Dumb Blonde Can't Get Her Life Together | Financial Audit

My name is Kayla. I'm based out of. Midland, Texas and I'm 24 and this is. financial audit. Welcome on over to Austin from that West. Texas dryness. What do you do for a. living? I am an analytical chemist. Okay, cool. Out there oil and the oil. yeah yeah yeah. What are we making? So I make 50. after taxes. Cool. So I bring home about like. 4,300. Mhm. A month?

Yes, sir. Very good. Yeah, and I know you're from. Michigan as well. Yes. Yeah, you went to Northern Michigan. University up there. I did. freezing cold. Cool. So. freezing cold and snow. Yeah. 24 is pretty young. Thank you. This is a new job? Yes, sir. I just graduated college. Yeah, when did you move down? So I actually moved to East Texas. My. mom, after my dad passed away, my mom. wanted to like move from Michigan. So. she moved to East Texas. I followed her. in May. I got a job out there, but I was.

fired. Uh wrongful termination. I got I. got money. What? Really? Yeah. You sued? Um. I filed an OSHA whistleblower complaint. Interesting. Because I told them that they needed a. fume hood. It was a startup. Yeah. And so I was fired. I had that job for. about like 3 days. 3 days? Why did they say they fired you? Because I didn't fit in. But then I. called I was a part of a temp agency. So I called the temp agency's VP that I. was given to from the HR and he called.

the. like manager of the factory and the. manager reached out to the laboratory. manager. And he wrote this whole entire thing. It. looked like it was from chat GPT, you. know, like it had like that layout. But. in it he said it was because I brought. up a fume hood and he said that we. didn't need a fume hood. Uh-oh. Yeah, dude was exposed in his own. dumb. And I was trying so hard to like he's.

not he doesn't have a chemistry. background, right? So, I was trying. really hard to like make sure the lab. was set up right, make sure that his. bosses were happy, and then that would. make that would by default like make me. look good if I made him look good, and. then we could all look good. But, How much How much money did you get? Like 5,000, but after taxes it was. 3,500. Yeah. So, not enough. Well, I mean you got a good job now. You. live in the middle of nowhere, but you. got a good job now. It's okay. Yeah. It's the biggest city I've ever lived. in. 50k after taxes right after graduation, I mean uh there's people doing worse.

than you. Thank you. I appreciate that. Um now, some people do better you than. you when it comes to your debt. You've. You've just debt-detted yourself. You. built up the credit card debt. Took out. so many private student loans. Yeah. And I. Sallie Mae that. didn't have to. I didn't have to either. Like I could have taken out the federal, but I didn't know. I was first gen. I was first gen, too. I know. I know. I know. But, A lot of people are first gen. What do. you mean? Okay, so.

Okay. I. Yeah, but also like during like the. COVID, I showed up to the financial aid. office. There's no excuse. I should have. done my due research. Yeah. So, you're right. I apologize. I'll just. give up on that fight. Well, that was like 2 seconds. You're welcome. What? Okay. Um yeah, no. I mean this is First of. all, I mean where you When you're going. to college, were your parents involved. in at all in the conversation? No. Okay. Other than my my dad who passed My.

stepdad actually, the one that passed. away, he did co-sign. for my student loans. All? Most of them because. Okay, see if he was co-signing. Because he doesn't he doesn't they don't. they don't My family didn't graduate. high school. Yeah. Yeah. I'm recovered trailer trash. Recycled, if you will. So. Okay. Interesting. Yeah, no, I mean it's. okay. Lack of education is totally okay, but let's just not just let's let's not. use the I'm a first generation, so I was.

stupid about it. Yeah, I was first generation. A lot of. the people I went to were first. generation. Like we didn't still know. fair especially since and I'll say this. Your mom has a nursing degree. Nursing degree, yes, she went back to. college though. Was she that before or after you went to. college? right before I went to college. So. technically, I guess you're right. But. she didn't go she didn't like go right. after high school. trying to like diminish your compliments. by saying that. Yeah, and it was community college. I. was the first person that went to a. university and whatever. Either way.

It's still college. She still did it. She still did it. Yeah, I started to do. it while I was going through high school. which superhero act. essentially going and getting that. nursing degree when she wasn't uh making. anything before that really in terms of. income really helped save the household. Um um that's a side tangent, but. um you know, community college you can. pay for and all that stuff quite easily. cuz it's much cheaper typically at least. the one that we went through and. Kalamazoo Valley Community College it's. quite easy to pay for that out of pocket. versus borrowing where I went to a. four-year degree type university and.

that or lower middle class. Kalamazoo promised though. I'm from Portage. Oh, that's different. Yeah, that's right. Next Kalamazoo, yeah. Darn. Yeah, I know. I miss free college. I was. so I was like 2 miles away from having. my entire tuition paid for. Yeah. So I took out tens and tens and tens of. thousands of dollars student loans for a. worthless degree that I didn't even get. So either way, it doesn't matter. It's. not about me. This is all about you. Either way. what I will say in regards to the.

the the excuse you tried to make is you. did take out some federal student loans, so you knew it existed. I did at the end. It was at the end. So like I mean the grants that I got I. did get grants, but yeah, I didn't know. that. I I that they just gave you. I didn't know. It's going to sound real dumb. I'm not. even going to You're going to look at me. like that. Ignorance is acceptable when it comes to. a lot of finances in the United States. just like, you know, I didn't know that. I had to apply. I thought it was just.

like you got the loans that you got. through your FAFSA when you got them. Okay. It doesn't. And that that was in like your fourth. year, third year? Yeah, I went to school for 5 years cuz I. changed my major from. Quite common. It was a from an adjacent major, too. It. was from a chemistry major to another. chemistry major, so. Um so, what I'm just picturing and what. was making me smile is just like you're. going into freshman year and you just. like Google student loans and like. Sallie Mae that. like advertised at the top of Google or. something and then you clicked on it.

