of the show's most raw conversations yet. While the usual format delves into budgeting, debt, and lifestyle, their discussion focuses heavily on serious substance addiction, mental health, and the immediate reality of seeking treatment. Caleb balances support and tough love, offering financial advice in light of Travis’ addiction and imminent rehab stay, evidencing deep empathy throughout this impactful episode.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Travis' Work and Income at Whataburger

• Position & Pay:

  • Travis is a manager earning $60k/year plus potential quarterly bonuses ($1,000/quarter based on store performance). (01:16, 01:46)
  • “I would say a few thousand is kind of the potential [bonus] quarter.” – Travis (01:19)

• Getting Hired as a Manager:

  • Becoming a manager rated ‘six out of ten’ difficulty – requires commitment, multitasking, and sometimes depends on the team's culture. (02:40)
  • New promotion system extends the timeline due to added training roles; for Travis, promotion from entry to team lead took about six months. (03:05)
  • Advice: Anyone willing to put in the work can get a job; Whataburger always hiring for various shifts, but flexibility is key.

The Car Accident (A Catalyst)

• Travis crashed his personal car just the night before this recording while moving and running errands (picking up his cats). (06:36)
• He’s physically bruised but was cleared by paramedics. (07:00)
• Cats were in the car, traumatized but safe. (07:35)
• No immediate transportation plan post-accident. Using a family’s emergency car for now. (08:23)
• “I do have a thousand dollar emergency fund... but that’s not enough to cover a car situation.” – Travis (08:43)

Substance Abuse & Addiction

• Substances Used:

  • Travis reveals daily marijuana use (“addicted to pugs”—a playful misdirection / pun for "drugs") and more worryingly, recent daily use of a much harder substance (not specified, but heavily bleeped and referenced as extremely dangerous). (10:16–15:13)
  • Spending: $80/week on marijuana (down from $200–$300 previously), $100/week on the harder substance. (14:10, 15:10)

• Pattern & Severity:

  • Both substances used daily; the harder substance only for two months but has escalated rapidly. (15:29, 41:45)
  • “Are you on this right now?” – Caleb (15:17)
  • “Every day is a party. But no, yeah, it's one of those. It's definitely we're doing this…” – Travis (15:38)

• Trigger for Treatment:

  • Travis is about to check in to residential rehab in California, motivated partly by his girlfriend’s recovery and needing to support her, but also recognizing the downward spiral. (15:53–16:39)
  • “I felt a wave of anxiety hit over me just even thinking about that [substance]. … Dude, get help.” – Caleb (16:47–18:39)
  • High praise and support from Caleb for seeking help: “That is like top level... I am beyond proud of you for doing that.” (18:39)

Mental Health & Social Environment

• Travis’ relationship: Girlfriend in sober living; he's moving out from a roommate who also uses. (17:19–17:28)
• Motivation to change comes from wanting stability, structure, and healthy relationships. (19:34–20:51)
• Admits prior attempts to “schedule” substance use never worked; needs the structure and support rehab provides. (21:04–21:36)

Insurance, Rehab, and Financial Logistics

• Whataburger offers good insurance; Travis expects minimal out-of-pocket for rehab due to having nearly met his deductible. (22:06–23:22)
• FMLA leave arranged, emergency funds transferred to checking, mother assigned to pay bills during rehab, all minimums set to auto-withdraw. (50:43)
• “I don’t want you to think about finances for a single second.” – Caleb (50:59)

Travis' Financial Situation

• Debts:
  • Private Student Loan: $23,000 at 11.24% (First Mark services) – from junior/senior years at Texas Wesleyan, a private university. (24:23)
  • Federal Student Loans: $18,106 at under 5.5% (Aidvantage) – currently on $162/month income-based payment. (32:13)
  • Credit Card: $4,783.90 on Wells Fargo card, paying above the minimum. (29:29)
  • 401k Loan: Originally $3,100 (to pay down high-interest Apple card), now $1,700 at 9%. Auto-deductions from weekly pay. (30:53, 43:34)
• Savings:
  • ~$1,300 currently in reserve; fluctuates due to moving and emergencies. (38:42)
  • Had $10k in 401k, now lower after loan; also owns $1k IRA at Wells Fargo. (39:11, 40:44)
• Budget Issues:
  • History of overdrafts, negative checking balance, and high spending on convenience food and drinks. (34:11–35:20)
  • Many small transactions for "Arizona teas, Dutch Bros, taquitos" – symptomatic of lifestyle instability. (34:47)
  • “You stop and get your little taquitos all the time … Arizona teas.” – Caleb (34:47)

Honest Reflections & Vulnerability

• Travis is brutally honest about his addiction, mental health issues, and why he’s been resistant to change, including peer pressure and social environment. (21:04–21:36)

• Caleb repeatedly supports him, offers to pay off his 401k loan if Travis can stay clean six months post-rehab—with proof via drug test: (45:20)

  • “If we can get you six months clean … I will help pay off this 401k loan.” (45:20)
  • “I want you to fully, mentally focus on that [recovery].” (50:59)

• Notable insight: Travis recognizes that no amount of budgeting, debt payoff, or job success matters if addiction is not addressed:

  • “There's no point of getting there if you're not gonna live past 50.” – Caleb (49:08)

Support Systems & Future Planning

• Travis has begun attending group recovery meetings and is open to ongoing therapy and group participation, leveraging Whataburger health benefits. (47:48)
• Family is partly aware of the mental health crisis (told after the car wreck) but not the full details of the addiction. (49:30)

Closing Thoughts — Hope, Reality, and Advice

• Travis’ final message: “Tell your friends that you’re proud of them. … that means a lot to people.” (51:55)
• Caleb: “I’m proud of you... there’s really not even a point to give [a financial score] ... that's not what matters in this conversation.” (51:59)

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Getting Help:
  • “Dude, get help… You need professional help when it comes to that. …That is something you should be so proud of.” — Caleb, (18:38)
• On Why Rehab Now:
  • “You become like the five most people you hang out around, it's like Those qualities are going to be your qualities.” — Travis (19:34)
• Financial Perspective:
  • "There's no point of getting there if you're not gonna live past 50." — Caleb (49:08)
• Supporting Change:
  • “If we can get you six months clean … I will help to pay off this 401k loan. …Dude, going down a path like that is scary and I do not want that for your life.” — Caleb (45:20)
• Personal Honesty:
  • “I’m trying to be 100 honest right now, but that’s in life, not because of you.” — Travis (26:51)
• Community:
  • “Tell your friends that you’re proud of them. It's one of those. Because that means a lot to people.” — Travis (51:55)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic / Quote | |-------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 00:08 | Travis' job and salary details | | 02:40 | Difficulty & process of becoming manager | | 06:36 | Car accident and immediate aftermath | | 10:16 | "Addicted to pugs" – discussion of substance use | | 15:10 | Admission of harder substance, $100/week spend | | 19:34 | Reason for checking into rehab | | 22:06 | How rehab is being paid for, insurance | | 24:23 | Private student loan and educational background | | 34:47 | Negative checking, lifestyle spending | | 41:45 | Duration and escalation of harder substance use | | 45:20 | Caleb offers to help pay off 401k for sobriety | | 49:08 | “No point getting there if not living past 50” | | 50:43 | Setting up bills for rehab stay | | 51:55 | Final advice: "Tell your friends you're proud" |

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Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is raw, supportive, often heart-wrenching, with moments of levity and hope. Caleb is direct, deeply empathetic, and non-judgmental, balancing financial guidance with genuine concern for Travis’ life and health. Travis is vulnerable and candid, reflecting insight, humor, and a real desire for change.

