I Asked People in Nashville How Much Debt They Have

Summary

Podcast Summary: George Kamel – "I Asked People in Nashville How Much Debt They Have"

Podcast: George Kamel (Ramsey Network)
Date: January 26, 2026
Host: George Kamel

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, George Kamel hits the streets of Nashville to ask everyday people a simple but revealing question: "How much debt do you have?" Through unscripted, candid conversations, Kamel uncovers the realities, habits, strategies, and mindsets surrounding consumer debt, student loans, credit cards, and financial independence. The episode balances practical advice and pop-culture humor with authentic stories, illustrating the spectrum of attitudes and strategies toward debt in America today.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Living Debt-Free by Choice – The Crypto Investor

[00:20–01:36]

• Profile: Individual with zero consumer debt, pays cash for cars, rents, and owns a mortgage-free home in Michigan.
• Strategy: Plans to stay debt-free by investing in cryptocurrencies.
• Crypto Picks: Currently favoring XRP for its cross-border payment solutions and speculating on "thranium" (likely a mispronunciation/misnaming of Ethereum).
• Quote:

  "I pay cash for my car...I own a home in Michigan, free and clear." (Crypto Investor, 00:24)

• Notable Moment: In-depth crypto explanation confuses other street participants.

  "You might as well have spoken Mandarin just now." (Interviewer, 01:36)

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2. Car Loan Dilemmas and the Psychology of Debt

[01:43–03:53]

• Profile: Individual with $5,000 left on a car loan (original $25,000), could pay it off with savings, but prefers to make minimum payments.
• Advice Conflict: Financial advisor recommended continuing to make minimum payments—contrary to host's approach.
• Host's Push: Advocates paying off debt immediately for freedom and reduced stress.
• Participant’s Justification: Maintains payments for credit score purposes and due to previously inflated car prices.
• Quote:

  "I’ve got enough in savings. If I wanted to pay it off, I could. I just...I don’t feel like it, no." (Car Owner, 03:34–03:35)

• Notable Moment: Lighthearted banter on George “living rent-free” in participant’s head after giving advice.
• Savings: Has about a year’s worth of income saved, goal to eventually buy a house.

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3. Student Loan Realities

[03:53–08:08]

• Profiles: College students and recent grads with $6,000 or less in student loan debt, often thanks to scholarships (“Bright Futures” in Florida) and careful spending.
• Credit Building Concerns: One student considers a car loan only to build credit, aiming for an 800+ credit score.
• Host Intervention: George challenges the notion of going into debt for credit-building, nudging towards healthier approaches.
• Quote:

  "What if this is serendipitous and I was sent here to stop you from taking out a car loan?" (Interviewer, 05:44)

• Repayment: Minimum vs. larger payments, with the “debt snowball” method suggested.
• Quote:

  "I highly recommend just knocking out the smallest one first with all the money, minimum payments on the rest...That's called the debt snowball." (Interviewer, 07:38)

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4. Credit Card & Car Debt and Split Finances in Marriage

[09:45–12:53]

• Profile: Married couple, $30,000 debt (mostly car and $10,000 in credit cards at 0%), but manage finances separately.
• Strategy: Regularly rolling over credit card balances to maintain 0% interest, accepts balance transfer fees.
• Rationale: Separate finances to manage autonomy, but assist each other as needed ("bail each other out" mentality).
• Host Probe: Suggests combining finances and leveraging the "EveryDollar" budgeting tool to create financial margin.
• Quotes:

  "If I need help, she's there for me. If she needs help, I'm there for her." (Onlooker, 12:00) "Just try it. If you hate it, you can always get more debt." (Interviewer, 12:51)

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5. The Success Story: United, Debt-Free Except the Mortgage

[13:01–17:24]

• Profile: Married couple; only remaining debt is mortgage. Previously, tackled $30,000–$35,000 in student loans and car/personal loans.
• Key to Success: Family support (dad paid off student loans), unified approach to money, Dave Ramsey principles (“tithe 10%, save 20%, spend the rest”).
• Experience: Full debt payoff took about 4–5 years; emphasizes the emotional relief and flexibility gained.
• Generational Wealth: Intention to pass on financial principles to their young child.
• Quotes:

