Comparing Disney Villains to Sneaky Financial Industry Traps

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Episode: Comparing Disney Villains to Sneaky Financial Industry Traps
Date: October 30, 2025
Hosts: Rachel Cruze & George Kamel
Publisher: Ramsey Network

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Overview

In this special Halloween episode, Rachel and George have fun comparing notorious Disney (and childhood) villains to the most devious, “villainous” traps in the financial industry. With a blend of nostalgia, humor, and real financial advice, they draw parallels between cartoon baddies and things like credit card debt, banks, car loans, and more—illustrating how sneaky money mistakes can trap unwitting victims. They discuss the importance of becoming the “hero” of your financial journey, not the villain, by learning how to spot and outwit these financial foes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: Who's the Villain?

• Halloween Vibes & Mocktails

  • The duo shares memories around Halloween, playful mocktail banter, and superstitions about “witches” growing up (00:05–02:31).
  • Drink of the week: "Witch's Elixir Mocktail" – a glittery, non-alcoholic beverage rated 7/10 by both hosts (31:24–32:34).

• Choosing Your Villain Alter-Ego

  • George identifies with Plankton from SpongeBob (“As a small guy, I always respected his confidence…” 03:02), and Rachel picks Cruella De Vil for fashion icon energy (“Loved her, like…the energy she put toward the clothes and the outfits, I appreciate.” 03:55).
  • Discussion of why so many Disney villains are female, with comic speculations about Walt Disney’s relationship with his mother (05:00–05:51).

Financial Villains We Love to Blame

• The hosts riff on who people blame for money struggles:

  • Dave Ramsey: the “cause” of guilt over poor decisions (06:03).
  • The President: “No matter the party…30 years from now, we’ll still be blaming the president…” – Rachel (06:40).
  • Wealthy Celebrities: Bezos, Kardashians, Zuckerberg (06:47–07:02).
  • Boomers and Circumstances: easy scapegoats for generational frustrations (07:50–08:15).

• Rachel and George stress that while some “villains” are real (like inflation and housing costs), others are invisible but equally problematic, like mindset or lack of control over finances (08:20–10:18).

Disney Villain-Industry Parallels

The core of the episode: financial industry traps paired with infamous villains.

1. Credit Card Industry = Ursula (The Little Mermaid)

• “This is the dirty deal maker. Credit cards tempt you to do something…spend money with them so that you can get the points. But in turn, there’s usually hidden things in the fine print…you end up deeper in debt.” – Rachel (10:50)
• High interest rates (often above 20%), late fees, and psychological traps in marketing.
• Memorable quote: “You agree to the deal, thinking it’s temporary. And it turns into forever if you can’t jump through all the hoops…” – George (11:26).

2. Student Loan Industry = Mother Gothel (Tangled)

• “They kind of pose as like a friend…we have your best interests at heart. But then they trap you and they prey on you and they manipulate you…in a tower of debt.” – Rachel (14:28–14:46)
• Discussion of viral debt sob stories, interest compounding, and ways out (the Debt Snowball) (16:13–17:19).
• Advice: “List all the debts, smallest to largest…attack the little one first with a vengeance.” – George (17:08)

3. Banks = Scrooge McDuck (DuckTales)

• “Banks are prancing around, fancy top hats, red blazers, soaking in a giant pool of cash while dishing out only pennies in interest in return.” – George (19:11)
• Discussion of big banks profiting from fees and interest (19:19–19:30).
• Endorsement of credit unions (“You feel like a person. The setup is so easy.” – Rachel, 19:41–20:22).

4. Buy Now, Pay Later = Hans (Frozen)

• “They pretend to be on your side…just spread it out, we’re here for you. You can’t afford it? That’s okay, just split it up.” – Rachel (21:09–21:24)
• Results in overspending and surprise fees (21:40–21:54).
• Memorable: “Psychological mind games. And the tab keeps adding up because you added seven other things…” – George (21:40)

5. Payday Loans = Hades (Hercules)

• “They trap people and…it can be like three or four advance kind of stuff. Like, man, you…are in it.” – Rachel (22:28)
• Preying on desperation, with horrifying interest rates (up to 400%!) and relentless cycles of debt (22:51–23:36).
• “It is like making a deal with…the people of society. That’s who they go after.” – George (23:17)

6. Car Loans = Jafar (Aladdin)

• “He was very convincing…got Aladdin to go into that cave…hey, do this deal. And again, you’re like that confidence.” – Rachel (23:45–23:49)
• Car loans as traps: being persuaded to overspend, going into debt for depreciating assets (26:59).
• Practical tip: “If what you owe on your car is as much or more than 50% of your annual income, you have too much car.” – Rachel (26:22)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Blame:

  • “When people are suffering, there's usually some level of legitimacy of something going on in their life that's out of their control…But there are things out there that it's like, I can't. I don't have a say in that, but it's affecting me.” – Rachel (08:20)

• On Car Culture:

  • “Putting your car payment in an investment calculator…what will make you sick is mapping that over 30 years.” – Rachel (27:19)

• Summing Up: Be the Hero, Not the Villain

  • “We want you guys to be the hero, not the villain.” – George (10:18)
  • “If you don’t make a plan for your money, someone else will…there is already someone working on their next ad campaign to get someone like you into debt, into their grip.” – George (29:13)
  • “You get to choose to fall into the traps…they’re shiny, and it looks great…But when you’re in it, it’s not only financially exhausting…most of your paycheck is going out to these people…for stuff you’ve already done.” – Rachel (30:49)