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For Listeners

Whether or not you have followed previous ‘Financial Audit’ episodes, this one stands out for its emphasis on prioritizing life and recovery over money. It provides a rare, unfiltered look at the intersection of finance, addiction, and mental health in a young adult’s life, and models how honest conversations can break stigma and inspire real change.

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If you or someone you know is struggling with substance addiction, this episode underlines the importance of getting help—and that seeking help is an act of courage and self-love.

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Note: All sponsors, advertisements, and intros have been omitted from this summary. All quotes are attributed with timestamps in [MM:SS] format for reference.

Transcript

[Travis]

Hi, my name is Travis. I'm 25 from Fort Worth, Texas, and this is Financial Audit.

[Host]

What do you do in Fort Worth, Texas, for a living?

[Travis]

I am a manager at Whataburger.

[Host]

Whataburger manager. We've had a couple Whataburger managers on here. Okay, so I'm just gonna ask this out of my own curiosity, and I think a lot of the audience curiosity as well. How hard is it to. Okay, you want to be a Whataburger manager. And I think. Think I saw that you make 60 a year. Right. Is that after bonuses or before?

[Travis]

So they changed the bonus system up a little bit. So I used to get like monthly bonuses that were large and obviously it's like volume based with like stores and such. Yeah. But those bonuses I really don't get anymore. They used to pay like rent on my other bills just in the bonus.

[Host]

So what is it now?

[Travis]

Well, monthly nothing. They have like a quarterly contest of, like the stores that are in your area. You got like eight or nine stores that you're competing with every quarter. And then like the metric is based off of like your speed, your accuracy.

[Host]

So there's like a pile of money for the district, essentially. And then whatever metrics are hit between the Whataburgers, it's distributed that way.

[Travis]

Well, the one store that wins whatever metric they are competing against for that quarter, that one store, all of the managers receive like $1,000 bonus.

[Host]

Oh, gotcha. So potential bonuses of a few thousand, depending on the metrics.

[Travis]

But now, yeah, I would say a few thousand is kind of the potential quarter. 1,000 per quarter.

[Host]

Okay, so $60,000 a year before that.

[Travis]

Before that I was making.

[Host]

Is that $60,000 a year before those potential bonuses?

[Travis]

No. So it is not. That is not including the bonuses if I were to win them?

[Host]

No, no, no. Is it $60,000 a year before the potential included bonuses? So it's more than 60 if you get the bonuses?

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

Okay.

[Travis]

If you get the bonuses. Okay, perfect.

[Host]

$60,000, what you're making as a salary. Yeah, essentially. Okay, so for people who want to become a manager at Whataburger or a place like that, if you want to become a manager, can you just become a manager? Obviously there will be application, there will be interviews and there's training and stuff like that. But how difficult is it? For me, I want to go be a Whataburger manager. How difficult is that going to be for me?

[Travis]

I think it's going to depend a lot on, like the store and kind of the community that's built in that store because there are some that I've worked at where it's like you can just walk in and promote and they're not really going to care what it is. And then there's some where, you know, you're kind of going to do that rigorous task.

[Host]

Well, it's Texas, so let's just pretend there's 100, what, burgers in Austin in the metro area. So I could go apply to 100 of them. Some of them are going to be easy. Some of them are going to be harder. If I want to become a manager, how difficult is it going to be for me to land that position out of 10?

[Travis]

I probably say like a six out of 10. Like, it's definitely going to take a bit of work because, I mean, it's a time commitment. You got to show that you really know your stuff. And then the multitasking, like, having to be able to handle multiple issues at one time or just like stuff that you're working on, making a sandwich while you're doing this and having to have a conversation, it's just a lot to.

[Host]

But anyone can do it if they put in the time, work and knowledge.

[Travis]

Oh, 100%.

[Host]

Very good. How long is that process from starting to becoming a manager, do you think?

[Travis]

So they changed it up recently where they've kind of added new training levels. So as opposed to where it was, you had your team members, the orange shirts, and then you had a team lead and the manager. Now you have your team leaders, you have your. What is it? Your team member, you have your station trainer, people that can train on station. You have your restaurant trainers, people that can train on every station, and then a team lead. So they've added that little bit. So that process is going to take it. Make it take a little bit longer personally. For me, it was about six months between getting team member to team leader.

[Host]

That's what I've said. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I've said.

[Travis]

Historically, if it's taken more than a year to be able to get to manager, it's maybe a different store.

[Host]

So there's some strategy around it.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

When it comes to choosing the right location. So that makes sense. So when I often say on here, for someone who's like, not doing well or they don't even have a job, they got laid off. And I'm like, okay, you need to make some money right now, I don't say like, go, go be a whataburger manager. But I do say, okay, maybe apply, start Working at Whataburger. Because I know you guys are always hiring, right, for everything.

[Travis]

And it's a 24 hour business. So I mean we got all types of shit.

[Host]

So anyone go get a job at Waterburger right now?

[Travis]

Now I will say, like I have a pretty strong, like I work overnights, early bird. And so I have a pretty strong staff that's really consistent on making sure that they show up to work and doing that type of stuff. And so some stores may be filled in certain time zones. Yeah, you know, so it's like you.

[Host]

Have to be willing to work, you have to be willing to just take what is there. But you can go get a job.

[Travis]

You can get a job. It's one of those. There are hours that are needed.

[Host]

So I've seen some people push back on that. But I think this is, it's good to hear straight from the source because even if I am wrong, I would want to know. Right? So that's definitely good to hear. So you're making 60,000 bucks a year. And the bonuses, a lot of that is going to be based on metrics. And a lot of the metrics are going to be based on what other managers are doing during their shifts as well. So we're just not going to rely on that. And when it happens, it happens. And that's lovely and I hope it does. So $60,000 a year, you, in general, you have what you described as. Well, you described a couple of things. First of all, okay, so I think this is a car debt. But we got a picture just a couple hours ago sent to our producer of a car that looked to me totaled. Was that that car?

[Travis]

Why does that look like an auto debt? It. I see where it says auto debt on that piece of paper.

[Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Travis]

Well, it's one of the.

[Host]

So is this an auto.

