Hello friends, family, and friends who are family,

In a sentence, I’m asking for money that could help me climb into a sustainable financial position once and for all.

One of the reasons I moved to my new location is because my research indicated it was in a good job market for software engineers, had a reasonable cost of living, and had a good legal and economic climate for “rental arbitrage”. In my case, this business model is me listing the spare room of my apartment on Airbnb to substantially “subsidize” the total rental cost to me. In other cases of this business model, the lessee usually hopes to turn a profit above the lease cost, and while that is possible, I think it unlikely as I will share the common rooms with my renters. I must charge less to compete with equivalent listings where common rooms are not shared.

However, to charge enough to make it worth the effort and expenses, both upfront and ongoing, including the cut my apartment complex takes for rental arbitrage arrangements, I must still charge as much as I reasonably can. Therefore, my intent was always to make my listing as photogenic as possible and cater to tasteful renters. This means the final startup cost for my Airbnb is going to be substantial.

I’m not going to pretend that I haven’t been financially irresponsible in the past, even lately. However, this is the first time I’ve been in a financial tight spot since getting my first software engineering position 7 years ago. The reason I’m asking for money is because I underestimated the startup cost, at least in relation to the expense of my lifestyle. Primarily, I’m referring to the Uber habit I acquired in 2025. Even tho I have an excellent bike, I was reluctant in returning to the bike commuting lifestyle, a laziness compounded by a short but intense bout of depression, a depression which worsened my financial carelessness. However, becoming nearly broke proved an effective motivation for resuming my biking lifestyle, and for the past couple of months, I’ve no longer thought about my next biking trip as a burden. Also, thanks to my excellent benefits working for a health insurance company, I’m starting a GLP-1 blocker and will reduce food expenses in 2026.

Finally, my time in my new location has been needlessly expensive so far because, even tho I only need 1 room, I’ve been leasing a 2-bedroom apartment this whole time while trying to buy furnishings so I can startup the business.

Since starting the transition from vanlife, I’ve bought a dining set, couch, TV, nightstand, king bed frame, king mattress, and collection of popular books and reprints of paintings. I’ve minimized costs by buying unfinished furniture which I can finish myself later, buying used items, and waiting for sales. However, this is still very expensive, buying all of the remaining items of a durable build that I won’t need to replace in a short time under the stresses of continual renter use and cleaning. I still want to buy a bookcase, endtable, recliner, desk and chair, and decorations (like print frames, some kitchen and bath linens, and a couple of potted plants).

The total I’m trying to raise can get me out of some debt I got into financing the above and to complete the remaining purchases. If I’m unable to raise this total from y’all, I’ll try to make the difference working weekend lunches and dinners delivering for (ironically) Uber Eats meals by bicycle downtown. However, I don’t know how much work I’ll find that way; I’ve only tested it once. It’s also hard for me to save enough money from my software engineering job alone given that I burdened myself with the aforementioned debt, I also have student loans, and I have a rent payment calculated with the aid of guest renters in mind rather than bearing it on my own.

You might wonder why I haven’t come around to you personally and asked for a loan. I prefer not to borrow from you, if possible, as I think a debt causes a serious stress on a personal relationship, and also I already have a lot of debt. If it conveys the uniqueness of the request I’m making, you can think of whatever you’re able to give as a substitute for a wedding gift. As a Catholic gay man 3 years away from his 40s, I think it’s safe to say I’ll be single for the rest of my life. That doesn’t mean I think you owe me a wedding gift or substitute, but I am painfully aware of my inability to leverage cost sharing and the economies of scale, both of which are enjoyed by couples. Thank you for whatever you are able to give. Truly, I am grateful for your thoughts, prayers, and every gift, big or small.