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:05–02:31 — Halloween banter, introduction, and “Witch’s Elixir Mocktail”
• 02:47–05:51 — Favorite childhood villains and Disney villain gender tropes
• 05:51–10:18 — Real-life financial villains and scapegoating
• 10:36–12:41 — Credit cards as Ursula: The dirty deal makers
• 14:22–17:19 — Student loans as Mother Gothel: Controlling captors; breaking free
• 18:21–20:29 — Banks as Scrooge McDuck: Hoarding and paltry rewards
• 21:06–22:16 — Buy Now, Pay Later as Hans: Fake friends with hidden agendas
• 22:23–23:36 — Payday loans as Hades: Underworld deal brokers
• 23:45–27:19 — Car loans as Jafar: Smooth talkers and practical tips
• 29:03–31:19 — Final lessons: Making a plan and owning your hero status
• 31:24–32:34 — Witch’s Elixir Mocktail review and playful banter
• 33:30–37:37 — “Guilty as Charged” confessions about being the real-life villain (ice cream and burgers)

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Takeaways & Tone

Style/Tone:
Full of playful pop-culture references, relatable financial advice, and encouraging banter—Rachel and George keep the conversation lighthearted while delivering smart, actionable insights.

Core Message:
There are plenty of “villains” in the financial world—some human, some systemic, some invisible. But with knowledge, a good plan (like the Ramsey Baby Steps), and a willingness to act differently, you can avoid traps, take charge of your money, and be the hero of your own financial story.

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Additional Highlights

• Mocktail of the Week:
  • Witch’s Elixir Mocktail, rated 7/10, costs $2.57 per glass (“The glitter is just sitting at the bottom…let me tell you, this goes into your body and it doesn’t really ever come out.” – George, 32:11)
• “Guilty as Charged” Segment:
  • George’s secret ice cream stash during his wife’s gestational diabetes (34:12)
  • Rachel getting her husband, who can't eat red meat, to grill smash burgers for the family (35:03)
• Final Encouragement:
  • Use the EveryDollar app and Ramsey Baby Steps to become the hero of your finances, not just another victim of Big Credit or Buy Now Pay Later schemes.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

Expect a high-energy, entertaining discussion that cleverly pairs childhood nostalgia with modern money traps. You’ll get practical, memorable advice on how to sidestep the “villains” in your financial story—and a few laughs along the way.

Transcript

[A]

Have you ever looked around and thought, wait, am I the villain? Today we're gonna figure out who's to blame for the spooky financial troubles a lot of people are facing.

[B]

We need Aladdin to save the day. You know, George, you're just like. You're like Aladdin, just the everyday.

[A]

I am the street rat.

[B]

It's more expensive not to buy it. Ice cream and your pregnant wife can't have it. And you had it in the house.

[A]

I bought eight pints and I stored them in the outside freezers, George. But then she caught me.

[B]

Hey, guys, I'm Rachel Cruz. I'm George Camel, and this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. Everything from pop culture, current events and money.

[A]

First, let's talk about what we're sipping on. I think it's 80% glitter. But there is liquid in here, too. This is the witch's elixir mocktail. I'm sorry, Mom. She's not gonna like that.

[B]

What?

[A]

Anything involving witches.

[B]

Oh, she's not yet.

[A]

She's Arabic Baptist. That's on the other side of the spectrum.

[B]

You couldn't watch Hocus Pocus growing up.

[A]

Give me. I couldn't read Harry Potter growing up. I couldn't look at words.

[B]

No. Were you a non Harry Potter?

[A]

I got to read the first one before she got wind. I think it must have made it to focus on the family radio. And they said, watch out if your kids are reading this Harry Potter.

[B]

James Dobson was like, get out of here. Well, wow. Dave and Sharon were rebels.

[A]

They were like witches. Fine. Yeah.

[B]

They didn't care.

[A]

They ain't bothering our movies.

[B]

Watch it. But careful on the music. FernGully.

[A]

No FernGully soundtrack. Think twice.

[B]

That's the double whammy. Never FernGully soundtrack.

[A]

That's what it was if you grew up like me. Witches equal. Demonic.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

That's all I gotta say. You know, now, wizards. Somehow slightly more magical, Less demonic. I don't know.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

Isn't a wizard just a male witch? I'm probably gonna get roasted by the Harry Potter crowd. Like, actually, if you've been a Harry Potter world, you would know. Okay, relax.

[B]

There are wands, spells.

[A]

That's not a good thing.

[B]

Yeah, I'm thinking more of, like, Cinderella's, like. And the dress changes, you know? Okay.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. That feels less weird.

[B]

It's magical.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And happy. Well, hey, a little of this glitter on your outfit, we can Just change it right up, George.

[A]

It's the day before Halloween, so we're just trying to get in the spirit. So if you're enjoying this and you want to make this at home, it is a mocktail so the whole family can enjoy. And it is a beautiful, fun, sparkly drink. So there you go. We're going to give you the rating and reveal the cost per glass at the end of the episode. So stick around for that.

[B]

Okay. So speaking of Disney, George, if you had to be a villain, think Disney character. What villain would you be?

[A]

Disney. Can I go Nickelodeon?

[B]

Sure. We'll go just childhood, childhood villains. Who would be like, I'd probably be that villain. Do you have one?

[A]

Yeah, I'm going plankton.

[B]

Oh, from SpongeBob.

[A]

Yeah. You remember the little guy, Plankton? Yeah, but I just like, as a, as a small guy, I always respected his confidence that he had to take over the world with some hare brain scheme that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And he was, he was getting everyone in on it, you know, he was like, hey, here's what we're going to do.

[B]

Yeah. Figuring out the system, but never could.

[A]

Quite figure it out.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And that I was. I related to that.

[B]

That's fair. All right.

[A]

I could take over the world if I wanted to, but I'm not going to because I'm a nice guy deep down. I am Plankton. Hear me roar.

[B]

I can see that.

[A]

How about you?

[B]

Who do I vibe with? I'm going to go Carella.

[A]

Deville, 100%. I was hoping that Deville, she had.

[B]

Great, like, it's like devil, but it's not deville.

