Dave Ramsey Answers Your Most-Asked Questions

Summary

Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel Episode: Dave Ramsey Answers Your Most-Asked Questions
Host/Author: Ramsey Network
Release Date: January 30, 2025

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Welcome to another episode of Smart Money Happy Hour, where Rachel Cruze and George Kamel host a candid and insightful conversation about money, life, and everything in between. In this special episode, financial guru Dave Ramsey joins the hosts to answer the most frequently asked questions from listeners. Pull up a chair and enjoy as the trio delves into personal finance, lifestyle choices, and the intersection of money with family and work.

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1. Welcome and Introduction

The episode kicks off with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel warmly welcoming Dave Ramsey to the studio. The hosts express their excitement about having Dave join them, highlighting that it's the first time Dave appears on their show.

• Rachel Cruze [00:05]: “Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events, and money.”

• George Camel [00:32]: “Cheers.”

2. Treating Yourself: Luxury Travel

One of the first topics discussed is how Dave enjoys treating himself. Dave shares his preference for luxury travel, emphasizing experiences that eliminate travel stress and enhance enjoyment.

• Dave Ramsey [03:06]: “The biggest one would be luxury travel. Like, uber luxury travel. The coolest thing I ever found in my life is when we go international... you can have someone meet you at the gate. A personal customs escort.”

Dave elaborates on the benefits of such travel, comparing it to scenes from “Crazy Rich Asians” and stressing the importance of spending on experiences that truly enrich one’s life.

3. Changing Financial Principles Over Time

Rachel inquires about any financial advice Dave has reconsidered over the years. Dave reflects on his initial strict adherence to the cash envelope system and how practicality has led him to adopt more flexible budgeting methods.

• Dave Ramsey [07:41]: “When I first started this stuff, I was a Pharisee about it. Everything exact and hardcore. So, one thing we've changed is it's not a principle change, but tactical changes.”

He discusses moving away from the rigid cash envelope approach to more modern, convenient budgeting techniques, ensuring flexibility while maintaining financial discipline.

4. Balancing Family and Work

The conversation shifts to the perennial challenge of balancing family and work life. Dave emphasizes the impossibility of achieving perfect balance and instead advocates for prioritizing tasks and being fully present in each role.

• Dave Ramsey [12:30]: “There is no such thing as balance. Because as soon as you're balanced, one second later, you're gonna be out of balance.”

He advises listeners to be 100% where they are, whether at work or with family, promoting quality over quantity in each aspect of life.

5. Regrets on Large Purchases

Rachel probes into any significant purchases Dave regrets. Dave shares a vivid story from 2003 when he impulsively bought an extravagant Breitling watch, only to regret the decision due to its impracticality and high maintenance.

• Dave Ramsey [19:40]: “The worst one was 2003... I bought a Breitling watch. It was bad. It doesn't keep good time. It’s heavy. I put it in the safe glaring at me.”

This anecdote serves as a cautionary tale about mindful spending and avoiding impulsive purchases, regardless of financial success.

6. Best Meals and Guilty Pleasures

In a lighter segment, the hosts ask Dave about his favorite meals and guilty pleasures. Dave enjoys fine dining with thoughtful wine pairings and admits to indulging in fast food occasionally, such as Chick-fil-A and pizza.

• Dave Ramsey [21:46]: “Fine dining with wine pairings is like my favorite sport.”

• Dave Ramsey [22:50]: “I might hit a Chick-fil-A. Ooh.”

Rachel and George share their own preferences, highlighting the balance between enjoying high-quality experiences and everyday treats.

7. Raising Rachel Cruze: Parenting Insights

Rachel switches the focus to her upbringing, asking Dave about the experience of raising her. Dave recounts the challenges and joys of parenting, emphasizing the importance of structure and prioritizing family over work.

• Dave Ramsey [25:03]: “Rachel was fun. She was fun and a lot of trouble. We had to aim her energy towards something productive.”

He shares a heartfelt story about taking Rachel to a restaurant where she navigated social etiquette, illustrating his approach to disciplined yet loving parenting.

8. Most Influential People and Networking

Dave discusses influential figures he's met, including former President George W. Bush, and reflects on the impact these interactions have had on his professional journey.

• Dave Ramsey [23:33]: “George W. Bush. I interviewed him twice and had lunch with him.”

He underscores the value of building strong relationships and surrounding oneself with high-character individuals.

9. Consumer Challenges and Awkward Moments

The trio delves into consumer experiences, with Dave sharing an awkward encounter at an electronics store where his reputation as a savvy spender led to a humorous misunderstanding.

• Dave Ramsey [35:09]: “I thought he knew who I was... he told me, 'Dave Ramsey shops here and always buys extended warranties.' But I don't.”

This story highlights the sometimes humorous pitfalls of public personas and the importance of clear communication.

10. Best Non-Financial Advice

When asked for non-financial advice, Dave shares a profound message about holistic personal development:

• Dave Ramsey [31:13]: “If you want to be successful, you have to feed your intellect... take care of your body... deal with your past... and know this man named Jesus.”

He emphasizes the interconnectedness of intellectual, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being in achieving a fulfilling life.

11. Managing Online Presence and Privacy

Rachel raises concerns about the widespread availability of personal information online. She and George discuss the importance of protecting one's digital footprint and promote the service "DeleteMe" to help listeners secure their information.

• Rachel Cruze [33:29]: “DeleteMe goes through and removes your information because people are making money off your data.”

This segment serves as a timely reminder of digital privacy's significance in today's interconnected world.

12. Drink Ratings and Fun Segments

Towards the end, Rachel and George introduce a segment where they taste and rate drinks. They share their thoughts on a Black Manhattan cocktail, providing their personal ratings and preferences.

• George Camel [42:52]: “I’m giving this a 10 out of 10.”

• Rachel Cruze [43:33]: “I'm going nine out of 10.”

Dave shares his own rating, favoring straightforward bourbon over complex cocktails.

13. Guilty As Charged: Awkward Celebrity Encounters

In the final segment, the hosts and Dave share their most awkward moments involving celebrities. Rachel recounts her misstep with Bobby Flay, while George shares a story about making a famous comedian uncomfortable.

• Rachel Cruze [45:59]: “I said his name wrong twice. It was terrible.”

• George Camel [48:37]: “I made him uncomfortable by filming a magic trick.”

These vulnerable stories add a personal touch, illustrating that even financial experts face relatable social challenges.

14. Closing Remarks and Advertisements

The episode concludes with final thoughts, gratitude towards Dave for his participation, and promotional segments for upcoming events and products, such as investing essentials and Cozy Earth products.

• Rachel Cruze [52:46]: “Make sure to like and subscribe and we'll see you next Thursday on an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.”

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Notable Quotes:

• Dave Ramsey [07:41]: “We don't push the envelope system anymore. It's more convenient now.”

• Rachel Cruze [12:30]: “Balance is a myth. Prioritize and give 100% to where you are.”

• Dave Ramsey [19:40]: “If something is expensive relative to your life, think it through. Don't impulse.”

• Dave Ramsey [31:13]: “Feed your intellect, take care of your body, deal with your past, and know Jesus.”

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Conclusion This episode of Smart Money Happy Hour offers a rich blend of financial wisdom, personal stories, and practical advice from Dave Ramsey. From luxury travel and budgeting strategies to parenting insights and digital privacy, the discussion provides valuable takeaways for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of modern financial life. Whether you're a long-time Ramsey Network listener or new to their content, this episode delivers engaging and actionable insights to help you afford a life you love.

Transcript

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Are there any large purchases that you've ever regretted?

[Dave Ramsey]

The worst one was 2003.

[Rachel Cruz]

What was it like raising Rachel?

[George Camel]

What is one financial principle or piece of advice you've changed your mind about over the years?

[Rachel Cruz]

Hey, guys, I'm Rachel Cruz.

[George Camel]

I'm George Camel.