Yeah. Yes, sir. That's what happened. Well, what is kind of good even though. obviously we have to pay these back. And. it sounds like you came from a place of, you know, trailer trash is as what you. said, which screams to me probably lower. income. Yeah, I was homeless a couple of times. Well, there we go. That sounds like you. making 50K after taxes. That's more than anyone in my family. We Yeah, we're doing some generational. changes through your chemistry degree. So, when I'm setting aside money to save. for a new purchase like a car or a home. or taxes or whatever I'm saving money. for like an emergency fund, I'm using. SoFi. It's a 4.6% yield on my money and.

this is absolutely incredible. Why not. take advantage of that free return on. the money that's just sitting there. And. there's great bonuses for signing up all. the way up to $250 if you sign up using. the link in the description below. It's. literally free money. I use it, you. should, too. Like that's pretty awesome. It was a good degree to get. Yeah. Like I wish that and I wish I. could have had the conversation with me. when I was 18 graduating high school. Like I wish we could go back and I could. have the conversation with you and we. could talk about how to go through. college and get this degree cuz now of.

course you have to pay it back. to you. Even still. Even still. Yeah. Well, I don't know if I would have. listened to myself, either. But even. still. I just I wanted to do things my own way. Even still. I think this will still have a better. return on investment in the end. Yes, sir. We just need to. get this taken care of now. Give. yourself a score 0 to 10. Ooh, um. Finance score? 0.5. Okay. So, we have a credit card. I do. This obviously doesn't. This isn't You didn't borrow this to pay.

the tuition to school. What built this. up? Um when my when my dad passed away, I. was really like depressed. That's when I. got. When was that? 2021. Okay. I was really depressed. Um and I just. started eating a bunch of fast food and. like not really caring about I didn't. think I was going to live this long. This is a fast food card? No, not just that. Just like. I got really addicted to alcohol, too. Really? Yeah. Oh, no. Now, that's a hard one, especially cuz that.

on it anymore. That's good, but that can translate to. much more dangerous substances for some. people. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it is a carbon away. from. Yeah, exactly. That is upper upper upper. for sure. But the only problem is is like, you. know, Walter White isn't making your. your Uncle Walter is making your. But still, like abuse is still abuse and. it's like not okay. Who's making your. Yeah, Walter White chemists they're. quality controlling it. Oh. There's quality control. I see what you're saying. Um. I just didn't say it very eloquently.

Sorry. How long have you been off of that? I'm. glad you are. Um so, I mean, I am prescribed it. Um. Mhm. Is this abuse? Yeah, I mean, I I was abusing it through. college and then after college, I was like, "Okay, I can take it like a. normal person." And I did that. And then. they wanted me. So, after college? Yeah. You said you just graduated. I did in May. I start What Can you just stop? What? So, okay. So, I graduated in May and.

then I started taking Adderall like a. normal person. So, 40 mg a a instead of 120. And I just stopped taking it about a. week ago from 30 mg cuz I didn't I. couldn't do well in my life by just. stopping it. No, I I know. I know, but when you said. like you're. Oh, I was really. You were hoping that it was for longer. At least a month, not a day. No, it's not a been a day. It's been a. week. A week, okay. That's diminishing the experience.

Oh, you're right. Wait, but you said. you're weaning though. You're not fully. off. No, I'm fully off of it now. Okay. But I had to I was on such a. I was at such a level that like if I. just went off of it, it would take me. like a month to recover. Now, I mean, I. I've been I mean, I've been working. while I've been off of it and it's been. fine. Yeah, how how are you feeling? Good. I honestly feel really happy. I can laugh. Food tastes so good now. It diminishes the taste of food? It makes you not want to eat. Oh.

You're not even fat. Don't even start. Girl. My BMI says very different. BMI's. I know. It's It's not It's not great. It's not great. It doesn't take into. account muscle. But. We're talking about me now. We are talking about you. And my tummy's. a grumbling. So, that talk of fast food. I want some Wendy's nugs. Okay. Okay. Okay. Wendy's is a mid. Yeah, but the Wendy's nugs is. incredible. Wendy's is mid, but the. Wendy's nugs is delicious. The fries are. sh.

burgers, meh, you know, but the nugs are. incredible. Never tried it. Well, then you can't talk mid. Well, I mean, I I've been like not. eating out unless I'm on a diet. On this card, there still was a purchase. though, which is kind of upsetting. because Okay, there's a balance We've. gone down this road multiple times. There's a balance of $4,020. Yes. With $123 of interest being accrued. Mhm. You did make a big payment more than the. normal monthly payment, which is good. It's like, "Oh, we're trying to take. care of our Congratulations." But then. you go and you get Amazon. Yeah. What What doing? Like, if you're trying.

to make progress on it, why are we. spending on a card that we lost. $1,622 in interest this year so far and. $200 in fees? I lost that much in interest? Yeah. So, why did I make that $45 Amazon. purchase? It's because I accidentally. overpaid. on my credit card bill. What? So, I thought that I canceled the $366. payment and I put in the 400, but I. didn't cancel that.

