Immature Child Refuses To Grow Up | Financial Audit

All right, my name is Ben, I'm 27, based. in Austin, Texas, [music] and this is. Financial Audit. So, what do you do for a living here in. Austin? Good question. Right now, I'm unemployed, and I have been for the. last week and a half. Oh. Yeah. What happened? I. was working this job as a handyman, and. then I took a movie gig. as an actor in an independent film.

And I had only been working that job for. The handyman job? Yeah, the handyman. job. I'd only been working that for a. week prior, and so. Okay. Certainly not a career position, then. No, no. And. it wasn't a question like, "Hey, boss, can I take these 3 days off?" It was. like, "Hey, I'm not going to be here. these 3 days. Like, I'm an actor. I got to do this." Okay, so want to like. want to be actor Yeah, want to yeah. So,

that's your goal. That's one of them, yeah. I've got a lot of stuff going on. and projects that may or may not take. off here. The week before your 1 week of. employment, were you unemployed? No. Okay, what was that? I was working at a concrete cutting. company. Oh, for how long? About a week and a half. Yeah. Okay. The job before that, were you at that. job before that for more than a week? Yes. What was that job? That was.

Oh, that was El Mercado, yeah. That was. working at a restaurant, waiting tables. There you go. How long did you do that? 2 months. Yeah. What's the longest you've ever been in a. job? Ah. I mean, I was a I was a deckhand in the. Navy for 2 and 1/2 years. Okay. Yeah. Well, now that's a different That's a. That's a completely different story. When was that? That was.

I was in the Navy from 2017 to 2021. To. 2021, okay. So, the contract was 4 years. long, but I was doing that specific job. on the boat for that long. 2021 to now, so for 2 years, what have you been doing. during that? Oh, man. So, [sighs]. I got out of the Navy. I was going to school on the GI Bill, which you ever heard of that? Yeah, you. get paid to go to school. Um. So, I was doing that in San Francisco,

got a fat housing stipend and a cheap. apartment, and so I just In San. Francisco, okay. Yeah, yeah, no, it was. it was doable for some somehow. Um. and. I went to school and did all my. I went to school, but I was really just. doing it for the housing stipend, and so I could do everything else I was. doing. Which was? Tried to start an internet t-shirt. company, and bounced around a lot of. countries in Eastern Europe, and.

did this. meditation retreat and some other trips. Oh my goodness, dude. You're everywhere. Yeah, it's it's confusing, especially. for me. Yeah. Uh-huh. Before we even get into your. financial situation, cuz honestly, I. there wasn't too much for me to go. through. There were a few spreadsheets. that are kind of untitled, so I don't. even I don't even know, cuz they're not. like statements, they're just. Yeah, the the the bank software just.

gave me like these weird excel excel. spreadsheets. what you downloaded. You Yeah. sent what I had, basically. Okay. What do you want to do? What are you. trying to do right now? I want to. I want to build a life that doesn't. suck, basically. I know that's. yeah. vague. What are you trying to do to get. there? What are the objectives along the. way to meet this final destination that. you are trying to achieve?

Well, I got an interview tomorrow at 24 Hour. Fitness, and I want to be a trainer there. Are. you going to last more than a week? Yes. Is that what you said at the previous. positions? Yes. Okay. Why'd you leave the two previous. positions after weeks and a half each. and only 2 months of the position before. that? Well, so. So, we started the concrete company. Uh. We started the concrete company? No, no, no. I'm saying if if we in this. discussion start there, hypothetically.

Uh I left that job because. I just got hired at the handyman thing, and I was like, "That sounds way. better." And it was. Uh. And so, I took it, you know? Um. it wasn't dangerous to leave that job. since I had one lined up, so I bounced. Um. and then the reason I left that handyman. job is because. I got a part in a.

And I was like, "Yeah, definitely need. to do that. Need to, don't want to. Like, this is. And 3 days, you said. Right? Uh. No, so well, the gig. was 5 days long. Okay. Yeah. But 3 days. of work you needed covered? Yeah. Yeah, it was 3 working days where I. wouldn't be able to be there. And? And then. my boss handed me a check the day before. that, and he said, "Yeah, I'm letting.

you go." And I was kind of like, "Yeah, that's to be expected." Because you. asked for the 3 days off? He. He said. it was because like, "You don't know. enough, you don't have enough. experience." I have a feeling it was. because. like, he didn't want to sound like a. dick, and like fire me for essentially. chasing my dreams, which is what was. going on. So, probably a combination of like being. incompetent and also. need to hear his side of the story,

because one, okay, let's say that you. weren't experienced enough, then he just. made a bad hire. Like, that should be. relatively found in the hiring process. Now, maybe you're in like a trial. position, like like, let's see how this. works out type thing. Um. but I don't think someone's going to. hire you for also wanting to do your. dreams unless it completely interferes. with work. Now, It was, though. That's. the thing. Did you let him know before you started. that, "Hey, there are 3 days that I've. already committed to"? No, because this. this director hit me up like.

you know, 2 days before I was supposed. to be on set. What is it with people who. want to be actors in Austin? What is happening? Uh. well, it's it's it's show business. I. mean, you know, the same thing goes on. in LA, but I'm I'm here, so. what I was expecting. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. It's like a big. indie film crowd, I guess. Sure. Yeah. How much did you make for this. film position? 125 a day. For 5 days? Yeah. How much were you. making at the concrete cutting? Uh 20 an. hour before taxes. How many hours a week.

