My brother moved to South Carolina three years ago and I haven’t seen him since. We talk on the phone all the time, but travel is hard for both of us because of work and cost.  But he and his wife had a car accident this summer and it seemed like it was time I go out there to make their holiday a little more manageable. 

But this year airfares are almost double what they used to be. That plane ticket to Columbia, round trip with two stops in between, would cost $650.  I had to file bankruptcy last year because of my divorce.  I have bad credit and no credit cards. Spare money doesn’t exist in my life.

I looked for other ideas, even considered driving my Nissan out there (ruled that one out). But then I thought about an car title loans store I have seen down the peninsula in Sunnyvale. I wouldn’t go there – I don’t want to talk to someone through a thick plate glass window.  But I did a Google for “loans for my car title” and “fast cash” and I found Car Title Loans in San Francisco. They said my Nissan was good enough for that $650 – and I could get it by the next morning.

Timing is everything in booking flights: One day later, those fares all went up $90.  Because I acted fast, I saved money. I filled out the online application while drinking my morning cup of coffee. The cash was in my checking account the next day and I bought the ticket while the cheaper seat was still available.

I missed my brother and sister-in-law, and felt bad about not visiting when they had their accident.  I wish I had done this earlier.

- Jesse K.

My friends told me I should do it. They said “oh my god that would be sooo fun. You would be the first gay ultimate fighter and then people would know that we aren’t just stereotypes of feminine men.” Yeah it sounded like a noble cause. I thought that with enough hard work I could do it. It might take a while but sooner or later I would be ready.

I quit my job. Then I spent all my savings on my training. I even crashed with my boyfriend at the time and he paid the rent. But then I ran out of cash and I couldn’t keep going on with my training. I have bad credit and my boyfriend has been pressured financially. He didn’t want me to give up on my dream of fighting so he had to find a way to help.

He found car title loans in San Francisco, California online. It was actually really easy to get a car title loan. I didn’t need any credit at all because they don’t do a background check. I got to keep my car and I got a loan using my car title as collateral.

I had my first amateur fight just the other night. I won and I got booed after I made out with my boyfriend after the fight. Screw straight people

-Billy B.

San Francisco, California