So. Okay. Why does that mean we go spend. money on Amazon? have, but it was. That didn't make sense. What kind of. justification is that? Why Why do we go. spend money on Amazon because we. overpaid? What? Overpaid? Fantastic. Great. We overpaid. We're paying off the. credit card more. What? know. I know, but it was for my mom's. Christmas present and I've never gotten. her anything. Where'd the first thing even come from? What kind of justification was that? I. overpaid, so I get a Christmas gift? No, you're right. Okay. That's okay. I'm just very.

confused. Um. I mean, Santa didn't come down and force. you to spend that $43.63. Well. Well, I don't know about that. 32% of interest. 32% of interest. Okay. Now we get to the fun Sallie Maes. You better be overpaying on these by. accident. I don't have So. Because I was out of a job, I haven't. paid on those cuz they're in the grace. period. I do pay on the interest.

I don't have to pay on them until May. Why are you growling? Cuz these are terrible and you make. money and you may as well pay for it. instead of spending money on. I'm trying to pay off the credit card. first. Then we shouldn't be spending on it. I haven't spent on it in a really long. time. Dude, I don't know. I just have the. statement in front of me and you spent. on it. Yeah, that's true. I mean, but I don't. normally. Like, I haven't I on it in a year. $4,111.44. on this Sallie Mae.

Sallie Mae. numero you know at 12% interest rate. Me. And yeah, you're doing minimum monthly. payment just the interest. Yes, sir. But you bought 4,000 so it still has. gone up to four. What I don't like is. What is this minimum monthly payment. going to be? That's why I'm trying to get the credit. cards paid off first. Yeah, but what is the minimum monthly. payment going to be? I'm. I was going. Maximum repayment term 72 months.

I'm going to pay off before that. Most. definitely. I'm going to get my private. student loans paid off next year. You better. I mean it's not an option. I. would pay it off earlier, but Well, I'm. just trying to figure out what the. minimum. year is almost over. I know, but by the end of next year. 100% it will? I I like I'd pay it off like early next. year. Okay. Either way. I don't make that kind of money and. where I live it's very expensive. I. don't make that kind of money. I don't. make that kind of money. I don't make. that kind of. we'll get there. Sallie. Mae number two. Sallie Mae number two is Oh my gosh.

Okay. $3,700.40. 47 cents. At 9.375%. so it's down, but it's still well above. where federal ones are. Again, don't know what the minimum. monthly payment is going to be, but. right now it's 25. That's the interest. that's accruing. 96 months. This one's. longer. Wait. Oy. Oy. Oy. Yeah, and we took out 3,500, but it's up. to. 3,700. Mhm. Yeah. You look so. smiley.

Enjoy- Enjoyable. How dare I? How dare I I appreciate. How dare I? I'm sorry. Huh. this is what I signed up for, so you. know. No, I appreciate it cuz I feel like. death, but you're happy over there. I wouldn't say that I'm happy. Okay. I mean I'm not going to frown on. This one's at 13.125%. Well, I just I couldn't smile at these. numbers personally, but I get it. It's it's a. That interest rate. defense mechanism. sucks. Oh, okay. Yeah. The cope smile. We've seen it before.

We'll see it again. 1,886. At least this one's a lower balance at. the higher rate. And then I have a verbal one that I have. to tell you about. The friend? No, not that one. What? Um so I have a College Avenue one at. 3,000, I think, and it's 16% interest. What the. What do you mean verbal? I mean I don't I have the paper for it, but I forgot to bring it. What's its current payment? Um I I don't have to pay on it until. May. And.

so. what was the interest? 16? What did you. say? I don't want to 16%. How did you Why did you even get that. one? Because I needed it. And Sally wasn't giving more? I thought maybe it would give me a. better rate. But when you saw the rate. it wasn't that high. Is it variable? Got it. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Sally's variable, too, sometimes. been. since my dad died. What is your credit? Cuz my dad.

570. I was going to say maybe we refinance. these, but. Not yet. Not yet. It'll get better, trust me. Cuz. right now I'm like basically homeless. So like. What? What does that mean? Well, I'm not homeless cuz like I I live. I have I live in a motel. But why? Wait, when did you go to. Odessa? A month ago. I Okay, I've moved a billion times in my. life and many times not having much. money, but I got a I got apartments by. The apartments are more expensive than.

this motel. No. Yeah, I So I pay 980. So it's going to be more expensive on. there because it's more expensive for. the first month and then it goes down. And um I told my co-workers where I was. living and they told me like yeah, that's a dangerous part of town and I've. been harassed since I've moved there. want. to be in danger my dude. I'm not in danger. I mean I have. Yeah, I believe the word you just said. was danger. Yeah, I mean it's not safe. I think we in the world of English call. that danger. Yes, sir. I'm sorry.

I'm Midland. Oh, oh, oh, Odessa. Okay, Midland. It's a phallic shaped. city. Hey, what 900? 9980. The apartments there are like 1200. 1100. They're not Texas prices. I can. tell you that much there. Found 900 $900 a month for one bed one. bath. in Midland. But is that with everything included? Um I'm not sure. My credit score is so bad I couldn't. qualify. Uh. maybe. There is this one time that like this.

guy like knocked on my window. at like 1:00 a.m. and he was like. I don't know. I I don't talk to anybody. there but he was like calling me a. and telling me to open the door. You want me to commute? Odessa's not. far. Um so from what I've seen Odessa's more. expensive. Yeah, no no but I'm seeing like like. even like this. very small house for 750. I'm not saying. it's going to be luxurious. But is it for everything included. though? I mean the bills are a lot out. there. You mean like yeah, electricity and. everything. also my credit score.