was to be expected? 60. Yeah. I'm sorry, how much how much how much an. hour? $20 an hour. Jeez. Before taxes. Times it by 52. Divide that by. 12. That's entry level. It would have. gone up from there. $60,000 a year, or. $5,000 a month. Yeah. That's great. Yeah, could have happened. And you turned it Like, that's like, I. think, if I'm not mistaken, the median.

salary in the United States is No, no, no, the median wage is somewhere around. like $35,000 now. So, you'd have been. almost double that. Yeah. Yeah, as a concrete cutter, yeah. And. you said you wanted to live an awesome. life. Well, this could have at least. gotten us to places, financially. speaking, where you could set up the. building blocks in order to live that. What is this awesome life? I don't I. don't even know where to go with this. conversation. This has just started so. interesting. Yeah, I'm with you there. 120 * 5, so you made $600. You gave up. $60,000 for Let me just make sure my.

phone is shut off. Okay. Oh, so. What is this What is this future? What. is this future? This possible amazing. Why don't I even remember what you said, but. Yeah. you remind me of a character who's. been on the show. Who's the character? Quite a character. Well, I'm calling him. a character, cuz he's a character, but. someone that's been on the show and. refuses to improve his situation. I see. What's the end goal that you're trying. to hit? [sighs]. Live an awesome life, is that what you. said? Or what was it? That's the brief.

version. [snorts] What's the long. version? I want to. be really optimized as a person. And that's like the base, right? I want. to have my fitness on point. I want to. have like my skills on point with like. Skills in? Martial arts and practical. skills, like I would have learned at the. handyman job if I hadn't gotten fired. Be like the apocalypse survival guy, and. I want to I want to be heavily [snorts]. I want to be heavily meditated.

Like, really calm and relaxed in all. situations. So, this So, it's. this other guy. No, no, yeah, yeah. So, so I'm I'm you know, you asked for the. long version. This is the long version, right? So, all of that is just like me as a. base person, all Okay. And then you. expand out into the external world. Which would be? So, I want to have like a sick house in like. a walkable. uh. neighborhood where you don't have to. drive or work, kind of like most of.

Austin. Yeah, most of America. And keep. in mind, this is all like a 10-year. goal. 10 year? Yeah, yeah. 10 year, that quick, okay. Go ahead. Well, okay. What What did Bill Gates say? Underestimate Most people underestimate. what they do in a year, or overestimate. what they do in a year, underestimate. what they can do in a decade. So, I. think 10 years, like if you're asking. the universe for something. that's really out of the ordinary.

10 years. That's a good time frame. It. is. Walkable neighborhoods in our age. group is one of the most in demand type. of things, which means in any of the. cities that offer a good walkable. neighborhood, it is pretty much the most. expensive housing that's ever existed. Yep. You gave up a $60,000 a year job. for $600. How are you getting into this. potentially. minimum $600,000 condo, let's say? Some. ideas in the works are I could become an. actor, start some kind of start and scale some.

kind of business that either takes off. or sells. Um. Well, I mean, someone probably told you. it's crazy to try and be a YouTuber, right? Well, I didn't give up on my I I. still worked a full-time job while I was. trying to get this thing I started this. as a hobby. This wasn't even supposed to. be a thing. It was just for fun. Yeah. I. mean, the difference with me is like I. would have still been working that. full-time job, but it took. 3 days where I should have been at the. job instead of like, you know, whatever.

getting off your 9:00 to 5:00 and then. like doing your grind from what 6:00 to. 10:00. Like I just had to physically be. somewhere else and. you know, the result was like, "Hey, like you're not unfortunately committed. to this handyman thing. Um I got to let. you go." And I understood. But it was a. week. See, Yeah. I don't know. I feel like there's. there's more to be told there because. Uh-huh. in general, it's like, "Okay, someone's first week, no one expects. them to be like, 'Oh my goodness, I'm.

obsessed over this business. I'm. obsessed with the final results. I am. absolutely. ingrained in this culture and I know my. job 100% perfectly. It's a process.'". So, very curious. Either way, what is. your financial situation today? What are. we even looking at? Cuz I don't even. know yet. So, this is like completely. brand new news to me whatever you're. you're about to say. Was I Was I about. to say something? You're about to tell. me what your financial situation is like. today. Okay. Yeah. Um. Let's see. Total debt.

[sighs]. There's. Oh, jeez. You're doing all this while in. debt? Yeah. What are your debts? Um. I owe my mom 3,000 bucks. cuz I was in a ton of credit card debt. and she bailed me out and I got 3,000 to. go. Uh. a minimum monthly payment with that that. you've agreed upon? No, I'm just trying. to knock it out as soon as possible. I. don't think I don't think getting out of. a $60,000 a year job is helping that. Well, go ahead. No interest on that, I'm.

assuming. Um. No, no interest on that one. The one I. do have interest on is uh the Chase. card. So, that's 580. $580, okay. Yeah, $580. Okay. What's your minimum monthly. payment there? Probably like. I don't even know. 12. Again, I'm just trying I. I could probably just pay that off like. today, honestly. Why don't Why haven't. you? It's accruing interest. I'm. guessing it's like 20 to 30%. Yeah.

Because. I've been trying to pay off that debt to. my mom for a while now. and I actually my first 3 months in. Austin. like I had that total amount, that. initial 7K. Wait, how long have you been. in Austin? Since January. Oh, where were. you before this? I was living in a town called Roseville, California for about 5 months. You want. to be an actor? Uh You came to Texas. Yeah, that's one of the things I want to. do, yeah. Oh, well. Yeah.

