Smart Money Happy Hour – Reviewing 2025: The Good, the Bad and the Unhinged!

Podcast: Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze & George Kamel
Host: Ramsey Network
Episode: Reviewing 2025: The Good, the Bad and the Unhinged!
Date: December 25, 2025

Episode Overview

In this festive and reflective Christmas episode, Rachel Cruze and George Kamel celebrate the end of 2025 by recapping the year’s biggest moments in pop culture, personal highlights, major money news, and memorable show moments. With humor, honesty, and highlights from their own lives, the duo covers the trends that united the nation, economic ups and downs, and even their infamous on-air drink ratings. It’s a breezy, nostalgic look back at a “wild ride” of a year, inviting listeners to reflect, laugh, and look forward to what’s next.

Key Segments & Timestamps

• [00:05] Christmas intro & episode premise
• [02:26] Personal highlights of 2025
• [04:11] Pop culture highlights of the year
• [15:21] Financial news & trends of 2025
• [24:07] Show highlights & notable guest moments
• [33:42] Best & worst drinks of the year
• [36:38] Reflections and takeaways for the new year
• [40:05] “Guilty as Charged” segment

Personal Highlights: Life in 2025

[02:26–04:11]

• Rachel and George kick off the recap by sharing their biggest life changes this year.

  • Rachel: Work has been great, but the standout is how quickly her kids are growing— "Charles went from preschool to kindergarten. My last one. And I cried, George. At the end of preschool." [03:20]
  • George: Welcomed baby Henry and moved house—"Everything feels new, and I'm figuring it out all over again." [02:36]

• Both agree that 2025 felt, "like the longest decade of a year" [01:29], but give the year a solid A-minus: "I'm exhausted, you know?" —George [04:01]

Pop Culture Highlights of 2025

[04:11–15:21]

The “6+7” Meme

• Rachel describes the viral nonsensical “six, seven” trend among Gen Z— "I know it's what they do, and I don't get it, but...they wanna be a part of something big and they feel like they're cool." [04:32]
• George’s advice: “It’s annoying, but harmless, you know? Parents, just move on.” [05:53]

Super Bowl & Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake

• Both hosts admit needing to Wikipedia the Lamar/Drake beef for context, but appreciated being "in the know."
  • Rachel: "That was fun, though. I liked being in the know. After I Googled." [06:19]
  • George: "I had to, like, go to a Wikipedia page to understand the backstory and the beef." [06:10]

Katy Perry Goes to Space

• Katy Perry’s space mission (with an all-female crew) goes viral, but public responses are mixed.
  • "She said in her post mission interview, Katy Perry, 'I just feel really connected to love.'" —George [06:53]
  • The internet obsesses over her not kissing the ground directly: "She had a little mat down, like a towel. Like, she wasn't actually kissing the dirt." —Rachel [07:03]
  • Rachel reflects on the public backlash and conspiracy theories: "Did they actually even go...the door shouldn't open both ways." [07:55]

Coldplay CEO Scandal

• A company CEO caught in an affair at a Coldplay concert suddenly puts Coldplay (and their unrelated ex-wife, Gwyneth Paltrow) all over the internet.
  • Rachel: “That thing took off bigger than...I mean, it is really... But also, don't go to a public concert.” [08:30]
  • George: “Like, how did you not think, like, someone might see me? I'm the CEO of a fairly public company.” [08:39]
  • Both marvel at Gwyneth Paltrow’s involvement in the aftermath—"It was too good. But anyways, for a moment, we all united and it felt good." —Rachel [08:59]

Big Business Moves

• Hailey Bieber sells Road Beauty to ELF Cosmetics for $1B:

  • "What am I doing wrong? Should I start a makeup company?" —George [09:28]
  • "Good for Hailey." —Rachel [10:00]
  • They ponder how payouts work at that level, with Rachel wondering, "What hit the Bieber’s account?" [10:17]

• Taylor Swift Engagement:

  • Rachel confesses to being emotionally invested: “We've all been on the journey with her...Like, I knew people that went to Hendersonville High School with her...” [11:10]
  • George jokes: “Wow. I hope you get invited to the wedding.” [11:12]
  • Rachel hopes for a private wedding, not a media circus: “She doesn't need, like, People magazine to...give an exclusive.” [12:07]
  • George’s wild idea: “I think they should do pay per view livestream, and the money goes to charity.” [12:14]

• Wicked Part 2 and Family Traditions:

  • Rachel’s daughter dressed as Elphaba for Halloween; George admits movies are tough with a newborn.

Funniest Drink-Moment Callback

• Rachel on the “paint and sip” episode: “When we turned those pictures around, George, was I offended.” [30:49]
• George: “Let’s show them...Are you not entertained?” [31:01]

2025 Financial News & Insights

[15:21–24:07]

Market Highs & Investment Advice

• S&P 500 and “everything up”— "It's a roller coaster, but we're gonna enjoy the click, click, click to the top." —Rachel [15:38]
• "The key is you actually have to be invested to see that return...just invest in a boring index fund or mutual fund and you would have seen 20%." —Rachel [16:12]

Shifting Interest Rates & Housing Market

• High interest rates slowly ticking down; home buying environment improving slightly.
  • "It's better than it was...So get in the game if you are looking to be a homeowner." —Rachel [16:53]
• George points out, "Home prices aren't going to shoot down...but less competition. You can actually negotiate." [17:44]

Record Global Debt

• Global debt hits $338T; US responsible for $37.9T (11%).
  • Rachel: “We need a pay per view thing happening here.” [18:23]
• George invokes AI ("Chat GPT") to confirm US, China, and Japan as top holders of world debt. Rachel jokes about the uncanny AI assistant: “I don't like her.” [19:58]