I know but people with credit scores. still get places to live. Yeah. I mean I've only been there for a. month so like I said I mean it is my. plan to like move. It's going to be pretty comparable but. again what what scares me the most is. what you talked about with potentially. danger. Yeah, and then this one guy this one. Sometimes the houses. Someone was trying to pick my locks. That I I mm. I think it builds character. Okay, I mean you could be like dead. That doesn't build character that ends. character to a permanent existence. That's true. You didn't have to tell me.

that though. I tell everyone. Come on. You've watched. this show. I know but it's different when you hear. it in person when it's directed toward. you. That's okay. It's a it's a love. It's. not a I was literally telling you not to. like get murdered. Like like a brotherly. Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate it. Um so, I mean, okay. So, it's hard to. tell just I'm just I'm just finding the. different places. Some say 700, 800, 900. Whether or not it's all included. going to be different. One of the places.

I rent out, all the utilities are. included. You get just with how the. system uh. um. works. Yeah, I'm just I'm trying to think of. the word. The energy split between a. couple different units. Uh we just throw that in the rent. instead of making them pay for it. separately. It's fine. So, I mean, you're just going to have to contact. them. And a lot of these they might be. mom and pop landlords if they're not a. part of like a big complex. And they. might be able to work with you on your. credit score. You show them the job. like, "Here's my job. Here's my.

history." You know, it's going to take. conversation. It's going to to take. harder work, but the fun fact that's not. so fun is nothing ever works if you. don't try. Yes, that's true. Closed mouths don't. get fed. So. And your old federal student loans will. restart pretty soon as well for you. Mhm. Cuz you're Well, what is it? 6 months. after graduation? 9 months after. graduation? So, they've started. No, not yet. I mean, I technically still. like yeah, I graduated in May, and. that's when I left for like my job and. stuff, but I had this online class that I was. finishing up. So, I didn't finish up.

until August. Oh, so they're going to start early next. year probably. didn't graduate until August. Though interest is accruing. Yes. Uh $30,853. Can't see any of the interest rates on. them cuz I didn't get the full rundown. They're less than 5%. Less than 5%. Perfect. Minimum payments. are probably going to be like 350. Ooh, yeah, probably. And then you borrowed $500. from a friend. I did. Why? When? That was when I first moved to. the area, and the reason why I did was. cuz I had like another.

way of making income, but it just didn't. work out. What? Um. so, I had a So, I got into like a sugar. relationship. Mhm. And I just didn't like that dynamic. Okay. It's a lot more work than people let it. let it on to be and honestly like I. wouldn't recommend that anybody does it. It's dangerous and. you could probably make more money being. a. and at least you're in control of your. income, you know? Mhm. Okay. And so you didn't like it so you. stopped? Yeah. That's fine.

I mean I was probably in like that type. of arrangement for like 2 months. Yeah. How much did you make? Not enough. How much did you make? Um so 700. For the full 2 months? No. For the last month. The first month. he didn't give me anything cuz he was. flying me out from Dallas. I know. I know. I'm bad at negotiating. and talking about money. So I do want to. get an MBA in the future though. Really? No. I know I do I do I do. I thought you. were going to yell at me.

Why? It's a good degree. I I think that it would really. complement my chemistry degree. I'm not anti-degrees. I know I show my. boys I love them. Across careers I talk. about certifications. I you know I do. that all the time because they're good. College degrees are also good. I just. Certifications are really good. Yeah, but I just try to go It's all. about how you do these different things. It's not about yes this, no this, good. this, bad this. It's going through things. It's not as. black and white. like didn't like that. people. with a lot of money use their money as a.

as like power over poor or younger. individuals. Is this a sugar relationship? relationship. didn't you sign up for it? It it is it is and I did. Um but it's. just. Did you seek it? Yes. Okay. I'm just saying like I just didn't like. that. I thought that I could I would be. okay with objectifying myself in that. way and I just wasn't. Yeah, it's okay if you don't like it. I. mean I I believe consenting adults do. whatever the consenting adults want to. do. 100% 100%. Um but um of course yes I agree if.

anyone's using like uh power money for. like, you know, they approach something. someone and they try to use that to. manipulate them. Yeah, absolutely. You. did sign up for it and you you sought. it. Mhm. Okay. Um, so the. But I'm just saying like a lot of people. think that it's not as dark as it is and. it's. It's a pretty dark world and. a lot of people get a lot of flack for. saying that. Really? So. Okay. I'll go ahead and say it. It's not all. sunshine and rainbows.

Sure. Yeah. I honestly. I don't know about that life, so. not for me to. uh. say if it's good or bad, but uh. you borrowed $500 from friends, though. I did. Why have you not paid back any of this? Because even after your rent, still have. an extra $3,400. um. month. So, because I didn't get my first. paycheck until 3 weeks after I got. there. When did you get there again? I got there on.

on on October 28th. Okay, so it's been a few months. Why has. she not paid back? It's just Wait, October? November. December. So, it's been two. So, I. haven't paid him back because he's not. super. adamant about me paying him. back right away. Like he wants me to. pay off like get the majority Yeah, he's. just a good person. We've been friends. for years. So. No, that's great. I I like that he I I.

would honestly do something similar if I. lent friend money and I would honestly. probably gift it, but. paid him back $100 of it. So, it's 400 now or it was 600? Okay. No, it was 500. Now, it's 400. Okay, cool. No, I'm I'm totally down for. that. Whatever the agreement is is. whatever the agreement is and it sounds. like he's encouraging you to do um. He always does. He's such a good person. Good. Good. I like that. Um, so. of course, we could have paid him off. because. Yeah.

