She's Back | Financial Audit - Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer Recap

Podcast: Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer

Published: 2026-01-05

Duration: 1 hr 51 min

Summary

Rachel, a registered vet tech, revisits her financial audit journey, revealing improvements in her financial status and sharing challenges from living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

What Happened

Rachel, a registered vet tech, earns $28 an hour working 32 to 40 hours weekly, which her company considers full-time at 32 hours. She brings in approximately $3,800 monthly, including an extra $900 from a legal benefit. Despite having a chronic illness, she manages her work with ADA accommodations and various medical aids.

Rachel used to live in a $300,000 house but lost it due to financial mismanagement, including impulsive spending on unnecessary home improvements. Now, she lives in a trailer with a timeshare-like arrangement through Thousand Trails, which she prefers for mental health reasons. Her past financial troubles have taught her valuable lessons, and she plans to transition to a remote vet tech role within three years to reduce physical strain.

Her previous marriage lasted only two weeks, and since then, she's been single. Her dog, whom she dearly loves, now lives with her mother due to her job's requirements. Rachel's financial audit revealed a significant reduction in debt, including paying down a high-interest loan from $8,860 to $3,165.30 over ten months.

Rachel's budget involves some 'bullshit spending' on food and miscellaneous items, but she is determined to improve her financial score, which has increased from 0.5 to 2.5. She uses the Dollarwise budgeting app to manage her finances better and is working on saving more for retirement, although she is currently behind her desired target.

Her current financial situation also includes a Subaru car loan with a balance of $18,759.31 and a closed Apple card with a balance in collections. Despite these debts, she maintains a $3,000 emergency fund and a checking account with $6,000.

Rachel's story highlights the challenges of living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, impacting her energy levels and work capabilities. She applies the spoon theory to manage her limited energy, a concept not scientifically backed but helpful for people with chronic illnesses.

Key Insights