  "Being in unity on finances is the most important thing when you're married." (Married Partner 1, 16:17) "There's so much less pressure once you step into a place where you're starting to feel financially free." (Married Partner 1, 15:27) "If you're not unified in your finances, there might be other areas maybe that would be—the enemy can sneak in and disunify you as well." (Married Partner 2, 17:17)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the confusion of crypto investing:

  "You might as well have spoken Mandarin just now." (Interviewer, 01:36)

• On keeping a car loan for ‘credit score’:

  "I've got a great credit score. I'm going to keep building it." (Car Owner, 02:25)
  "What is that? That's not going to affect your credit score?" (Interviewer, 02:28)

• On rolling over credit card debt:

  "If I can pay it off, I just pay it off. If not, I just roll it on another 0%." (Onlooker, 09:55)

• On the peace of financial freedom:

  "We're actually starting to build towards the future, like tithing, having that built in from the beginning...we want to be able to be generous." (Married Partner 1, 15:54)

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Educational Segments and Practical Advice

• Debt Snowball Method ([07:38]):** Host explains paying off smallest debts first to build psychological momentum.
• High-Yield Savings ([09:10]):** Introduces participants to Fairwinds Credit Union’s higher-yield accounts.
• Budgeting Tools ([12:02]):** Offers “EveryDollar” for couples to identify savings and attack debt faster.
• Family Financial Principles ([15:04]):** "Tithe 10%, save 20%, spend the rest" as a generational philosophy.

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Structure and Flow

The episode moves briskly between street interviews, with George balancing genuine empathy, a bit of snark, and actionable advice. The tone is direct yet supportive, with both humorous banter and deep reflections on financial well-being. Each conversation highlights a different financial scenario, enabling listeners to relate regardless of their own status.

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Final Takeaways

• Debt is common, but so are different approaches—there’s no single story.
• Unified, intentional money management in relationships yields both financial and emotional dividends.
• Education, family influence, and mindset dramatically affect debt outcomes.
• Building margin—not just paying off debt—creates freedom and generosity.

For those feeling stuck in debt, George Kamel encourages:

"You don’t have to stay stuck making payments, staying stressed. You can free up that margin to do the things you really want to do—like build wealth and give and spend money where it really matters." (Interviewer, 17:27)

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Recommended Action:
Check out George Kamel’s book "Breaking Free from Broke" or his related content for a practical plan to escape debt and build a better financial future.

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Useful Timestamps:

• Crypto conversation: 00:20–01:36
• Car loan & savings dilemma: 01:43–03:53
• Student loan chat: 03:53–08:08
• Credit card/couple finances: 09:45–12:53
• Debt-free marriage & financial unity: 13:01–17:24

Transcript

[Interviewer]

A new stat shows that 58% of people with consumer debt have had trouble paying their bills over the last three months. And that is no good. So I'm here on the streets of Nashville to ask people how much debt they have. Let's get to it. Can you tell us how much debt you currently have?

[Crypto Investor]

None.

[Interviewer]

00. No payments, no credit cards, no car loans, Nothing?

[Crypto Investor]

No, nothing. I pay cash for my car. I mean, I rent a condo in Clarksville, but I mean.

[Onlooker]

Wow.

[Interviewer]

Okay, so what's your game plan for the. To live debt free?

[Crypto Investor]

Yeah, the plan for the future is to keep investing in the crypto, hoping some of these cryptocurrencies actually hit so I can then purchase a home here. I own a home in Michigan, free and clear.

[Interviewer]

Oh, wow, that's amazing.

[Crypto Investor]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Okay, what's the, what's the hot crypto these days? What are you putting your money into that you're hoping is going to like 10x1000x right now?

[Crypto Investor]

I would tell you XRP, but it's kind of tanking right now. Today. I mean, right now, the thranium, it was at 29. It's at 3400 today.

[Interviewer]

So if you got anyone different than the other, like how do you know XRP is going to be the one?