I went to the National Park. Yeah, cranes and McDonald's and. What is this software fee? Who even. knows? And. uh. Oh, that's from the debt collector. I went. You have collections. No, I once I had one and I dealt with. it. Why was it $4.95? Because it was um a transaction fee. Okay. And. That was 200. Oh, that's your rent. And then TJ Maxx. and Pollo's restaurant, Pollo's. restaurant. Rent. Pollo's. Uh something.

Oh, yeah, yeah, I had two drinks and it. was 20 bucks. Incoming wire of $10. they took $10 when my friend wired me. the 500 from the Zelle. And then there's your 500 that you. borrowed from your friend. That was last. month. Mhm. Domino's. I had a free pizza, but I did spend. money. Yeah, yeah, you spent $20. And High. Sierra and Chili Pepper Cafe. Chili Pepper Cafe. Yeah. And uh and then there's your rent.

again. So, it's not like you go crazy. and you're just throwing money. everywhere, but. I I didn't have the money to do it and I. shouldn't have done it. It's not even that. If I owe my friend. friend money, like good friend money. Yeah. You know, you pay him off. That's his. morals. 100%. I guess I don't have those, right? Is that what you're saying? Uh well, your actions did not include. them in that instance. I'm not saying. you're an immoral person. There's a lot. that goes with morals. Also, morals are. pretty subjective anyway, so.

Uh okay. You seem very like almost defensive, ready to slap back on everything. I'm not going to. You can if you want. Be yourself. I I know that I know that I know that. you're just telling me the truth. I. mean, remember, I didn't have a dad, so. I need someone to tell me what's up. Well, I mean, I don't know. I mean, it's. I'm a human being. There's There's times. where I've gotten things wrong as well. It's okay. As a What I mostly just like. What's up? Like why why why are we.

no thoughts. I'm just focused on the. situation and how I can improve it and. make it better. Like different miscellaneous 5% like 108. bucks is what we got. Unknown shopping. is typically like Walmart or Amazon. This was Amazon in this case. Um 2.7% but food going out to eat 6.4%. That's higher than it should be. Uh yeah, and so was the miscellaneous So. was the unknown shopping which was. Amazon. Other large purchases 12.2%. And that was a CM accounting. What was. that?

How much was it? 276. Oh, that was the collection that I owed. to Charter. Okay. That same collection. I'm glad you paid that. And then I paid off the water I just. recently paid the water bill that I owed. in Michigan. Oh, jeez. off. I had a roommate that left. Not that. that's an excuse. It shouldn't have. taken me this long, but it did. Well, that necessary food was of course. less than 5%. It's okay. difference between unnecessary. groceries versus eating out. Oh, but you said it was unnecessary.

I said your necessary food was more. I misunderstood what you were saying. have said unnecessary. I may have had a. No, you didn't. It was my ears. So, again, it's not insane. Uh. Now, what came in is much different than. what you said. What came in was 2,653. You said 4,300 was in. That's because I That's when I just. started. Okay. So, that was in the. there in October, but you didn't start. till November? No, I didn't start until. um November 6th. And I didn't get my. first paycheck until 3 weeks later.

Okay. So, it depends on how much overtime I. work. I usually work about 50 hours 50. hours a week. Cuz I want to. That's why I gave myself a 0. 5 was because I work a lot and I. can pay it off. Like I'm I have that. ability to do that now. I can It's not like you went insane, but. it's just I don't think any of that. should exist with what we owe a friend. You're right. Cuz I mean that's so much more personal. than a credit card and Sally Mae the. Well, I mean we could call her worse.

names. I think that. She's. Yep. Exactly. Yeah. No, Sally Sally Mae's evil. She is. Evil. That's sucky best. So, is that your plan then to stay at. the motel for 800? Cuz that's what I'll. put for your rent if that's what you. plan. Rent and utilities? It's um it's 980. Wait, what? It's 980. Oh, we were finding I was finding. cheaper places than that. For everything included? Yeah, I don't know. That's for you to contact. them for the amount. have you been finding those places at? It was in Odessa and it was in Midland.

Um website were you using? Zillow. So, I don't know about Zillow, but I. know like apartment.com like sometimes. like. they'll have scammers because anybody. can post. So, what I do is I always look. up the apartment complexes. Well, they could be mom and pop. You. wouldn't find. I know, but. I'm terrified of being trafficked and. then like, you know, like I'm a girl. I. don't. Not a lot. No. No. You have a coworker that could come with. you to a place? I'm sure that I could ask one of them. Yeah.