[Dave Ramsey]

And I'm Dave Ramsey.

[Rachel Cruz]

And this is Smart Money Happy hour.

[George Camel]

Cheers.

[Dave Ramsey]

Ding, ding.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events, and money.

[George Camel]

And today, we've got the one and only Dave Ramsey in studio. You guys asked, we delivered, and he's going to be answering your questions.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right. Well, welcome.

[Dave Ramsey]

Well, it's good to be here.

[Rachel Cruz]

What a fun world.

[George Camel]

Long time listener, first time guest show where they drink.

[Dave Ramsey]

It's the first time.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's actually a very exciting time.

[Dave Ramsey]

Took a long time to get me here.

[George Camel]

It's crazy that we had your wife on way before you.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

But she was a fan favorite. I hope you beat.

[Dave Ramsey]

It's crazy that she's way more popular than me.

[Rachel Cruz]

I think she might be. I think she might. We'll see what your. What your count is of the episode.

[Dave Ramsey]

We'll.

[Rachel Cruz]

We'll compare it to Sharon's and let you know.

[George Camel]

I think Sharon will be watching the.

[Dave Ramsey]

View count on this one.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's true. That is true. So in this episode, we're going to be actually answering. Having you answer some questions from the fishbowl that people have submitted that they want to know about you.

[Dave Ramsey]

Oh, good.

[George Camel]

Not the traditional stuff. Not how to get out of debt.

[Rachel Cruz]

Get excited.

[Dave Ramsey]

Way more my favorite subject. Me get excited.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's going to be fantastic. And while we learn about Dave, we're sipping on a great cocktail. What are you sipping on?

[George Camel]

This is a black Manhattan, which is mixologist Michael Reddish's signature cocktail. He made it extra special.

[Rachel Cruz]

Brings out the signature drinks for you, Dave. We don't always get that, so it's.

[George Camel]

One of my favorites.

[Rachel Cruz]

Sometimes we get cocktails with milk in it. So disgusting. Do that for you.

[Dave Ramsey]

I missed out on that.

[George Camel]

You chose a good day. Chose a good day.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Yeah, this was good.

[George Camel]

Stick around till the end. We're going to give you our rating and reveal the cost per glass.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, so we are. We are going to lean into some of that, like, fangirl energy is what they call it out there.

[George Camel]

We asked the people, if you could ask Dave Ramsey one question that is not a financial question for the Ramsey show, what would it be?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. So it's going to be great. There's some family questions in there. There's some purchasing questions. Dave likes to spend. That's actually a misnomer. People really do think you're still rice and beans if you're an average. You know, if you're, like, a Ramsey person, then you, like, have to drive a crappy car the rest of your life. And you can. You always have to have coupons. George still loves a good deal.

[George Camel]

Me and Sharon Ramsey, I think, are holding it down in that department. Somebody like frugality, but.

[Rachel Cruz]

But yeah, you love to spend. So there'll be some good spending questions in there, but it's gonna be. It's gonna be a good time.

[George Camel]

George, let's get to the fishbowl.

[Rachel Cruz]

Are we going? Okay. Okay. All right. What does it look like to treat yourself? So what do you do to treat yourself?

[Dave Ramsey]

So many things, but the biggest one would be luxury travel. Like, uber luxury travel. Like, the coolest thing I ever found in my life is when we go international for somewhere around four or five hundred bucks, sometimes a thousand bucks, you can have someone meet you at the gate. A personal customs escort.

[Rachel Cruz]

They do this at crazy rich Asians.

[Dave Ramsey]

And they walk you past everything.

[George Camel]

It's a fast pass.

[Dave Ramsey]

But for travel straight through, like. Like you own the place, and boom. One of them we went to in Egypt. They sit you in a lounge and bring food while they run all your stuff, and then you go get in the car and leave.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, wow.

[Dave Ramsey]

It was. I mean, that's bougie travel right there. And that was.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's crazy rich Asians.

[Dave Ramsey]

That's money well spent when you've got. When you're living like no one else. So, yeah, that kind of, like, just make my life good when I'm traveling. I don't want travel stress. I want to enjoy the whole thing and stuff like that. Where I'm not standing in line. Life is good.

[George Camel]

Do you do the flights that have, like, their own bathroom? And, like, when you go international.

[Dave Ramsey]

I saw that one on Emirates.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yes. That thing you get like your own apartment or something. I've got to do that one of these days. But I understand it's pretty expensive. I might not be willing to spring for that.

[George Camel]

But it's more of a willingness, though, at this point.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah, it's pretty cool, though. But that kind of stuff. I mean, we want to. We don't want to go travel, you know, halfway 24 hours or 20 hours on a plane and then stay in the freaking Motel 6 just to say we got to go to X Country, Right? So, yeah, we spend money on travel.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, that is an interesting thing, because growing up, we never really. When we were little, we didn't really travel. We camped and did all of that. But then when the only memories I have of, like, when we actually, like, we never went to the beach as kids. Like, it wasn't like, oh, yeah, we have an annual beach trip. Like, we never did that. But then when we started traveling, we started traveling where it was like, oh, like Disney World. I think Disney World was my first trip. Which wasn't cheap, right? You could do the beach cheap and, like, do all of that probably before that, but y'all wouldn't. So that is funny. Cause that is probably still consistent on how you were growing up.

[Dave Ramsey]

You know, we did not do vacations until we had the money. And to do it right.

[Rachel Cruz]

To do it right. That's what I'm saying is I feel.

[Dave Ramsey]

Like you're doing that a lot of times when people are doing stuff like that. In my world, anyway, I don't know about necessarily our customer or the viewer of this, but the. In our world, growing up, people were going to the beach, couldn't afford it. It's like they're buying a car they couldn't afford, and they needed to be home, working. They didn't need to be dropping that three or four grand or whatever it was. And to get their dad live like no one else. So later you can travel like no one else. But that's been. That's what we spend money on.

[Rachel Cruz]

Arthur Brooks talks about experiences. When you spend money on experiences with people that you love. And you and mom travel together really well.

[Dave Ramsey]

We do.

[Rachel Cruz]

And y'all do it with friends a lot, too.

[Dave Ramsey]

We do.

[Rachel Cruz]

You bring us once a year, so. Thank you.

[George Camel]

Still haven't got the invite, but it's fine.

[Dave Ramsey]

Have a drink, George.

[Rachel Cruz]

But, like, that is not just, like, piling on more and more and more stuff. Like, you guys experience it, and that's. Yeah, a great way to spend your money again.

[Dave Ramsey]

You're right in that, you know, 43 years of marriage, we are both planners. We don't. Some couples, like, we've got some friends that enjoy just going somewhere, and they land in Europe and they have no idea what they're gonna do, and they come home two weeks later. Oh, that would drive me nuts.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, you would die.

[George Camel]

You need an agenda.

[Dave Ramsey]

Like, we're doing every single. If we do something spontaneous, it's a change in the set agenda.

[Rachel Cruz]

We get PDFs emailed to us before our Christmas trip every year, with exact.

[Dave Ramsey]

Times of every detail lays out exactly who's going to be where. The.

[George Camel]

And that's not a type A OCD thing. You just want to know we're doing something.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, he's typing.

[Dave Ramsey]

If I have to plan it on the go. It's not relaxing, that.

[George Camel]

Absolutely.

[Dave Ramsey]

It's all done. I just show up. This is. I'm checking in, and I'm already checked in when I get there most times, you know, because, again, I'm doing luxury stuff. And it's like they just meet you at the front door and go, here's your keys, Mr. Ramsey. You know, because you came through the gate and the little guy with a thing in his ear talked into his sleeve and all that junk. You know, that's life. That's. That's.

[Rachel Cruz]

Again, that's. That's like.

[Dave Ramsey]

But mom and I are both. We're both planners and we're both detail people, and we're not, you know, I don't know what you call it. Impulsive. No, Just do, you know, just go for something to drive and have no idea where we're going. Not a chance.