[Crypto Investor]

You gotta do your research and start reading about these different companies. XRP is more about cross border payment solutions at a fast paced, cheaper rate. So once we start shipping our monies from cross border payments and XRP Zhu starts burning off the tokens, the price of tokens starts going up. They just had like 20. Three. Even more than bitcoin.

[Car Owner]

Wow.

[Interviewer]

You might as well have spoken Mandarin just now.

[Married Partner 1]

That was complicated.

[Interviewer]

Okay, so tell us, how much debt are you currently in?

[Car Owner]

Not a whole lot actually. Right now I probably got about 5,000 left left on my car and I've been. Been pretty, pretty on top of it lately.

[Interviewer]

What was the original balance? So you've been trying to knock it down?

[Car Owner]

Yeah, I think it was about 25 when I took the loan out.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Student Loan Debtor]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So how much longer do you think before you're completely debt free?

[Married Partner 2]

I.

[Interviewer]

How many more months or years?

[Car Owner]

I think it's about one more year.

[Interviewer]

One year? Yeah. So five grand in one year, you're talking a little over 400 bucks a month will get you there.

[Student Loan Debtor]

Yep. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Do you think you could go faster if you put some umph into it?

[Car Owner]

You know, I've got enough in savings. If I wanted to pay it off, I could, I just, you know, why don't you.

[Interviewer]

That feels. Wouldn't that be amazing? Just be debt free today, Free up the payment and just stack savings back up.

[Car Owner]

I've got a great credit score. I'm going to keep building it.

[Interviewer]

What is that? That's not going to affect your credit score?

[Car Owner]

I don't know. I talked to my financial advisor. He said that it wouldn't hurt anything if I just, like, kept doing the minimum.

[Interviewer]

Your financial advisor said, keep the debt, it's fine.

[Car Owner]

Yeah, like, said that like. Like in the long term, I paid so much on interest already, I'm not saving that much.

[Interviewer]

You already got super screwed. So what's a little bit more, basically?

[Car Owner]

I mean. Yeah, but, you know, I was in a position where I had to get a new car. I was either get a new car or don't have a car.

[Interviewer]

So you just went. You felt like you were kind of boxed into a corner and went, well, I need a $30,000 car.

[Car Owner]

Yeah. Because, well, I was at the point where it happened in 2021 when used car prices were so inflated.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Car Owner]

To get something brand new is only like 3, $4,000 more than getting something that was used that has 70,000 miles on it. And I'm thinking it was a weird.

[Interviewer]

Time for the car market.

[Car Owner]

Yeah. I'm thinking longevity.

[Interviewer]

So do you plan on going into any more debt for anything?

[Car Owner]

Maybe a house someday. That's, you know, that's kind of the goal.

[Interviewer]

That's the goal is become a homeowner. Yeah. Do you know how much you have in savings currently?

[Car Owner]

I've got about a year's worth of income right now, maybe.

[Interviewer]

Oh, way to go. Yeah. So you can knock out the car debt and not even feel it?

[Car Owner]

I could just.

[Interviewer]

But you don't feel like it?

[Car Owner]

I don't feel like it, no.

[Interviewer]

Okay. Well, I hope you feel like it one day. I want to see you debt free. Personally, I just think you're going to have a better life. Well, you'll be out soon enough and maybe I'll put a bug in your head. But that George guy, he's stuck in my head, living rent free. I'm just going to pay off the car. Well, hey, good luck with the music. Good luck with the debt payoff, man. We're rooting for you.

[Car Owner]

Hey, thank you.

[Interviewer]

Tell us, how much debt do you currently have?

[Student Loan Debtor]

Not much. I think I have about six grand. Okay.

[Interviewer]

What kind of debt is that?

[Student Loan Debtor]

Just student loans for housing.

[Interviewer]

Student loans. Okay. And what school is this?

[Student Loan Debtor]

University of Central Florida. Okay. What do you study in Civil engineering.

[Interviewer]

That's A great field. All right. And how about you? How much debt do you have?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

Probably around the same as him. Maybe a little bit less because I have bright futures, so.