Do that. Yeah. It's just, you know, it's it's a. very dangerous town. No, sure. Absolutely. Um like I I. totally respect that fear. Let's look at. Let's look at. the fear of being me being murdered. where I live now, you know. Well, there's that, but I was going to. say let's look at solutions instead of. just saying, "Okay, that's the fear.". and then boom, that's it. Yes, sir. Solutions is okay. If If we can find. someone to come with us, that'd be. great. Someone that you can trust, feel. comfortable with cuz I respect that. I. respect that. Well, let's figure out. ways to do it. Let's call them up. Let's. vet them. Let's see if they have uh.

reputable sources of, you know, are. there other tenants that are renting. from them? You know, a little bit of. research into them as well. But then I'll look at like the websites. of the apartment complexes. and I'll um see that the prices are. completely different from Zillow, the. apartment.com postings. Sure. So, whenever I tell you that they're. 1,100, I mean that they're 1,100. Hey. Uh. I mean, I've looked. almost everywhere, and they are 1,100. Trust me, there there weren't a ton of. options. It It wasn't crazy, cuz you're.

right. It There's not a ton of options. in that area. prices. I don't know what you mean by that. Those. Well, you That's cuz you live in Austin. Exactly. Austin's more expensive than. that. So, Austin's expensive comparable to most US. cities. Yeah. Oh, it's an expensive city. Yeah, absolutely. Um either way, all I'm saying. Beautiful, but expensive. Okay. All I'm saying is. get contact them. Actually contact them. Again, nothing's accomplished unless we. try. So, everything's impossible until we do. Yes, sir. So, we're putting What was it? 980 for.

your current rent? Okay. And utilities, cuz it's all included. Yes. Yes, sir. 980. Okay, wonderful. Groceries? Oh, and I just got a stove, too. My stove didn't work. Oh, right. I didn't think about that for. motel. It's an. Well, no. I mean, it's a suite. So, I mean, not a suite. It's a studio. So, there is a stove. It just doesn't. work. So, I got I got hot plates. They won't fix it? No. It's and it's It's not a great It.

sucks. I don't even have hot water. Like, I. haven't taken a hot shower in like. Now, the places I looked I did 900 or. less. I didn't know you were doing 980. I should have done 1,000 or less. We. probably would have saw even more. Okay. $300 for groceries, $100 for toilet. paper. Is there anything else you need. to survive? And if, you know, things are. up and down, the ebb and flow, you can. use a little bit of money in that fund. that's left over for both If you have. anything left over at the end of the. month, you might not. 60? You might. Uh I did 100.

for toilet paper fund. Oh, is that what Okay. Yes, sir. That. sounds great. Okay. Um. car. You own your car, all right. My My biological dad gave it to me. Very cool. What's the car? It's a 2006. um. Mercury Grand Marquis. Okay. How many miles? Um. 140. It's old and it's not that many miles.

for how old it is. 2006, 140. I'm just saying cuz you are in full. driving car required infrastructure out. there. So, I'm just like. Yeah. I mean, I just got my brakes fixed and. that was a thousand bucks. Yeah. I'm starting to think about a car. fund. So, I'm just trying to figure out. But, that's good that What's your car. insurance? I don't pay it. What do you mean? My biological dad is paying it for me. Okay. What about gas on a monthly basis?

Maybe. What does it say that I. 164 is what you spent in that month. Um. let's do 200. Okay. Phone bill? 40. Pretty good. What do you like with Mint? Straight Talk. Okay. They use Verizon towers. And I'm going to medicals. Do you have.

any uh. I don't have health insurance. have Planet Fitness though. I do. No health insurance through work? I do. Oh. I just don't have health insurance. Because Okay, and this. You haven't enrolled? Um I don't know if I should or if I. should just wing it. No, you should. Should I? Yes, you should. My deductible is 3,800. Uh did they only have one plan. available? That's the lowest, so that's the. cheapest. Yeah. Yeah. That will save you a ton of money if. something big happens, trust me. You're.

right, that kind of sucks for just like. ongoing just medical appointments and. prescriptions and stuff like that, but. if you get in like a true injury. That's true. People in worse situations. than me are like a bat out of hell. and that deductible will be considered. basically nothing versus what could be. hundreds of thousands of dollars. True, you're right. Planet Fitness is where you go. It's where I should be going. Okay, I'm going to get included in the. budget cuz you should. 63.87. What? Nothing. Okay. Perlego? Per- Perlego?

actually cancel that. That is a textbook. subscription. Good. So it's like a library for textbooks. Anything else you need to survive? Um I have a Netflix and. I'm going to keep it. And I'm going to. tell you why I'm going to keep it. Sure. Because it prevents me from going out. and doing things that would cost me more. money. Congratulations, use YouTube, it's free. And there's more content and it's. better. Okay. Congratulations, use TikTok, it's free. and there's more content and. my Spotify and I'm not going to go on. TikTok.

TikTok is the downfall of me. Okay, you don't have to use that, but. YouTube's great. Okay. Well, I'm going to keep my. Netflix account. I'm sorry. I'm not sorry, but I'm going to keep it. You know, it's not the biggest drop in. the bucket, but all it is is to me is. just showing what you're willing to. sacrifice. it's Hulu. And I have the student. Well, there's there's nothing on Hulu. and your student thing's going to end. anyway. Uh. Hulu has a couple good shows, but other. than that it's going to. And then I also have student Spotify, but that's it for subscriptions.

