Master’s degree holder earning only $18 an hour refuses to commute for more money, sparking debate

It's been a while since working from home has become a norm. Many people are reluctant to return to their office cubicles, rejecting salary hikes in exchange for working from the comfort of their homes. A 46-year-old public accountant named Kelcey explained exactly why she chose this lifestyle. The Texas woman, who is also a widowed mom, appeared on financial expert Caleb Hammer's podcast show "Financial Audit" on YouTube and revealed that she only makes $18 per hour at her job.

Kelcey declared that she is unwilling to make a 30-minute commute to an office to make more money and believes it's not worth it. Even though Kelcey holds a master's degree, she revealed to Hammer that she is okay with how she survives on her income and some social security earnings. “Don’t you want to make more money?” Hammer questioned her, noting that a 30-minute commute to the nearest town could guarantee her a higher salary. “No,” Kelcey stated. “I don’t want to make more money.” Next up, Hammer questioned Kelcey about her spending habits. About four years ago, she lost her husband and then she began to “abuse her credit cards,” she revealed.

“I didn’t want them to hate me,” she said, admitting her struggles and how she splurged to spoil her children. “I had to spend so long rebuilding that relationship after being mentally absent for so long.” Kelcey has a huge credit card debt that needs to be paid off and she can't start thinking about her retirement at this point. However, she is content with the money she is making and the lifestyle she is leading. “I’ve had no hope,” she recalled to Hammer, referring to her credit card debt. “I was living in the world with no hope. I don’t want to be in debt but I don’t need to make more money.” Hammer suggested that Kelcey close all her credit cards since she already has a mortgage and doesn't need to worry about her credit score.

But she mentioned how the credit cards act as a safety net for her in emergencies and this has ultimately pushed her into accumulating more credit card debts with high interest rates. Ultimately, she ended up developing a toxic relationship with money, saving and planning her future by maintaining a work-life balance. Hammer then decided to bring her face to face with the cold hard truth about her finances and how she is managing it. "At this point, you're spending like you just got access or you're managing your money like you just got access to money at 18," Hammer explained to Kelcey.

She finally admitted that she needs to change her behavior when it comes to spending and needs to save money for her future and her kids who are still dependent on her. Hammer remarked that they need to draw a budget for her but the problem is that she makes too little money. Kelcey wondered if she could bring herself out of her financial woes if she took up a second job until she recovered from her debt and Hammer hinted that she probably could do that. The audience in the comment section of the video had mixed reactions to Kelcey and her mindset on money and work.

@cassandra_renee wrote, "She wants to leave her kids $3 million but refuses to drive half an hour to make more than $18 per hour?" @caitlynmayi wrote, "Caleb you did so great with this lady. You brought all the hard questions and concerns, yet you didn't lose your cool. You were empathetic without letting her off the hook. Amazing job! Hopefully, it was enough for her to turn it around for their family." @bandezable commented, "The crazy thing about being willing to never retire. What happens if you lose your job and no one is willing to hire a 70-year-old? People discriminate based on age. There is no job security anymore. You are not guaranteed to be able to work as long as you want to."