Other debts? [sighs]. Uh. No, my my van's paid off, actually. That's it. Like a minivan? No, it's a. cargo van. Oh. Yeah. But it would have. been very funny if it was a minivan. Okay. Well, this is this is relatively. manageable debt. Yeah. Yeah. Um It's not too bad. And but you're. unemployed right now. So, you're bringing in nothing. When did. the video this shoot end? Um. I would say 8 days ago. What have you.

been doing for 8 days? Trying to look for a job at a gym. Oh, that's right. So, you want to go. Yeah, I forgot. Cuz it's like endless. paths you want to go down. Yeah. Okay. Personal trainer. Certified in any way? Have any certifications? No. Have you worked with any clients? Uh not not professionally, no. Do you. have anyone that could like stand up for. you? Be like, "Yo, this dude's good.". Absolutely. As a resource? Absolutely. Yeah? Okay. So,

you've worked with people like. unofficially then, is what I'm guessing? Yeah, and I'm I also like waited tables. Um. Okay. I don't think that's going to help with. the personal training. does. It does. I I had a buddy who got. hired at a Lifetime gym who, you know, he wasn't even certified. He was just a. really good dude. He was fit and he was. a waiter at a breakfast place and uh he. also like knew the right guy to get him. in. Wow. There you go. Was it that or. because he was a waiter? [snorts and gasps]. It was a combination of all these. things. I mean, they uh.

you know, talking with the PT manager at. this Lifetime gym in Roseville, they. want to see someone who's experienced in. like hospitality and customer service. Right? Cuz that's that's most of the. job. Like. it's not just like. I mean, I've never been a PT before. I'm. going off of. uh like what I know it would take to get. hired as one. What does your resume look like when you. give it to them? Uh You give them. resumes? Oh, yeah. And what does that. look like? About how this conversation.

looks like, brother. [laughter]. Okay. Would you hire yourself? [gasps and sighs]. It depends what position. No, I. wouldn't. If you have been in like. one of the longest jobs. you've been in besides the Navy. [clears throat]. was 2 months at a restaurant and. everything else is like a week, 2 weeks, this, that, this, that. There was a. longer one than that. What? I worked at the Lifetime gym in. Roseville for 5, 6 months. Oh, well. But uh especially if you're trying to go. get a job at a gym and they saw that you. left a gym after a few months, like.

I'm just saying. As someone who has. hired people, Uh I get it. Well, would. you would you hire someone who's Again, it just it just it just depends, right? Like I don't know like what job I am. hiring. Is it a gig Is it a I I'll. probably. you're trying to apply for right now, the physical trainer job. Is it a gig job or is it like a. permanent career kind of job? What's one are you looking for? Um ideally, I'd get more gigs. Is it So, those are the ones you're applying for?

Oh, yeah. So, it's like one of the. personal training gyms, right? It's it's a gym that offers personal. training as a service. As a service. Are you in your contracted. into that position so it's not a. full-time position by the company. itself? Are you like your own business within. it? Cuz we've also had people on the. show who like own gyms and then they'll. bring on personal trainers and then they. kind of have their own business within. it. Like they get like 50% of the, you.

know, payments. A personal trainer's like I'm just. trying to figure out what kind of. position you're looking for exactly. Um. PT at a 24 Hour Fitness. Okay. And I'm. interviewing for Well, I got to start. out as like a janitor, basically, and. then get certified while I'm doing that. and then uh. you know. How long is that going to take? I don't. know. I think. I mean, I know I could knock out the. certs in like less than a month if I. really just grind and then from there. it's really up to them like what they. have available as well. Will you grind? Yeah.

Have you started? No. [laughter]. How long have you been wanting to do. this? Uh this PT at a 24, maybe uh. a month or so. Why haven't you started. it then? It sounds like you're like. where where Oh, cuz cuz you to you got. to buy the course. Yeah, I'm buying the. course. No, it's like 600 bucks. And. then if you get hired at the gym, sometimes they can like help you pay for. the fees. Have you Oh, okay. So, you have an. interview tomorrow, correct?

Yeah. Have you had other interviews yet? Uh in the last week since I've been. unemployed? No. Well, you said you've been looking for a. month. Have you tried? Or you've been. wanting to do it for a month. Have you. been applying throughout that whole. process or only the last few days? Just. the last few days. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So, hopefully we get the job. Then, what. are we doing there? What are you trying. to do? We're building the acting career, you said. Do you want to I I don't want. to do it So, yeah. I mean, obviously, the acting thing just gets in the way of.

whatever day job you got to work. I. already got uh. two credits in movies this year. So, for. this year, I think acting's good to go. I don't need to do this crazy bouncing. around thing. Uh so. So, you're set for the year? You don't. want to act anymore? Uh for the rest of. this year, no. [sighs]. Okay. Like cuz the result is how this. conversation has gone so far. Just all. over the place and getting fired and. maybe a gig here, maybe a gig there. I. mean, I don't know if you heard what's. going on with like the SAG-AFTRA strike. thing.

But. [sighs and gasps]. I mean, I think about those guys that. are working for the big studios, I mean, there's no work for them at all. Yeah. And so. they're doing all these kind of survival. day jobs. Their resume probably looks. similar to mine. Maybe not as crazy, right? So, crap. Where was I going with. that? What just What are you trying to do? What are you trying to do? With my life? No, no, no, no. So, you get this job, we're not doing acting anymore. What are. you doing from there?