[A]

Yeah, Cruella. Deville.

[B]

Deville. Yeah.

[A]

Fashion icon.

[B]

Fashion icon. Loved, Loved her, like. Yeah. The energy she put toward the clothes and the outfits, I appreciate.

[A]

Did you see Emma Stone as Cruella?

[B]

You know what? No. So I say I like her. I mean, I don't like her. Oh. You know what I mean? But I, yeah, I, I didn't follow it closely. Was it great? Is that a good one? Yeah, and I probably would like it.

[A]

And you don't care about dogs that much. Which I think tracks with Cruella. Like, if one of those dalmatians need a wheelchair, Bye bye. It's yours. It's 100 Dalmatians now, sweetheart.

[B]

For the betterment of that dog. Yes.

[A]

She's like, we like even numbers. I don't know why she's turning into Trump. Trump.

[B]

I'm like slowly becoming Trump. Bye bye, bye. Yeah, I know. I'm okay on dogs. I don't hate them as much. As she doesn't like them. Right.

[A]

Well, she sure had a lot of dogs for someone who didn't like dogs.

[B]

Yeah, but she was doing it for other reasons.

[A]

I haven't seen the movie yet. Do not spoil it.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah, so I'm gonna go her. She'd probably be my villain.

[A]

That's a strong one.

[B]

I can appreciate it.

[A]

Why? A lot of the villains are female. I feel like. Is that true?

[B]

Let's think through it. We got. Yeah. Tangled, Cinderella.

[A]

Aladdin had Jafar. Jafar was a really good one.

[B]

Jafar. Yes. Little Mermaid. Ursula.

[A]

Oh, Ursula.

[B]

We got. Why am I blanking on all the Disney movies that say Tangled already? Yeah, Mom, Untangled. I love Tangled. That movie still makes me.

[A]

Who is the villain in Frozen?

[B]

It ended up being Hans.

[A]

Okay. Sorry, kids. Rachel just ruined an entire franchise for you.

[B]

Yeah. So he was a guy, but yeah, a lot of women villains you're wrecking.

[A]

Just starting to think, why is Disney portraying women as the problem? What was Walt's relationship with his mother? Let's look into that.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Okay. Who do you think are some money villains that people love to blame?

[A]

Oh, gosh. I mean, truthfully, Dave Ramsey. That's a funny in people's minds. Like, well, Dave, he's the reason why I can't buy stuff.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They have, like, guilt or shame because, like, well, Dave wouldn't want me to make a terrible financial decision.

[B]

It become a cuss word too, for some people.

[A]

Dave said.

[B]

Dave said. And the other spouse said, when you.

[A]

Weaponize Dave in your household, that's good. No one's going. Well, Rachel said. It's always like, well, Rachel said, I could buy it.

[B]

So in the budget, Rachel said to do it.

[A]

She's the fun villain.

[B]

The president, I feel like, usually gets to blame.

[A]

It's a great villain. When things aren't going well. I still do. Thanks, Obama. Whenever something missed my flight. Thanks, Obama.

[B]

Thanks, Obama. That was like an SNL skit.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

Was that it?

[A]

He was involved. He did. He was a part of the skit. Oh, snap. So self aware.

[B]

We, Winston will say that randomly.

[A]

Yeah. No matter the party, no matter the policies. 30 years from now, we'll still be blaming the president for sure.

[B]

Yeah. That's a. That's a villain.

[A]

Wealthy celebrities, great villain.

[B]

The Kardashians.

[A]

Anybody with, quote, too much money. I'm like, villain Bezos.

[B]

Look at him out there, just getting.

[A]

Married on his ninth mega yacht.

[B]

Unbelievable.

[A]

You got Zuckerberg buying up all of Hawaii.

[B]

What?

[A]

Yeah. He, like, owns. People are enraged about it. He just keeps buying more and more land in Hawaii.

[B]

Oh, I didn't realize that. There's not a lot of land out there. You know, little. Little islands out there. Oh, man. Okay. Your corporate boss.

[A]

Toxic.

[B]

People love the boss to blame. That guy up there. That woman up there.

[A]

Your parents. Oh, that's a money villain.

[B]

Siblings, like family. Oh, yeah, That's a good one. Your circumstances, you know, people are like, oh, my gosh, look at this. Look at the housing market we're in.

[A]

The economy.

[B]

I don't have a dual income. What are you talking about?

[A]

Inflation. That's a great film.

[B]

Yeah, like, the. Like, the themes of the Invisible villains.

[A]

Are sometimes the worst. Ooh.

[B]

Because you can't get them. You can't, like, grab on.

[A]

They're in the headlines. But who are they? They're not a person we don't know.

[B]

Oh, that's good.

[A]

Oh, my favorite. Yeah, the boomers.

[B]

The boomers. They're the easiest people love just to blame. The boomers. Yeah.

[A]

Because they're all like, well, just pull yourself up by the bootstraps. I'm like, you don't know how to use that trash can at Chick Fil A because it has technology built. Just hold it in front of the trash can, dad.

[B]

Just right there. It'll open.

[A]

Is that a button? No, it's not a button. You just hold the trash in front of the.

[B]

Push it. Oh, those boomers.

[A]

And yet we can't get their jobs. We're not qualified, those people. There you go.

[B]

Well, here's the thing. When people are suffering, there's usually some level of legitimacy of something going on in their life that's out of their control, right?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Like, we can control a lot, and we're big on that. Like, we gotta control what we can control. But there are things out there that it's like, I can't. I don't have a saying that, but it's affecting me.

[A]

Yeah. Inflation is real. It's a real villain considering consumer prices are 24% more expensive since the pandemic, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Well, that's a legit pain point for families. Things just cost more than they used.

