TWiT 1087: Evil is the Root of All Money - Could Local AI Laptops Compete With Data Center Giants?

Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Cal… · Jul 13, 2026 Business

Gen Z isn't just bad with money — they're trapped in a doom loop. Negative algorithms convince them the future is hopeless, so spending recklessly feels rational. Consumer sentiment is at a near-all-time low despite the economy not being that bad, and the pessimism is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Expand

Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Cal… · Jul 13, 2026 Business

Bankruptcy costs thousands in legal fees, tanks your credit for up to a decade, forces you into predatory 25% car loans, and means credit cards with monthly fees even when you pay on time. But the real hidden cost is that it changes nothing about the behaviour that got you there. Expand

Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Cal… · Jul 13, 2026 Business

People blame debt on emergencies, but Caleb Hammer flips the logic: if you had no savings before the emergency hit, the emergency didn't cause your debt — your lifestyle did. The emergency just revealed a savings problem that was already there. Expand

Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Cal… · Jul 13, 2026 Business

The biggest financial train wrecks on Financial Audit aren't low-income guests — they're people earning $200K to $500K. Higher income means approval for more debt, bigger lifestyle inflation, and a longer fall. The people making the least are often in better shape than those making the most. Expand

Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Cal… · Jul 13, 2026 Business

$5 million liquid is the number where you can weather almost any emergency — including a serious cancer diagnosis — and live off ~$60K/year using the 4% rule. Caleb agrees with O'Leary's target but disagrees on the vehicle: stock market index funds beat T-bills for anyone with time on their side. Expand

Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Cal… · Jul 13, 2026 Business

The UK cushions poverty with an NHS, generous welfare, and social housing but tax burdens and tall-poppy syndrome punish wealth creation. The US offers massive upside but a brutal floor. After accounting for everything you get free, Americans still end up with more disposable income in their pockets. Expand

Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Cal… · Jul 13, 2026 Business

Real estate has consistently underperformed the S&P 500 in recent history. Caleb is exiting all his rental properties for index funds — no tenant headaches, no unpredictable repair bills, and better returns. The only edge property has is leverage, and that's a double-edged sword most landlords don't respect. Expand

Why Everyone Is Drowning In Debt (and how to get out) - Cal… · Jul 13, 2026 Business

Cars are the number one way Americans waste money. American infrastructure forces car ownership, but people over-justify getting far more car than they need. The money-guy rule cuts through the rationalisation: 20% down, 3-year term, monthly payment no more than 8% of gross income. Expand