Well, that's that's going to end as. well. I mean, how when when is it going to. end? I don't know. When does it say it'll. end? After your graduation? I think mine. ended a year later. Yeah, but I mean, that's still a year. that I get it for bucks. Yeah. Yeah, it is. No, again, And I don't I don't have a lot of data. on my phone and I listen to podcasts. when I when I'm at work. Yeah. So I have to download them and just. I'm not against them in general. You're. You're trying to say that you are. I'm. just explaining to you why I'm going to.

keep them. I get that's the same reason. that everyone gives. So trust me. It's. not like I didn't know. All I'm saying is what it's showing what. it's showing is what you're willing to. sacrifice and you like. Are you willing to sacrifice? No. Not the not the Hulu. I mean I can sacrifice I'll take off the. Hulu. I'll take off the Hulu. I'm keeping my. Spotify. Well again that mean that probably goes. into toilet paper fund but like you. could do that. I'm going to. For what the toilet paper fund is. I'll get rid of my my Hulu. You're.

right. It kind of sucks and there's. nothing on there. Okay, $4 Spotify. Anything else you need to survive? No. People are like oh Caleb you go too hard. all that stuff. I mean this is when I. got out of a debt which was worse debt. than yours. I had more Sally Mae debt. than you have. you had a weren't you making six figures. though when you were getting out of. debt? I started. Yeah but like like mid were you like in. the middle? I ended up getting a sales job where.

where the income I made was fully. dependent on how hard I worked. Yeah I'm not saying I'm not saying that. you didn't work hard for your six. figures. I mean that's like more that's. like about like the top 18% of. Americans. So of course if you're you're. working hard if you're making that from. the most part. Well that's not what I was saying but. yeah. At all. So don't take it that way. No no no but not when I started paying. to get out of debt. But either way what. I did is I stopped all this. There was. zero. It was. all sacrifice no reward get out of the.

debt so I could live the better life. quicker. And that's what it's about. So. it's not about being a heart right now. It's just about willing to sacrifice. whatever is needed to get out of the bad. stuff. And you are in the bad stuff. Yeah. You're right. All right. Let me get your minimum. monthly debt payments. Now again this is. going to be different when the student. loans kick in. Mhm. And I honestly might have the lower ones. paid off.

Like the thousand dollar, the two. thousand, I might have that those paid. before they start. Oh. In May. Okay. I'm trying really hard to get out of the. credit card debt. Yeah. I mean, I paid over half my first. paycheck to the credit cards. No, that's great. I ate from the dollar store. And I of. course I did the book. Which is much less price effective than. groceries stores. I know. I know that now, but like like. again, like where I'm from the dollar.

store is the cheapest option. Yeah, food deserts, they And I dollar. stores take advantage. have HEB here. So. Yeah. No, you're in a town that has a. grocery store. Yeah, yeah, and I it's it's it's a lot. different. Like the prices for things. are a lot different. Like. Okay, minimum free to survive including. your $4 of Spotify. is. what? Nothing. $1,940.80.

Now, what. Do I have that saved up now? I don't have a savings. Okay. Now, what that does not include is. uh what the minimum monthly payments are. going to be. That doesn't include the. likely $350 a month in public student. loans that will start. It doesn't. include whatever the Sallie Mae minimum. monthly payments are besides just the. interest. It's probably going to be more. than double. Hey guys, so for my. brokerage outside of my traditional. retirement accounts, when I'm doing my.

single stock picks and just overall. brokerage moves, I switched over to. Moomoo. And they're actually upping. their bonus from $400 to up to $5,000. when you transfer over to Moomoo using. my link in the description below. I've. been using them for a few months now. before I recommended them because I just. want to make sure I'm recommending the. best platform possible. And honestly, I've kind of fallen in love with using. it. And the best part is when you. deposit money into your Moomoo account. and you're not ready to invest yet, you. get 5.1% on your money. So, it's a. pretty incredible platform to try. So, feel free to try it in the link below.

Um so, I think you're really going to be. more of like a two. minimum to survive once everything kicks. in, like a 2,750 potentially. That's what I'm thinking. Not 100% sure. It's hard. It's a guess. But, either way, you'll still have. leftover money, which is exciting. Now, what's more exciting is at this exact. moment is the perfect opportunity to. start taking care. because we have an extra $2,359.20.

Woo! left on a monthly basis. Okay. Uh. it's the 18th. Okay. Let's just uh for. the rest of this month. set some money aside. Uh you know, in a. 1-month emergency fund, high-yield. um. Okay. And then, let's just call next. month month number one. So, month number. one, we're saving up a 1-month emergency. fund. Cool. There's January. We're. headed into February. What is going on. in February? I will tell you.

February, we pay off half the credit. card. Cool. March. Credit card's completely paid off. Woo, woo, woo. April. Everything's probably starting to kick. in at that point in terms of minimum. monthly payments. So, we're probably. actually going to have $1,750. left on a monthly basis. But, that's. okay cuz we have a 1-month emergency. fund and we killed our highest interest. debt. So, that's okay. We made progress. with the We made good progress with the. time we had.

So, $1,750. is left. Obviously, we immediately kill. The smallest, Sallie Mae. Do you want to do the smallest one or. the one with the highest interest? same. Um, but the one College Avenue has 16%. Did you write that down? Let's let's kill the. Yes, you're right. That is the highest. interest of the Sallie Mae's and the. lowest balance. I still say let's kill. that.

I can kill that, yeah. Yeah, kill that and then the next one we. do start to kill is the College Avenue, which will take 2 months. I'm sorry, where was. it? March, April, May, June. So, we're. entering July, College Avenue is paid. off, one of the Sallie Mae's and the. credit card and we have a 1-month. emergency fund. Cool. July. July, August, July and August, Sallie Mae number two's. paid off. December. Potentially through December, maybe.