No, just for the rest of this year. Be a. trainer at 24. That's what you want to. do. That's when you want to commit your. time to full. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, like nothing. will get in the way of that. So, the. goal this. goal that you want to do in 10 years, we're going to hit with personal. training. No, it's going to take some. more work than that. Okay. So, what Tell. me just your path, man. Your path. What. is the path over the next 10 years? Cuz. okay, that's a goal and I can I I would. love to help you get there, but I want. to hear from your perspective.

what you plan to do. What are the goals. that you must hit? What are the actions. that you are doing to hit those goals. along the way to get to the ultimate. objective? [sighs and gasps]. I've written all this out and it's a lot. of different steps that. you know, if I if I knew. I was going to describe this 10-year. plan, I probably would have like printed. out. Um I mean, you can pull snippets from. your brain, right? yeah, of course. Um.

Well, I think it's going to be a matter of me. trying a lot of different stuff, which I've been doing. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm going to do the I'm going to do the. PT thing. I'm going to commit to it for. at least the rest of this year. Yeah. Um. [snorts]. Hm. What? I don't know. You're just You're. cheeky, dude. I am. I'm a bit cheeky. Well, I'm just going off of your own. experience, right? This is what you've.

been doing this year. You just get in a. job and you leave it. So. Yeah. Yeah. It'll make a make a great. thumbnail. [laughter]. I mean, we'll talk about the thumbnail. afterwards, but that's not what's. important right now is we're in the. conversation. The conversation. Go ahead, continue how you're going to. get there. So, we're doing. uh PT for this year. And then. So, then we're at next year. Uh it could. go one of several different ways. Uh. if I score a big movie gig for like.

spring 2024, I might have to peace out from the. career and do that. Um it might result in me uh moving up to. like a higher-end gym, like uh. may maybe one of these smaller. operations out here, like a Squatch or a. the Squatch gym or like Onnit or like a. nicer big-box gym, like a Lifetime. doing to get there? Well, if I did that, once you get there,

um. What are you doing to get there? What am. I doing to get there? Working as a trainer at like a cheaper. gym. Mhm. For only 6 months? And then you get into. the. bigger gym, the higher-paying It's. doable. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you. if you like kind of get your feet wet. there, like I've heard of it happening. cuz I I like met a bunch of the trainers. at the Lifetime gym when I was working. there. Sure. Yeah. Okay. I don't know the industry, so I can't. speak on it, so I'll just like take your. word on that part. Now, the movie gig.

that you talked about, that's a huge if. Huge if. Right? Yeah. Yeah. So, we're not banking on. that, correct? No. No, it's kind of kind of leaving options. open. Okay, so we're at the job We're at. the higher-end gym then, hopefully, at. this point, which is a quick move from. the sound of it, but let's just go with. it. Okay, so what are we doing then? [sighs and snorts]. Well, yeah, this is if that happens, but. okay, we're in that situation.

Well, the main objective there would. just be to get better at sales, get. better at networking. cuz. like when you're. at a Lifetime gym, you have to like work. the floor, basically. You have to meet. people all day, 40, 50, 60 hours a week, and that's how you get clients. Like. that's that's kind of the hardest part. of. You could be a tech salesman. So, I see. it in your face right now. Oh, tech. You could do it. [laughter]. You look like you fit You look like you.

graduated from blah blah blah school of. business with your. BA. I I Well, uh. this is going this is going in public, but no, I did not graduate from that. school. Well, so yeah, but I mean, you. just look like the poster child for that. and you could be a tech sa- Well, I was. immediately going to say you should just. get like certified course careers, but I. don't think you want to have that kind. of job. [laughter] Oh, no, I don't think. it would work. No, I don't think so. Maybe I'd last maybe I'd last 3 weeks.

Yeah. Yeah. [laughter]. I'm going to look at your finances. Uh-huh. Sure. Okay. Let's do Let's do the numbers. We. have a couple different documents. Tell. me what this one is, the one with a. bunch of spending. Oh, yeah, again, I I had downloaded it. from my bank. They gave me this Excel. spreadsheet. So, that's going to be uh. probably the credit card. You owe on the. credit card, though. What what? Yeah, what do you mean? Like that that's what. that is. owe on a credit card and your mom had to. bail you out $3,000,

why are we possibly spending so much. money on it? And it's on bull too. At. least eat good burgers. You're going to. In-N-Out every second of your life. What's Vistaprint? Uh me and my buddy. ordered some business cards. Oh, gosh. Yeah. What's on your business card? Yeah, what? You got a business card? No, I don't. Oh, really? No. Maybe we're. just old school. Yeah, but what's on. your business card? uh it's for Midnight Boardwalk. Productions. Uh it's his uh. film and photography thing and I.

collaborate with him on that. What's on. your business card? Who do you give it to? Uh I guess I mean, I have to start. passing them out. I'd give it to you I'd. give it to you right now if I had one. [laughter]. You don't even have it on you? No, no, it's [snorts]. That's it's coming in the mail. We. designed it the other. Oh, okay. Okay, that's okay. What's on yours, though? Like is this. like a hey, I'm an actor, blah blah. blah? It says actor, writer, producer. Okay, perfect. Okay, perfect. So.