[Interviewer]

Oh, is that like a program in Florida where they.

[Student Loan Debtor]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Okay.

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

If you like get a certain score on the sat, you get like a little bit of money from the state, so.

[Interviewer]

So you were dogging him? I was like, well, a little bit less than him cuz I have a bright future. It's like, wow, roasted already. Okay, so you have less than $6,000. Cuz when I said how much debt do you have? You. Your face was like, I have no clue. I'm going to be honest, I don't even know. What if it's $50,000?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

It could, it could be.

[Married Partner 2]

Honestly.

[Interviewer]

You know, there's a way to like check to see how much debt you have. You can pull your credit report.

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

Oh, I don't have a credit card.

[Interviewer]

But your credit report will show you how much debt you have. But that's probably for the best that she doesn't have a credit card. It doesn't seem like she's keeping up with everything going on.

[Student Loan Debtor]

For the most part.

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

My debit card.

[Interviewer]

Are you watching out for her?

[Student Loan Debtor]

Try my best.

[Interviewer]

Okay. All right. What kind of debt do you know that you have or think that you have?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

Probably student debt right now.

[Interviewer]

Student loans. And what are you studying?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

Event management.

[Interviewer]

Okay. And you want to be in that field, obviously?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

100%.

[Married Partner 2]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

What kind of events and what kind of management?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

I either want to go into entertainment or sports. Maybe hotels too.

[Interviewer]

Hospitality. Hospitality, That's a good one. And no car payments, no credit card debt? Nothing else?

[Student Loan Debtor]

I'm going to take up a car payment, but not currently, no. I have a fully paid off car.

[Interviewer]

We'll be right back. Wait, can I, can I stop? You stop. Can this be our moment? Yeah. What if this is serendipitous and I was sent here to stop you from taking out a car loan?

[Student Loan Debtor]

Well, that'd be biblical right there. But I do need to build credit. That is my big thing right now.

[Interviewer]

And why do you need to build credit?

[Student Loan Debtor]

Because currently I'm sitting at around 750ish and I want to get up to the 800 so that future, it's easier for me to pay for a house and get a mortgage.

[Interviewer]

Well, good luck on paying off all the debt. Thank you so much. Can I ask this question before we go? It has nothing to do with money. How much would you pay me personally to scrub your personal info off the web? If I Offered you the service?

[Student Loan Debtor]

I don't know, like, 50 bucks.

[Interviewer]

Luckily, there are people out there who provide this service. They're called delete me. And get this. It comes out to about nine bucks a month with my special link. Nine bucks a month? And they continuously scour the Internet. They'll send you a report showing you all the places your information was when they removed it and how much time they saved you. The rest of you can go check it out. Joindeleteme.com George, you'll get 20% off their annual plans. And to some people, it's well worth it. Can you tell us how much debt you guys currently have?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

I actually don't have debt right now.

[Interviewer]

No debt.

[Kinesiology Student]

I have probably, like, lower than, like, 10K.

[Interviewer]

Okay. What kind of debt is that?

[Kinesiology Student]

It was like, school debt, student loans.

[Interviewer]

What did you go to school for?

[Kinesiology Student]

I went to school for kinesiology.

[Interviewer]

Still paying? Paying off the degree?

[Kinesiology Student]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

What's the game plan to pay it off right now? Because it's been how long? Like, how many years has this debt been sitting out there?

[Kinesiology Student]

Like a couple. Not a long time. I think I left. I didn't finish college, so I think it's been, like. Like three years.

[Student Loan Debtor]

Three years?

[Married Partner 1]

Yeah.

[Kinesiology Student]

Since COVID 2021. 2022? Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Okay. Yeah. So you making minimum payments? Like, what's your current strategy?

[Kinesiology Student]

I'm almost done with it. I think I need three more payments, and I'm done.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Kinesiology Student]

So I'm doing big payments, huge payments.

[Interviewer]

We love to see it. What kind of method are you using to pay it off? Are you doing, like, the debt snowball? Like, smallest balance? What are you. How are you attacking it?