[George Camel]

All right.

[Rachel Cruz]

You would be terrible in the Amazing Race.

[Dave Ramsey]

I would be terrible.

[George Camel]

Don't let him. Don't think that was ever on his bucket list anyway.

[Dave Ramsey]

There's so many things about that I would be terrible at.

[George Camel]

What is one financial principle or piece of advice you've changed your mind about over the years?

[Dave Ramsey]

Churchill said, when you're young, if you're not a liberal, you don't have a heart. And when you're old, if you're not a conservative, you don't have a brain. And part of that. Part of the thing that kind of goes with that idea is when I first started this stuff, I was a pharisee about it. Everything exact and hardcore. And so, you know, one thing we've changed is it's not a principle change, but it's tactical changes. We forced people like at threat of being reprimanded, to carry envelope, lots of envelopes with money in them, actual cash envelopes, and we don't push that anymore. One of the famous financial people came out years ago and said, well, here's what I do, but my advice for everybody else is something else, and I'm not as I do. That was so hypocritical to me. And so I'm not going to do that. So if I pay for my gas at the pump with a debit card instead of cash out of a gasoline envelope, then I'm not going to scream at somebody else for doing that. But in the old days we did, Sharon and I every. We had stinking envelopes everywhere. The tactical implementation of the principles we have changed and they are more convenient and easier now. The stuff you can do in every dollar is so much better than what we did on a piece of paper and pencil with envelopes with cash in them.

[Rachel Cruz]

Did the down payment change to 5%? I feel like we lowed that was somewhat lowered. I feel like it was always a hard 20%. But now for first time home buyers we went down, you know, the advantage 5 to 10% is now down to fine. Yeah, yeah.

[Dave Ramsey]

We push 20 really hard. I still push it hard because you save the pmi.

[Rachel Cruz]

Sure.

[Dave Ramsey]

You save the private mortgage insurance which is stinking. $75 a month per 100,000 borrowed.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[Dave Ramsey]

So you talk about 400 grand. It's $225. I mean a month. 300. 300 bucks a month just for the stupid insurance that you don't even need. And so it's costing you a lot of money to not put that down. So I really encourage it. But yeah, I think some things like that, that might be one that might be true that we lightened up a little bit on that. But it's not because of house prices. It's more because we've just learn, you know, getting involved in real estate and being an owner is more important than some of the ticky tacky details.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[Dave Ramsey]

Because you do want to ride these waves up as these prices go up.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, for sure. It's good. All right, next, how do you balance family and work? You can go back to like high school days when you actually had us living in the house because I feel like that's probably more. Or maybe now they just travel. They just travel. So I don't really see them.

[George Camel]

I just leave. They leave because you love work, but when you're in play mode you go hard.

[Dave Ramsey]

I don't do. Yeah, my. I do not sit on a beach and read ever. Under no circumstances don't look for them.

[George Camel]

You won't find them out there.

[Dave Ramsey]

Not, not, not going to happen. So my sitting still mode is I got two, two speeds. Asleep and moving.

[Rachel Cruz]

One of my favorite stories of in this. Like this is him 24, seven, seven days a week when Winston and I were dating, Winston came to the lake house and we had some friends, college friends over that weekend and dad, you know, and I guess maybe the night before you asked if anyone wants to ski or barefoot in the morning because if you're gonna get good skiing or barefooting on the lake, you gotta get up like dawn. Yeah, at dawn. Really, really, really early. Bang on the door, Dave. It's 5:30, fellas. You ready? Winston was like, yes, sir.

[Dave Ramsey]

Well, they.

[Rachel Cruz]

I am. I am.

[Dave Ramsey]

Wait a minute. That sounds like they didn't approve this.

[Rachel Cruz]

Ashley, you signed up for this.

[Dave Ramsey]

You signed up, you said yes. Get me up. So I got you up. Why is this a hard thing?

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm just saying, it's that mode everywhere in the morning. It's 5:30 and. And. Yeah. So anyway, so the question was, what Work and family?

[Dave Ramsey]

Oh, balance. Balance. The great mythology of. And it's really come on lately, like a big time thing. There is no such thing as balance. Because as soon as you're balanced, one second later, you're gonna be out of balance. It's impossible. You know what is this perfect moment in time. You have to take a picture of it because it's gonna tip. I mean, it's ridiculous. So instead of trying to balance, sometimes work, life, balance is code for I don't wanna work much. Sometimes it's that. But. But the answer to the equation is be where you are a hundred percent. If you're at the lake and you're gonna go skiing, get your butt up, let's go.

[George Camel]

Don't be checking emails.

[Dave Ramsey]

But that down. We're not. We're not sitting there. You know, I'm not writing a blog. Instead of doing that, I'm doing that. And so when I'm at work, I'm at work. Game on. That's what I do. And I'm not doing 63 other things. Then when I go home, I turn it off. I'm not gonna sit. I'm gonna take 73 emails during dinner with my wife. The problem I think people have is they get all this anxiety because they're trying to do two or three things at one time. They're trying to be a great mom or dad while simultaneously working at home on their computer. Or they're supposed to be working at work. Instead they're on the dadgum Facebook page trying to be a friend to somebody. So you ought to be where you are, wherever you find your feet, be plugged in there. Be 100% on that. And then what we did tactically in the old days, because I drive so hard, I had to learn. I actually learned this at a marriage conference we went to. To stop at the bottom of the street before I go home and just sit and listen to a praise and worship song. I Just got changed gears to reset. I gotta change gears. Cause I can't use the same tonality, energy level weapons on my family that I've been using to fight battles all day long. So I need to reset. And the guy said, the other thing he said was when you get home in the olden days, the warrior would take his musket or his sword off and put it above the mantle. I'm changing gears from warrior to dad or warrior to mom. The other thing we did tactically was we just said, okay, there's some things that are important and we're going to signal to the family that they are more important than work by doing those things. So in the high school years, Rachel referenced that, you know, 100% of the prom dates were on the calendar before we start booking live events. And we just simply, well, we have a venue and the only time it's available is then we're not going because I'm going to be home cleaning my gun when that young man picks up my daughter. And so we're going to have a, have a discussion here.

[Rachel Cruz]

And before you were much nicer than that.

[Dave Ramsey]

Not much, but, but the. I mean, I'm going to be having a thing. And you know, Daniel, I coached his ice hockey team growing up. And you know, I, we just put the ice hockey schedule on there and I worked around it because it generally was in the evenings and weekends and so on event or speaking gig or something. Come across some of those things. We just can't go. I've got, I've got nine year olds, I have to count that are counting on me. So I got to be down there. I can't take that gig. And so we just set things on the calendar. But then when I needed to go work, you know, on a weekend and I might have missed a. I made no attempt to make every stinking softball, soccer, hockey.

[George Camel]

Imagine with three kids, there's always something.

[Dave Ramsey]

It's impossible. It's impossible. I made no attempt to be that guy. But that's not work, life, balance, that's out of balance. If you have 73 sports for your kids and you make every single game, you are not in balance by definition. And so, you know, that's the kind of stuff. So anyway, that's. But we just said prioritize, be where you are 100% and prioritize some things to where we're setting the bar, that marriage is first, kids are second, work is third, and above all of that is God. And that's the priority. And so, you know, we're gonna lay it out that way, and we're gonna actually live our lives in a way that indicates that that's true.

[Rachel Cruz]

I will say, as a Brentwood Middle cheerleader, I remember basketball games. You and mom coming to watch us cheer. So y'all did come. It may sound like I was not.

[Dave Ramsey]

At every game, but I remember you were. What'd they call you? A flyer.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was a flyer.

[Dave Ramsey]

A flyer.

[George Camel]

Wait, that mean you were in the air?

[Dave Ramsey]

That means she was the little kid and they would toss her.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was.