[Travis]

No, that is not an auto debt, but no. Yeah, that car was. Yeah, that was from last night.

[Host]

What happened?

[Travis]

I was, man, I was just driving home. I'd been moving all day, you know, I was driving a little U Haul and dropped the U Haul off, got mine and I went to go see. I went to go hang out with this girl and everything. And it wasn't anything like that. It was, it was fun. We went to a thing and so, yeah, we went to that and. Oh man, I'm so sorry. We went to the event and it was like after I took her back to where she was staying because she has a curfew, she's got to be home by. And so it's one of those. It's like, you know, got to make sure you're home by 10pm 24.

[Host]

That's a bit weird.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

But continue, you know.

[Travis]

So I was hanging out with her until she had to go inside. And then I kind of made a decision. I was like, well, since I'm right by my old house, I'm gonna go ahead and grab my cats and like the last few things that were over there and take them over to the new house. Did all that. Started going to the new house and. Yeah. And then all of a sudden I was in a crash.

[Host]

And to be very clear, we were like, dude, don't come if you're in pain.

[Travis]

But you're adamant about coming.

[Host]

You were very adamant. Are you okay?

[Travis]

Yeah, I think so.

[Host]

That was a questionable. Yeah, that, that. Yeah, I had a lot of like on it.

[Travis]

Well, you know, it's like you're always walk it off, like you're gonna be good know, and you're okay. But it's like I'm bruised. I'm pretty hurt.

[Host]

Where? I mean, oh, dude.

[Travis]

But that's. Just a little bit from the seat, but like that's next. I don't know.

[Host]

I don't know how much that camera is picking it up with the light, but it looks worse in person.

[Travis]

My stomach's pretty bruised. That part was.

[Host]

Have you gone to see.

[Travis]

I mean, they checked me out in the ambulance and they did okay. Yeah, it was one of those. They were like, oxygen's good and they were like blood pressure amazing. So you know who. It's one of those. You know, I'm proud of that.

[Host]

Sure.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

Surprised that stress wasn't running your blood pressure up, but yeah.

[Travis]

But the worst part, it was like my cats were in the car.

[Host]

Yes. How are they?

[Travis]

Oh, they're traumatized a little bit. They're doing.

[Host]

They're healthy.

[Travis]

Yeah, it's one of those. None of them, they don't. None of them were hurt. None of them were bleeding.

[Host]

It looked like a rough wreck, man.

[Travis]

It was pretty crazy. It was like when if you were driving on the highway and then there was like the exit ramp. I was going to exit, I'm guessing. And the right part of my car hit the left side of the exit.

[Host]

Was this your personal res. Your personal car?

[Travis]

Yeah, that was my personal car. I did. I have wraps, campaigns and stuff, like through an app. And that app, like pays me money to, you know, drive around in certain areas.

[Host]

That's cool.

[Travis]

And that specific rap was a 12 month campaign and the average payout was around 80 a week.

[Host]

So what are you doing in car dependent hell for transportation?

[Travis]

Oh, I don't know. That just happened last night.

[Host]

How'd you get here today from Fort Worth?

[Travis]

That's a distance. Iran. No, I. My grandparents have an extra vehicle that they have kind of always had just for emergencies like this in the family. And so it's like I have that and then I told him I was like I'll have it back tonight because you know that I'm about to fly to California.

[Host]

You don't have an emergency fund?

[Travis]

I do the I've been doing Ramsey. I have a thousand dollar emergency fund. Yeah.

[Host]

And that's hard because it's going to put you in a worse situation than you were before because that's not enough to cover a car situation. Yeah, well we'll, we'll take a look and see how that all wraps in the end. But that's why I struggle with that number. I like a. Ah, that's hard. Okay. Okay. So how close to how are you? How are you getting to work? Is it like a bus situation to borrow a car or. Done.

[Travis]

I have looked up the bus situation. I haven't had that issue since that with it just being last night.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Travis]

But my home is only nine minutes driving away from my spot from my job. But it does look like if I can get like a six minute lift to a bus station or the train station that's close by, I can get to work within like 30 minutes.

[Host]

Okay.

[Travis]

So it's not too terribly bad. But it's you know.

[Host]

Now before I grill a little bit, let's talk about grilling Whataburger. Sound of in terms of the food which is okay. But you had a burger called the mushroom Swiss burger with the a jus sauce and it was the like it was, it wasn't only edible, which is good for what burger. It was like up here and it's gone. Pull some strings for me, man. Pull some strings. I want that a jus back. And then also just one more thing. Sorry. A few things before we go into debt. You sent on your thing coming in that you're like addicted to pugs.

[Travis]

Uh huh.

[Host]

What does this possibly mean? We had no idea. We tried to search it up and see if that was slaying for anything and we struggled. What is addicted to pugs?

[Travis]

Drugs. Hugs not pugs. Hugs not drugs.

[Host]

I want to take a brief moment to thank today's episode sponsor Sondermind. I believe that when it comes to debt and spending and really everything finances Mental health plays a major role and I've been very open and transparent about my own struggles with mental health. So that's why I'm really excited for today's sponsor. Sondermind is a mental health care app that is all about getting the right personalized support to help you on your journey to feeling better. Taking the first step to seeking therapy is often the hardest part and that's why sondermind is here to help help you set those goals. They believe in the power of the right care with the right person at the right time. And with them, finding the right therapist is easy. Just hop on over to sondermind.com answer a few questions about yourself and let Sondermind find the right person for you. In just 24 to 48 hours, you could be connecting with a therapist who actually gets you. They also accept a wide range of health insurance plans and if you're more comfortable with face to face interactions, they have therapists near you as well. So head to care.sandramind.com caleb or check out the link at the top of the description below and see how they can help you start feeling better today.

[Travis]

We are could have asked we are dumb.

[Host]

Well yeah. What are you addicted to my dude.

[Travis]

It's one of those so as silly as it is like really scary in terms of like thinking about life like not using sure. That really like freaks me out which is surprising because have you used that.

[Host]

As either a cope or like when anxious it just helps like I've used.

[Travis]

It 247 so wow for everything.

[Host]

I don't like that you drove here then like that. Yeah to be completely honest. But no I the as far as something like that in someone's own time, you know as long as it doesn't negatively impact their life.

[Travis]

Like I'm like a live and let.

[Host]

Live but driving I don't like that.

[Travis]

Day to days like I will say there have been things in life that I have found that you that I can't be inebriated for in terms of like I was a cheerleader if I was doing cheerleading like absolutely not. It's one of those like that is not even a thing that I could think about.

[Host]

May I ask how what method you consume? Okay.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

I'm so sorry but not like vapor.

[Travis]

Oh well yeah like oh okay.

[Host]

Okay okay yeah because well in general I really don't like things going into lungs that aren't air. Air is kind of like is it.

[Travis]

Air quality is the number one thing that knocks people's health, people's lives down really?

