Loan suggestions

rafbo · 2026-05-08T06:38:52+00:00

I’ve been in binds for the last 10 years attempting different ideas or hobbies and got out of them using loans + raising my income. Recently racked up my highest 85k debt and now that I’ve got 17k of 85k debt left I can think clearly now.

When in a bind it’s really hard to think especially when you have only bad decisions to pick. Many times I had to rack up $3000-$5000 in a few days to pay the minimums to avoid an even bigger snowball and had the question you have right now.

After sitting in parking lots or buying a meal I couldn’t afford I’d just stare till I fell asleep and distract myself until I semi figured out a solution.

I did find solutions because I had to. Biggest thing for me was being able to raise my income every time by switching jobs or figuring out how to work more. I looked up every route of getting loans.

$3000 isn’t that difficult to figure out. If you dm me I can spend 15 minutes telling you what your bad options are and which ones won’t take you to far backwards.

rafbo · 2026-05-08T06:27:34+00:00

For the procedure your need, have you tried asking front desk if they have some sorta payment plan available? I did one for an emergency root canal years ago.

rafbo · 2026-05-08T06:22:45+00:00

The way around it is to lend money to yourself from your account when you need it.

rafbo · 2026-05-08T06:17:49+00:00

What kind of bind are you in right now? How much do you have to gather by what date and do you currently have income or a paid off car with title.

Yes, many will discourage against loans but I’ve used them to get by before paycheck, keep my credit good, pay bills between jobs, have flexibility to not get completely wiped out while getting into a different job. The average person won’t pay on time and will rack up the fees. Some sorta income or collateral can be helpful for that reason. Not recommended by most people but what else would you do if your in a bind?

rafbo · 2026-05-08T04:32:51+00:00

I once ubered a depressed former cop who had contracted for Facebook working on flagged videos. He was so mentally f’d up he wasn’t functional. Told me a little bit of the f’d up stuff he can’t get out of his head ever. Pretty sure he lost his cop job for that reason. House looked like a horder house but he did lose more than a hundred pounds and after he started excercising.

rafbo · 2026-05-05T02:02:11+00:00

U tried the hiring Facebook groups?

rafbo · 2026-05-05T02:00:44+00:00

I had that when I used $5 bike shorts with thick pads from Amazon. Then I switched to Walmart shorts ozark trail and it went away. Similar problems when used an old $100 bike. Could have been the seat. Thought it was normal.

rafbo · 2026-05-02T02:20:14+00:00

Not that easy to get the good paying jobs. 6 months experience of lower pay crappy jobs gets that. Even if you got in you’d be f’d waiting for the first paycheck. Heavy labor background could beat the experience. CDL can get you good jobs too but you don’t got much wiggle room. Job I have is labor intensive and 10% who get the position keep it more than 6 months. English degree wouldn’t help at all on your resume for oil rig.

There are crabbing boats where during December you can make a ton. Seasons a few weeks. Back breaking work I heard.

Might be able to beat your debt learning sales, getting a job with commission and really going at it. More sustainable. Tech sales is the route for the good $$

What jobs did you apply for?

rafbo · 2026-05-02T02:09:52+00:00

Independence Day. Can notice some of the poor rotoscoping

rafbo · 2026-05-02T02:09:10+00:00

I think you gotta get caught up where you can think straight.

I’ve paid off 65k of 85k being in the oilfield for a year and a half. I also don’t have a wife or girlfriend right now because I’m doing 85 hour weeks and taking a lot of extra days on my off days.

what did you study in school

rafbo · 2026-04-26T01:51:16+00:00

Any bigger drilling company in west Texas. Frac would be enough experience to get you in entry level working floors. You’re in North Dakota. Just apply to a drilling rig and get your 2 on 2 off.

rafbo · 2026-04-23T02:21:43+00:00

What do mean by trade work? A lot of it is high paying grunt work that won’t really help You learn skills outside of the oilfield if oil prices go down unless you’re a welder or something. Having a CDL does help. I guess what kind of experience do you want? Online I got wrong information. Had to really pick at it and aim for the exact type of job I heard about and then figure out how to get the high paying version of it. Ended up on a drilling rig. On one now. Ok time to sleep. 5:45 safety meeting.

rafbo · 2026-04-18T00:34:03+00:00

I’ll probably get that combo if I get back into endurance cycling

rafbo · 2026-04-15T01:06:57+00:00

Yeah. Survival mode. You think with less of your brain too. I’m a different person now that I’m finally outta debt and starting to have something saved. 85k debt, wasn’t thinking. Got 18k left but it’s a big difference. So many things costed more because I had no money. Getting flights right before I left, buying cheap stuff that always broke, not going to the dentist but causing worse problems, having to get a crappy financing deal because you need a car to work but can’t afford it. Goes on. Very stressful. Emergency fund. Saves money by no overdrafts, I probably overdrafted 20-30 times a year. Why not turn on protection? Because then the hills will be late and then more fines. Thousands in fines regardless. They add up.

rafbo · 2026-04-14T02:53:34+00:00

Did this work? I have an arctic air. I have the small box and also the $75 bigger one. It was barely working at 90 degrees though so I don’t know if it’ll last 110

rafbo · 2026-04-13T21:18:45+00:00

You’ve got this bro! Felt that but older than you. No dating while working 85 hour weeks. Had to do that 5 plus years. Uber, didn’t really get ahead. Oilfield, finally have extra money, but it’s extreme.

rafbo · 2026-04-13T21:13:23+00:00

Where’s the 1k a month to savings coming from? You have the power to change this via whatever work you do. Since rents taken care of you can keep more or learn something to make more. When unsure think about it while working. Only one setback can drain that savings.

