I thought about this after watching the Super Bowl. My Patriots lost, but the real losers was society, especially young males. So many ads centered around AI and gambling.
AI is a double-edged sword. Used correctly, it provides immense benefit. But a lot of people getting exposed to AI are struggling academically and cannot critically think for themselves.
Sports betting and speculation markets - it’s everywhere. The fact that you can bet on anything is terrifying. You get looped into this idea that you can change your life in one instant. One bet. One trade.
But that’s so far from the truth.
And Then I Looked at Myself
Watching those ads made me reflect on my own situation.
I’m supposed to be financially literate. I graduated with lowkey no student debt. I’ve always preached about budgeting, saving, investing. I literally built a budgeting app.
A couple months ago, I was $20,000 in credit card debt.
Here’s what happened: I made a bet on myself. I paid to build a budgeting app, used my cash reserves, and then didn’t have money on hand for everyday expenses. So I started using my credit card. For groceries. For gas. For everything.
Although you can say “well you used the money for a future business” - I don’t view it that way.
Debt is debt.
And once that debt hit $20K, I felt like I was in a hole I couldn’t climb out of.
For the first time in my life, I understood how other people felt. There are people with $100K in debt or $500K from school loans and then there is me - sitting there with $20K and I felt like my world was ending.
Whether you think that’s a lot or a little amount of debt - you can be the judge.
What matters is that feeling. That fear. That weight. Because the only question I would ask myself every morning is,
“Damn. How do I get $20,000 to pay this off?”
The Hamster Wheel
Here’s what debt actually does to you.
Once I got paid, I couldn’t do anything with that paycheck. I couldn’t take care of myself the way I wanted. Couldn’t enjoy my life. Couldn’t treat myself. Couldn’t go do something fun.
My entire paycheck went to debt. And that was awful.
It felt like I was running on a hamster wheel that never stopped. Work, pay debt, work, pay debt. No progress. No breathing room.
a visual representation of me chasing my ever growing debt.
What upset me most wasn’t even the money itself. It was the opportunities I missed.
I could’ve bought more stock when the market dipped.
Could’ve invested in new equipment for my content.
Camera gear.
Things that would help me grow.
Instead, all my money went to paying off what I already spent.
Debt doesn’t just take your money. It steals your time. It takes your options. It robs you of your future.
As Lil Durk said - “Man I fell down to my knees when the law came”. Except for me the credit companies came.
imagine be being lil durk.
Because to pay down that debt, you need to exchange something for it. And when you’ve sold off everything you can, the only thing left to exchange is your time.
The hours you clock in at work.
That’s the scary part. They got your time. And that time is ultimately your life.
I Had an Escape Hatch
I ended up making a $12K payment recently and with some more brand deals coming through next month - I’ll clear the rest of that debt soon.
But here’s what I need to be honest about: I’m lucky.
I had an escape hatch most people don’t have. I could hustle harder, land extra brand deals, find additional income.
A lot of people can’t do that. They have families. Jobs that don’t pay enough. Priorities that make it impossible to just “go earn more money.”
And if I (someone with options) felt that trapped, imagine how it feels for people who don’t have a way out.
That’s why this article matters.
Leverage Is Everywhere
Credit cards aren’t the only trap.
Look at Affirm. Klarna. You can even do Klarna for your rent now. That’s mind-boggling to me.
Just to live, you need a payment plan. Just to exist, you need to borrow.
It shouldn’t be that way.
But that’s the way it is (this is the new world we are living in) - so you must accept and adapt.
Leverage is normalized. Debt is expected. Your whole life can become a payment plan if you’re not careful.
And when I think of payment plans, I think of that hamster wheel. Running and running, never catching a break.
Some people do catch a break. But that’s the very few.
Cash Is King
Here’s what I realized sitting in that $20K hole:
Peace of mind is worth more than any purchase.
If you physically have the money, buy it. Handle your business. Get it done. Don’t default to leverage. Don’t assume you need credit or a loan for everything.
me after spending all my $$$ on assets.
I know that sounds extreme. I know we live in a world where you need credit to buy a house or a car. I’m not saying never use it.
But here’s the mindset shift:
Instead of asking “what’s my down payment and how do I finance the rest,” ask “how can I get the full amount? How can I own this thing outright?”
Maybe that takes longer. Maybe it means waiting. But when you own something fully, nobody can take it from you. No payments hanging over your head. No interest compounding. No stress.
That peace of mind? That’s the real wealth.
The Training Wheels
Now here’s where I have to be real with you.
I can’t sit here and say “only use cash” or “only use our debit card” when I had to rely on credit to get where I’m at. That would be hypocritical.
The truth is, you’re probably going to need credit. Especially when you’re young. You need to build a credit history to eventually buy a house, get a car, do all those big life things.
So think of credit like training wheels on a bike.
When you’re learning to ride, you need them. They keep you balanced. They help you build the skills.
But once you know how to ride? You can take them off. You don’t need them anymore.
Same with credit. Learn how to use it. Build your history. Understand the game. But the goal isn’t to master leverage. The goal is to not need it.
If I Could Tell My 18-Year-Old Self
If I’m being honest, I think about what I’d do differently. What I’d tell my future kid. What would actually set someone up for success at 18.
Two things:
First, get set up as an authorized user on someone’s credit card.
This could be a parent, family member, whoever. You don’t even need to use the card. The point is you inherit their credit history.
If they have 10 years of credit, the bank sees you as having 10 years of credit too. That’s a massive head start over someone who’s starting from scratch with zero history.
Once you have that foundation, then open your own card. Discover, Amex, Capital One - it doesn’t matter.
What matters is you manage it responsibly. Hit your payments. Never miss.
Second, get a starter loan.
I did this in college. Went to the credit union at my school, took out a small loan (like $2,000) and gave it right back to them. Then made monthly payments on it.
Why? Because it adds a different type of credit to your history. Not just a credit card (revolving credit) but an installment loan. That mix matters for your score.
These two moves will put you ahead of 90% of people your age. Not because they’re complicated. Because most people don’t know about them.
And YES - it is this simple…trust me.
But Remember the Goal
Build your credit, manage your cards, play the game correctly — but still remember:
The goal is to take the training wheels off.
The goal is to not need leverage.
The goal is to get to a place where you can pay cash, own your things outright, and sleep peacefully knowing you don’t owe anyone anything.
I realized I can never go back to that dark place. That $20K hole. Maybe that sounds extreme, but I feel it deep down.
Granted, using cash is a privilege. You need to have cash. You need a solid income and extra money. But that’s the goal to work toward.
The last thing I want is to owe someone money ever again.
Pay Attention
So here’s what I’ll leave you with.
Pay attention to those advertisements. The gambling apps. The “buy now, pay later” schemes. The whole system that’s designed to keep you in debt and desperate.
Prize Picks and dick pills. Companies getting rich off your confusion.
With Affirm, Klarna, sports betting, and the way advertising is going — before you know it, your whole life could be a payment plan.
That scares me. Because a payment plan is just a hamster wheel with extra steps.
Stay away from the dick pills. Stay away from Prize Picks.
And remember: the goal isn’t to master leverage. The goal is to not need it.
Luv, Luv
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