[Host]

Yeah. So it's just like we don't know the long term ramifications of the vapor type stuff that come from, you know, or whatever. And I've, I've never done that once. Either I'm boring or I'm too nervous or it's just not for me, I don't know. But I haven't. Coming from the musician side, playing the trombone. The trombone that's on the floor right there. You know, lung health is always very important. So I, you know, I never did that a few times in late high school, early college made me anxious, so I never really did again. But either way, regardless of the situations that you're doing it through long term health and stuff, which there's just. No, not a lot of good medical science behind just the newer vaping and stuff like that and how that's consumed. And of course, if you feel dependent on anything, regardless of what it is, anything can be an addiction, you know, just like.

[Travis]

And it's maybe it's the habit, that's.

[Host]

The addiction that going pie charts can be an addiction. Like I feel like I can't operate on my day unless I make a pie chart, you know, anything of being an addiction. And the fact that you're in that situation, that's obviously very hard. And I bet that's also quite expensive.

[Travis]

I have found a way to do make it a lot cheaper than what I have seen in the past.

[Host]

Maybe.

[Travis]

No, it's one of those. I mean I used to spend like 2 to $300 like a week and then now it's down to 80 and it's, you know.

[Host]

A week.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

How? You don't have to give us specifics.

[Travis]

But just in general, you know, new science, technologies, that type of stuff, newer stuff is better so you less of it.

[Host]

So more concentrate, more sources. Interesting. That is far and beyond, but it's like I'm not interested in that thing, so I don't know.

[Travis]

Yeah, and then it's one of those that's like, there's that one which is like the one that concerns me the most. But then I do have a recreational hobby that is becoming a problem.

[Host]

Two Tone.

[Travis]

It's one of those. So yeah, it's one of. That's a lot of fun.

[Host]

Okay. And we've believed we've bleeped the specific substance, but I was not expecting that, my dude. Okay, so how, how common is that?

[Travis]

I mean that one's about a hundred dollars a week.

[Host]

Oh, so this is an ongoing thing?

[Travis]

Yeah, that one's more recent.

[Host]

Are you on this right now?

[Travis]

No. Well, depending on how. Right now it's one of those. Probably.

[Host]

When was the last time it was consumed?

[Travis]

18 hours.

[Host]

Okay. How often do you consume this?

[Travis]

I mean, daily.

[Host]

Okay. So that's not happy. That's. That's not a we're gonna have a party situation. This is a. We're doing this.

[Travis]

Every day is a party. But no, yeah, it's one of those. It's definitely we're doing this and, you know, steps are being taken to not.

[Host]

What are those steps?

[Travis]

My flight to California.

[Host]

Okay.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

What's in California?

[Travis]

I don't even know the name of the spot, which is insane about it, though. Yeah, yeah, it's a rehab. It's one of those.

[Host]

Good guy. Good lad.

[Travis]

Yeah. I kind of got. I don't want to say coaxed into the situation, but it's one of those. My girlfriend, she had some stuff happen, and it's one of those. I am not a big confrontation person, like, at all in general. And so it's one of those. And I feel like I should be able to provide and whatever you want, I want to be able to give that to you. But, like, my thing right now is, like, I really want to just focus on building, like, the foundation, a base, and if we did choose to, you know, use, you know, or a drink, like, recreationally, like on the weekends to have like a decent time every now and again, though, I think a lot.

[Host]

Of times when people are very addicted, you know, that one thing can head down a spiral of, again, the daily usage. And that other one you mentioned is.

[Travis]

It's rough.

[Host]

Yeah, that's a scary one.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

If not like the most scary.

[Travis]

But that's also. With that one in particular, I feel very easy about, like, just not doing that one. That one I don't have.

[Host]

Like, why haven't you just stopped using them?

[Travis]

Because. Why not?

[Host]

Just a push back on your logic.

[Travis]

It's one of those. So this person doesn't want their name mentioned. Yes. My roommate.

[Host]

Okay.

[Travis]

He. He likes to partake every now and again.

[Host]

I think you might need to get out of that living situation.

[Travis]

Yeah, that's. I left yesterday.

[Host]

Oh, good lad. Okay. Do you live with your girlfriend?

[Travis]

No, it's one of those. She stays in a sober living house and.

[Host]

Wow.

[Travis]

Hence the curfew. So. Yeah, there's a lot more than what was written.

[Host]

Have you considered living a sober living house?

[Travis]

I wouldn't. Don't think that I would want to as long as I have cats. And I mean, I agree to take care of him. And I do want to be a man of my word and be like the responsibilities that I said that I'm going to do. I want to be responsible.

[Host]

I respect that. But I want you to live, man. People that head down the path with the one you mentioned, it's. That's a dangerous path. It's, you know, whatever. I mean. Yes. And we talked about your addiction surrounding that. And I don't want to make light of that, but this other one that actually scares me. I felt a wave of anxiety hit over me just even thinking about that and just being scared. Cared for you. Like we're here to do a financial audit. We haven't talked about finances. We're 20 minutes in. That's because that is.

[Travis]

It's one of those. I came for therapy. I'm not here for finances.

[Host]

Well, I am. I'm not licensed for therapy. But I'm happy to talk and give my, you know, my own opinion just based on what I've been through. But you know, I've been through opinions of either a family member or friends who've been addicted to certain things. Nothing related to that substance at all. And I mean, the. All I can provide when it comes to that is, dude, get help.

[Travis]

Get help.

[Host]

You need professional help when it comes to that. And if that facility that you're going to, I'm so glad, beyond glad that you're taking the step to do that. That's incredible. That's brave. That is something you should be so proud of. And I am beyond proud of you for doing that. That is like top level for that substance you talked about. I know for something, for something more opiate like usually, which this is not the success rates 1%, I do not know the success rate for this one. And you're on a daily consumption, which is not great in terms of just stopping. So I don't know where my mind was going with that. I'm just, what's your overall plan? Where have you put yourself mentally when it comes to this? And checking into this facility.

[Travis]

And checking into this facility. So a big driver behind why I checked into the facility was. It was one of those. So it was like my girlfriend had just gotten out of the 30 day thing and then she got accepted to the sober living and she was planning on having a lot of, you know, she was putting together like life plans and like wanting to build a structured life, you know, and being able to live. And I mean you become like the five most people you hang out around, it's like Those qualities are going to be your qualities. Who you hang around with is who you're going to become. And so she had to get a new sponsor for her 12 Steps program that she was working and because the current sponsor that she has is the person who is running the sober living that they're staying at. And so she went to a new person to try to ask them and they kind of like talked a little bit. And one of the main things that I guess was discussed was, you know, you can't hang around with a boyfriend that does drugs, which I would suggest to her. Yes, it's one of those and it completely makes sense. But once again, like, if I'm going to be responsible for something, like get into a commitment, then like, I want to give 100% towards that commitment. And so it was one of those, like.

