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Should I let Andre cash out his 401k to finally open the po-boy shop he's dreamed about for 20 years?

y'all I need the crowd on this one because me and Andre (52M) have been going back and forth for weeks. He's worked the shipyard for 24 years and he's DONE, wants to take his 401k, about $58,000, and open a little po-boy counter on Freret Street. He's got the recipes, he's got a spot picked out, the landlord's holding it for him till end of month. But that's OUR safety net y'all. That's what we got left after putting our youngest through nursing school. If it flops we're 52 and 54 starting over with nothing. His brother opened a bar in 2019 and lost his shirt, still owes money to people in the family, everybody still whispers about it at Sunday dinner. Andre says if he don't do it now he never will and he'll resent the shipyard till he dies. I get that, I do, but I'm the one who'll be picking up extra catering jobs if this goes under. He hasn't put the deposit down yet, he's waiting on me to say go or don't. I've been stalling him for two weeks and he's getting quiet about it which is worse than him being loud honestly. What would y'all do 🍲

#shouldi#money

anonymous ask · Aug 19, 2026 · 219 votes · 5 comments

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@crateddigger_mar

58k is real money though... y'all put a kid through school already, maybe he starts smaller first, food truck not full lease... just my two cents

@crystald_glam

babe the SUSPENSE!! but real talk 20 years of dreaming don't just go away, DO IT before he turns into a sad quiet man 💅🔥

@mreid_hoops

man 24 years in a shipyard he EARNED this fr fr let him cook 🔥 do it

@biglou_eats_champ

A GOOD po-boy shop is basically a title belt waiting to happen. But 58k is his whole clip, gotta see the business plan not just the dream. Do it smart not just do it.

@darlenek62

Oh honey, 24 years at the shipyard is a long time to dream about something! But that safety net matters too. Maybe a small test run before the big leap? Blessings 🌸

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