Fictional finances: Chuck Bartowski of NBC’s “Chuck”
Chuck Bartowski, the reluctant hero of NBC’s comic adventure show “Chuck,” may not always get the proper credit for saving the world each week, but his wallet does contain at least two or three credit cards.
Fighting Crime for $11 an Hour
For most of the week, Bartowski works at Buy More, a retail electronics store in Burbank where he earns approximately $11 per hour. As part of the store’s “Nerd Herd,” Chuck answers technical questions about new gadgets and helps frustrated computer users keep their laptops and cell phones in good working order.
Speaking of computers, Bartowski also has one in his head. After opening an e-mail from a college friend, Chuck reluctantly received a download of “The Intersect,” a computer network filled with classified government information. The data is packed into his subconscious mind and can be accessed with the right visual triggers.
If, for instance, Chuck sees a known terrorist on the street, his brain will “flash” and reveal all the details about this villain, including his last-known whereabouts. Bartowski even has schematics for weapons locked in his skull.
Naturally, Chuck is one of the government’s greatest assets and spends much of his free time helping the NSA and FBI keep the world safe from harm. Unfortunately, he doesn’t receive any additional compensation for his dangerous, after-hours job.
What’s in Chuck’s Wallet?
Based on his hourly wage, Chuck has an estimated gross income of $22,880 per year, which is not a lot considering his value to the government. Fortunately, Chuck lives with his sister and her fiancée, which dramatically reduces his living expenses and allows him to put some of his take-home pay into a savings plan. With a low debt-to-earnings ratio, Chuck would benefit from a credit card for those rare occasions when he can take Sarah Walker, the secret agent of his dreams, out to dinner.
Since he works at Buy More, Bartowski gets an employee discount, which means that he has a store credit card for in-store purchases. Chuck owns a pretty decent desktop computer and has a first-generation iPhone, both of which were charged on his Buy More card.
Chuck’s Debits and Credits
Thanks to Chuck’s savings habits, he carries around a debit card tied to his bank accounts, preferably one that offers incentives for making purchases. As a good customer, his bank should offer the hardworking Buy More employee a credit card with a low interest rate.
Besides electronic toys and dinners with lovely ladies, Chuck shops for food, paying for his purchases with the bank debit card. Nerd Herd members sometimes have to drive to a customer’s home or business, so Bartowski does spend money on gasoline. To keep track of his business expenses, Chuck carries a credit card that pays a bonus for purchases at filling stations.
Being a Spy Isn’t Cheap
With The Intersect in his brain, Chuck typically finds himself in dangerous situations where he must stay one step ahead of people who want him dead. Bullets and bombs mean that his clothing takes a beating, so Chuck probably spends some of his free moments shopping for new duds. He even has some pretty stylish outfits, which he probably bought to impress the well-traveled Sarah.
Though his credit lines aren’t as impressive as those of Iron Man’s wealthy alter ego, Tony Stark, Chuck Bartowski does OK for a member of the Nerd Herd.