[Host]

I like that. Okay, I like that. But you're doing this for someone else. What about yourself?

[Travis]

I. You see, and that's the thing is I have been wanting to get on a schedule with substance use for.

[Host]

What does that mean?

[Travis]

It's one of those like on the weekends, you know, whenever you're doing stuff, but it never happens like that. You always break schedule. Can enforce a method of restriction, you know, like the disciplinary action that I would give to myself for breaking that schedule, I can't do that by myself. And so I think it is putting myself in that situation. But I. I feel that if I have, you know, that strong support system that I am working with to get.

[Host]

Through this, whatever we can do to help. Of course, after this episode, please just let us know and everything like that. That's so hard. Ah, man. Okay, so on the financial side of it, is this a free place? Does it cost money? How is it being paid for?

[Travis]

So I don't know a lot. Like, I'm very new into the whole recovery. But you're already signed up for the sober living.

[Host]

No, no, no, no. For the place in California.

[Travis]

Yes, it's one of those. So I.

[Host]

What's the information around it in terms of.

[Travis]

I have pretty good insurance for like Whataburger. Like, man, phenomenal. If you want insurance, get a job at Whataburger. Yeah, yeah.

[Host]

Good burgers, but good insurance.

[Travis]

It's one of those. So the burgers are nice. All right. The all time favorites where that mushroom Swiss was. I call those the flavor blasters. So, yeah, it's one of those. It's a. It's a good spot. We got to get the right thing, dude.

[Host]

But I'm telling you, honey, Butter chicken burgers. Like what is it?

[Travis]

Is like a little. It's a girl sandwich. Like it's a small little biscuit.

[Host]

Then dress me up in a dress and give me some ponytails. I am all about the honey. Butter chicken biscuit is the best thing that has been created on the face of this planet, sir.

[Travis]

No, that is a girls, we just finished drinking, you know and you just.

[Host]

Go and like get me sex on the beach. Drink, get me going. I don't really drink, but get me going. It's the only one I like because it tastes like candy essentially. But get me a little tipsy, give me those honey buggers and I'll be glugging those things down all day. Excuse you, sir.

[Travis]

It is some fries in it, I'll give you that. But you know, the sauce is nice.

[Host]

Yes, the sauce is very nice. So nothing out of pocket then?

[Travis]

It's one of those. I have a thousand dollar deductible, but it's one of those. I've already told 700 towards that deductible.

[Host]

And how long are you there?

[Travis]

It's a 30 to 45 day program.

[Host]

Okay.

[Travis]

And then FMLA. So.

[Host]

And then after. Are you willing to go to group and are you willing to take advantage of your insurance and do therapy?

[Travis]

Yes, I very interested in like looking into the therapy and as well group. It's more fun with friends. So find somebody. But you know, I got a couple people in my life now that would be willing to go towards that and do stuff like that, so.

[Host]

Okay. Okay. Your finances. Finances are a thing. There's that, there's blah blah, blah. I don't give a product compared to your addiction in terms of trying to pay off debt. I get that that is an extreme emergency when it comes to life, but when it comes to the drug you're mentioning, man, that is far and beyond my priority. So we'll go through it because I know that's what you came here for. What is this? First Mark services. So this is not a car loan, but it's $23,000 at 11.24%. Big percentage. What even is this?

[Travis]

That's private student loan debt.

[Host]

Oh, buddy.

[Travis]

That's a junior and senior year of college.

[Host]

Oh, so you graduated?

[Travis]

Yeah, it's one of those. I got the.

[Host]

What was your degree?

[Travis]

Biology.

[Host]

I'm not seeing that translate to waterburger Manager. It's a good job. It's a great job actually. In fact with a lot of good upward potential.

[Travis]

My plan was to just be a teacher coming out of high School. School.

[Host]

And what happened?

[Travis]

I started making that amount of money doing what I was doing, like first year and kind of going on.

[Host]

Yeah, but what about the love and passion? Did you have that for the teaching?

[Travis]

I had that for the schedule. I like the routine.

[Host]

Do you like the night?

[Travis]

Well, no, not the night time at the Whataburger, but it's like the schedule of going to school, knowing that every day I'm gonna wake up at 8am or 6am, do this, go to school, teach this class at this time, this material, have these months off the schedule of going.

[Host]

So why did we not go into school?

[Travis]

It was one of those. I was. I was really enjoying working on building professional skills with Whataburger. And I was making a lot of money because, like, with the schedule change that you. I imagine you heard of where we're working the four days on and the bonus system change, it's like I'm making less money now than I was, but, like having a real, like, quality of life. Like, I can have time off to be able to focus on paying debt as opposed to before. I was doing, you know, 60, 65 hours a week. You know, only one may maybe one day off a week. And it was just like constant. It's one of those. I'm much happier now making less money.

[Host]

Does Whataburger know about the situation?

[Travis]

They know about my mental health suffering right now. It's one of those. I call it an episode because I don't like the term or like the panic or anx, that type of stuff.

[Host]

I want to be very clear then anything and everything you want worked around on the cutting board for this. I do not want to impact your income situation and stuff like that. So I want you to have full control. Anything that is in here, stuff you improve, approved. Do not cater to me. Do not cater to the video. I want you. You have full control. Don't. I don't allow whatever. I don't know. You know, you come from the audience, you might be a fan. Don't. Whatever that might be. Don't allow that to influence anything. I want you to have full control. We say that to everyone, but I want to be very extra clear with yours because you've shared some very personal information.

[Travis]

I'm trying to be 100 honest right now, but that's in life, not because of you. And so.

[Host]

Well, just let us know. We're gonna give you time to think about it anyway. But I appreciate that honesty and, you know, it's you. There are gonna be people out there that are relating to your situation and you know, it's definitely gonna help them. And that is the goal primarily, but. Okay. I just. Okay.

[Travis]

It's a lot.

[Host]

Yeah, it is. It's a lot. It's a lot.

[Travis]

So people from high school that are watching this, you don't know me.

[Host]

It doesn't matter any way. For people that do know you and stuff like that, any kind of judgment that will come from this, because you've already taken the most important step of getting yourself the help you need by getting on a plane and going this facility that is like, I respect you so much. You have no idea. So much like, I am proud of you. I don't want to go in circles, but who gives us what anyone judgment might be? You're a bad mother for taking care of your. Like.

[Travis]

I called them Saturday was whenever I talked to him and the facility that I'm going to, because it was like, I just.

[Host]

Saturday, okay.

[Travis]

I just googled, like, some stuff, and it was Saturday. I got in contact. I called three different facilities, and I chose this one because the person I was talking to, like, they got like a questionnaires you gotta answer. And she said I was funny a couple times. And so I was like, all right.

[Host]

We got this, you know, plus, sunny California, baby. Let's go.

[Travis]

Yeah, it's gonna be nice, I guess, but.

[Host]

Well, don't say the city, but, like, are we southern? Are we central? Are we northern?

