Carlin and Evan: But Mostly Carlin!

[AstridM]

2 hours ago, cereality said:

Wow they have really made a mess of that backyard. I know they think they are people of leisure but that yard is not big enough for a pool + hot tub + putting green + playset + patio. And if they aren't going to level out that right side (I refuse to watch the YT to figure out if they are or are not planning that), they're begging for a water run off issue, the next time a tropical storm makes its way up from Florida and goes through the rest of the country - which is not an infrequent occurrence these days. All the water from the right side is going to flow into the putting green and/or the pool.

And they say this ISN'T their forever home? Do they realize no one is going to buy a house that has a yard that looks like a fun house?? And to remind everyone a house they HAD TO HAVE as Carlin was boo-hooing that she'd never get a house so in the 2021 bidding wars, they over paid for it? Sure they have a 2% mortgage but they best start thinking of this as their forever home, even as Josie moves onto a McMansion or a home with land (they've said they are looking - IDK which they will get) bc there is NO WAY they are selling their house at what they over paid for it, let alone the overpaid amount + the amount they are paying for this pool/hot tub/putting green monstrosity. They certainly are acting like this is their forever home and it doesn't matter that any would be buyer has zero room to play catch with his kid or plant some flowers!?

And at this point I'm 100% convinced that C&E live off of YT exploitation and IG income. I know Carlin has made some suggestions that Evan gets soooo many video editing jobs but uh when - dude is always traveling or at the golf course. She's also said they have an investment that's doing really well but I take that with a grain of salt bc they clearly are the - spend every $ that comes in - types; and uh I'd trust a 4th grader to have better investment sense than them.

I think the boutique now is basically a tax loss/haven for C&E and Z&W. Having been a bankruptcy lawyer for 20 yrs - they definitely strike me as the young business owner types who use the business to deduct out every little thing falsely claiming their 100k vehicles, trips etc are "for the business." And having been a bankruptcy lawyer, I know what a business looks like that ain't doing well. I mean inventory stacked to the ceiling at all times? Warehouse sales like 4-6 times in 3 months to move merchandise? These aren't markers of a healthy business. And frankly there have been Wall Street earnings calls lately where retailers like Target are saying they are having a hard time moving merchandise - and they truly buy their merchandise cheap due to negotiating power. But we're supposed to think as grown women are constantly complaining about grocery prices being too high, they are skipping off to BSB to buy a $75 frock that your 2 year old niece would wear? Please. They must think they are GENIUSES and the rest of us were born yesterday and have nooo idea how business, investments, or the economy work.

How the hell did they get a 2% mortgage as first time homebuyers with zero work history?

[cereality]

14 minutes ago, AstridM said:

How the hell did they get a 2% mortgage as first time homebuyers with zero work history?

My bad - I thought they bought in 2021. Instead they bought in 2022 right when Zade was born bc there was the whole thing of having to move while in Nashville with Carlin having her episodes. May 2022 interest rates (approx) = 5.89% for a 30 yr fixed. Yet the bidding wars were still on at that point because there was no supply on the market. They def did a YT with Carlin boohooing about how they'd never get a house and then she got into how she's always had anxiety and Daddy Dearest used to tell her to pray more. So best of all worlds baby - overpaid on a house AND bought at a high interest rate AND now pumping $ into it they are never going to get back out bc most adult buyers are not interested in a yard that looks like a fun zone designed by a 10 year old.

They got the mortgage when they were still super steady - i.e. Evan was in an electrical union, getting paid as an apprentice, about to graduate with a 70-90k position in hand (I'm guessing - bc in my area on the east coast when you graduate IBEW apprenticeship the starting salary is 110k; I assume it's less in Knoxville due to cost of living but I doubt it's 50k either). From a lenders perspective he was super steady - what's steadier than union work. All the sitting home, making money on YT started AFTER they bought their house once Carlin's issues started.

I think they probably have to start convincing themselves that this is the forever home. It's going to be hard to sell at the price they bought it at unless the economy somehow booms again which doesn't look like it's happening currently; and it's going to be even harder to sell + recoup all the $$ put into the yard. AND it's going to be harder to qualify for a mortgage on the next home as lenders get weary of people with legit businesses of their own - like plumbers - let alone well our income fluctuates based on how well our clickbaits work on YT and how many fans show up at a warehouse sale!?