[B]

To, but it is real. Like when we did, like, back to school shopping even, and you're getting the stuff, you're like, oh, my gosh, like, what things cost now it is. It's wild. So, yep, everyone. Everyone's feeling that one. The housing market, now this one. I feel for people.

[A]

That's A legit villain.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Cause if you had a home before the pandemic, you're like, woo, my house.

[B]

Doubled in price November of 19. Like, what?

[A]

Who knew? What a time to buy.

[B]

That was old Cruella over here.

[A]

But if you weren't a homeowner in there and you're trying to buy a home in the 2020s, it is hard beyond.

[B]

It is.

[A]

You're like, cool. Starter homes are now half a million dollars where I live.

[B]

I know, I know. So, yeah, expectations have to change. Location has to change.

[A]

Timelines.

[B]

Timelines, yeah, that's hard.

[A]

Down payment amounts.

[B]

The cost of education. Oh, up, up, up, up, up. We're seeing it. So there is a. There's a lot out there that affects our decisions. What happens with money? 100%. But also on the other side of the coin, there's some things that we can control and things that we can make decisions about our income to do better or worse for ourselves in our circumstances. So we can choose to make really bad decisions with our money and it puts us in a worse spot. Or, you know, you choose some other decisions that may not be probably the best feeling or what you necessarily want to do in the moment, but long term, better for you.

[A]

Yeah. So we want you guys to be the hero, not the villain.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

You can tweet that. It's a decent tweet.

[B]

That is good. Okay, so there's some industries out there, George, that I'd say are the villains, and I think they can match up to, like, a Disney villain. Would that be fun? I don't know why Disney is in play with this episode, but I love it.

[A]

Okay, so we're gonna pair different parts of the financial industry with a villain from some of the top movies.

[B]

So be fun. Are you ready?

[A]

Yeah, let's do this.

[B]

All right, we got the credit card industry.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And this is Ursula.

[A]

Little Mermaid.

[B]

Yes. This is the dirty deal maker. So credit cards tempt you to do something, you know, like spend more money, spend money with them so that you can get the points. But in turn, there's usually hidden things in the fine print. You end up deeper in debt. So, you know, it's like a switch and bait sometimes, you know, they promise something, they take it from you, and then they end up winning.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Just like when she stole Ariel's voice.

[A]

Again, a big spoiler.

[B]

Look at this. But it's a big deal, you know?

[A]

Yeah. You agree. You agree to the deal, thinking it's temporary.

[B]

I do agree to it. I desperately are hers she signs it.

[A]

Away, and it turns into forever if you can't jump through all the hoops properly at the perfect time. So interest rates now, on average, with credit cards, well over 20%, which is frightening. If you actually see that payment, you're going, well, I can't just make the minimum payment. I'll be paying it off for decades.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

You have to make way more than the minimum payment just to attack that principle. So that's a scary cycle. And then late fees, sneaky, Growing by the day. And it'll always tempt you. The marketing from these companies is always young people having the time of their lives, traveling the world. What they don't tell you is what an APR is and how it's going to affect you and how it's going to slow you down from other goals.

[B]

And just how many people we talk to and, you know, they sign up for a credit card thing. Yeah, that's kind of what you're supposed to do maybe a little bit here or there, and then you end up 18, 19, $50,000 in credit card debt. Right. So it's just a. It's a steep decline really fast if you're not careful.

[A]

And they're one of the. It's the gateway drug in the debt world. Like, if you're 18, what do you do? Well, I guess I'll open a credit card to start building my credit, because everyone told me that's the smart thing to do when I'm an adult. Little did they know it's not going to actually lead them anywhere financially where they want to go.

[B]

That's right. Sneaky. Stay free, America.

[A]

Stay free in the world.

[B]

Don't sign up with Ursula.

[A]

And I talked to so many people in downtown Nashville, and the people that weren't from here, that were visiting from other countries, they were like, we don't have credit cards.

[B]

Oh. I was like, what?

[A]

This is like Ireland and Scotland and England. They're like, no, we just use debit cards. And I was like, I think I need to move.

[B]

I think European.

[A]

I am the crazy one in America who doesn't have a credit card.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Like, how would you live your life, man? I'm like, how are they all doing it?

[B]

Oh, look at them.

[A]

With actual money they have.

[B]

Just free. So good. Well, you know, another sneaky villain. Online scammers and spammers don't love that, man. That's why you need delete me. George and I both use delete me with our families, y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

It is incredible. They are a Great company. And they go in and remove your data from online data broker websites because these data brokers sell your data. And then also they and or the companies they sell it to will spread your information across the Internet and that puts you at risk for scams and fraud. So get your information removed and Delete me helps you out there.

[A]

Delete me will make you the hero because they'll send you a report showing you exactly what they've done, what they removed, how much time they've saved you. And so far I have saved over a hundred hours. They've removed me from over 250 of these websites and I just sleep better at night and it's super easy. I can't take credit. Yeah, I just signed up for the service. And their real data privacy experts do this behind the scenes all year long and they're giving you 20% off the annual plans. Just go to joindelete me.com smart money or use the link in the description.

[B]

All right, next, the student loan industry. We're going to go Mother Gothel from Tangled on this one.

[A]

I never saw this one.

[B]

The controlling captor is that good.

[A]

I know her already.

[B]

So good. Because they kind of pose as like a friend. We have your best interests at heart. You know, we're here for you. Yes. But then they trap you and they prey on you and they manipulate you.

[A]

And a tower of debt.

[B]

In a tower of debt. Look at you. And you're like, yeah, Rapunzel, let your bank account down so we can, you know, get out of this tower. Just sayin'. Just saying. It's not a big deal. Just pay the minimums for 20 years. Everything's fine and good. What do you mean? She gaslights you a little bit. What are you talking about? Paying off your. Don't worry. Someone else will take care of it. Don't worry. Just stay here.

[A]

Just can't make the payment. Put it in forbearance, deferment.