November of next year, we'll be paying. off the highest Sallie Mae. So, it'll be. a year from now to. 11 months from now. We have a 1-month. emergency fund. And all bad debt is paid off, except for. the friend. Honestly, the friend could probably be. included in there as well. So, honestly, it's probably a year a year. We'll call. it a year to round up. like paying him back like 150, 100 out. of every paycheck? It's up to you. You can. make 2,100? Well, it's up to you. You can. You can,

but. like the amount that I make that's over. 2,000. No, I got it. I feel like cuz I just want him to know. that like I I really appreciate him. helping me. Of course. And he, you know, that's up to you. It's. up to you. With the conversation you had where he's. like, "Yeah, take care of your high. interest first." I'm like, "Okay, take care of the high interest first.". Either way, he's paid off regardless. within a year and so is all bad debts. and you only have the high the. higher amount but lower interest student. loans that we're probably going to. minimum monthly payment till they're.

paid off. Cuz at that point we're going. to get a 6-month emergency fund and. you'll live in a place that you can. afford, which. Which isn't dangerous. Which is not dangerous. Which you can. still do that now. This will just take. maybe a year and a half to pay off. But. you can do like 1,300 bucks a month in. rent. Okay. 1,300 bucks a month in rent. Is that with everything included or is. that just the rent? just the rent. Okay. 1,300 bucks. Honestly, again, you could. move up well not well yes, move up in a. place. Probably try to cap it at like. 1,100 now rent. And this this gets.

delayed by maybe a year and a half in. total. Instead of a year. But if that's. your safety, man, that's worth it. I'd. rather you be alive to pay off this debt. than. not. Yeah, I'd rather be alive, too. So yeah, maybe do that when you get. home. Let's call it a year and a half. then. Let's call it a year and a half. then cuz you you get a place for like. 1,200 bucks or something. 1,100 1,200. A year and a half cool. Let's add. another 6 months to get a 6-month. emergency fund. Cool. Okay. So this takes. from all bad debt.

and a fully funded emergency fund it. takes 2 years to 2 and a quarter. Mhm. That's what I would think. And then from. there. you'll be like 26. Cool. This 20% aside on retirement on a. monthly basis and you're going to. retire. You're going to have a good. retirement. Yeah, that's what I wanted to do is I. wanted to get out of this debt as fast. cuz I'm retiring. That's my goal. Yeah? And you're going to be able to. You have. the the. time of compound interest on your side. That's why we take care of this now. We.

get a fully funded emergency fund. We. lower our risk factor with that. And I want to help be able to like you. know, in the future help my some family. members out of generational poverty, too. So. Sure, absolutely. And the best way to do. that is making sure that you can. actually afford to do that and take care. of yourself at the same time, which is. by taking care of the debt now. Make. sure you don't get attacked by lifestyle. inflation. That is one thing I'm a. little worried, you know, moving up a. wealth level, you know, for the first. time just like in your family's history. And I don't like to spend money anymore.

Now that I'm making it, I don't like to. spend it because it takes me an hour or. two to work it to like get to like be. able to pay for it. We shouldn't have seen this stuff we. saw, but. I know, but that's because I had I. thought I had a sugar daddy. Okay. So. Cool. Which is kind of embarrassing. Goodness. gracious. Really? Yeah. I don't know. I just I I don't I'm not like Puritan, so like I don't. No, are you sure you're not a Puritan? I don't know. That when it comes to that.

kind of stuff, I don't know. Maybe I'm a. Puritan when it comes to money. I don't know why we're talking about. this. So, yeah. Two, two and a quarter. Then 20%. until you're like mid-60s. And I'm due for. I'm supposed to be getting a raise in. April. Oh, very nice. Yeah. Yep, and keep. pushing that and you might be able to. trade up jobs in the you know, a few. years. I'd like to get into R&D. Okay, yeah, sure. But your income's. going to continue to increase as you go. through about it and if you're a good. worker, it seems like you are so far.

Then, you know, it's all all but all up. from here. This is what you're willing. to sacrifice until then. Hopefully you're willing to sacrifice. that food. Hopefully you're willing to. sacrifice this and that and you don't. get a place that's too expensive and you. don't end up getting going getting a new. car cuz now we're making a lot of money. And it's just all this stuff, all this. lovely stuff that typical people. typically fall into. As long as you. don't, you really keep your head down. for two years, you get out of the. emergency fund, your life is golden as. long as you don't light lifestyle. inflate yourself. overboard.

Okay. Any questions? Any final thoughts? No questions. No final thoughts. For Kayla, when it comes to her hammer. financial score, spending and a budget. certainly wasn't the worst that we've. ever seen, but when you owe your friend. shouldn't be going out to eat. Three out. of 10. Debt, again, not the worst we've. seen, but that high interest private. student loans and borrowing from a. friend going to say three out of 10. But. unfortunately, emergency fund, there is. nothing, zero out of 10. Retirement, there is nothing, zero out of 10. Real. estate, there. nothing. Zero out of 10. So, what does. that come down to? I did not do the math.

beforehand. That comes down to a. one out of 10. Make sure to check out all the resources. linked in the description below. They. are what I use or would use in specific. situations, including the best budget. budgeting program in the history of the. internet. Thanks to all of our Patreon. producers for making this episode. possible. If you want to participate in. an episode of Financial Audit and you're. able to make it to Austin, Texas, please. fill out an application on the survey. linked in the description below. You can. also send a link to your friends or. family who you think might be good to be.

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