Edited August 11 by cereality

[satrunrose]

I don't think Carlin and Evan are worrying too much about resale. They strike me as being at the point of life where it hasn't quite kicked in that other people have different needs and tastes. They like to "party party" therefore everyone does. I think, if they're thinking about this in investment terms at all, they believe that it will be easy to find a fun-loving young couple with young kids who want all the toys. They don't realize that the buyer pool is full of people who want workshops and gardens and big outdoor kitchens or who don't care for a pool and all the work that goes into it. 

[GeeGolly]

The Stewarts' yard had great potential even with a pool. They really made a mess of it all, both aesthetically and functionally.

And using fake turf - I guess they don't realize grass in and of itself stabilizes soil to a degree.

[Heathen]

4 hours ago, satrunrose said:

I don't think Carlin and Evan are worrying too much about resale. They strike me as being at the point of life where it hasn't quite kicked in that other people have different needs and tastes. They like to "party party" therefore everyone does. I think, if they're thinking about this in investment terms at all, they believe that it will be easy to find a fun-loving young couple with young kids who want all the toys. They don't realize that the buyer pool is full of people who want workshops and gardens and big outdoor kitchens or who don't care for a pool and all the work that goes into it. 

I think you're right. They're floating through life and apparently getting everything they want without working for it, so they almost certainly haven't considered that the party (party party) might come to an end. 

[BetyBee]

I wonder if the putting green idea came from Evan recently introducing his boy to golf? Maybe he's hoping to raise the next Tiger Woods. He sees a lot of easy to make videos that they can do right in their own backyard. It beats working for a living!

[AstridM]

14 hours ago, satrunrose said:

They like to "party party" therefore everyone does

It’s hilarious that they think what they do is “partying.” 😆

[ranchgirl]

So the swing set will be placed on the widest part of the astroturf like where the  slope of grass and the astroturf come together?  I hope they realize that the faux grass gets very, very hot when the sun is on it.  

I'm also guessing the big box hot tub will stay on the concrete patio up next to the house.  That will take up a lot of their patio and then the pool starts almost right off the patio. 

If they didn't do the putting green with bunker, they could have pushed the pool back away from the patio some.  

I just think with small kids that they are going to miss the big areas of grass.  And as someone else mentioned upthread, what about the dog. 

But I don't have to live there and pay the bills so whatever. 

[BitterApple]

Another juicy nugget of information: Carlin's new BFF, the Pastor's Wife? Someone on Reddit discovered she has a criminal past! Apparently she stole just under 5k in 2008 when she was a part time employee at the Anderson County tax office. There were several instances when residents paid their property taxes in cash. She pocketed the money and didn't record the transactions. She pled guilty and received two years probation in addition to restitution and fines. The article linked didn't have a picture, but the full name, age at the time and location all match. I wonder how much she and Creepy Pastor are currently skimming off the top? Leopards don't change their spots. 

I hope Evan and Carlin tread with caution. 

Edited August 13 by BitterApple

[RebeccatheWriter]

15 hours ago, AstridM said:

It’s hilarious that they think what they do is “partying.” 😆

The family has always had this odd use of the word party. I can remember on the first series or maybe one of the news specials Alyssa had a birthday (pre-John) and her violin teacher came over. She called it a jam session. 

[cereality]

On 8/12/2024 at 9:13 AM, AstridM said:

It’s hilarious that they think what they do is “partying.” 😆

Eating snacks in the waiting room when Whit or Katie are giving birth. Eating snacks on the drive to his parents or her grandparents. Eating snacks with visiting siblings. Eating snacks period - party party y'all. I always say C&E THINK they can party. Drop them off on a Friday night at nearest UTenn campus. They'd run away in shock when they see boys making out with girls that aren't their wives; girls initiating the make out sessions; people making out with multiple people in one night; hell guys kissing a boyfriend; people drunk; people high. They'd go running back to Target to grab their Fritos and PRETEND they party hard.

13 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Another juicy nugget of information: Carlin's new BFF, the Pastor's Wife? Someone on Reddit discovered she has a criminal past! Apparently she stole just under 5k in 2008 when she was a part time employee at the Anderson County tax office. There were several instances when residents paid their property taxes in cash. She pocketed the money and didn't record the transactions. She pled guilty and received two years probation in addition to restitution and fines. The article linked didn't have a picture, but the full name, age at the time and location all match. I wonder how much she and Creepy Pastor are currently skimming off the top? Leopards don't change their spots. 

I hope Evan and Carlin tread with caution. 

HAHAHAHAHAH. Hate to say it but it's always the most "religious" who have no problem with fraud, tax fraud etc. I've seen it in my own faith - preaching to everyone 24-7 but then running a fake LLC to write off household expenses that have nothing to do with business or grabbing PPP $ (pandemic funds for small businesses) even though have no small biz/no biz that was affected by the pandemic in any way.