[George Camel]

That's the most frightened. But I met.

[Rachel Cruz]

But here's the thing. Here's the secret to it all. I can't touch my toes. My hamstrings are very tight. I'm not a very flexible person. So when they started advancing the Flyers, where you had to, like, do the thing where you, like, hold your leg up, or the Scorpion. I got kicked out. I wasn't a flyer anymore.

[George Camel]

Yikes. Anyways, didn't hurt your confidence.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's a little Rachel background that you.

[George Camel]

It's my turn.

[Rachel Cruz]

May or may. Didn't know. What?

[Dave Ramsey]

True confessions.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, it is your turn.

[Dave Ramsey]

True confessions.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

So we talked about what you are willing to splurge on to treat yourself. What's one thing you still refuse to spend money on? You're just like, I'm not. I'm not gonna spend a dime on that. It's not worth the upgrade or the charge or whatever.

[Dave Ramsey]

What I learned from watching rich people, I want to model after that is that if I'm going to spend what feels like money, a lot of money, on something, whatever that means. I want to get something of high quality that's going to last even. Maybe even generationally. So what I refuse to spend money on is cheap stuff. That's not going to last. Instead, I'll double the amount and buy one good one instead of five bad ones.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, and quality over quantity.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

So we're opposite. That's great.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Yeah. I guess your. Your Amazon history is pretty light compared to Rachel's.

[Dave Ramsey]

I don't have an Amazon. That's how light it is.

[George Camel]

There we go.

[Dave Ramsey]

My wife has one, and I participate in hers occasionally, but that's about it.

[George Camel]

We pay good money.

[Dave Ramsey]

I don't even have an account. Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, man. You're missing out.

[George Camel]

Fun life on the other side.

[Rachel Cruz]

There's a lot of.

[George Camel]

There's so much stuff on Amazon. You should check it out sometime. That's a fun one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, Are there any large purchases that.

[Dave Ramsey]

You'Ve ever regretted probably more than in the early days, you know, before all this stuff happened. I mean, I bought a Jaguar when.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was broke to say soon, in the last like five years, was there something really expensive that you really bought that you were like, eh, I should have.

[Dave Ramsey]

The worst one was 2003 when we.

[George Camel]

Signed the 21 years ago when.

[Dave Ramsey]

Five score. You can't go back five years. I'm sorry, I don't have one. But I remember it distinctly because it was, you know, it's a problem. And so we did the total money makeover deal and I got this massive check with the publisher we were working with at the time. The check hit my account the day I got to New York City to start the book tour. And I had been researching an expensive watch. And I thought, okay, I'm gonna celebrate this largest check I've ever seen in my freaking life. And this big deal and the launch of this book and the start of this 43 days. I'm gonna be on the road pushing this book. I'm gonna celebrate. I'm gonna go buy that dadgum watch. I've been looking at it, looking at it, looking at it. And all these people got Rolexes and got super whatever, nice watches, all these cool watches. And the watch was a Breitling watch. And gold, Solid gold. Solid gold band with a diamond bezel and new. It was like in 2003, it was like 60,000 bucks or something. And so I go up on it's 52nd or whatever where all the pawn shops are in New York, right?

[Rachel Cruz]

You bought it from a pawn shop.

[Dave Ramsey]

About four blocks down. Yeah, I bought it for 13,000. Same watch, and the thing weighs like 73 pounds.

[George Camel]

That's solid gold.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's heavy and it's probably pretty gaudy, right?

[Dave Ramsey]

It's bad. And it, you know, it, you know, the, the, the fabulous watches, the expensive ones all have a. They wind when you move them. You don't. They don't have. They're not quartz movement, they're not digital, you know, and so you got to keep. You got to maintain the dead gum thing. Don't even keep time, you know, it's like this super expensive thing. And then if you don't do it just right, the timing, the time's off versus something like, you know, my golf watch, it's just automatic. It's gps. It sets itself with the phone and everything else. I don't think about it again. It's the right time. Who knew? And you know, so I got disgusted with the thing and put it. It's gaudy. Doesn't keep good time. It's heavy. I put it in the safe and then I thought, well, I'll trade it for something. I'll get a. At least get a Rolex or something else. I'll trade it. I can't give the stupid thing away. So it's like. It's like. Sits in my safe glare.

[Rachel Cruz]

You still have it?

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah, I've still got it. It sits in my safe glaring at me.

[George Camel]

We need a photo of this.

[Rachel Cruz]

We need this watch.

[George Camel]

That's amazing. Will you hand it down to your kids? As a generational.

[Dave Ramsey]

Hand my mistakes down to my kids. I don't know. It glares at me and says, you're stupid every time I open the safe.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow, that's good.

[George Camel]

But you never bought, like, a massage chair that was like. I don't never use the dang thing. Or a sauna, which you guys love.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. You have a sauna too.

[Dave Ramsey]

We use the sauna. We use it.

[George Camel]

So no regrets. You've learned over time.

[Dave Ramsey]

I don't know. I don't have many. If something is quote unquote expensive in ratio to your life, I spend enough time thinking about it. I don't impulse that stuff and studying it to where I generally don't. This watch was closer to an impulse like this celebration that should have never occurred. And that's good.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, let's do. We got a few minutes. George, let's go. Lightning round. Okay, let's get a few more in there before we go.

[George Camel]

Best meal you've ever had.

[Dave Ramsey]

Fine dining with wine. Pairings is like my favorite sport. So the, like, a lot of best things in your life, things are relative. So I remember some of the first few times that we did like a chef's tasting with pairings, and I'd never done that before. It was out of my league.

[George Camel]

It was like 13 tiny courses.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah, well. Or just really well done. Eight courses or whatever. Seven courses. But I mean, the first five or six times I did that, my mind was just. It was like the best thing ever, every bite.

[George Camel]

Just like that.

[Dave Ramsey]

But you can get used to it like anything else. And so now I'm a little bit more selective with that, I guess. But I'm not like a foodie, but I do enjoy that stuff and I enjoy the quality and the experiential again, part of it. But yeah, that's. We did one of those in Paris one time at the Four Seasons and dropped some serious coin on the wine and stuff. And it was memorable. Wow.

[George Camel]

Well, paired with that what is your kind of guilty pleasure? Like just fast food, late night. No one needs to know about this. Where are you rolling through? What are you getting?

[Rachel Cruz]

Are we going Sonic? We going Taco Bell? We going none of that shalotsky filet o fish, perhaps?

[Dave Ramsey]

No, no.

[George Camel]

I make rib.

[Dave Ramsey]

I might hit a cheese's chicken. I might hit Chick Fil A. Ooh.

[George Camel]

What'S the order of Chick fil A?

[Dave Ramsey]

So that people know Chicken sandwich, but probably pizza is probably it yet, actually.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yes. Good. Good pizza.

[George Camel]

That's where you get it from.

[Dave Ramsey]

I know by it.

[George Camel]

Honestly, genetics.

[Dave Ramsey]

I honestly. I got nowhere. I just hate fast general fast food.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, it's so good, it makes me sick. You should try Wendy's. I get spicy chicken sandwich, mozzarella sticks from Sonic.

[Dave Ramsey]

Those things are 73 years old.

[Rachel Cruz]

Cheese curds from Culver's. Phenomenal.

[Dave Ramsey]

Okay, wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, real quick. Most influential person that you've met that you were a little bit starstruck.

[Dave Ramsey]

You know, I guess from going broke, I lost my fear of man. It's not that I'm, like, arrogant about it or I just don't.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. But who's like, one person?

[Dave Ramsey]

I'm trying to think somebody.

[Rachel Cruz]

Even just someone that you met that you're like. That was great.

[Dave Ramsey]

George W. Bush. I interviewed him twice and had lunch with him. And yeah, my pulse rate probably changed on that. But I wasn't. I don't know if I was. Starstruck is a bit more.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's okay. You can say it. It's fine.