[B]

Don't worry about so many babies. But then I was about to start singing, but I'm not going to sing it.

[A]

Please, the world needs this right now.

[B]

At last I see the light. One of the best Disney songs. It's so good.

[A]

Just beautiful. Can you imagine? There is a reason God didn't give her pipes. Guys.

[B]

When her and Flynn Rider are on that boat and she's finally out and sees the light, that's what we want for you and your student loan debt. Just see the light, swim away, paddle away. It'll be great. It's pretty good.

[A]

That was actually really good. You hummed a melody.

[B]

I did.

[A]

That's big progress for you.

[B]

Did you hear tone? Did it go up and down?

[A]

I'm not gonna go that far. But you did hum a melody.

[B]

Thank you. Thank you.

[A]

That was good.

[B]

It's one of the best nisty songs in my opinion though.

[A]

Let's get sad though. Have you seen this viral clip of a girl sobbing and she's asking Jeff Bezos to venmo her? No, I did a react to this because so many people sent it to me.

[B]

No.

[A]

She was making 1500 dollars payments forever and the balance had gone up because.

[B]

Of the interest and everything because of the interest.

[A]

Sky high interest. I don't know if she ever had done forbearance or deferment or something that caused the interest to continue to accrue.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

But a lot of people don't realize you sign up for these income driven repayment plans that keeps your payment nice and low while the interest is so big that it's growing the balance day by day.

[B]

So it's like ends up growing. You're not even like really chipping away.

[A]

So it's brutal to watch. And I feel for anyone who's struggling with student loan debt you can get out. It takes some hard work, some sacrifice. The debt snowball is your best path out of this. So you list all the debts, smallest to largest. Don't do the debt consolidation, making one big mountain. Just split them all out. Attack the little one first with a vengeance, make minimum payments on the rest. And I promise you, you can get through this. And hopefully you graduated with a degree that has marketplace value. You're doing that work, you're making good money.

[B]

Income will go up over time. But it is, it is the people that we talk to on the Ramsey show that become debt free. And we a lot of them, George, it's 35, 40, 80, $90,000 of student loan debt.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's pretty common. Like that's a big chunk usually of people's debt. And they do it though. But it's like, it is intense. Like you've got to get out ahead of it. You can't stay in that cycle like what this girl's doing because you won't ever get ahead. So it is. You kind of. Kind of get right to it. And.

[A]

And Jeff Bezos is not gonna venmo you. I don't know how to. I don't want to be the guy to tell you that, but he's getting.

[B]

Married in Italy, you know, or was married, I guess.

[A]

Is he not well, sorry.

[B]

Was marriage wedding wise? Like, he did have the wedding is what I meant. His marriage is done.

[A]

I mean, I go to you for pop culture news. So I'm like, is she already letting this out?

[B]

No, no, no. I mean like the. Like the wedding is done. That's what I was. I said he's. I said he's getting married in Italy. It makes it sound like he is right now. And he's not. Like, that's over. The wedding is over. Not the marriage, just the wedding.

[A]

But by the time this airs.

[B]

Sue me, please.

[A]

We don't know. Are they still together?

[B]

Yes, they will still be together when this airs. All right, next up, Banks Scrooge McDuck from DuckTales.

[A]

That's a good one. Just swimming in that pool of coins.

[B]

Hottie, hoarder, hottie hoarder.

[A]

That's a tough one to say.

[B]

Hottie, hoarder, hottie, hoarder, hottie. It's basically sound like it's H O T T I E. Oh, yeah.

[A]

Not a hottie, hottie.

[B]

What a hottie.

[A]

Scrooge McDuck hottie. Was he pantsless? Can someone tell me they were.

[B]

Donald Duck was. Didn't have pants.

[A]

When did we decide as a society that ducks are like, we're good. No pants needed.

[B]

Well, I think because majority of the time they don't need pants. George.

[A]

Says who? Nature. Why is Mickey Mouse wearing pants? He's a mouse.

[B]

No, that's true. Annie walks on two legs.

[A]

They got those little thin legs, little wispy legs.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

All right.

[B]

Hey, you know. But these bankers though, you know?

[A]

Yeah. Banks are prancing around fancy top hats, red blazers, soaking in a giant pool of cash while dishing out only pennies and interest in a return.

[B]

I know, that's big banks, you know, they're sitting at the top of a 68 story building, looking out on all us peasants down below.

[A]

How are they making all this money, Rachel?

[B]

I know.

[A]

Fees, interest, interest. From loans to profiting off of your money while you keep up the grind day in and day out. So who you bank with, where you keep your money, it's very important.

[B]

It is. That's one reason I love Fairwinds. Because Fairwinds is a credit union, not a bank. So you're not just an account number. And they're owned by their members, not by Wall Street. And so Fairwinds does an incredible job. Even their customer service. George, you feel like a person. Like the setup is so easy. They made it so user friendly to Set up an account. Get going. They're a great credit union. And then the personal touches of the customer service, Incredible. They are amazing people. We love them. And they love Ramsey, too, which I love because they love the plan. They encourage their members to follow this plan. They want you to have savings. They don't want you to have a ton of debt. Like, it's like they are on board with our message.

[A]

They talk about freedom with money as much as we do. Like, if you go to their website, you'll be like, am I on the Ramsey site? This is crazy.

[B]

It's so great.

[A]

They believe it.

[B]

So make sure to check them out. You can go to fairwinds.org RamseyToday set up an account, and I promise you will not regret it. You guys did, right?

[A]

Yeah. Mine was less than five minutes on my phone, and I've gotten two phone calls from them in the past week. And they were so nice. Like, hey, just checking in, seeing how everything went. I was like. Like, I've talked to you more than my own family. This is amazing.

[B]

Making sure everything's good.

[A]

So nice.

