"On a December 4 episode of The Dave Ramsey Show, a caller named Michael, 27, reached out for help. He had guardianship of his 17-year-old brother for the past four years and was drowning in $35,000 of debt from a lease, credit cards, and charge-offs. Working as a door-to-door roofing salesman earning $3,000 to $3,500 monthly on straight commission, he was behind on nearly all his bills. "I'm trying to find a way out, man," he said."
"Ramsey's four-walls approach is essential crisis triage, but Michael's situation reveals a deeper issue: commission-only sales jobs during seasonal downturns create income volatility that makes consistent debt repayment nearly impossible. While picking up warehouse work shows hustle, Michael needs stable base income, not more exhausting hours. At 27 with a dependent teenager, he should prioritize a salaried position with benefits over the feast-or-famine commission cycle. The math works on paper during good months, but one bad quarter could restart the crisis."
Michael, 27, has had guardianship of his 17-year-old brother for four years and carries $35,000 in debt from a lease, credit cards, and charge-offs. He earns $3,000 to $3,500 monthly as a door-to-door roofing salesman on straight commission and is behind on nearly all bills, with $850 monthly rent. Priority advice includes covering four essentials—food, utilities, shelter, and transportation—before paying debts and applying extra income to debts from smallest to largest. Additional measures include using budgeting tools, seeking seasonal warehouse work, and transitioning to a stable salaried job with benefits to reduce income volatility.
Read at 24/7 Wall St.
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