[Dave Ramsey]

That's good.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's a good one, though. I mean, for any. Any sitting former president, to me is like a. That's a bucket list for me. I would love to meet a president. Not just anyone, just any president. Anyone.

[George Camel]

Make it happen, Dave. Come on. You've interviewed many. Now it's time.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just let me know. Bring Rachel along and just let me know. All right. What's your drink of choice?

[Dave Ramsey]

Bourbon.

[George Camel]

Neat or on.

[Dave Ramsey]

On the rocks.

[Rachel Cruz]

Favorite bourbon, though.

[Dave Ramsey]

Big Rock.

[Rachel Cruz]

Give your favorite.

[Dave Ramsey]

Always my favorite child. No, there's. Oh, so many.

[George Camel]

What about the Angels? Envy Unicorn? Is that up there for you?

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah, it's in the top 10, but it's a barrel pick. We did that will never happen again. And so. Yeah.

[George Camel]

Which is the ultimate flex. I feel like it's like. It's kind of like. Yeah, it's a band you can never listen to.

[Dave Ramsey]

It doesn't exist. So.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right. I went through some. And I went on this one. Selfish. What was it like raising Rachel?

[George Camel]

Did you Put this one in. Nobody asked that.

[Dave Ramsey]

How do you raise a child that's so humble?

[George Camel]

How'd you do it?

[Rachel Cruz]

How'd I do it?

[George Camel]

Self proclaimed.

[Dave Ramsey]

You know, Rachel, she was fun. She was a fun kid. Obviously more fun than the others. We could say, no, she's just wide open. More fun and more trouble. But the. I remember she was about 4 and we took the youth path. We were broke, but we got this neighbor of ours, owned this little restaurant and we decided, he said, come here's some cards, come over and eat. And we don't get to go out and eat because we had no money. So we're gonna go take these cards. And we grabbed the youth pastor at church after church said, hey, jump in. So David jumped in the car with us and the three little kids and we're driving along this old beat up car going out to eat. And you know, when you got little kids, yours aren't old enough yet to know this, but before you get to the restaurant, you have to give a speech. I'm going to kill you. Here's what's gonna happen if you do not behave inside this restaurant. Here's what's gonna happen. I'm going to pull.

[Rachel Cruz]

It was the Olive Garden, wasn't it?

[Dave Ramsey]

No, this wasn't Olive Garden. This is a different story. We're pulling into the parking lot and I said, all right, you guys got it. We're gonna go in here, sit. You're not wild animals. You're humans. You're gonna sit here, you're gonna say please and thank you. You know, gave him the speech, the dad speech, Right. And I left out something. So Rachel pops up from the backseat and says, and no fits. David, that youth pastor for the rest of our lives, said, Rachel said, and no Fiats. With that good Southern accent.

[Rachel Cruz]

Don't you throw fiats.

[Dave Ramsey]

Because Rachel, Rachel might have thrown a fit.

[Rachel Cruz]

Don't throw a fit.

[George Camel]

That was your thing, was your signature move.

[Rachel Cruz]

So much happening.

[George Camel]

She always loved the drama. Well, you've always said, what was your.

[Rachel Cruz]

You.

[George Camel]

You've said if we didn't aim her at something, she was going to.

[Dave Ramsey]

We had to aim her at something because she was going to go off. Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Me.

[George Camel]

Yeah, yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wait, what?

[George Camel]

It was like you were such a wild child that we had to, like.

[Dave Ramsey]

Give her some structure, a lot of energy and a lot of talent. And a lot of it was either going to be used for the devil or it was going to be used for God. So you got to aim it at something.

[Rachel Cruz]

Right. So they put in jail or share.

[George Camel]

Just be glad you end up.

[Rachel Cruz]

And we have one of those. We have one of those. I think every family does, right? Where you're like, all right, this one is like the.

[George Camel]

That's how God teaches us.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's the one. And it's usually the middle child.

[George Camel]

You had the bowling bumpers so that you didn't end up in the gutter.

[Dave Ramsey]

They turn. They turn into something.

[George Camel]

That's why.

[Rachel Cruz]

This. Or this or this.

[George Camel]

I've got one. What are you most proud of? Personally and professionally, maybe and.

[Dave Ramsey]

Or professionally, personally. It's easy. I didn't grow up in a Christian family. And so God's intersection with my life and how much it's changed how I do everything, how I view everything, and then how it's changed my marriage and how it's changed my kids and now my grandkids, because we're weird. I mean, we actually have all three kids that we like, and they all turned out. And we like their spouses. We like their spouses so much, I actually do stuff with their spouse's parents. Wow. So, like, Winston's dad, Buddy and I go hunting together. I mean, we hang out. I like Buddy Cruise without Winston around, even that's not a requirement, you know, so it's not like Menador. So we're really, really, really blessed that way. I'm very, very proud of that. Of course, nothing is perfect, but it's. Compared to other people that we know and the families we see torn asunder by whatever craziness, we're really blessed. I'm very proud of that. It turned out it worked. You know, God's ways of doing things, including family work. And so professionally, it would be our team. We have an incredible team at Ramsey, and I have. And the leadership team. The other people here have worked very, very hard, very hard, with a lot of anxiety, a lot of stress, a lot of hours, a lot of tears, a lot of anger to form that team. Get the right people on the bus. As Jim Collins says, the wrong people off the bus, right people on the right seats on the bus. But the quality of human being all through Ramsey, it's unparalleled. And that's a professional accomplishment. Again, it's God's blessing, but it's a professional accomplishment, and I'm very proud of him.

[George Camel]

Well, I can speak to that because I met my wife here, and my joke was, if she's good enough for Dave, she's plenty good for me. If you can make it through the.

[Dave Ramsey]

Interview process, you can get through Ramsey's interview. Yeah, you're joining the FBI, the CIA. Easy.

[George Camel]

Exactly. Person of high character right there.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. It is a good team. I was thinking about all of you.

[George Camel]

Guys, the people that we're looking at. It's not just Rachel.

[Rachel Cruz]

It really.

[George Camel]

She's part of the team. Technically, you're part of it.

[Rachel Cruz]

I am part of it. Yes, I know, technically. But that is one thing I do tell people is I'm like, you know, I don't know, something will be talking about work and I'm like, I do feel like I live in a bubble here and maybe it's, you know, the 50 people that I'm like surrounded with. I mean there's, I'm sure there's others, but like genuinely the people that I interact with, every. I'm like, I genuinely enjoy our team. Like, we laugh, it's funny, it is enjoyable. We like fight hard. Even in meetings that there's like a, like a disagreement. Like that's even fun where it's like, okay, let's fight. Like, we really do fight for the customer and like what we're doing. So, yeah, I agree with you.

[George Camel]

When you have co stars like me, I imagine it's easy to enjoy your job.

[Rachel Cruz]

Good news, George. You make a hot knife through butter. Working with you, George, I felt so lucky.

[George Camel]

I couldn't even get co star out. And mean it was that. Wow. No, it's true. People ask me what my favorite part of my job and I'd say it's not a thing I do. It's the team I work with. I mean, seriously, it's the meetings behind the scenes more than in farming.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm not kidding. That is like a yes. Because there's a lot of miserable people. A lot of people work with miserable people.

[George Camel]

And yeah, we breathe rare air.

[Dave Ramsey]

We've had a few, but they just don't get to stay.

[Rachel Cruz]

They just don't get to stay.

[George Camel]

Are you out of questions?

[Rachel Cruz]

I think we're done. I don't know. Should we keep.

[George Camel]

Are you emotional? I went through scan through and choose a fun one.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know, I just. Well, my fun one was me. I asked about raising me when I started.

[George Camel]

And there's the humility.

[Rachel Cruz]

Showing drink of choice.

[Dave Ramsey]

When in doubt.

