Financial Audit: Intervention
YouTube · 9RDmd92-en8
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Stacy earns $45/hour as a commercial wallpaper hanger, working 40-60 hours/week, averaging $6,666/month.
- ❖Aaron earns $25/hour as a maintenance technician, with comped rent, bringing in about $3,200/month.
- ❖The couple moved in together within a month of dating, after meeting at a funeral.
- ❖Aaron lied to Stacy about paying rent to his old roommate, contributing to Stacy's trust issues and financial burden.
- ❖Stacy admitted to kissing her ex-husband after a dinner to discuss their divorce, further eroding trust.
- ❖Aaron has a vague 'criminal past' that he refuses to disclose, which caused Stacy to leave their home one night.
- ❖Stacy carries nearly $20,000 in credit card debt across two cards, with late payments.
- ❖Stacy plans to propose to Aaron, a decision the host and crew strongly advise against due to the relationship's instability.
Insights
1Rapid Cohabitation and Financial Entanglement
Stacy and Aaron moved in together within a month of dating and are considering combining finances after only five months. The host emphasizes this is dangerously fast, especially given their lack of legal protections and existing trust issues.
Stacy and Aaron confirm they have been together for 5 months and live together, having moved in 'basically right away' (). They express a desire to combine finances ().
2Aaron's Financial Deception and Trust Issues
Aaron lied to Stacy about continuing to pay rent to his former roommate after moving in with her. This lie, discovered by Stacy, created significant trust issues and placed a greater financial burden on her, as she was covering shared expenses.
Stacy recounts discovering Aaron was still paying $900/month to his old roommate, despite telling her he had stopped. She states, 'when I have to pay for all like the groceries and the damage deposits and the pet deposits and I'm struggling, but he has the money to pay other people' (, , ). Aaron admits to lying to avoid conflict ().
3Stacy's Emotional and Financial Vulnerability
Stacy is navigating a divorce and moved in with Aaron quickly, taking on significant financial responsibilities. She also admitted to kissing her ex-husband, which Aaron discovered, and carries substantial credit card debt, including late payments, indicating financial instability.
Stacy was going through a divorce while dating Aaron (). She states she 'took half the money out of our bank account and for a little bit I didn't have a debit card because I was just kind of like fight or flight like get out of there' (). She put 'everything on the credit card' for the apartment (). Her Venture One card has a $9,518.33 balance and is 'past due' (, ). She also admitted to kissing her ex-husband after dinner ().
4Aaron's Undisclosed 'Criminal Past'
Aaron revealed a serious, undisclosed 'criminal past' to Stacy while drunk, which caused her to leave their home that night. He refuses to elaborate on the details, leading to further trust issues and host speculation about its severity and impact on his employment.
Aaron admits to saying 'something that was very a lot to take in' while drunk, which he will not disclose, but Stacy left the house that night (, ). The host speculates it could be a criminal record impacting his job prospects (, ).
5The Ill-Advised Proposal
Stacy reveals she plans to propose to Aaron, even showing a ring. This revelation comes amidst the audit's findings of deep-seated trust issues, financial instability, and personal deceptions, leading the host and crew to strongly advise against it.
Stacy reveals, 'I was going to propose. I was going to get' (). The host and crew immediately react, stating, 'This is the moment where we can stop an actual mistake from happening' ().
Lessons
- Prioritize transparency and honesty in financial matters, especially early in a relationship, to build a strong foundation of trust.
- Avoid cohabiting or combining finances too quickly, particularly before addressing significant personal or financial issues.
- Address and resolve trust issues proactively through open communication, rather than letting them fester or accumulate.
- Ensure financial stability and independence before making major relationship commitments like cohabitation or marriage.
- Seek professional financial guidance to manage debt and create a sustainable budget, rather than relying on a partner or avoiding the problem.
Quotes
"Once you guys get slightly out of the excitement, this relationship's done."
"You're the breadwinner in this relationship. Let's just make that very blatantly truth."
"You have no agency? What the is this? WHAT IS THIS? HE'S LIKE 6' FIVE."
"The vagueness makes it look worse than it likely is."
"Finances are one of the large leading causes for divorce in this country. And if right now there's this big boiling pot of lack of trust... what happens when that just becomes normal and all that's left is a steaming pile of lack of trust?"
"This is the moment where we can stop an actual mistake from happening."
Q&A
Recent Questions
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