Isn't this a mega church that they run? Uh many of those pastors are known to be on the take - so I assume they still are.

And I'll be honest C&E are probably NOT turned off by it. C&E and many of the sisters are really impressed by flashy money. So to C&E the pastor and his wife have the life that they aspire to - travel, the huge house with the BIG swimming pool - not just this kid sized pool in the monstrosity of a yard. And let's be real just like Josh Duggar I'm sure they excuse any wrongdoing that pastor's wife was charged with bc heathens persecuting God's best children, test from God etc etc. The same way these morons don't think Josh did anything - he just got caught up in something bc . . . God!?

[GeeGolly]

I would have aimed for something like this. The pool at the farthest edges, with plenty on lawn in between. And a fence around the pool.

 

[BitterApple]

40 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

I would have aimed for something like this. The pool at the farthest edges, with plenty on lawn in between. And a fence around the pool.

 

It's way too classy and tastefully done. If it doesn't scream "new money," Evan and Carlin don't want it. 

 

Cereality, it wouldn't surprise me if half the weekly collection plate was going right into Wifey's purse. You'd think a mega church would have more checks and balances, but they seem to be the ones frequently caught up in financial scandal. It also wouldn't surprise me if the Clarks are operating a big money laundering scam as well. 

I know plenty of people do dumb shit in their past, but to me there's a big difference between a teen swiping clothes out of Dillards and getting caught, and a grown woman methodically defrauding both the government and the tax payers. And I agree, it's amazing the amount of bad behavior congregants will dismiss. I also don't doubt the Bates and their ilk are no different. I mean, Carlin and Whit are totally declaring all the income they make off those cash and carries, amirite? 😜

[crazy8s]

2 hours ago, cereality said:

HAHAHAHAHAH. Hate to say it but it's always the most "religious" who have no problem with fraud, tax fraud etc. I've seen it in my own faith - preaching to everyone 24-7 but then running a fake LLC to write off household expenses that have nothing to do with business or grabbing PPP $ (pandemic funds for small businesses) even though have no small biz/no biz that was affected by the pandemic in any way.

In the church I used to work for most every church purchase was paid for with the pastor's personal credit card so pastor and wife could get the airline miles. They always flew first class everywhere.

They also turned in expenses without receipts for reimbursement, no questions were ever asked.

[BitterApple]

Man, the tea is coming in piping hot these last few days. Someone who modeled for BSB did an AMA on the subReddit. Mods verified her identity. Some of the tidbits confirmed what we already suspected:

Whit and Carlin don't run anything. Their manager does all the work, and they show up for the fun stuff. OP suspects the manager has some sort of hero worship of the Bates which is why she's willing to put up with it. 

Evan creeped her out. He was following all the models around with a video camera, which made OP uncomfortable. 

The shoot was a disorganized mess. None of the clothes were prepped and steamed ahead of time. Models had to do their own hair and makeup, and were paid $50 for a couple hours work. 

OP joked her impression of BSB was that it's a front for the Bates to get cheap wholesale clothes. 

She went to the Big House years back for a post-church lunch. Said the furniture was really tattered and poor Lawson had to pay for all the food. Josie and Whit were the nicest (that threw me for a loop). Carlin is totally different when she's vlogging versus when the camera is off. OP referred to it as wearing a mask. Major bummer: she has no clue why Erin left the Boutique. 

[cereality]

Hmm - per that AMA Carlin wears a "mask" re personality but is likely a mean girl but also low self esteem. She's also Type A and may feel she "needs" to be submissive to Evan - though obv she isn't.

None of this is shocking but it does explain why really everyone other than Whit avoids C&E. Sure Josie is now starting to be around Carlin more but I imagine that it's in the interest of her girls having friends. You don't even see Katie and Trav with C&E all the time even though they are now in Knox. Clearly they have drawn some lines.

G&K effed up their kids good. If she's type A - guess what she should have gone to college. Real college - not Crown with a few online semesters at Liberty. She should have pursued a career - something that could've benefited from her type A personality. Hell they should've sent her to school where she would've learned why the mean girl stuff doesn't work and isn't necessary. And if she really has low self esteem - and she has herself said she had anxiety growing up - maybe something other than pray it away would've helped. Instead they raised her to be a loud irritating person who married another loud irritating and maybe creepy person.

