Financial Tools Built by People Who've Been There

The $150,000 Mistake That Started Everything

In 2018, I was a 29-year-old loan officer at Wells Fargo making $92,000 a year. Ironically, I helped other people get mortgages—but when it came to my own purchase, I made the exact mistake I now help people avoid.

I got approved for a $475,000 mortgage. The bank said "you can afford it." I trusted them. After all, they're the experts, right?

Here's what actually happened:

✘ Living paycheck to paycheck despite a "good" salary
✘ Emergency $8,000 roof repair wiped out my entire savings
✘ Couldn't afford to go out with friends, travel, or save for retirement
✘ Constant stress about every unexpected expense
✘ Relationship strain—my girlfriend and I fought about money constantly

I was what financial planners call "house-poor." My house looked impressive from the outside. Inside? I was eating ramen and skipping social events because I couldn't afford a $40 dinner.

I sold the house later that year. After closing costs, realtor fees, and market timing, I lost $45,000 on a home I owned for just 2.5 years.

Lesson learned the expensive way: Banks maximize loan size to make more interest. You need to use conservative affordability calculations, not aggressive bank maximums.

FinanceCalc was born from that $150,000 mistake (loss on sale + 2.5 years of being house-poor). These calculators use realistic, conservative numbers—the 25% rule, not the bank's 28-36% rule.

My goal: Help you avoid the mistake I made.