[Kinesiology Student]

I think there's no method.

[Interviewer]

It's like, I'll throw money at it. Not sure. Okay. I highly recommend just knocking out the smallest one first with all the money, minimum payments on the rest with that smallest balance, chunk money at it. That's called the debt snowball.

[Kinesiology Student]

I haven't heard the debt snowball, so that's interesting.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, that's the way I got out of debt. And it's the way we recommend. And it works because your psychology is working. You get a win faster because you knock out the smallest one first. It frees up a payment. So you can now move that payment to the next one, apply it there, and so you get more momentum. Yeah.

[Married Partner 2]

Okay.

[Kinesiology Student]

That's interesting. I've never heard of it. Now I'm gonna do my research.

[Interviewer]

Booyah. There's nothing new in Nashville. That's what I'm here for. Hey, Real quick, how would you rate your relationship with your bank from one to 10? Like 10 is, I love this bank. And one is like I could switch banks tomorrow, I don't care.

[Kinesiology Student]

I've used my bank since I was little. I mean my family uses it so I would recommend it.

[Interviewer]

Sentimental value there.

[Kinesiology Student]

Yeah, it is like you can see in my card like customers since 2003. And I was like, yeah, it makes you feel special. Yeah, it was very.

[Interviewer]

It's like a bit one of the big banks, like corporate banks or is it a small town?

[Kinesiology Student]

No, it's a big bank.

[Interviewer]

Regional. Do you know what kind of savings rate you get in your savings account with these banks?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

Wait, what does that mean?

[Interviewer]

Just how the apy. That's like the annual percentage yield. So like some banks are like.04% on your savings is what we'll give you. Some banks like 2%. Do you know the percentage you're making?

[Kinesiology Student]

No, I don't know. Mine.

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

I don't know either.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, but you have some savings in the bank.

[Married Partner 1]

Oh yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Wouldn't it be nice to have your savings working for you, like making more money while you sleep versus just sitting there stagnant?

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

That would be very nice.

[Interviewer]

So I'm going to turn you guys on to a high yield savings account. High yield meaning much higher yield than the traditional brick and mortar banks that you guys are using. And it's called Fairwinds Credit Union and they're fantastic. And they have a high yield savings account and a no fee checking account along with a really fun debit card that says debt is normal, be weird, which I think you would really like.

[Student Loan Debtor 2]

I would love that. I'm a little weird.

[Interviewer]

So anybody can sign up. Although you guys are special. Check them out. Fairwinds.org Ramsey if you want more information, get the smart bundle today. Okay, tell me how much debt do you have?

[Onlooker]

Me personally? About 30,000.

[Interviewer]

Okay. What kind of debt is that?

[Onlooker]

20,000 core 10,000 credit cards. 0% though.

[Interviewer]

Wow. What's the plan to pay it off?

[Onlooker]

I kind of, if I can pay it off, I just pay it off. If not I just roll it on another 0%.

[Interviewer]

That costs you 3 to 5% for the balance transfer every time, right?

[Onlooker]

Yeah, but it's minuscule though. Like you got if I transfer like 2000 or something, it's not very big to me. It's worth putting the money in.

[Interviewer]

Like let's say would you go into debt for on the credit cards? What'd you buy?

[Onlooker]

Impulse buying. I'm sure you're not going to be proud of me about that?

[Interviewer]

No, it's fine. I don't need to be proud. I'm not your mom. You don't need me to be proud of you. I just want to see you live your best life because. Are you guys married?

[Onlooker]

Yes, we are, but we have interesting finances. We have separate finances. We didn't merge our finances.

[Interviewer]

Oh, completely separate. How long you been married now?

[Onlooker]

Four years.

[Interviewer]

Four years. Okay. And do you have any debt?

[Married Partner 2]

About 15,000.

[Student Loan Debtor]

Okay.

[Interviewer]

What kind of debt is that? Car.

[Married Partner 2]

Maybe 5,000 on credit cards. That's about it.

[Interviewer]

If you combine finances, do you think that you could tackle the debt faster using both of your incomes and just knocking out whatever debt is next in line on paper?