[Travis]

I have absolutely no clue.

[Host]

Oh, okay. It has good reviews, though.

[Travis]

Yeah, it's one of those. It was one of the better ones that were rated up there, but good. I showed it to, well, somebody close to me that has a lot of experience going to different centers and that type of stuff. And they were like, oh, yeah, like, I, She. They said that they had heard of it. They hadn't gone there personally, but, I mean, has not heard anything bad about them. So, you know, in six months for the recap, you know, we'll figure it out, see what's up.

[Host]

Yes, dude. Yes. And this is. I. I want to say this. Well, no, let's get through this first, but good. So we have a Wells Fargo credit card you're not spending on. On this, which is great. And you're making more than the minimum monthly payment, so that is good. There's nothing for me to get heated at.

[Travis]

Which one is that one? Is that the only one that I put up towards it?

[Host]

No, 3.372you put towards it. Okay. 83 interest is being accrued on this, which is definitely maddening. And would normally cause for raised emotions, but right now my raised emotions are all focused on the other thing. And. Okay, so, yeah, 4,783. 90 is currently owed on this.

[Travis]

And I did a payment of 132 today.

[Host]

Very good. Good lad. So, again, I mean, I can't knock that. You got into the debt. Why'd you get into the debt in the first place? The credit card debt, private student loans. I get it. We need to complete our degree. We'll take out any amount of money that's within our culture in order to do it, but credit card debt?

[Travis]

Yeah. So credit card debt. The reason why I believe that I'm in so much credit card debt. Last year I had a financial goal of getting 10,000 put into my 401k. And so I was like, shoveling a bunch of money over to that, and I think you've gotten pretty close to that. I got over it. Oh, yeah, it was one of those. And then the next statement right there is how we got under it. Yeah. Unfortunate. But, yeah, I got the 10. I got the 10,000. It ended up being like, up to 11,000 at one point. And then I ended up taking out a 401k loan out of it just for a little bit.

[Host]

So paid off.

[Travis]

It has, I think, 1700 left on.

[Host]

It at the interest.

[Travis]

Nine percent.

[Host]

Oh, buddy. But what were you using it for?

[Travis]

I was using it to pay off the Apple credit card statement. That's.

[Host]

No, no, no, no. And you did pay that off. I'm glad. But no, no, no.

[Travis]

It was one of those. The loan amount was originally 3,100 to pay it off entirely, but my Apple card interest was at like, 29% already. And I was like, yeah, it just didn't make math. If I'm going to have debt, I would much rather have more of my monthly. More of my dollars to be able to go towards something as opposed to the $150 a month in interest I was gonna get.

[Host]

Yeah. You paid off the credit card. What are you doing towards the 401k to try to pay it off on a monthly basis.

[Travis]

So since Whataburger pays weekly, they just do the automatic deductions. And so right now I have.

[Host]

So that comes before what you get paid.

[Travis]

Yeah. $30 a week or $20 a week? One of the two for. It's got two, three years.

[Host]

Ah, you can do it. Can. Well, do.

[Travis]

I can do extra payments on it to, like, the principal balance as opposed to letting the fees and interest accrue.

[Host]

After The Wells Fargo well. Yeah, let's take care of the Wells Fargo for.

[Travis]

Well, my main one I've been working on.

[Host]

That makes sense. And then an aid advantage. So this is your federal student loans.

[Travis]

Yeah, those are the federal student loans.

[Host]

Okay. With this we have a total of 18. What school did you go to?

[Travis]

Texas Wesleyan University.

[Host]

Oh, it's private, isn't it?

[Travis]

Yeah. And then the reason why the first. The first mark student loan payments were so high was because I was and on cheer and I used somebody else's piss to pass a test and I tested positive and I lost my housing.

[Host]

What the.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

Is everyone out there doing every drug known to man? Am I just a sheltered little boy?

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

Yeah, I already knew that.

[Travis]

If somebody's taking something. Yeah, they're taking Benadryl or.

[Host]

I don't know, I take caffeine.

[Travis]

There you go.

[Host]

Through espresso.

[Travis]

Yours is a little bit more manageable than some others.

[Host]

Yes. A headache for a few days if I Stop.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

162 minimum payment. 18, 106. What kind of payment plan is this on?

[Travis]

I don't know. I haven't made any payments toward any of mine. Oh, federal student loans. I've been making payments on my private student loans since I've gotten out of college. And then with the 8 advantage starting back up on the 4th of each month, it's $164 minimum payment for all of them.

[Host]

Total.

[Travis]

Total.

[Host]

I see. 162.44.

[Travis]

Oh, maybe one. 62. I apologize.

[Host]

No, totally chill. And these interest rates are probably under 5%.

[Travis]

5.5, I think is the largest. Okay.

[Host]

No other debt. What was the. Was the car paid for? Owned right now?

[Travis]

Well, I had bought that as soon as I graduated high school because I was going to be commuting for my first year. But then I had gotten like the housing grant over the summer for being an orientation leader and then for the cheerleading. I got the housing grant during the school year and so I had the year round housing at that point. So I bought a car for no reason. But Yeah, I put 5,000 down. Finance 13 over five years. Paid it off in one and a half once I got promoted to manager, checking accounting out.

[Host]

We started with negative money, man.

[Travis]

Isn't it crazy negative?

[Host]

Like if. Okay, okay, that, the second one you mentioned, that's a little harder to quit. First one you mentioned, like, yes, there's issues, but we can't be prioritizing that.

[Travis]

Over debt or what?

[Host]

I've negative money in our checking account starting with negative 93, $8.37 ending with only $12.46. What if an automatic payment happens and then you stop it? You stop and get your little taquitos all the time. What are you actually getting at these places? $1, $2, $5 at these little marts.

[Travis]

Arizona teas.

[Host]

Okay, so we make some lemonade and sweet tea at home and we mix them Dutch Bros and taquitos. And taquitos. And some bar and grill. And taquitos and taquitos. Some parking stuff. Bar, grill, selling out. $80. Cash it out out. 30 bucks. Sheba hut and potential taquitos. And or gas. Always hard to tell. Overdraft fee 35. There it is.

[Travis]

And it's. That's the only one I've gotten this year and. Oh man, I had the cash. I just.

[Host]

Did you call him?

[Travis]

I haven't called him yet, no.

[Host]

Well, it might be too late. No.

[Travis]

Yeah, but I've had like them reverse them before.

[Host]

I was gonna say, but it's like you didn't take proactive ant action on that. Green Mountain. What's Green Mountain? 196 bucks.

[Travis]

Electric.

[Host]

Okay. Totally chill. ATM 20 bucks. 18 which are 160 bucks. Selling out. 80 bucks are Zell also.

[Travis]

So zell is for. Well, other stuff. $80 specifically. That is the.

[Host]

I'm like. Like my toes are tingling of anxiety.

[Travis]

Yeah, that's what my toes do too.