[Rachel Cruz]

What's the best piece of non financial advice that you could give?

[Dave Ramsey]

You know, I was in my 20s and Sharon and I had just gotten married and I went to this sales conference and the speaker was incredible. He really did a good job. And he got up at the end of the talk and he said, each of you in Here are. There are four components to your life. And if you want to be successful, if you want to have a high quality, rich life, you have to feed your intellect. So you need to read good nonfiction books and add to your knowledge base.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not like murder mystery, like kidnappings, too.

[Dave Ramsey]

I read fiction books. They make airplanes fly fast. But I'm talking about you need to add to your knowledge base if you're going to be successful. You have to grow your intellect, you take care of your body. You get one. Garbage in, garbage out. I mean, take care of your body. You need to deal with your past and your emotional state and figure out how you navigate forward based on where you came from. And everyone's got something there that they get to deal with. And so the emotional, the intellectual, the physical, and the fourth one's the spiritual. And he said, if you don't know this man named Jesus, you need to get introduced. It'll change everything, change the way you do relationships. It changes the way you walk out with your spouse, with your kids, with your business, your leadership, your sales technique. It changes everything. And it changes your eternity because you get to spend it with him. And so if you don't know him, you need to get introduced. And so I think that's probably a pretty good plan.

[George Camel]

And that was in your early 20s.

[Rachel Cruz]

That was the first introduction to Jesus for you, right?

[Dave Ramsey]

I came home and told Sharon we're going to church. And she said, who are you and what have you done with my husband?

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Who are you? She's like, now pick the Baptist church or the Methodist church. Flip a coin. We're going somewhere. All right, wait, wait, hold on. Before we get to that, can we just talk about our world today online and how much of our information is out there? Put that.

[George Camel]

Yeah, we can talk about it. It's fine.

[Rachel Cruz]

I just. Really bothers me, George. I just feel like I'm everywhere on the Internet.

[George Camel]

That's how you know you're getting older.

[Rachel Cruz]

And not because of, like, the fact that we have a podcast like this and a YouTube show. But everyone's info is out there on the Internet because of how often you guys. We are filling out forms, we are creating accounts on different websites. And did you know that hackers love that?

[George Camel]

I knew. Yeah, that makes sense.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not good. That is why I love and I use Delete me because they go through and they go to all these data broker websites and remove your information because people are making money off your information. It's crazy.

[George Camel]

And try this at home. Google your name, your email address, your Phone number. You're going to be shocked at how many weirdo websites have your personal info. And I love knowing that my info is secure and safe. And Delete Me is constantly protecting me from the risks of online scams and data breaches. So check them out. They're going to give you a crazy discount as a listener. 20% off any of their plans. They're already crazy affordable. Go to join deleteme.com smart money to get the deal.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, and it's very inexpensive, so just for, you know, not a lot of money a month. It's amazing how you can protect your information, which is so important these days, you guys. So you must do it. So again, click the link below and check out Delete me. All right, you can draw.

[George Camel]

Thank you. I'm going to end on a fun one. Okay, what has been your most awkward or challenging moment as a consumer? So maybe Dave's out in public and he's buying the thing. I imagine you've had some awkward interactions.

[Dave Ramsey]

Oh, yeah, we've had some fun ones. You know, in general, if somebody has a Dave thing, when I'm dealing with them, they either go one of two ways. They think I'm going to cheap them out and. And they have to give me the best bargain and sell me the stuff at half of what they paid for it, or I'm going to be mad.

[George Camel]

Like I'm going to hard driving.

[Dave Ramsey]

I'm going to beat them down to nothing. Or they think, this guy's got so much money, I'm gonna mess him over and I'm gonna charge him triple charge the day tax I get. Would you just be normal? You know, so in general, we run in. People fall into one or two camps a lot of times there. And they're like, you know, you know, I didn't say anything. I just standing here and trying to, you know. But yeah, the prices tripled. But the fun one was we. There was a place that's closed now that it was an electronic store and Sharon's washer and dryer went out and we went down there on Saturday morning to get one of those new. At that time they were new, those front load, big deal washer and dryers, right. 2,500 bucks or whatever the thing was at the time, I don't remember. And we go in there and I'm like, okay, that's the price. I'm like, have you got last year's model? And he said, yeah, I think we got one back here. Let's go look. I said, then I want A deal on last year's model because it was towards the end of the year. It's got a dent in it that'd even be better, you know, I want to deal on that. And I wasn't trying to just beat the guy up, but I'm, you know, and I.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're being George.

[George Camel]

A little haggling.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah. I thought. I was just asking, just pleasantly asking. And I thought, pardon my ego, that the guy had wrecked. I thought he knew who I was and I was just being kind and, you know, nice and whatever. And let's go. He takes me back there and he goes, okay. He goes, well, it'll be. This one will be 1800 or whatever. The number was less, right? And Sharon said, well, it's not exactly the color I want. And I said, well, what's the price on it? Was the best price. If I cash right now, I'm going to pull out a hundred dollar bills and lay them on you. And he goes, well, you need to add the extended warranty.

[George Camel]

Oh, boy.

[Dave Ramsey]

And I went, no, dude, I was positive he knew who I was.

[Rachel Cruz]

Because you hate extended warranties. Those of you listening on them for.

[Dave Ramsey]

Decades, they're in all the classes, all the books, everything, don't buy extended warranties. So I thought this guy was like, trying to be funny, bad funny. But I'm like, no, no, I don't buy extended warranties. He goes, oh, no, you really need an extended warranty. I'm like, no, dude, not funny. I don't buy extended warranties. And he goes, well, Dave Ramsey shops in here and everything he buys, he puts an extended warranty on. And I went, no. Pretty sure he doesn't.

[George Camel]

Oh, no.

[Dave Ramsey]

Because now I'm starting to realize this. This guy does not know. It's hilarious. And Sharon's looking at me like, oh, God, she wants to leave. It's not going well because my blood pressure is starting to go up. Because this, this guy is not only saying that. He's been telling every customer that comes in, you're not the first that I'll guarantee you. He tells everybody this to sell these stinking extended warranties as if I endorsed it, you know? And he's like. And I'm like, no, I know Dave pretty well. And he. He does not buy extended warranties ever. I don't believe you. And the guy's like, I can show you in the file. I'll guarantee you he buys extended warranties. And I pulled out my driver's license and I handed it to him, and he looked at the License. And he looked at me, and he looked at the license, and he said, oh, expletive about passed out. And I said, sharon, we need to go to the car. Because I'm angry, and I'm going to say something more that I don't need to say. We're just walking out, and he's chasing us towards the car because I've got to get away from because I'm afraid I'm gonna go off on the guy and then he's gonna have a real Dave Ramsey story. Yeah, you know, that's not good. So I can't do that. I don't have that as an option being me. So I have to get. I have to escape. And I'm walking. He's, like, chasing me. Look, I'm sure we can work out a deal. I'm sure we can work out a deal. I can get you the best deal ever. I can get you the best deal ever. And I got to the car, and I. We went to Lowe's and bought it. And the next morning, I got up and told staff meeting. Because when I was happening, it wasn't funny. But the next morning when I woke up, I thought, this poor guy, he is melting in his shoes right now. This is hilarious. And I now. By now, I'm just like, this is funny. This is funny. The poor guy, I mean, he really just got caught with his pants down completely. And so I get up and tell the story of staff meeting, and everybody's laughing on the way. Walking across the parking lot back to the office, seven people stopped me and said, oh, yeah, they tell me that. They told me that. So now I'm mad again.