[B]

All right, next. Buy Now, Pay Later. It's kind of like Hans from Frozen. We were talking about him earlier. It's the fake friends with a hidden agenda. Ooh. And that's good because they pretend to be on your side, you know?

[A]

Yeah. They make it sound like they're the good guys in the debt world.

[B]

Look at. Look at this massive bill. This payment you're going to have to pay. You don't have to do that. You don't have to pay that total. Just spread it out. We're here for you.

[A]

Four easy payments. Hey, we'll check back in two weeks from now. You can give us a little bit more, but you deserve it. Get it now. Don't wait until you have the money.

[B]

Yeah, you can't afford it. That's okay. Just split it up. So then, in turn, not only are you in debt, but we find that people end up spending close to double what they have originally spent because that total goes down because it's split up into four payments. So. So you feel like you're getting a great deal.

[A]

Psychological mind games. And the tab keeps adding up because you added seven other things to your Buy Now, Pay later tab. Oh, and by the way, there is late fees, there is interest if you miss payments. And we know that a third fall behind on payments with Buy Now, Pay Later.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

The stats are more and more alarming, and it's becoming more and more normal to just put everything on Payments. So that frightens me. Even little purchases. That adds up.

[B]

Yeah. Oh yeah. We hear about people getting like a hot dog or something like that.

[A]

You got Klarna and doordash and Costco and affirm and so just run away when you see the pay and payments. Just go, nope, if I can't afford it now, I'm not getting it.

[B]

Say not me. Say no to that, love.

[A]

Say no to Hans Anna.

[B]

Just say no. Say no. Next. Payday loans. Little Hades from Hercules.

[A]

Throwback.

[B]

The underworld deal brokers. Good.

[A]

Underworld deal broker. That's an interesting take.

[B]

Yes, because they trap people and it's like they can't even. They can't escape because the interest is so high on these payday loans that when you're stuck in that cycle, it can be like three or four advance kind of stuff. Like, man, you, you are in it. And it is, it is hard to break out of that cycle. Kind of like Hades.

[A]

It's like breaking out of a circle of hell. It's just terrible. Good luck.

[B]

Terrible.

[A]

And the saddest part is where you find these payday lenders. You know, they, they take an old abandoned Pizza Hut and turn it into an old title loans place and that you pass by them, they're always in lower income communities. And so they prey upon people who are desperate for that 100 bucks or that 500 bucks and they trap them in a cycle, needing to come back for more and more and more.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So it really is one of the most disgusting, predatory.

[B]

It is, it's, it's, it's terrible. They. Yeah, you're absolutely right.

[A]

It is like making a deal with.

[B]

The people of society. That's who they go after. Like, it's horrible. It's very. And again, they act like they're helping. And when you're in a desperate situation, you'll do anything to feel like you're keeping your head above water. But then they trap you in that and they're like, sorry, you're in this cycle of hell forever.

[A]

Has 400% interest.

[B]

So horrible. All right, next. Car loans. We got a little jafar from Aladdin. Wow, the smooth talker.

[A]

Oh, that's right. He was very convincing.

[B]

Very. Yeah, I mean, I'd say intelligent, but.

[A]

He got Aladdin to go into that cave.

[B]

He did. And he was like, hey, do this deal. And again, you're like that confidence.

[A]

Convincing the sultan.

[B]

Very, yes. Very persuasive. Kind of gets on your good side a little bit, you know what I mean? Like important. Big deal. You're on the right.

[A]

Hey, we want to help you get the right payment. We want to make sure we're rooting for you.

[B]

Then you get stuck in a car payment.

[A]

Blegh. Gross.

[B]

Jeez. Not good. We need Aladdin to save the day. You know, George, it's like. You're like Aladdin, just the everyday.

[A]

I am the street rat.

[B]

Yeah. Just the everyday street rat.

[A]

Yeah. And I'm like, guys, you can pay cash for a car. And they're like, what? Get out of here, bozo. I'm getting a sick new car from Jafar.

[B]

And then you get into. And then you try to dress up and you try to be someone you're not. I'm like, george, don't do that. Be yourself, George.

[A]

That's true. I ride in on the elephant. You're a camel guy. We all know you're a camel guy. Elephant's too tall. No. That is so true. And, you know, I did ride in as Aladdin on a camel at Battle of the bands 2020. You did our Ramsey Solutions event. We rented the same camel that I had at my wedding.

[B]

And you were dressed up like Aladdin.

[A]

And I dressed up as Prince Ali.

[B]

Oh, very different.

[A]

And they played the song and people threw roses at me.

[B]

What was the song from Battle of the Bands you did?

[A]

It wasn't. It was me hosting. And I was like, hey, guys, I was right.

[B]

You used to host it.

[A]

I want Prince Ali playing blasting in the amphitheater as I ride in on a real camel. They adorned the camel with, like, the little carp. It was amazing. Also, I was frightened up there. I was playing it cool, but I was scared for my life. It was like getting on a. I thought this guy had, like, a special camo ladder that you, like, climb up on and get on the hump and.

[B]

Go, what do you do?

[A]

He just went, get on that loading dock right there and just kind of just hop on. The camel's like a T. Rex. I mean, it is 19ft tall. And so just getting up there was so frightening.

[B]

No saddle. You got a saddle.

[A]

There was some sort of saddle. But then getting down, I was like, so how do I get off when I need to run on stage? And he went, ah, we'll figure it out. So he just yanks the camel down on the front two knees, making me fly forward.

[B]

Oh, no.

[A]

And I just gave a nice little wave.

[B]

Had no idea, George. I missed that completely.

[A]

But that was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Totally worth 700 bucks. If you guys ever want a good time and you got 700 bucks to kill.

[B]

Yeah. Don't waste it on a car payment.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Waste it riding a camel.

[A]

Shout out to Phil Hooker. Hooker Farms, Tennessee.