[BitterApple]

Evan sounds really unprofessional. The OP acknowledged he was probably shooting b-roll for their social media, but still, he should've informed the models beforehand. She said he didn't say one word to any of them and only spoke to Carlin. 

I definitely agree Josie is hanging with Carlin more for the sake of the kids, but i wonder how long that will last. Judging by their most recent vlog, Layla is getting brattier and more entitled by the second. I also noticed neither Carlin nor Katie were invited to Josie's birthday dinner, although Lydia was there. 

[satrunrose]

24 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

Evan sounds really unprofessional. The OP acknowledged he was probably shooting b-roll for their social media, but still, he should've informed the models beforehand. She said he didn't say one word to any of them and only spoke to Carlin. 

In their word, refusing to talk to unchaperoned women is professional. It's so messed up. 

[Jeanne222]

I looked high and low for the money tree that must be growing in their back yard!  Nada!!!  😅

[floridamom]

I would love to hear from C & E as to just how much this backyard renovation cost....and how they could afford to pay for it.

[floridamom]

I watched their recent YouTube video about the follow up with Evan's lasik surgery and their trip to Disney...yet again. For the life of me, these two people walk in and out of the Disney turnstiles like it costs bus fare. They said that they will bring the kids there very soon also...I am shaking my head as to how they can pay for eye surgery, back yard renovations, air faire and Disney World hotel and park admissions. From the video they showed, I think they stayed at the Polynesian resort...costs a pretty penny! These two are just showing off IMO now.I bet they have nothing in savings or in retirement. That silly boutique can't generate that much income to afford this lifestyle. Layla's swimming and ballet lessons, shopping at that store for new shoes and costumes cost a pretty penny. Evan commented how much will he have to spend on this for Layla? They are also netting half of the proceeds as they share the income with Zack and Whit, right? A direct question to them: How can you afford all of this? It just doesn't add up.

[Jeanne222]

The church could be paying for the trip...maybe they found it a way to attract new members???  

I'm guessing they are able to expense a lot of things they show in their videos as a cost of doing business.

I watch a couple of YouTube videos and they do grocery hauls and show each grocery item purchased so I've come to the conclusion all the food items are a business expense to make the video!  Tax write off.

We need a CPA that might have a client or two doing these videos that Can explain just what's going on.

They are for OUR entertainment so who knows!  🤔

[ginger90]

37 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

The church could be paying for the trip...maybe they found it a way to attract new members???  

I'm guessing they are able to expense a lot of things they show in their videos as a cost of doing business.

I watch a couple of YouTube videos and they do grocery hauls and show each grocery item purchased so I've come to the conclusion all the food items are a business expense to make the video!  Tax write off.

We need a CPA that might have a client or two doing these videos that Can explain just what's going on.

They are for OUR entertainment so who knows!  🤔

Not a CPA but YouTube creators are considered business owners. So, tax deductions apply.

 

 

 

[Notabug]

58 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

The church could be paying for the trip...maybe they found it a way to attract new members???  

I'm guessing they are able to expense a lot of things they show in their videos as a cost of doing business.

I watch a couple of YouTube videos and they do grocery hauls and show each grocery item purchased so I've come to the conclusion all the food items are a business expense to make the video!  Tax write off.

We need a CPA that might have a client or two doing these videos that Can explain just what's going on.

They are for OUR entertainment so who knows!  🤔

Since they're with their pastor, it could be that there was some sort of Christian 'conference' they attended which allowed them to have the church pay for food, lodging and transportation.  There are a lot of conference centers on the property, at most of the hotels, which makes this kind of thing pretty common.  Isn't Evan supposed to be the church videographer or something?  I could see them attending a meeting about use of social media, etc in spreading the Gospel for a couple hours a day to offset the cost.

I attended a conference on obstetric ultrasound at Disney World years and years ago.  Everything was covered but admission to the park.  I was a resident at the time, so we didn't go to the parks, just the shopping area, etc.

ETA:  If they stayed at the Polynesian, that is one of the luxury resorts at DW.  This time of year, their cheapest rooms go for around $700 a night and it's over $1000 for the fancier ones.  Even if they shared a room with the pastor and his wife, it was not cheap.

Edited August 15 by Notabug

[Notabug]

20 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

Not a CPA but YouTube creators are considered business owners. So, tax deductions apply.

 

 

 

True, but they'd have to have a large enough gross income to allow the business to pay for the trip.  It's hard to believe that their YouTube income is high enough to afford it.  From what we've heard, they probably do OK, but they are certainly not amongst the top tier of influencers on YouTube.

