'I was given a $75,000 sign on bonus... but boy did I [mess] up': Employee scores a $75,000 signing bonus, squanders the cash, gets fired, then goes into debt; goes viral for laughing at his misfortune

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Jan 5, 2024 1:00 PM EST

As I get older, it's become clear that some of the things I did when I was younger could be considered a 'mistake'– but in the end, I learned from those failed experiences more than I did my successes. We're human! We all make mistakes. But it's not every day that we're faced with the consequences of a $75k mistake and in our next story, that's exactly what one young rascal did. 

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  • Shooting like a rocket into the workforce, u/Music_as_Medicine was fresh-faced as they come. Thrilled to start his first career job as a pharmacist, he was elated to learn that his recruiter was willing to offer him a $75,000 signing bonus to start in his position immediately. Naturally, OP took the deal. 

  • That's not where the mistakes come into play– no, no, no –this young rookie REALLY fumbled in the months that followed his newfound success. Scroll to read all the illicit details of one man's wild splurge, which will likely haunt him for the rest of his life. Funnily enough, this actually ends as both a cautionary tale and a somewhat happy ending. 

  • 01
    "But hey it's just money" FOR
    via u/canva
  • 02
    r/tifu Posted by u/Music_as_Medicine 18 hours ago TIFU by accepting a 75,000 Sign On bonus. L Disclaimer: I wrote this for educational and comedic purposes do not expect serious replies from me like 80% of the time cuz you can't really know a person based of an internet post so roast me all you want, I'll be making smores on the fire. Anyway;
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 03
    Technically this day was about a year ago or so. But it was the start of a grand storm. Irresponsiblity is a serious thing you need to self reflect on once you get financial freedom. I did not and despite being a rather self aware person, I I up bad. I mean bad bad
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 04
    Now this is gonna sound insane and even fake to some people. But I swear to you, you can go look up the sign on bonuses for Pharmacist at Walgreens and you'll see. When I started as a pharmacist I was given a 75,000 sign on bonus! Yes
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 05
    really, a whole down payment on a house and then some. Even after taxes I was basically looking at 50,000. And I had no debts, no loans, nothing to pay off. But boy did I Starting with forming a rather unfortunate gambling based hobby due to my hyperfixation as one with ADHD and other brain issues. in many ways
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 06
    My childhood self saw I was making good money and went "I'M GONNA LIVE OUT THE DREAM" and so I bought everything from MTG to Pokemon to Yugioh plus a PC and a ton of games. I had a serious gambling issue in the form of what was essentially cardboard crack.
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 07
    I bought duplicates of practically every product I opened and kept one aside saying it'll be a good return investment in the future. Unfortunately it's an exotic investment that takes up space and time and is entirely a gamble or waiting game. And while sometimes I got cool stuff I usually ended up having to buy the cards I wanted anyway
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 08
    Once I came to my senses I lost a good amount of money, even after selling off 90% of my sealed collection and I'm still sorting through the mess of cards and I bought and finding I dislike alot of cards artwork that I bought cuz it was just FOMO FROM THE MARKETING. BUT IT ISNT OVER
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 09
    I got a 3000 dollar PC, I got my partner a 3000 PC, I got about 50 video games ranging from 20 to 60 dollars a piece, I got a bunch of stupid display stuff of different characters and games and TV shows I liked (halo, skyrim, etc) THEN MY CAR BASICALLY EXPLODED CUZ IT WAS HANGING ON BY A THREAD AND HAD 350,000 MILES ON IT.
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 10
    SO WHAT DO I DO? do I get a nice normal car?? A cheaper one thats reliable? NO! I BUY A HYBRID RAV4 2023 THAT COST 46,000 AND PUT 15,000 DOWN ON IT. So here's the math: 15,000 for the car + 6,000 for the computers + 10,000 or so in SHINY i CARDBOARD + 5,000 in other + GOD KNOWS HOW stupid dumb MUCH IN ORDERING FOOD.
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 11
    IN THE END I was left with about 7,000 BUT WAIT THERES MORE! I WAS FIRED CUZ I WAS A STUPID i MORON. Then I have no insurance, 7000 to my name, and end up needing to go to the ER! SO there goes like 3500 of that 7000 and the rest goes to bills and rent.
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 12
    I eventually found a new job, made some good money back and I kept my credit at around a 790 and ended up with a 17,000 in an IRA. BUT THEN, THE WORST PART HAPPENS. I HAVE PAY BACK 70,000
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 13
    yeah, with 8% interest mind you, I have to pay it all back plus the taxes the government took cuz I only get that back after I get a W-2c. So I have to pay my full bonus and then some back. And do I have a house or anything to show for it? Anything at all where I can at least say "well I guess it was like a loan, at least we got something out of it"
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 14
    NO, I DONT, CUZ IM A ¡ IDIOT WHO IS PAYING A $70,000 LOAN OFF SO THAT I DONT GET SUED BY A COLLECTION AGENCY (if I wasn't paying it'd go there) So yeah...take this however you want. Maybe it'll make you feel better. Maybe
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 15
    all over nothing at all. Maybe you can me in the comments and act like you're better than me after reading this one story. I do not care. Just make sure you plan things out and think things through and talk to people and self reflect before you make hasty decisions. Especially as someone young looking at alot of money. I'll never make this mistake again and now am far more concerned about retirement accounts, keeping my debts paid, and saving up for life and actual tangible experiences. But wow
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 16
    I am not trying to use the ADHD or disabilities I have as an excuse, it's simply an explanation to why it happened, it executive dysfunction. I AM STILL THE ONE AT FAULT. my illneses just made it a but easier for me to end up here is all compared to others since it messes with my ability to organize, think, retain memories, and my brains actual development.
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 17
    if you really think you can judge a person entirely based on one post on the internet you're just as dumb as I was. People are not this two dimensional. You know nothing else about me, you have no idea what it's like being a pharmacist, you have no idea what my life is like, but if it makes ya feel better pop off I guess. TL;DR: A job gave me lots of money, I spent lots of money, I lost the job, I owe lots of money.
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 18
    chris13se 18 hr. ago This isn't a TIFU, this is many many TIFU 's 2.3k Reply Share Music_as_Medicine OP. 18 hr. ago Yes, I didn't really know how to work that into the title but that's what I was aiming for
    via u/chris13se
  • 19
    tmac9134 18 hr. ago Learn from it. That's the beautiful thing about life. You get to learn from your experiences and try to be better. Or not.
    via u/tmac9134
  • 20
    pure_coconut_water 17 hr. ago You could have bought a home on Moron Mountain. 13 Reply Share eejjkk 18 hr. ago man... that's one helluva tifu for sure! You couldn't have I that up harder if you tried?
    via u/pure_coconut_water
  • 21
    Music_as_Medicine OP. 18 hr. ago Yeah luckily I am not quite as dumb as the post makes me seem, still dumb, but I got it now. this was definitely the absolute dumbest thing I've ever done.
    via u/Music_as_Medicine
  • 22
    Molly Godiva 18 hr. ago Ya. You really are. 209 Reply Share Music_as_Medicine OP. 18 hr. ago Unapologetically, yes, yes I am. This is my greatest failure and the absolute dumbest set of decisions I ever made. It is the only harmfully stupid thing I ever did in my whole life.
    via u/MollyGodiva
  • 23
    Penguinsandice90 - 18 hr. ago That's bud, but hey it's just money and you will learn a lot from it. You aren't the first person for a big sum of money to cause a in life and you won't be the last. Look how many people win the lottery and have their lives ruined by it. Keep your chin up, before long you will be past this struggle.
    via u/Penguinsandice90

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