[Host]

Kiwi. Really?

[Travis]

Yeah. Key, quick car.

[Host]

Oh, O. Okay.

[Travis]

No, I did go for the more expensive oil on that one because I'm trying to. I'm having some issues with the vehicle.

[Host]

I'd say you are having some issues with the vehicle. Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What was this wreck?

[Travis]

What was this wreck?

[Host]

Yeah, what was this wreck? What'd you hit?

[Travis]

I hit like the exit median and then I hit the intermedion and that's where I stopped. I have better photos as well. I can share with you. You want to see them right now?

[Host]

No. Was the other substance currently existing within your body?

[Travis]

Well, substances exist in your body for a very long time.

[Host]

Was it interacting your brain recent of use?

[Travis]

Because 18 hours was the previous. I probably wrecked 12. What time is it now? It's you.

[Host]

Were you high?

[Travis]

It was one of those car.

[Host]

So again, this finances is not my main concern, is it? Great. No, but. And are you stopping and spending money in this grill thing and selling out for all that stuff and what? Burger, Taco Bell, you know, potential taquitos, vending machine, some Mart Martin 18 withdrawal. 1200. That was probably rent and then, you know, taquitos, venueing out money. 7 11. Overdraft. Yeah. 30 bucks. And it was the only one this year. But it's like, okay, sure, all this stuff for most people, that would be my primary concern. I'd be digging into them. But we know what our primary concern is right now because nothing else matters if you're not gonna, you know, exist. This. So this eecu, it's basically nothing. A little bit goes into it from payroll, but not much.

[Travis]

Yeah, I do do 2% of mine to just put cash aside elsewhere.

[Host]

Force you to save, essentially it.

[Travis]

But that was kind of like the building of an emergency savings. I've Learned that put 2% of a check every week really isn't going to do that much overtime. No, but it's like I've had that going for a little bit now and it's a little bit of money. An idea.357. Yeah, it's one of those. It was not taking advantage of any high interest at all. But since watching again, that's not my primary. I got that Sofi though, dude, it's.

[Host]

Great, it's great, I love it. But okay, a thousand, three hundred and Wells Fargo saving, but we took it down from 3200, so we're down a thousand bucks.

[Travis]

One of those. The savings. Yeah, it's one of those. If I put extra money in there that was to hold off for storage for the moving cost of everything, but I only usually kept a thousand in there. I was usually keeping that thousand cash as opposed to anything else that savings I just sent. So that way you had it. But my emergency savings used to be just in cash and then there was just some bad apples at the house and so I would.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Travis]

And so I went and I put it in my savings and yeah, all that. So that's weird. But yeah, my savings just has a thousand.

[Host]

So 9374 because we took some money out of 401k. Now how would you allocate this money? Did you just select a certain fund? What did you do?

[Travis]

So initially what I had done was I had just threw a bunch into my employee savings account, the one that you had to pay the taxes on the stuff that you make money on in the future. But that was also in goal of the getting up to 10,000. Like more money is going to be putting in each week because you aren't paying the taxes on it. And so that was kind of the hope with that.

[Host]

I'm just curious because it's like 30% or 23% in bonds, which is fine. Usually what a lot of financial advisors who I've talking to and have learned from. This is not financial advice, to be clear, but just what I've seen for younger ages are more aggressive up to front. So there's nothing necessarily wrong with this. Well, and I'm not going to say that anyway for legal reasons, but it's.

[Travis]

One of those, like for my risk factor score, they do it out of 10. I had selected eight. Really?

[Host]

And they still did 30% in bonds, 23%. Well, okay, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm happy. I'm, I'm chill with this. 25. 10,000 bucks, maybe a little more. But I'm still very happy to start.

[Travis]

I do have, I couldn't get the statement for it. I have a thousand dollars with the IRA with Wells Fargo, so.

[Host]

Lovely. Yeah, let's max out the raw fire every year. But again, none of this pales. Well, I don't think the savings necessarily counts with a thousand three hundred. I went to it because that's what you took out of savings. So. But either way, when we're just doing our pie chart stuff, BS food and stuff like that, it's only 3.2% a lot of the money with the debt payments. 13.5%. You're miscellaneous, you know, it was about 804 bucks as far as we could tell. Venmoing out for like.

[Travis]

Well, yeah, there's a lot of Venmo and cash app.

[Host]

And how expensive is the other drug.

[Travis]

That, that one was typically a hundred dollars a week. I believe on this statement we see me sell out a 300 thing and that was, you know, whenever everybody's always struggling. Oh, I can't get it because of whatever reason, it's like, okay, what are the reasons?

[Host]

Money.

[Travis]

Yeah. They don't have money to get tough.

[Host]

Well, that, that's what makes me nervous if you head down that path.

[Travis]

Okay, like how much have you been doing consistently? Probably about two months. So we're right in the start.

[Host]

So you just started? Yes. This is the time. This is the time the roommate got you into this.

[Travis]

I don't remember how I've gotten into because it's like I've had it before years past, but it's like been just, oh, every now and again, blah, blah, blah. Never a consistent place, never a store.

[Host]

I really want you to change the people you surround yourself with, even if that's in the workplace. And I love your job. You do great and it's working. The hours that, you know, you say you're chill with wherever the pressures are around this, the party culture that involve this, we can do party culture without this kind of stuff. I, I just, for when you come back from this facility, which again, awesome that you're doing it. I don't want you to be in a situation where there's going to be temptations and stuff like that. I want you to change that. Once you take advantage of this amazing health insurance, do this, do that. I want to have like a reward thing. I'm trying to think of like a goal we can hit for you to be like six months clean on this stuff and then, you know, like, I, I don't know, I'm trying to think of something, but I don't know how we would prove it.

[Travis]

Go get taquitos, how we could prove it? Yeah, I don't know. A hair test.

[Host]

Well, I know, but like six months clean, it's like, how do we prove that it's been six months and there was no message?

[Travis]

I'll have fun. We can have a little contest. I'll go get, go to Quest Diagnostics and go get a test for you.

[Host]

Not a lot easier, Schoolmates pee.

[Travis]

I won't. I wasn't good with chemistry. I just studied biology.

[Host]

How long does it stay in your hair?

[Travis]

I don't know.

[Host]

We'll figure it out.

[Travis]

But I know hair. I think hair holds everything for the most part. And hair is able to read back. I think six to nine months.

[Host]

Is your 401k $17,000 or 1700,000 or 1700 bucks? My 401k loan, was it 1700 bucks? Owed her 17,000, I want to say. Yeah, okay, I wrote that wrong.

[Travis]

It's one of those. All in all, you know, Wells Fargo has their life ass setter tool or whatever, Life Select. So my net worth right now is like negative 32,000. And I want to take a brief.

[Host]

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[Travis]

It's like my total debts are probably around 50. Whenever I originally was starting to pay off debt, I was up at like 56,000.