[AstridM]

7 hours ago, floridamom said:

I watched their recent YouTube video about the follow up with Evan's lasik surgery and their trip to Disney...yet again. For the life of me, these two people walk in and out of the Disney turnstiles like it costs bus fare. They said that they will bring the kids there very soon also...I am shaking my head as to how they can pay for eye surgery, back yard renovations, air faire and Disney World hotel and park admissions. From the video they showed, I think they stayed at the Polynesian resort...costs a pretty penny! These two are just showing off IMO now.I bet they have nothing in savings or in retirement. That silly boutique can't generate that much income to afford this lifestyle. Layla's swimming and ballet lessons, shopping at that store for new shoes and costumes cost a pretty penny. Evan commented how much will he have to spend on this for Layla? They are also netting half of the proceeds as they share the income with Zack and Whit, right? A direct question to them: How can you afford all of this? It just doesn't add up.

Don’t forget all of their medical expenses!

6 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

I'm guessing they are able to expense a lot of things they show in their videos as a cost of doing business.

I bet they THINK they can write off everything. I hope the IRS cracks down on them. 

6 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

The church could be paying for the trip...maybe they found it a way to attract new members???  

I'm guessing they are able to expense a lot of things they show in their videos as a cost of doing business.

I watch a couple of YouTube videos and they do grocery hauls and show each grocery item purchased so I've come to the conclusion all the food items are a business expense to make the video!  Tax write off.

We need a CPA that might have a client or two doing these videos that Can explain just what's going on.

They are for OUR entertainment so who knows!  🤔

If it were that easy to get everything in life written off .- our cars, homes, trips, etc. we would ALL have YouTube channels. No way does it actually legally work that way. 

5 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Not a CPA but YouTube creators are considered business owners. So, tax deductions apply.

 

 

 

Independent contractors are taxed BIG. Ask me how I know. 😆

[AstridM]

11 hours ago, Notabug said:

True, but they'd have to have a large enough gross income to allow the business to pay for the trip.  It's hard to believe that their YouTube income is high enough to afford it.  From what we've heard, they probably do OK, but they are certainly not amongst the top tier of influencers on YouTube.

I think they do lots of “creative accounting” and I can’t wait until it catches up with them. FAFO. 

Edited August 16 by AstridM

[ozziemom]

53 minutes ago, AstridM said:

Don’t forget all of their medical expenses!

I bet they THINK they can write off everything. I hope the IRS cracks down on them. 

If it were that easy to get everything in life written off .- our cars, homes, trips, etc. we would ALL have YouTube channels. No way does it actually legally work that way. 

Independent contractors are taxed BIG. Ask me how I know. 😆

Lots of people brag about “writing” everything off but in reality they don’t.  As a retired CPA I had many clients that gave me receipts etc for all kinds of things to deduct on their tax return. Most of the time we explained that we would deduct what was allowed and that was it. Plus you have to earn non W2 income to offset these expenses. I’m not sure C&E have a clue and just spend whatever comes in without any plan for the future, or even next April 15. Eventually this will catch up with them.

[BitterApple]

Is it possible they borrowed against the house to build the pool and backyard? 

[Notabug]

3 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Is it possible they borrowed against the house to build the pool and backyard? 

They've only lived there a couple years, would they have enough equity?

[BitterApple]

3 hours ago, Notabug said:

They've only lived there a couple years, would they have enough equity?

Probably not. For some reason, I thought they'd been living there much longer. 

[Salacious Kitty]

12 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

Probably not. For some reason, I thought they'd been living there much longer. 

They lived in the rental while Carlin was having her "episodes." I remember them hooking her up for the at home test there. 

[andromeda331]

6 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Probably not. For some reason, I thought they'd been living there much longer. 

It feels like it's been a lot longer.

[65mickey]

Somehow I doubt that a trip to the Magic Kingdom would pass the smell test for a legitimate business travel expense. it's more likely that they are traveling on church money and that in and of itself could be a problem for the pastor. 

[GeeGolly]

Tax write-offs are not what they sound like. You don't get anything for free. It just reduces the amount you pay in taxes. Unless you're making millions or billions a year, its akin to using coupons at the grocery store.

[ginger90]

12 hours ago, Notabug said:

They've only lived there a couple years, would they have enough equity?

The sold date is 04/28/22. I guess it would depend on how much they put down.

[ranchgirl]

Carlin's favorite day is hair day.  And can you believe that a woman who is up on all the latest in fashion and make-up, did not know what her stylist meant when he mentioned giving her some "fringe"?   It didn't matter, the hair stylist gave her fringe anyway and she LOVES it.  