Yeah. Even though we're not looking for. any positions for the rest of the year. Uh. and spent $100 on this almost. We are looking for positions. That's why. I'm going to this interview tomorrow. No, no, we're not looking for the in the. acting space, which is what's on your. business card. Your business card does. not say physical trainer. No. No, I'm done with this craziness for the. year. So, we went and spent $100 on it when we. owe money on a card and our mom had to. bail us out for $3,000. No, I spent like. 50 bucks on that cuz he's got to pay me.

back for. Okay, so you covered for him a little. Got you. Family Dollar, Spotify, Dollar Shave. Club, Big Clean. What's Big Clean cuz. it's everywhere? It's a laundromat. Oh, that's fair. That's totally fair. That makes sense. In-N-Out Burger, In-N-Out Burger. [laughter]. I mean, so many options here and you. just go for cardboard? Uh. yeah, you don't You're not into. In-N-Out? I'm into food. All right. Amazon. More Big Clean, but again, that's okay.

That's okay. Grab Boost, Apple bills $30. Who knows. what you bought there. Starbucks. Do we. need to be going to Starbucks when we're. unemployed? When we're trying to pay our. mom back? be fair, when when was that Starbucks? Was that 2 weeks ago because I was. employed 2 weeks ago? Uh just about. Yeah, no, I get it. It shouldn't be. Okay, not 2 weeks ago were the two and a. half though? I was employed. [laughter]. More In-N-Out, more Starbucks,

McDonald's. I know, but you had a. balance on a card that you were not. paying off and your mom had to bail you. out. Yeah. I. Okay. McDonald's, Dax Driving Theater, Chipotle, Grab Boost, Chipotle. Getting. some taquitos, walking into the gas. station, getting those delicious. taquitos. No, I don't eat taquitos. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but essentially what. that means here is it's symbolizing bull. money at a gas station. That's not gas. Starbucks, Chipotle, Play Below the Air. food truck. Now, that's food. Panda. Express. Now, that's a that's like.

glorious food. That's like king level. The Okay. Oh, there's laundry. That's. okay. Bitlocks LLC. Speakeasy, Grab Boost, In-N-Out, The. Wiggle Room, Grab What is Grab Boost? Oh, that might be. That's this gas station that's like next. to my house, yeah. Taquitos. I knew it. Yeah. Chipotle, more taquitos, In-N-Out. Some picnic.

taquitos. Chipotle. Taquitos, taquitos. laundry, taquitos. Yamith Malanando. Um Panda Express. Hm. And I don't approve it in your. situation, to be very clear, though. And. Burro Picnic. Starbucks, Baby Acapulco. taquitos. Something Coke Thai and Starbucks. So,

we're spending money on a card that we. can't pay off and your mom had to bail. you out, to be clear. Uh-huh. And now, of course, you're unemployed. You. weren't unemployed during uh some of. that spending, especially some of the. latter half spending that What? What are. you smirking for? It's funny. No, it's not. How was being. in credit How was. No, no, no, your your demeanor is funny. There's there's a reason you're. successful as a channel. Like it's. I'm just me, man. I'm just me, but I. appreciate it. So, as long as you don't think this is funny.

cuz this is not funny. Okay. Cuz your. mom had to bail you out. If this was. just you and we wanted to do some like. self-deprecating jokes, okay, whatever, but your mom had to bail you out. That sucks. It sucks, and you know what? She's enabling your bad behavior. Mhm. Because she bailed you out, now you have. a higher. you have more that you can spend on your. card cuz you're not reaching the limit. anymore. We're just going out and doing. all this bull and you're not even paying. it off. You're accruing interest. Mhm. Do you not realize how immature this is? Uh I suppose not.

Okay. So, you are choosing. to not go get a job that you could just. go get right now, to be clear. To just. pay this off. We could go get any like. $15 an hour job at all. That's what I'm doing tomorrow. No, you are waiting to get this specific. one that you want. You could walk into. Waterburger, slightly better burgers. than In-N-Out. No, I'm I'm getting one of those jobs. tomorrow. It's like I'm I'm starting out. as a janitor, basically. I'm probably going to get this.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. The the. the gym is a janitor position? I think I. missed that. Yeah. When do you. Oh, so No, like you work like I work. there and then you work your way into. the trainer thing. So, you think you're going to the more. exclusive top lover gym in just 6 months. starting as a janitor at like 24-Hour. Fitness? Yeah, totally possible. Totally. possible. Yeah. Yeah, if you're if you're a trainer at. the 24 or the Golds or the Charles. Yeah, but then you do the janitor thing.

and you move your way up. For how long? For uh. I think I want to get a solid uh. 2 and 1/2 weeks at least. 3 months. I'll be. I'll be I'll be a trainer for 2. want to just take a big dump on your. dreams, but I'm trying to be realistic. to you're just Yeah, it's why I'm here. gloomy and not gloomy. To you're just. radiating. optimistic life. But the the that. optimism is not getting us to a good.

space because it's not realistic. So, I. am having to play devil's advocate. against most of stuff you're saying. And. we're not paying down this card either. So, yes, okay, I'm glad. So, we're. getting a potential janitor position. But. again, another immature part of this is. you owe your mom money, you have to pay. off this card, you're still spending on. it, and you chose an acting gig of $600. over a $60,000 a year career position. I'm not going to be a concrete cutter.

for the rest of my life, number. Why? What's wrong with concrete cutters? Nothing. Okay. Nothing. This is not not what I want to. do. Totally fine. Why don't we work that. while we're getting out of a bad. situation and apply to other positions. that we want to do and then leave that. once we have the position that we want. That's what I thought I was doing. It was weak. Yeah. Yeah. So, you remember. like I said how it went basically? I do, but it's cuz you told him that you were.

going to take You didn't even ask for. the time off. You said you were going to. take the 3 days. that was with the handyman job, yeah. Yeah, yeah. It was just like, "Look, I. mean. this is ultimately more Yeah, the. handyman job like, "Look.". I said to my boss, "Me being in this movie is important. This is happening.". But that's not an adult decision. That's. not a mature decision. Yeah. Yeah. And that's why that's why I. that's why I said like Do you even care. about your finances? Uh Like is this conversation even going.