[Host]

Okay, well, usually I don't do stuff like this because I don't want to have people have negative intentions when they come on the show. Negative reasons to come on the show. But. And I don't know how we're going to do this. We're going to have to figure this off off camera and stuff like that with different testing. Like, I'll pay for testing that's needed along the way. But if we can get you six months to clean from when you come back, like, I will help to pay off this 401k loan. Like, I will do that as a reward because I. Dude, going down a path like that is scary and I do not want that for your life. So if we can get to the point where we're six months again, we're going to need to figure out ways to do that and show that we're. We've been consistent throughout the six months. And, you know, we'll see what's left on the loan and what we can do. But let's figure out something in our own time. Communication back and forth. And let's have. I want to reward you for really turning this around because I do not want you to head down this path. It's a scary path and I am scared right now. The finances are whatever. And I know they're much more forefront in your mind than they might be for me because I'm taking the other part very seriously. So let that be the goal. Right. And the reward. I saw the thing, man.

[Travis]

Yeah. Because it's one of those, like whenever I was talking with the facility, it was one of those. They were like, all right, well, we're ready to go now. Like, we can get you to the airport, send you on a plane. And it was one of those. I started crying, and I was like, no. Like, I got something I want to do on Monday, so.

[Host]

Oh, no.

[Travis]

I really wanted to come to this.

[Host]

Okay. Well, I'm glad you're here. I'm. I'm really glad you're here. Hopefully I was able to help in some way with. With this. Really? You're on the path to paying off the debt. You're on the path to paying off the debt. You've done that? Well, I would cut back the extra spending, of course. Of course. I would cut that back. What I prescribe to you and let the experts at the facility do it better. But when you get back, at least every other week, preferably every week with your great health insurance, a therapist that focuses on addiction. I really want you to consider that and consider group as well. I have no experience with group, but I know it's been very helpful for many other people, so I want that to be something that you consider again. I have a feeling that when you're leaving this facility, they're gonna have, you know, better resources and instructions of what you should do from there. So I would definitely take their advice. But going in, that's something I would heavily consider that.

[Travis]

Yeah. I have a app on my phone that lists all of the dates for group meetings between, like, a bunch of different.

[Host]

Have you started? Are you waiting?

[Travis]

It's one of those. That thing that I went to with that girl that I mentioned at the beginning.

[Host]

Yes.

[Travis]

Yeah, we went to a meeting.

[Host]

Good. So how was that?

[Travis]

It was very small. It was the smallest meeting that I'd probably been to, but it was. It's good. You know, it's like. Not everybody talks about how they feel. And that was a room where everybody said something.

[Host]

Yeah. Very good. Do you think it was helpful, something you would go back to?

[Travis]

Yeah, Maybe not that specific one.

[Host]

Sure.

[Travis]

Others, you know, like, there's a community.

[Host]

Out there for people, and do you have someone that you can rely on? You know, like a sponsor or something like that?

[Travis]

I haven't gotten to that point yet. Right now, we're still in the, you know, life is falling apart phase.

[Host]

Yes.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

Yes. Well, life has started to fall apart, but you're catching this early.

[Travis]

Yeah. And then the fact that I crashed my car last night, like, whoo. We just can't even. Just write it off. We'll get a new one later.

[Host]

You're 25. You have the potential to have an amazing life and even retire, you know, million. Two, million potentially 3 million bucks, depending on how you go throughout things. That's great. There's no point of getting there if you're not gonna live past 50.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

So we need to take care of these things. You're headed down a dangerous road, but you've recognized it and you've taken the steps to, you know, fix it. You're only a couple months into this, and that is optimistic to me. Among the dread. We're so new in this potential addiction that people spiral into that you can. Does your family know?

[Travis]

Well, I wasn't gonna tell my family that I was going to. Whenever I crashed the car last night and my mother came to pick me up, I did let her know that I was going for my mental health good. But they don't know. And then I was like, you know, like, I told. I told my family I was going to be on this show. Like, they might watch it, but I knew, like, going on to this show that I was going to be truthful.

[Host]

So, like, can you cut whatever you want cut, though? There's. There's no obligations.

[Travis]

Who cares?

[Host]

Well, just think long and hard about it. Long and hard about it. We'll probably take editorial things as well, just to protect you. From what? Yeah. But. Yes. Okay. We have dads. Like, we can work on a budget when you get back and do some things, you know, we'll communicate back and forth. That's not my primary concern right now. Again, so I don't want to talk in circles, but. Or just beat a dead horse, whatever saying you can come up with. Let's get you there. Let's get you through that. I want you to fully, mentally focus on that. You have a little bit. Okay. So will minimum payments be able to be met?

[Travis]

I have set up all my stuff for the auto withdrawals. I have moved my emergency savings into my checking, and then I will still be receiving pay for the time.

[Host]

So you'll be good.

[Travis]

Yes. I have given all my information to my mother. So that way, in case there's any bills that come out, she's able to check it and take care of that.

[Host]

Because I don't want you to think about finances for a single second. I know you're stressed about it, and you've won the Dave Ramsey method, which is totally good. A lot of people have been successful through that method. Totally chill. I don't want you to think about finances for a single second. I want you to focus on you getting better, taking care of your mental health, taking care of your addictions and coming back and Then kicking this in the. And living an amazing life like the bad you are. Yeah.

[Travis]

Yeah.

[Host]

Okay. That's primary concern number one. I believe in you, man. I believe in you. We'll figure out something for a reward mechanism just out of even. Yeah, you don't need it to get there, but I want to root for you and be like, yeah, celebrate. Like, just get excited and have whatever that reward might be as just a gift. A gift. Not as a, you know, carrot on a stick type thing. It's an actual gift to celebrate. So let's do that, man. We'll figure that out. But do you have any final thoughts overall?

[Travis]

Tell your friends that you're proud of them. It's one of those. Because that means a lot to people.

[Host]

I'm proud of you, man. I'm proud of you. You're back. Financial score right now, there's really not even a point to give it. I mean, it's probably something like a one out of ten. But that's not. Again, that's not what matters in this conversation. So he's headed right now to get on a plane and we've given him everything beforehand so that he can review it on the way. He's going to listen to the audio on the way to get anything cut that he wants to. Such a hard conversation. And we're gonna make also liberal use of cutting things as well. So trust me, whatever's in this episode, however intense you think that is, there's a lot more that we cut. So I wish him the best of luck. We were going to be in constant communication with him once he gets back and to. We're going gonna help him along the way and I'm gonna make sure there's like a cash prize to help pay off that 401k loan and stuff like that when he gets back. But, man, I. I know I just told you this a few seconds ago, but thank you for being a. And for telling your story on the show, for helping people out there in the audience, and we wish you the best of luck and I'm excited to see you again. For you to turn that life around. You're amazing. You're awesome. Don't forget to check out those resources linked in the description below. They are what I use or would use in specific situations.