[B]

That is so great.

[A]

So, yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Don't be greater. Don't act like you need to be someone you're not. Don't be Prince Ali.

[A]

Don't be me.

[B]

Yeah. Just act your wage. Pay for a car with cash. Okay. And if you have a car loan, pay it off, keep the car, then save up. And if you have to replace a car years later, do that now. If your car. What you owe in your car is as much or more than 50% of your annual income, you have too much car. So let's say you make 80,000 and your car loan is 50,000. You have too much car. Okay? So get rid of it. So sell it. But if you're underwater, you may have to take a small loan for the difference and to get a beater car. But I would rather have $10,000 in debt than $45,000 in debt.

[A]

100%. And realize that going into debt and paying interest for a thing going down in value every day is one of the worst decisions you can make for your financial future.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And once you get out, it is so freeing. Even if you drive something crappy for a while. This is not forever.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

A year or two, just to get you some better financial footing. Then upgrade over time with cash.

[B]

Yes. What will make you sick is putting your car payment in an investment [e-mail], and just map that over 30 years. So instead of paying yourself and investing, you're paying a car dealer or a bank. See what you're losing.

[A]

Because most people will just carry a car payment, then trade in that car.

[B]

Get a different car. Oh, yeah. Once you're done with the loan, you go get another one.

[A]

And as long as they afford the payment, they feel fine.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Don't fall for it. And don't fall for Jafar's tactics. No, he's slimy. And I don't trust that whatever beard is on his face, trust him at all. Creepy goatee.

[B]

You know, I do trust, though. Cozy Earth products, always. Because you always know when you get a shipment from Cozy Earth, it's gonna be fantastic.

[A]

You will be transformed from Aladdin into Prince Ali.

[B]

But the real deal, you'll be actually Aladdin at the end of the movie.

[A]

So silky. You know, Aladdin was rocking that, that premium viscose, that bamboo material, very breathable. In agriculture, 100%.

[B]

No, it is their products. Are amazing, you guys. Everything from their loungewear, pajamas, their sheets, their blankets, the cuddle blanket, one of the faves. It's a little bit of an investment, but it is worth it.

[A]

It's like a magic carpet. It really is.

[B]

Yes. When you're watching all your Disney movies on the couch, you just cuddle with that thing, and it is phenomenal. But we also have a great discount for our listeners, which I love.

[A]

40% off their products. Just go to this link cozyearth.com smartmoney use the promo code smartmoney at checkout or just use the link in the description. Make it easy on yourself.

[B]

Yeah, you should wear the cozy earth pajamas with the cuddle blanket and watch a Disney movie. Wouldn't that be great?

[A]

You just gave me my weekend plans.

[B]

I think that's it.

[A]

That sounds families not invited. It's just me.

[B]

Sounds me solo.

[A]

She's not ready. She's just simply not ready.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. All right, George, so what can we take away from all these villains out there in the world? Cause they're out there trying to get our money. What do you think?

[A]

I think you need to remember, keep your head on a swivel, that if you don't make a plan for your money, someone else will. There's a company out there that is already working on their next ad campaign to get someone like you into debt, into their grip. And so you need to be very aware and play offense and go, I'm not falling for it. And so you need to be rooted in principles like the Ramsey plan, where you go, if I don't have the money, I'm not going to buy it. If it wasn't in the budget, I'm not going to buy it. My future is too important to be swindled by the next salesperson or the next ad or the next thing.

[B]

Yes. That's so good. I love that. And I was trying to think of someone that was, like, convicted and strong, you know, like a belle from Beauty and the Beast or something.

[A]

You know, a lot of strong female characters. I will say that about Walt.

[B]

Yes. Yeah, he did that well. Yeah. But for real, I think that there is something to be said that they're gonna be out there doing their thing, and you get. You're an adult. You get to make decisions about your life and your money, and you get to choose to fall into the traps of everything that they're selling and doing. And again, they're shiny, and it looks great, it sounds great. But then when you're in it, it's not only financially exhausting that most of your paycheck is going out to these people. I mean, upwards easily of 1500 bucks a month, you know, is leaving. It's not staying with you. It's going out. And for stuff that you've already done, you know, it's. It's meals you've already eaten from the credit card that you swiped to a car payment. Like, it's always usually living backwards decisions you made in the past. So live in the present, use the money that you have, and you get to be the hero with. That's what it comes down to. I think that's great.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

Okay. Okay. So if you guys need a plan, the Ramsey baby steps. The best plan. If you need a great budgeting app to help you implement the plan to keep things going, everydollar is here to help you win, not just with your budget, but your overall money scope. So we have some great tools for you that'll actually help you win in your life. And so it is. It is.

[A]

It will make you feel like a hero to just actually have a plan for your money and have control instead of letting some villain, you know, pull the old puppet strings.

[B]

All right, before we get to our guilty as charged segments, give us the details on the drink, George.

[A]

This is the witches elixir mocktail, and it costs $2.57 because glitter ain't cheap in America today.

[B]

Glittering.

[A]

It's got blackberries, berry kombucha, lemon juice, and chilled butterfly pt.

[B]

What?

[A]

I don't even know where we bought that from. That sounds like something too fancy for us.

[B]

We'll take it. We'll take it. Okay. I'm gonna go seven out of ten.

[A]

I'm with you on the seven. It's. I like it tart. I'm getting a lot of sour tart notes. I think it needs a little something to sweeten it up. I'm not seeing where that would be on here. Kombucha has a little sugar.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And I. There's just.

[B]

I love the glitter.

[A]

There's a large amount of glitter I don't think you can see at home, but the glitter is just sitting at the bottom.

[B]

Stir it.

[A]

I think it's probably 4 ounces of glitter is what it would take. And let me tell you, this goes into your body, and it doesn't really ever come out.