[Onlooker]

We would, yeah.

[Interviewer]

So how does, like, I'm curious, how does it work with, you know, your rent or mortgage and all the bills and like, going out to eat? Like, doesn't that get awkward?

[Onlooker]

No, I pay most of the things she contributes sometimes. Just depends.

[Interviewer]

What is your current plan to actually pay this off? Because right now it sounds like you're like, well, I'll just keep rolling it over to another card. To another card. Is there a game plan to just knock it out completely?

[Onlooker]

So the car I have for like the 20,000, which is the biggest bulk. I'm not underwater, which is the biggest thing. Value of the car is more than what I owe credit cards. It depends. I mean, the market is doing crazy. Doing crazy stuff now, going way up.

[Interviewer]

So what would it take for you guys to decide? All right, we're going to combine. We're going to try this thing out. We're going to try to combine finances, knock out the debts with some intentionality, like, what would that take for you.

[Onlooker]

If the overhead gets crazy and we are really. We can't really get out of it on our own or something or I think within. We are going to need to combine, but for now, we are able to manage. If I need help, she's there for me. If she needs help, I'm there for her.

[Interviewer]

Bail each other out?

[Onlooker]

Yeah, exactly.

[Interviewer]

Okay, well, can I give you an everydollar subscription to attempt to combine and like, here's all of our income, here's all of our expenses. How much is left over that we could create to throw at the debt? Would you try it out?

[Student Loan Debtor]

Sure.

[Interviewer]

Nothing to lose. Here you go, my friends. This is the latest and greatest everydollar. I don't know if you've used it before, but the new one. You go through this onboarding process, you answer some questions. And within 15 minutes, it will show you how much margin you could create based on all the recommendations for your situation. Really, it really is motivating to see all the things you could do. Gets the wheels turning and it starts to become addictive, I found. Because then you go, where else can we find some money? Where else can we find some money? I think you work too hard to be riding this thin. You know what I mean? Well, I hope I put a bug in your ear. I hope I planted a seed or you're going, all right, let's try it. That's all I'm saying. Just try it. If you hate it, you can always get more debt. I'm rooting for you guys. Thanks for talking with me. You're an awesome couple. Yeah, thank you. Okay, tell us how much debt you currently have.

[Married Partner 1]

Our only debt is just our mortgage.

[Interviewer]

Currently.

[Married Partner 1]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Amazing. Nice. Okay. How do you feel about that?

[Married Partner 2]

It's amazing.

[Interviewer]

It's the financially astute one in the relationship, I would say.

[Married Partner 2]

Well, we both are, but my dad is very big into. He's a financial. He is like. And does that. Yeah, he's in a financial advice. So I grew up doing that, learning about debt, how to not have debt. Graduated college with no debt. So, yeah, it was like kind of part of my life. And then when we got married, it was something we took pretty serious too, so. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So when you guys got married, did you have debt?

[Married Partner 1]

Yes, I had some student loans and then we had. What else? Like some car payment stuff.

[Married Partner 2]

Your car?

[Married Partner 1]

And then. Yeah, like a personal loan, you know, back to like family member kind of thing. Yeah, so, yeah, we definitely had some.

[Interviewer]

Debt, but how much was it originally? And then how long did it take to pay off?

[Married Partner 1]

It's a great question. It was probably upwards of like 30,000 to 35,000 all in, I would say.

[Interviewer]

How long did it take to pay off all that once you guys got married?

[Married Partner 2]

Yeah, we were blessed and we had a blessing of his dad paying off his student loan. So that was a huge blessing.

[Married Partner 1]

Huge blessing.

[Interviewer]

A wedding gift or was this before you even got married?

[Married Partner 1]

It was after, actually. Yeah, we were saving towards it and, you know, paying it off slowly, but also, like prioritizing because we knew, like, hey, we want to make steps towards being debt free. I've been inspired by Dave Ramsey for years, like since I was like in middle school, high school, and doing the.

[Married Partner 2]

Every dollar. Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Oh, we love to see it.