Political & Legal News

• Trump’s tariffs: Increased household costs by ~$1,300/year.
  • "Trump's tariffs have increased consumer costs for a lot of Americans." —George [21:31]
• No tax on tips up to $25K: Big win for service industry workers.
  • "I think that's fair. I'm not against it, especially for service workers..." —George [22:20]

Show & Guest Highlights

[24:07–33:42]

• Expanded from “friends & family” to notable guests:
  • Ramsey family (Sharon & Dave); spouses Winston and Whitney
    • “Winnie and Winston just show the better halves of us.” —Rachel [25:36]
  • Rachel’s daughters, Caroline and Amelia
    • “When you give a kid a hot mic and you're just like, all right, we'll see what happens.” —Rachel [24:47]
  • Dr. John DeLoney: “Our most unhinged episode...the rabbit trails that him and George went on. I'm going to blame both of you.” —Rachel [26:05]
  • Matt & Abby (Unplanned Podcast): Net worth rumors and candid behind-the-scenes.
  • Comedian Angela Johnson Reyes: Reveals she was once an extra on Friends: "No, you weren't, girl. Yes." [27:41]

George’s Dream Guests:

• “Taylor Swift and Travis [Kelce] would be fantastic…Reese Witherspoon…Dolly Parton…Nate [Bargatze]” [28:09]

Notable Solo Episodes:

• Fourth of July Quiz (humbled by American trivia), comical “Uncle Sam” Ramsey Show call-in role-play [29:41]
• Hilarious Paint and Sip—disastrous portraits [30:22]
• Rachel’s viral Cozy Earth blanket segment [32:17]

Drink Ratings: Hits & Misses

[33:42–36:38]

Top Cocktails (10/10s)

• Kentucky Colonel
• Banana Old Fashioned
• Tart Cherry Margarita

Bottom Mocktails

• Christmas Slush Mocktail — George: “It wasn't really any. It wasn't really slush. It was just mush.” [34:17]
• Citrus Cardamom Coffee Spritzer — “I gave it a negative 10 out of 10, which is the lowest rating I've ever given anything in my life.” —George [34:55]
• Sparkling Strawberry Coconut Mocktail — Rachel: “Coconut's not my favorite. Only on a coconut cake.” [35:25]

Today’s Special: “You’re a Mean One” Grinch Drink

• George: "I'm going seven out of ten. It was actually really, like, I have nothing terrible to say. It just wasn't like, whoa."
• Rachel: "I'm going eight out of ten...If you showed up to a party and someone was like, here's our car, I would be like that and I would drink it." [39:00-39:25]
• Cost per glass: $2.14

Year-End Reflections & Financial Advice

[36:38–40:05]

• Rachel: “You can do a lot in a year. A lot that happens that's out of our control...There is something about the refreshing of the calendar. And you're like, it is a new year and we can do this.” [36:38]
• George: “Even if it was a hard year, you go, all right, I got another at bat. Grateful to be alive, grateful for another year.” [36:47]

Financial encouragement:

• Big January livestream coming—"we always do, like, a big, fun January livestream to kick it off." [36:55]
• Plug for the upgraded EveryDollar budgeting app.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the year’s pace:
  • "It's been the longest decade of a year." —George [01:29]
• About financial news:
  • “The key is you actually have to be invested to see that return.” —Rachel [16:12]
• On generational trends:
  • "It's annoying, but harmless." —George on 'six, seven' meme [05:53]
• On tipping 500% by accident:
  • “I tipped like, 500%...It was a lot of money that I don't know. So anyways, I would...Yeah, have you over. Gone slightly overkill generosity? I did, I did.” —Rachel [43:47–44:46]
• On letting go:
  • “We gotta stop looking at the past...grieve the things that you thought were gonna happen...also be grateful for all the amazing things.” —George [36:38–36:47]
• On reunifying moments:
  • “We were united. We have been divided in so many ways, but this united everyone.” —Rachel, about Coldplay CEO scandal [08:13]

“Guilty as Charged” Segment

[40:05–47:28]

This week’s question:
“Have you ever gone slightly overkill with generosity?”

• Rachel shocks George confessing she once tipped nearly 500% after dinner, using their full monthly “giving” budget: “I did a lot. That's what I'm saying. I tipped this person a lot of money.” [43:47]
• George tried to tip a construction worker $10, but the offer was declined—“The fact that he wouldn't even take it was like, extra kind...what a sweet person, man.” [47:04]

Takeaways

• Reflect, Reset, & Move Forward: The end of the year is a time to look back with gratitude, regardless of how bumpy the ride was, and to look forward to a fresh start—especially with your money.
• Invest for the Long Run: 2025 was a good year for the stock market, but only for those who stayed invested.
• Trends Are Cyclical, But Joy Is Timeless: From the laughably strange “six, seven” meme to massive pop culture moments, what unites us can be unpredictable and silly.
• Generosity (even accidental) can be life-changing: Rachel’s 500% tip story is not just hilarious—it’s a quirky testament to giving, budgeting, and her generous heart.
• Don’t take life— or your annual recap— TOO seriously: Celebrate, reminisce, and enjoy the weirdness and wonders of another year past.

For More

• Watch the January livestream for a financial reset
• Try the new EveryDollar budgeting app
• Check out the most-loved episodes: “Spilling the financial tea with our better halves” (linked in show notes)

Happy Holidays, and cheers to a smart (and fun) 2026!