[George Camel]

What a roller coaster promotion.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah. It's like, oh, my God, this guy. So I picked up the phone, I called them. I said, let me talk to the manager over there. And I said, hey, man, I don't want to be a jerk or anything, but we got a problem. And he goes, I'm so glad you called. Please don't talk about this on the radio. He knew it's a mistake. He goes, there's another Dave Ramsey in another town adjacent to here. I can show you the file. He does buy extended warranties, and it's not you. And we have called every store and we've emailed every store and told them to never say, dave Ramsey buys warranties again. It was part of our sales pitch. We took it out of everything. He goes, we're so sorry. We're so sorry. Don't yell at us. And I said, okay, that's all that's good. So we ended up buying a bunch of stuff from them later. Wow.

[George Camel]

And they still went out of business.

[Dave Ramsey]

And they still went out. That was an awkward experience. Little bit of a long story for your clock, but yeah, there we go.

[George Camel]

Oh, man, I'm sweating thinking about that.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. Those front load washers, they'll get you. I was thinking Sharon probably was like, mom was probably like, but it's a good deal.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah, let's stand here and talk to him. I'm like, no, if I stand here, this is not going to go well.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh. That was too good. Too good. All right, George, you know one thing that needs to be put in the budget, though.

[George Camel]

What's that?

[Rachel Cruz]

It is so worth it is a Cozy Earth product. Anything that they have, sheets, blankets, pajamas, worth every.

[George Camel]

It might be worth its own line item in your every dollar budget.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, probably. George, I feel like you need something. Do you?

[George Camel]

I'm. I'm a man who is now willing to spend on luxury goods. And I like getting a discount on said luxury goods, which is what you get from Cozy Earth because you're a smart money happy hour listener.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know what? I think George needs something right now.

[George Camel]

And just like that, I'm a tiny king, but living.

[Rachel Cruz]

I almost just held your hand.

[George Camel]

I feel loved, I feel seen, I feel known.

[Rachel Cruz]

I feel like you.

[George Camel]

There's not a lot that a big, giant luxury blanket can't fix.

[Rachel Cruz]

And it is so heavy as well. So the fact that it brings so much comfort to your life, it is unbelievable.

[George Camel]

You ever just, like, hug a big fluffy dog and it just gives you so much joy? That's what this feels like.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's unbelievable.

[George Camel]

But it's not made of dog at all, just to be very clear.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, but seriously, their stuff is incredible. Absolutely incredible.

[George Camel]

We have PJs, hoodies, blankets, you name it.

[Rachel Cruz]

If you want quality socks, that's what Winston likes. Now, the Cozy Earth socks.

[George Camel]

I haven't tried the socks.

[Rachel Cruz]

Throw the socks in last minute. Worth the purchase. Worth the purchase. Yeah. And Cozy Earth is giving our listeners an incredible deal.

[George Camel]

Up to 40% off when you use the code smart money or go to cozyearth.com smartmoney because we love a good deal and we love nice things.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

We can do both.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. Well, George, you may have to say goodbye to the blanket.

[George Camel]

You're right. This would be awkward to wear for the rest of the episode.

[Rachel Cruz]

Are you ready?

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

And we're back.

[Rachel Cruz]

So sad.

[George Camel]

I feel cold and Lifeless without my blanket. But we have a guest here. Rachel, back to the conversation.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, thanks for answering all the viewers questions there.

[Dave Ramsey]

We did.

[George Camel]

Hopefully it didn't feel like an interrogation.

[Rachel Cruz]

How does it feel? How's smart money happy hour for you?

[Dave Ramsey]

Oh, awesome.

[George Camel]

Best show you've ever been on?

[Dave Ramsey]

Oh, yeah, definitely this week. Best show I've ever been on today.

[George Camel]

I'm sure you're proud it's on the Ramsey network. And one of the best shows on the Ramsey network.

[Rachel Cruz]

I fully agree because the other ones.

[George Camel]

Are like our shows, so we're kind of competing with ourselves. Well, before we spill the tea in our guilty as charged segment, Rachel, let's share the drink details and reveal our ratings.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. So we're sipping on a.

[George Camel]

Is it a black manhattanhattan? And the difference here in the black Manhattan, the Michael Reddish mixologist signature. It's got rye whiskey and amaro instead of sweet vermouth, and it's got black walnut bitters, orange bitters, and of course a brandied cherry. And it costs $4.52 for each of these. So drink up. We paid cash for these, Dave. Come on.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah, let's bring it.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's a high price.

[George Camel]

I'm gonna rate this. I mean, I would order this at a fancy cocktail bar and happily pay good money for it. So I'm giving this a 10 out of 10.

[Dave Ramsey]

Whoa.

[George Camel]

I could not improve on it.

[Dave Ramsey]

Wow.

[George Camel]

I can't make a better.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm going nine out of 10. Just because it's not my. A bourbon based cocktail is not my favorite.

[George Camel]

Not your thing these days?

[Rachel Cruz]

No. Do you remember Manhattan's used to be when we would all travel for live events after a long event, we would, you know, a lot of us, but old fashions in Manhattan, that's all.

[Dave Ramsey]

We would order good bourbon. You got to mix it with something.

[Rachel Cruz]

And now it would be different. I would do a dirty martini.

[George Camel]

Oh, wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. I've switched.

[Dave Ramsey]

Look at you.

[Rachel Cruz]

I've gone. Yeah, I've switched.

[George Camel]

That means you're becoming middle aged.

[Rachel Cruz]

Stop it.

[George Camel]

That's what happens. It's a rite of passage for all moms.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, really.

[George Camel]

Eventually they switch to dirty martinis. It's fine. All right. What's your rating, Dave? Did you give it a rating? You don't have to be generous, you know, Michael. Very.

[Rachel Cruz]

Be honest. Yeah. Because you just like bourbon.

[Dave Ramsey]

I, I, you're not really a cocktail. I'm not liking the black walnut in there.

[George Camel]

Okay. Hitting you weird.

[Dave Ramsey]

I don't like that, that bitters through it for me. But, yeah, probably six or seven somewhere in there.

[George Camel]

That's pretty good.

[Rachel Cruz]

6.5. We'll tell him. He texts us after every episode.

[George Camel]

What'd you rate it?

[Rachel Cruz]

What'd you rate it? So we will let them know that. We'll let Michael know.

[Dave Ramsey]

He knows I don't mix my bourbon with stuff.

[George Camel]

Yeah, he know. He should have.

[Rachel Cruz]

He should have known better. Michael. Unbelievable.

[George Camel]

Well, hey, if you want to see who's right, is it me or Dave? It's Dave. But you can get the recipe in the show notes if you want to try it for yourself. You decide.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, now it's time for Guilty As Charged. And this is where our producer, Kelly gives us a new Guilty as Charged question every week. And if we're guilty, we take a sip. Kelly.

[Dave Ramsey]

All right, whatever it is, I'm taking a sip.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, go ahead.

[George Camel]

Have you ever been awkward around someone.

[Rachel Cruz]

Famous or someone that you really respected? Yes.

[Dave Ramsey]

Oh, no. I know this story. Oh, this.

[George Camel]

Have I heard this story?

[Rachel Cruz]

Don't. Oh, now you have to. We have to hear it. This is my worst. This is one of my worst.

[George Camel]

If I could ever veto Dave, I'm like, I'm gonna use that card right now to say, please tell the story.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. We're gonna. Yeah, this is an honest.

[George Camel]

It can be edited out later.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, stop it. Stop. It's not that bad. It's not that bad. Yeah. My worst celebrity experience, we were in Las Vegas because dad Dave was being inducted into the Radio hall of Fame, which was a really big deal.

[George Camel]

That's amazing.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, it was incredible. Yeah. So we all flew out as a family. Cause we all went as a family and went to this, like, you know, they had a big ceremony the night before. We were eating at a restaurant, and everyone was talking about the guy that owned the restaurant. And I don't watch the Food Network. I don't. I don't watch cooking shows. I don't know famous chefs. Like, that's not my thing. And Bobby Flay owns the restaurant. And this was a pairing exactly like you're talking about. And Sweet Rachel in her, like, early 20s that didn't get these experiences, is very excited. I talk a lot. You know, I'm having my probably dirty martini, probably my Manhattan, you know, and you get wine pairing, you know, all of it. So anyways, I mean, I think. I think it's fair to say toward the end of the dinner, I was like, oh, wow. I probably didn't eat enough for the whole pairing situation.