anywhere? Cuz now I think I'm finally starting to. get the picture. I don't think you give. a [ __ ]. If I had any children, this would be a. your mom? Your parent, the one who raised you, the. one who I assume you love. Mhm. She loved you enough to help you out. What about her? Does she matter? Yeah. Okay, so do you care? Yes. [sighs]. Do you care enough to stop spending on.

this thing? Yeah, all the extra Starbucks and the. In-N-Out uh. yeah, that could get cut back. What's your rent right now? I'm paying uh the total is. uh. 2K a month. It's actually higher than. that. Your your portion? No. Oh, what's. your portion? I'll think of it later. Uh. Divide that by three. And then add utilities. What's. utilities? Last month it was a lot, but I think.

that's cuz there was like this move-in. fee. Let's just say my portion of. utilities. 100. So, it's $766? How are you going to be paying that next. month? What's in your checking account right. now? Cuz I can see I can check it real. quick. [clears throat] Yeah, sure. Probably got to tell you. And do you. have a savings account? I got [snorts] a. few. For like various purposes. So, I I want. to know the balance of those as well. Okay.

Okay, so yeah, main checking account. it's at $2,214. 2,214. And then the account to pay back my mom. is at 2,000 right now. 3,000 to go. Uh. What, 3,000 more? Yeah, 3,000 to go. Yeah. So, like okay, the total debt. that I owe her is 7,000. I knocked out. 5,000 of that or. I knocked out 4,000 of that so far.

Okay. Um Savings? Nada. I thought you just said you had multiple. savings I I Yeah, I got I got accounts. for it set up. Uh there's just like. nothing in them right now. Okay, so you have to pay rent. Yeah. That's going to be siphoning from that. 2,000 in the checking? No. No. Okay. I'm I'm going to probably have this job. tomorrow. [snorts]. Okay, I appreciate the confidence. I. would I don't want you to go into an. interview with a lack of confidence. I'm.

not going to say anything about that. But what happens if you don't? What. happens if you don't have an income? And. also, not just that, not just that, but. even if you start tomorrow, start. tomorrow, still won't be paid for a. couple to maybe even 3 weeks. Mhm. I. mean. Yeah, I'll be fine if I say this on. camera. I I I've got some time left in. my GI bill, so I can just like sign up. on community college and just get a. housing stipend. Okay. No, seriously, you can do that. Okay. Okay. Why didn't you want to get a degree?

Um. Because I don't think it's a. I don't think it's a guarantee of. success. No. I also don't think it's a. requirement for success. Uh and also. But why didn't you want a degree? Just didn't like school very much. Okay. Valid. I don't like school. And I don't. I didn't either. I didn't really want. the corporate job that it's supposed to. lead to, either. Yeah. So, I didn't really see the point.

Besides the fact that I was getting paid. that fat housing stipend to be there. Yeah. Um with that GI bill, and if you want to. do that, you know, whatever. If that's the case, then I would cut the. few hundred bucks that's necessary from. this checking account and pay off the. credit card immediately, then chop up. the credit card cuz you cannot use. credit cards. You're not a credit card. person. You had to get bailed out $7,000. and you're still putting money up on a. credit card. So, you are not a credit. card person. Chop it up, close the. account. I don't care if it impacts your. credit score. You can open up something.

like the Fizz card, which acts like a. debit card, so when you swipe it, it's. immediately paid off, but it still. builds your credit. You can do that. and not get into the situation you're in. now. So, that's a potential possibility, but. I would pay off that credit card. immediately and close it no matter what. you do afterwards. Yeah, fair. Yeah. Totally fair. Uh and. then you just swipe your debit card from. there, or you can use something like the. Fizz card. Just other Just there's other. options out there for people who aren't. credit card people like you.

Uh-huh. And then yeah, the mom situation. So, let's say you can get in get in this. job. What's the what's the pay? Probably like 15 bucks an hour. How many. hours are you going to work? Do you. know? 40. Okay. Yeah. Comes with health insurance? I. think they're required to offer it. Yeah, big company, 24 probably. Yeah. I. I've got health insurance through the. VA, so that's not. Oh, that's true. That's true. Okay. Yeah, I keep forgetting that you. served. So, let's say you work 15.

15 *. 40. times that by 50, just assuming some. time off, $30,000 a year. So, you know, it's pretty hard to live off of, especially in Austin. But now we got to. pay mom back, and we do have rent and. then groceries. Mhm. No matter what you do, I would just. build out a budget, man. And the budget. consists of whatever minimum you need to. survive, including groceries and stuff, which you spend a lot on groceries, a. lot. I didn't go through the grocery. stores, but cuz it's not complete bull.

money, but you go there a lot. And you spend a lot of money. I would. like limit yourself to like $300 a month. in groceries. That's fair. Yeah. I would do your rent, utilities, whatever you need for transportation. costs, uh your gas and car insurance. And. then I would just pay back that other. $3,000 as quick as you can. Absolutely as quick as you can. Mhm. And then. what I need someone in your position to. do. I'm okay with the more risky. lifestyle. I am, but there's a few.

things that need to happen before you. can start going wild on some of the. different positions and leaving jobs and. pursuing the things in the arts. That's gone. Mhm. And you have a fully funded emergency. fund, which is 6 months of what's. required for you to live. Mhm. or $10,000, whichever one is. higher. Why $10,000? Just in case. something medical happens or your car. breaks down and you have to go get a. $10,000 car in cash. Okay. Yeah, I had a. goal like that, but it was 5K, but um.