[Absolom]

Fringe is more British than US.  In TN, they'd normally be called bangs.

[AstridM]

52 minutes ago, ranchgirl said:

Carlin's favorite day is hair day.  And can you believe that a woman who is up on all the latest in fashion and make-up, did not know what her stylist meant when he mentioned giving her some "fringe"?   It didn't matter, the hair stylist gave her fringe anyway and she LOVES it.  

She is dumb. So fucking dumb. 

[floridamom]

The comments here that these people may be traveling on the "dime" of the church back and forth to Disney World is shocking to me. I hope the pastor is not doing these kinds of things. I would NOT want to be a member of that church if this is so. How in the world would Carlin and Evan qualify on the church's dime? U bet there are plenty of church members who cannot afford to visit Disney World in the first place. Wow, just head shaking to me.

[Jeanne222]

If I was so inclined I'd look up their buy price of their home and the current value of their home.  Home prices shot way up not to long ago and with that equity grew.

Did it grow enough to build a pool?  That would be interesting to find out.

[GeeGolly]

C&E on a plane. Where are they flying to now?

[Jeanne222]

56 minutes ago, floridamom said:

The comments here that these people may be traveling on the "dime" of the church back and forth to Disney World is shocking to me. I hope the pastor is not doing these kinds of things. I would NOT want to be a member of that church if this is so. How in the world would Carlin and Evan qualify on the church's dime? U bet there are plenty of church members who cannot afford to visit Disney World in the first place. Wow, just head shaking to me.

There are hundreds of mega churches with members unable to travel to Disney Land but being good disciples they pledge and give 10% of their income.

That's alot of money.  Churches have many write offs and I believe not taxed on that income.

Perhaps Carlin and Evan are a big draw for services.  Perhaps Evan does video and other services for church.  We don't know.

We have written about their trips with Zack and Whit write offs for their boutique business.

I think they are living large thanks to knowledge of how the tax system works.

I don't think they are doing anything illegal but I do think tax wise they are brilliant and have a tax person very knowledgeable about what's allowed!  I'm pretty sure they are not dealing with a little office CPA.  

[Jeanne222]

38 Tax Write-Offs for YouTubers

Whether you create vlogs, gaming videos, or educational content on YouTube, find out what you can write off as a YouTuber

[ginger90]

1 hour ago, Jeanne222 said:

If I was so inclined I'd look up their buy price of their home and the current value of their home.  Home prices shot way up not to long ago and with that equity grew.

Did it grow enough to build a pool?  That would be interesting to find out.

I am inclined…..🤣🤣
 

I can’t vouch for Zillow’s estimate, but I can say I’ve sold two houses, and they both sold within a few dollars of the Zillow estimate at the time.

 

On realtor.com the estimate is, $381,023.

Edited August 17 by ginger90

[satrunrose]

Could you get all of that done for $70,000? Obviously it's not a wise move to pour every speck of equity into a project that won't give you much return, but I don't think anyone has ever accused Carlin and Evan of making wise decisions. 

[Absolom]

The thing about tax write-offs is you actually had to pay for the things themselves.  It merely reduces your tax burden.  It doesn't give you any extra income as such.  So there is a definite limit on how much of a tax reduction you can get.

[BitterApple]

With regards to the Disney trip, I'm sure the Pastor is taking in a hefty salary and probably has his wife on the payroll too. I don't doubt they can afford it. Carlin and Evan are likely living off credit cards, loans and spending every penny that comes in. 

I watched the Netflix documentary about YouTuber/boxer Jake Paul. His dad remarked that when Jake started pulling in serious money he was never more than a month away from being bankrupt. He was making millions, but spending like crazy. I imagine the Stews are similar, albeit on a lesser scale. 

Carlin once said she let Evan take care of the finances because he was the more responsible one, but she may be in for quite a shock. Evan is the one who went crazy with the add-ons in the backyard. First they were going to do a standard pool with tanning ledge. Then came the cement loungers. Followed by the sprinklers. Followed by the slide. Then they needed a putting green. No wait, they can't just have a little area, they needed a bunker as well, not to mention the hot tub. Evan is blowing Layla's money like it grows on trees. 

[Salacious Kitty]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

C&E on a plane. Where are they flying to now?

That was probably their trip to Jana's wedding. 

[ranchgirl]

3 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

That was probably their trip to Jana's wedding. 

This is what I thought too.