[B]

Oh, my gosh.

[A]

You know, your parents told you, like, don't swallow gum. It's seven years. It's gonna sit. I think that's what happens with glitter.

[B]

With the glitter, you know, it's worth it.

[A]

But it's a really fun looking drink. And it. The taste was actually wonderful.

[B]

And the name is fun. What is it again?

[A]

Witches Elixir Mocktail. Make, you know, be fun. Do a little, like, cauldron of this for Halloween and leave it out for the kids.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. That's cute.

[A]

Little to go cups.

[B]

I wouldn't let my kids drink a drink from.

[A]

That's true. Well, if in your neighborhood, I would trust it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know everyone in your neighborhood. You know, your friends.

[B]

You know, someone one year did, like, an adult. They, like, gave adult stuff.

[A]

That's the move.

[B]

Isn't that funny? Yes. I was like, I never even thought about that. But funny.

[A]

It has to be fun for the adults, too.

[B]

Okay. Was it expensive?

[A]

Two dollars and fifty seven cents.

[B]

That's right. You said that you might.

[A]

I think the kombucha probably spiked the price a little bit.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And wherever we sourced the. The very fine chilled butterfly pt. I love that it's chilled. It feels like it took a lot of effort. So shout out to the team for all the work.

[B]

They always do great mocktails, y'.

[A]

All.

[B]

We appreciate you.

[A]

So get the recipe in the show notes. Give it a try whenever you so choose. But Halloween is here. So now.

[B]

All right, now it's time for guilty as charged. And this is where we ask each other a new guilty charge question every week. And for realty, we take a sip. All right, George, when is the last time you were the villain in a friend or relative story?

[A]

Oh, wow. I mean, my marriage. I'm. If you had to make us into a Disney movie, Whitney would look like just most beautiful, perfect princess.

[B]

Just a princess. And you.

[A]

And I am just Jafar lurking in.

[B]

Every corner, just looking around, scheming, scheming and scamming.

[A]

This is the latest because my wife was pregnant, okay? And she had gestational diabetes, which means no fun for anyone in the house.

[B]

No.

[A]

Not a single carb or sugar to be found. Yeah, so she told me. Hey, don't bring that around here. You got some sweets. Don't show me. I don't want to be tempted.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

I went. Fine. So what did I do? Whole foods had a 50% off all ice cream sale.

[B]

No, they didn't.

[A]

Which makes Jenny's ice cream like $4 a pint.

[B]

Unbelievable.

[A]

Which you can't. I mean, that's.

[B]

Yeah. That doesn't. That never happens. It's more expensive not to buy ice cream. And your pregnant wife can't have it. And you had it in the house.

[A]

I bought eight pints, and I stored them in the outside freezer so that she wouldn't see them.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

But then she caught me.

[B]

What a villain.

[A]

I was sitting in the corner of the garage just mainlining. But my thinking was, is no one allowed to enjoy life for nine months?

[B]

Yeah. Okay. That makes me think you're ready for this.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Winston got diagnosed with alpha gal. I think I've told you this.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

From a tick bite. So he can't have red meat. It's been horrible. It's not been good. Terrible. But we've survived a lot of ground chicken. So you can do fins, which means.

[A]

You'Re not eating a lot of red meat.

[B]

Yeah. Fins and feathers is what he can have. So it's a lot of ground turkey, ground chicken. Chicken. A lot of chicken.

[A]

It's gotta fly or swim.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So you got feathers on it or fins. Good to go. Everything else, no go. So. And I would say I'm more of a chicken person. I'm not one that's, like, I just crave a big old steak. Like, sometimes at steakhouses, I sometimes, like, get fish. Like, I'm one of those people. Well, I don't, like, love red meat, but I love a hamburger. I love it in our spaghetti sauce. Like, I will eat, you know? So Winston made, before he got this, the best Smash burgers. So he would do two smash burgers. He even, like, bought all, like, the gadgets for them. Would melt the cheese. He would do this onion mix on the grill, too, that he'd put on. He made a sauce like, y'. All. It was. It was the highlight of summer of 24. Like, that's what we lived off of. So then summer comes around this year, but he can't eat burgers. But we made him still make a Smash Burgers.

[A]

You are the villain.

[B]

Am I a villain? You're eating ice cream, and I'm making my husband make.

[A]

Force her to churn the butter for the ice cream in front of me. Like, hey, get the ninja cream. Yeah, whip me up something nice, why don't you?

[B]

I know. I made him make us the burger.

[A]

The smell of the burgers and the onions, and he's just going, well, he.

[B]

Had, like, a turkey burger that he made on the side.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

So that's probably. I probably was worse than you. I just thought of that. Yeah.

[A]

Nothing gives me clinical depression like a turkey burger. Instantly, I'm like, oh, okay. This is what.

[B]

You know, Jay Alexander's has one of the best veggie burgers, though. Like, I think you like a black.

[A]

Bean quinoa, and it doesn't like it.

[B]

You wouldn't know, but the flavor, it is so good. If you're ever at Jay Alexander's, get the veggie burger. I promise you will not be disappointed. It's actually legit.

[A]

You sold me. And I will be asking if Winston can make me a smash burger. I know, because at least I'm a friend and not married to him. I'm not that cool. What a guy. That. What a guy. He probably did it with a smile on his face.

[B]

Yeah, and I don't make him do it a lot. You know, it was just random, but.

[A]

I. I like random cruelty. You don't want to be planned. You want to be spontaneous and fun. Like, hey, babe, what if we.

[B]

What if you made us some red meat that you can't have? Oh, man. Well, if you have a guilty as charged question for us, make sure to DM us at Rachel Cruz and at George Camel. And if you enjoyed this episode, you're definitely going to love our episode. Reacting to the wildest Am I the jerk Reddit threads coming up after this, we will link it for you and make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.