[Dave Ramsey]

You know, that's how we explain it.

[Rachel Cruz]

So I am. Yeah. So it's a. Yeah. So I'm just like, oh, yeah. Okay. So we're getting out of the restaurant, and everyone's, like, chattering in our group, and they're like, oh, my gosh, he's here. He's here. He's actually in town. He's coming up to, like, say hi and congratulations. I was like, what are y'all talking about? And they were like, bobby Flay is coming. He's coming up. He's coming up just to say hello, and everyone's freaking out. And I'm like, oh, my God. I don't know. He is. But Rachel is very like, I want to meet him.

[George Camel]

Like, you don't know who this guy is? You go, I want to meet him.

[Rachel Cruz]

I do. Because everyone's freaking out.

[Dave Ramsey]

So you're like, his name's on the front of the restaurant. I got to meet him.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. So it's like, I don't know. And so he comes up. He's talking.

[George Camel]

This cannot end well.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's not good. It's not good. Yeah. Well, I first woke up again. Rachel's.

[George Camel]

Yeah, you're not seven. You're in your mid-20s. You act like I was just a mere child.

[Dave Ramsey]

She's kind of bashful.

[Rachel Cruz]

And I just. The first thing I said was, hi. I said, hi, Bobby Flynn. Ready for this? I don't know why. Hi. Oh, I'm Dave Ramsey's wife. And mom and dad were like, rachel.

[George Camel]

And I was like, oh, my God.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, not his wife. I'm his daughter. Sorry. Bobby Flynn. I'm his daughter. I said his name wrong. Twice. Twice. And Amy Severson, who's on our team, was there, and she grabs my arm and she says, hey, let's go over here, Rachel, you know, And. Yeah. And we walked out, and they said, his name is Bobby Flay.

[Dave Ramsey]

This was so.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh.

[Dave Ramsey]

Painful to watch.

[Rachel Cruz]

It was terrible. It was terrible.

[George Camel]

But I really want to know. I want to hear Bobby Flay's version of this.

[Rachel Cruz]

He probably doesn't remember it, but in my head, it was my worst interaction. Yeah.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Uhhuh.

[Dave Ramsey]

Overly excited chick at the restaurant.

[George Camel]

Yes. Wow. Well, Rachel, if it makes you feel better, I'm guilty, too. Mine's way more recent. I was in my early 30s.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, tell us.

[George Camel]

Dave was there. And Dave reminds me of the story all the time. I was at an event that Dave put up.

[Dave Ramsey]

Both of them.

[George Camel]

Dave put on for an event for guys.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

Men that he respects. I happen to get. I was a late addition to the list say that?

[Rachel Cruz]

No, George.

[George Camel]

And there's some, like. There's some, like, big time people there, you know, I'm not gonna name drop. This was a famous comedian. He's got a big podcast. And I was filming a magic trick that was happening that he was involved with. Thought, this will be a cool.

[Rachel Cruz]

I heard this story, George.

[George Camel]

To see this magic trick, you know, come to life. We're four and a half minutes into this trick, things aren't going as planned, and he sees me filming and goes, hey, are you filming? I was like, oh, I'm just. Anyway, I gotta get out of here. And I. Apparently, to Dave's. Dave's version, I forced him to leave the party because of how uncomfortable I made him. And to this day, I think about it every night before bed and I feel terrible. I didn't know that it was gonna make him uncomfortable, you know? Yeah, we're used to camera. He's used to cameras. This particular incident, he wasn't having it.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're just filming them right there.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh.

[George Camel]

So I haven't lived that one down. Don't know if I'll make it back on the invite list, but.

[Dave Ramsey]

Oh, you're fine. I'm just gonna take your phone away from you at the door.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I've learned. I've learned that's for consent before.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's a good one. That's a good one.

[Dave Ramsey]

That's a good one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep.

[George Camel]

And Dave's never been awkward around anyone.

[Dave Ramsey]

I'm awkward about everybody. It's just a problem. I don't know. I. Yeah, I mean, the first time I was on the Today Show, Matt Lauer was on and Katie Couric was on, and I'm just like. Me and Matt are sitting right there, and we did the little interview thing and my little scissors. I'm chopping up credit cards. And it was the, you know, a classic routine I'd done a bazillion times, but never done on the Today show. So I'm like, oh, this is cool. I'm just happy to be here. Life's good. And so Katie's over there at the desk, you know, across the room. They had, like, three sets in the room. Big, big studio. And so, like, oh, hi, Katie Couric. And she says, hi, Dave Ramsey. So I start walking towards her to say hi and shake her hand, and like, three security guys jump between us. And I'm like, okay. Not shaking her hand.

[George Camel]

Goodness gracious. You were a guest on the set. It's not like you were a stranger.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, but those morning show, it's a. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not in a bad way.

[Dave Ramsey]

I mean, those. They were the stars of the show in those days. I mean, they were the. They were hot commodity. So. Actually, Matt wasn't. He was just starting then, but. But Katie was a big deal. Wow. And yeah, I mean it. I'm sure they worried some weird guy from Tennessee with a huge set of scissors.

[George Camel]

You were holding the scissors. Here I am. Maybe put the scissors down.

[Dave Ramsey]

They were scissor hands. Attack Katie Couric.

[George Camel]

Don't approach Katie with scissors, Katie. Those are big scissors you have. Wow. All right. I guess this is the first time we're all guilty.

[Rachel Cruz]

All guilty. Cheers to that. Cheers to the guilt.

[Dave Ramsey]

We're in enough rooms with famous people. We got lots of things to be guilty about on that one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Bobby Flay. Never forget you never forget. Never forget.

[Dave Ramsey]

Bobby Flynn.

[Rachel Cruz]

Bobby Flynn. Oh, so fun. Well, if you guys enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out that we actually have an episode about cheapskate or resourceful with Sharon Ramsey, his better half. So we'll make sure to leave that episode. You can check it out here or if you're listening on podcast, we'll leave a link in the description. Cause that's a fun one for sure. Dave, dad, thanks for being here, being a great guest.

[Dave Ramsey]

Y'all are fun. This was a lot of fun.

[George Camel]

One of my favorites. Not the favorite, but one of my favorites.

[Dave Ramsey]

I can't.

[George Camel]

We had Sharon on.

[Dave Ramsey]

You be careful with that. It'll get you in trouble.

[Rachel Cruz]

But yeah, it was so good. All right.

[Dave Ramsey]

I don't get to drink on other shows, so this is interesting.

[George Camel]

Yes, it's a real treat for him.

[Rachel Cruz]

This is so fun. So fun. All right, you guys, well, make sure to like and subscribe and we'll see you next Thursday on an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.

[George Camel]

What's up, guys? George Camel here. I know there's lots of influencers on social media telling you which cryptocurrency to invest in for your star sign or which tech startup is definitely maybe going to be the next Microsoft. But seriously, investing can feel confusing and stressful and it doesn't have to be that way. That's why I'm pumped to be hosting Investing Essentials with the man himself, Dave Ramsey. This is a two night virtual event where we're gonna deep dive into investing. We're gonna talk about how to get the most out of your 401k and mutual funds and share strategies for staying confident in your investments. Plus, we'll give you the inside scoop on popular investment trends to follow and the ones you need to avoid. It's also the only event where you're gonna hear Dave Ramsey unpack his personal playbook. Look for how he made millions in real estate investing. Now, I know what you're thinking. How could this possibly get better? Well, it's virtual, so you don't even have to leave your house to watch. Join us live on March 4th and 5th to start investing with confidence. Tickets start at 199 bucks. Get yours at ramsaysolutions. Com events.