you know, if you're saying it has to be. 10K, then I would do minimum 10K cuz. just medical things are so expensive. here. And cars. I think the average used car right now. is sitting close to $30,000 across the. country. that was the main thing that got me in. the debt thing in the first place, this. huge repair I had to have on my van, and. you know. So, yeah, 10K. Yeah. Okay. You had a goal of 5K though, but we didn't hit that. Uh no, that's got to get taken care of. after all the the debt. Yeah, so pay off.

mom in just a few months, man. Budget. yourself to minimum minimum. uh money required. So, the $30,000, divide that by 12. I could see you have at least a thousand. thousand let's just say a month so pay. her off in three. Um. Yeah, totally doable. And then work. something else as well. Go get another. job at a coffee shop. Get those extra. gigs that you can. Whatever you can do. to bring more in more money and just. throw that at her. And then probably.

just no more debt for you man unless. it's like a mortgage at some point but. you're just not someone who's able to. take advantage of debt you've. demonstrated in like a productive way. So. mortgage might be the only debt in your. life which is okay. I think for the. average person that's totally okay. So with a thousand dollars then it will. take ten months to save up a emergency. fund again. Work more. lower that time but this is like a year. So a year from now okay a year from now.

maybe we can make a few more wild. decisions. Mhm. And that's okay you can. do that. Wild decisions is more of a gamble in. terms of are we going to get to where. you wanted to be in ten years? Yeah. know. I think we can if we work. consistent career positions we can. figure out a way to get there because. they're more consistent. When you go down the more wild go I want. to do this I want to do this I want to. do this I want to do this path it's like. okay something really has to work. Yep. Like. land a big to hit that goal. Yep.

Or it's just grinding the whole time and. then potentially not hitting that which. is totally fine cuz you can still live. during that. But what I need you to do. after having a fully funded emergency. fund is 50 30 20 50% on needs of what. you're bringing in on average. 50% on. needs no more minimum 20% is going to. investing cuz do you have any. investments? No. Okay cuz I don't want. you to be 85 and dying on the Walmart. floor because you're trying to make. enough money to pay for rent. I'm not going to be 85. Or dying on the Walmart floor.

But I appreciate your concern. Why? Why. do you think? Um I don't want to be 85 years old. Why. do you think you're not going to be. dying on the Walmart floor? If you never have a career situation. figured out. die on the Walmart floor when I go. shopping next week. I don't know. Okay. The point is that you'll be. working a job just trying to make it in. order to pay rent when you're in your. elder years because you didn't have. enough saved for retirement. So 20%. minimum of what you're making on average. or what comes in on a monthly basis is. going towards retirement.

50% on needs no more. That other 30% go. to your wants. I can't just. I I can't just nod my head at that. I'm. I'm not I'm not saving for retirement. What the I know. Why? Why possibly? I don't want to be over. 65. I don't give a [ __ ] What about the. fact are you ever going to have kids? No. Okay. Well at least you don't have to be. responsible for them. I mean that's. totally chill. That's that you know. where this would be bad bad bad. Well yes. if there was some other.

human involved. to be over the age 65 so in your in this. lovely little fictional world in your. head what is the age you're making it. to? Uh not over 65. So 64? Sure. Yeah. Okay. So 64 you want to be working your. to your bone even if you have like an. injury of any kind throughout life. You. just want to just be. grinding it out at 64 driving Uber Eats. or something in order to live?

Of course not but I also understand that. you know given my. risky. uh goals that's a possibility. You know? But why not save just a small fraction. of your income on a monthly basis to. make sure that in the end if over the. next few decades you're just going crazy. pursuing all these things and nothing. works out you can at least rest. comfortably for a couple years.

and do nothing. That's not I I I'm not saying. do nothing. Not even. Not even Not even resting I said that. wrong. Resting comfortably that's not. you. That's okay. That that was the that. was the wrong word for you. Having that. income on the side so you can pursue. whatever you want without having to. worry about anything else. Well so like what age should I have that. set for when I can take that out? Uh 59. and a half is a good one. Okay. At at your age we could we could hit. that. 59 and a half. Okay. 59 and a half. to do 20%?

[snorts]. I'll think about that one. I'll think about that one. About Cuz like. saving for retirement? So you believe in an emergency fund but. not retirement? Yeah. Okay good. An emergency fund not. having one is bad. I'm not I'm not saying like what what. what I am doing is what's best for. everyone at all. How's it best for you? How possibly? What if you're sick? You're struggling. Dude I want you to be. able to pay rent. Who knows what the. safety net will look like at that point. We can't rely on that. Because safety just safety comfort.

security like these just aren't things. that I really think about too much. It's. not Well you're not thinking about. that's immature not to think about. Okay. I want to take a brief moment to. thank today's video sponsor Aura. Are. you sick and tired just like me and. everyone else honestly of receiving. endless spam calls every day? I mean. look at this. Let Let me open my phone. Look at this. This right here is all. spam. It's crap except for one friend. There's one friend phone call. The rest. is spam. Data brokers are making a.

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get things like parental controls. antivirus VPN password management. identity theft insurance and more. You. can get everything at one affordable. price. Let Aura do the hard work of. keeping you safe online so you can focus. on other things with peace of mind. Go. to aura.com/hammer. or check out the link at the top of the. description below. Thanks again to Aura. for sponsoring this episode. This is my watch. Oh okay. I was I. thought my calculator is now I was like. how Now the the machines are sentient. Yeah. [laughter].