[Married Partner 1]

And anyways, this was like. I think it was right at the beginning of the summer, actually, that we finally, like, paid off all the debt. So it took five.

[Married Partner 2]

Five years.

[Married Partner 1]

Five or four and a half years, basically, until we paid it off.

[Interviewer]

So, yeah, yeah, way to go. And that's cool. Like, dad saw you guys hustling and he's like, you know what? Yeah, I see. I see you guys putting in the work. Let me expedite this process.

[Married Partner 1]

Absolutely. We were so grateful and never were, like, expecting something like that, but, you know, definitely not taking it for granted. We were grateful for something like that.

[Interviewer]

Are you gonna try to pass on these principles? You got a little baby here now, like, is that. Is that a value for your family at this point?

[Married Partner 2]

100%. My dad always instilled in us from, like, a very young age, you tithe 10, save 20%, and then you can spend the rest. So that's a principle that I grew up learning. And we've already talked about different things that we will do for, like, saving accounts even as she's little and like, starting to build that up.

[Interviewer]

But most people flip it. They go, let me spend everything I have, and if there's any left over, maybe I'll save and maybe I'll give.

[Married Partner 1]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. But I mean, just from like, a pressure standpoint, like, there's so much less pressure once you step into a place where you're starting to feel financially free. And it does feel like that, you know, for the first time in the last, like, six months, where we're like, okay, wait a second, we're finding, like, more of a rhythm now that we're not thinking about what debt do we have to pay back. And, you know, we're actually starting to build towards the future, like, tithing. Having that built in from the beginning. But then having. Yes, because that's the goal.

[Student Loan Debtor]

Right.

[Married Partner 1]

Is like, we want to be able to be generous, you know, as we get older and older. But even now, like, building those principles in is really important to us.

[Interviewer]

So I just talked to a guy who is all about, like, leverage, not trying to pay off his debt. Totally separate finances from his wife.

[Student Loan Debtor]

Sure.

[Interviewer]

If you are going to sit down with them and be like, hey, listen, here's. Here's the upside of doing it a different way.

[Married Partner 1]

Gotcha.

[Interviewer]

What would you tell him?

[Married Partner 1]

I would just say, like, being in unity on finances is the most important thing when you're married. And it's not like, that comes easy. You know, it takes a lot of, like, re. Upping of conversation and just consistent in the way that you're making decisions. So I would say that's A pretty important thing if you get on the same page as your wife and not having separate accounts or whatever it may be, and leverage, yeah, that can be important, but I think even more so being in agreement on whatever your strategy is, you know, to be financially free and to be in a good, you know, position in investing. But, yeah, being united is. Is really key.

[Married Partner 2]

Doesn't mean you can't invest in things that each of you like with a unified bank account, you know what I mean? You can still have investments that he wants to do, things that I think are smart for investing, but we can do it together, which is kind of fun. There's a compromise. That's marriage in general. So my little. My question would be like, yeah, if you're not unified in your finances, there might be other areas maybe that would be. The enemy can sneak in and disunify you as well. So I think it's a big part of it for sure.

[Interviewer]

You guys are an inspiration. Thanks for talking with us and hanging out in the cold in Nashville. Enjoy your time here.

[Married Partner 1]

Appreciate it. Yeah, Glad to be here.

[Interviewer]

Congrats on the baby.

[Student Loan Debtor]

Thanks.

[Interviewer]

Listen, if you're One of the 77% of Americans with debt, you don't have to be there. You don't have to stay in that stat. You don't have to stay stuck making payments, staying stressed. You can free up that margin to do the things you really want to do, like build wealth and give and spend money where it really matters. And if you want the exact plan I used to get out of debt, check out my book, Breaking Free from Broke. I lay it all out to get you more money and less stress. I'll drop a link in the description to the book. You can also get it on audiobook, which is a real treat for the ears. And if you think this was crazy, you got to watch the video I made in Disney asking people how much debt they have. It's coming up next, so watch it here or to use the link in the description. If you enjoyed this video, hit the like button, subscribe to the channel and share it with a friend. Thanks for watching. We'll see you next time.