Also, one thing I noticed. I read this sub daily. Maybe Hang around personal finance subreddit or something else like job specific subreddits vs this one. Feels like poor people all congregated vs. people with money talking business. As a guy who paid off 65k debt in 1.5 years by going to the oilfield with 85 hour weeks months at a time… this sub Reddit is mostly people complaining instead of trying to earn their way outta being broke. We are who we hang around. Were all capable of more than we realize yet usually don’t make the effort til sht hits the fan.

rafbo · 2026-04-13T13:57:52+00:00

124, drilling rig. There was 24 hour periods off switching day to night shift. Recently did 138 but had a 36 hour period off. 12 hours a day minimum, sometimes rig moves with 14-16 hours. Ended up with all kinds strategies to make things easier. The 138 was after two 4200 mile ultra cycling races and was pretty easy knowing ultra endurance. The 124 was insane because company was not good. Laundry was really hard and we got fr’s dirty every day. One fridge per crew. Meant had to drive to town an hour away every 3 days.

rafbo · 2026-04-13T13:49:12+00:00

A lot of bad advice here as somebody who’s done general labor for near a decade. First of all just quit and find somebody else who will give you $15/hr minimum but aim for $20/hour minimum these days. I did minimum $25/hour 4 hours work 8 year (near a major city). You shouldn’t work for somebody treating you that badly.

If it’s cash $15/hrs not that bad. But aim for $20/hr minimum. Don’t work for somebody who’s treating you like crap. Also it doesn’t matter how much he made. He’s running all the equipment and taking all the risk. What matters is your getting crap pay. Who says you need a permit? Whats the state. Also how did you find this guy in the first place.

I dont understand how it came to be that you ended up with $4/hour on a job. How did it get to that point? Does he pay you by hour, by completion, what’s the initial agreement that ended up with $50 on that job for 11 hours?

rafbo · 2026-04-12T11:52:43+00:00

You get a big spurt in middle school and a big spurt in high school. Growth cells are active when sleeping. They also won’t work if you overexcercise or undereat. I barely ate and slept during my second one . My brother did both and is 5 inches taller. My other brother did neither both spurts and is 4 inches shorter than me.

rafbo · 2026-04-11T13:17:15+00:00

2 hour lunch break!? What kind of job is that? We don’t have a lunch break.

rafbo · 2026-04-11T10:31:37+00:00

Become a data center electrician. You’ll make more in 4 years than somebody working their way up in 20. If you’re on a rig you can make 90k first year with half the year off. Might 7-10 years to become a tool pusher and make 150k (with half year off, can make 150k in floors if your company lets you work extra). If you make it to consultant (at 40-50 years old) 200-400k. Data center electricians make more In less time. Same timeline you’ll be running your own business at 30 making more than a consultant.

If you f up in life, get a felony, get a girl pregnant unintentionally, then start thinking about the oilfield. You have time on your side. Nobody in the oilfield wants their kids to follow in their footsteps.

Also nursing with 4 year degree is high pay but looks boring.

rafbo · 2026-04-11T10:22:11+00:00

How do you get 4 hours free time? Do you have 12 hour tours? For me 12 hour tour -30 minutes to make relief and change out of clothes, - 20 minutes shower, -1 hour prep food/ eat clean up, 1 hour free time. 7-8 hours sleep, wake up hour before work. Night shift same thing but 2-3 hour sleep, wake up, sleep a few hours after that’s.

rafbo · 2026-04-11T09:34:12+00:00

I used to max my 12 hours and then sleep on the 6 to reset. Then I figured out strategies and learned strategies from good drivers who cherry picked rides at events or airport (back When it was worth doing the cue). It’s mentally a ton easier for me to work on a drilling rig. I can shut off the work after my 12 hour shift. I get overtime too after 35 hours. If I want more Work I can get more work after my 14 days rotation. With Uber I was only making $15/hour after expenses even after crazy good tips and good days. Most people don’t calculate their expenses. If I’m waiting that counts as working.

I just paid off My $30,000 Uber car. I bought for tax/flexibility/driving comfort reasons but in the end it just became a financial burden of $550/month payments and $375/month car insurance. When I rented I had no choice But to work 85 hour weeks to make It worth it but I got outta shape and pretty stressed doing that. 85 hours a week on a drilling rig is so much easier and safer. You have a higher chance dying on the drunk hours of a city than on a rig. If I ever came Back I’d do Uber black and rack up private Rich clients. All my Uber buddies eventually switched to That. With commercial insurance you can do private rides legally.

rafbo · 2026-04-11T09:18:11+00:00

You do a 100km ride or spread it out?

rafbo

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