They're getting as confused as I am in. this conversation. So. it's it's immature not to think about. that because okay I get it. Right now. dude but we're very similar ages. Uh. Picturing myself retiring I have a hard. time even picturing it. I just know that. on the average span of life. that's what people end up. People end up to a point where they're. sick or they're injured and they need.

something to live off of and you not. setting yourself up for that is an. immature choice because you're choosing. the now over any kind of future. You want that instant gratification now. No I I I have a future in my mind. I. just understand that it's very. uh. outlandish and unlikely to happen. Why? I mean I could Why is it unlikely to. happen? Show business? So so that's the. dream again. Well again the dream is like 50. different things so I don't even I don't.

even know what your dream is. Well like. when I asked you to lay out your dream. you could not give me a concrete answer. Yeah and I'm I'm working on. defining it a little more clearly. It's. something something I think about a lot. You might be overthinking it perhaps. I. don't know. If you're thinking about it. a lot and you haven't been able to come. to any kind of conclusion okay. Either way. I'm just. scared. I'm just scared for your future but you. don't care about your future. Uh well sorry. No no no I again I used the wrong word. there.

You don't care about your future in the. way that I think you should. You care. about it in terms of. [snorts]. very untraditional and that's okay. There's just there is a certain. semblance of risk and just not living in. the real world the real world of our. culture and what how our economic system. works and just a lot of things you're. just outside of it. no I I do not like I okay physically I. live in what we call the real world like.

mentally no I do not live. Which is a choice. Correct. And it's an. immature choice because if you recognize. it's not the real world then you're. actively choosing to you know be poor. Um. yeah it's totally safe to say I choose. to kind of live in my own custom built. space. dying in poverty? Uh. I don't know if okay with it is the. right word but I understand. allowing that to be a possibility. Yes. Well it's a possibility no matter what. even if you choose to save for it.

your risk is so much higher for it. Your. probability is so much higher for it. You could set yourself up for a safety. net to prevent that. Yeah. You could lower your percentages of that. happening but you don't get. Yeah there's there's there's important. people that do die in poverty. Vincent Van Gogh. No one gave a [ __ ]. about him. Then what? 20 years after he died we. suddenly said oh wow actually he's the. greatest painter ever. So for your future then I mean this is. just my thoughts cuz there's nothing.

there's no productive conversation we. can have about finances or retirement. anything like that because I mean your. just head your head is where it's at. There's no convincing otherwise which. I'm terrified for your future. No I like. the I like the the 59 and a half idea. I'm like okay like if I want to. like if I know how long I want to live. maybe plan out like that five year. period. uh before that and then we also agree on. the the 10K emergency fund and we of. course agree on paying back my mom which. is embarrassing. Yeah. Uh and also you.

might find that when you're closer to. that age you might want to live a little. longer. So maybe give yourself a little more. wiggle room there. Your future you. Cuz you never know. Yeah. But, either way, again, this is what I. would do. I I already said what I would. do financially. Just for your future and. stuff like that. Okay, you have goals. Let's narrow down. Let's focus. And then. we see the goal. What needs to happen in order to get to. that goal? And then what do you have to. do to meet those sub-objectives.

in order to get to that grand vision. that you have. Define those. Write it. out. Figure out what you have to do. Figure out realistic ways to go about. it. And then pursue it. That's okay. After you have a fully funded emergency. fund and your debt is gone and you. chopped up your credit card cuz you're. not a credit card person. Once you do that, meet those. Be. realistic and be responsible with it. That's what I would do. Right now we. have grand visions and we don't have. ways to get there. And we we can't even. define what the grand vision is other. than wanting to live in a walkable area, which I get. But, that's yeah, that's.

one of the goals of the grand vision. Of. the grand vision that we couldn't define. very well. So, try to just. narrow. Not saying you can't have dreams and. stuff like that. Not even close. I just. want you to be able to get to any of the. goals. In order to do that, we just got. to focus up. We got to figure out ways. to actually do it. So, to be completely honest, I'm nervous, but. maybe we'll follow up in a year and. see if you're out of debt, if you're.

more in debt, if your career's going. where you want to go, and. uh. I wouldn't laugh about it cuz I would. rather see my life be. not terrifying. But, go ahead. That's. whatever. Okay. What are your final. thoughts? Um. [sighs and gasps]. This was This was a good thing to do. And uh I'm glad that. uh. I'm glad that you guys had me on to uh. challenge me a little bit.

Needed it. That's all I got. For Ben, I really [music] don't even. know what to say. It wasn't the most. productive conversation, but hopefully. it was helpful for people out there like. you if you're relating to that. situation, but I [music] don't think I. helped him cuz there was no getting. through to him. So, his Hammer Financial. score though, zero out of 10 when it. comes to spending and a budget, he was. spending so much when he owes his mom. money, doesn't [music] have an emergency. fund, come on. Debt, certainly not even. close to the worst debt because he owes. a family member, I can't give it a.

higher than a three out of 10 though. Retirement, zero out of 10. Emergency. fund, zero out of 10. Real estate, zero. out of 10. So, I'm going to give him a. Hammer Financial score of one out of 10. Check out all the resources linked in. the description below. I have some paid. affiliate links there. They are the. resources that I either use or would use. in specific situations like the high. yield savings account that I use. Or you. can put $5 in Acorns where you get a. free $5 if you do that. Don't forget to. follow my Instagram and Twitter. Thanks.