Spilling the Financial Tea With Our Better Halves

Summary

Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel Episode: Spilling the Financial Tea With Our Better Halves
Release Date: February 13, 2025
Host/Author: Ramsey Network

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of Smart Money Happy Hour, hosts Rachel Cruze and George Kamel invite their better halves, Winston Cruz and Whitney Camel, respectively, to join the conversation. The episode delves into the financial dynamics within their marriages, offering listeners a candid look at how money influences their relationships, decision-making processes, and daily lives.

Getting Acquainted with Their Partners

Meeting Stories:

• Rachel and Winston's First Encounter:
  Winston reminisces about the first time he met Rachel during their college years. Rachel approached their rented house with one of Winston's roommates, leading to what Winston describes as a "bro standoff." Despite a formal handshake, the chemistry was palpable.

  Winston Cruz (02:31): "We were as opposite as it gets."

• George and Whitney's Introduction:
  Whitney shares how George was among the first friendly faces at Ramsey, though their romantic relationship blossomed only after two years of working together. Their shared commitment to financial principles laid a strong foundation for their marriage.

  Whitney Camel (06:41): "She calls the shots. You tell her how much those shots cost and if it's gonna be okay."

Financial Roles in Marriage

Division of Financial Responsibilities:

• Rachel and Winston:
  Winston takes the lead on financial matters, managing bills and maintaining detailed spreadsheets. Rachel, while aware of the accounts, focuses on broader financial goals, ensuring they remain debt-free and financially stable.

  Rachel Cruz (14:07): "Yes, that's exactly right, George."

• George and Whitney:
  George acts as the CFO, handling day-to-day expenses and financial tracking, while Whitney plays the role of the CEO, overseeing long-term financial planning and ensuring that expenditures align with their family's goals.

  George Camel (14:43): "She doesn't give me money. It's an arms-length proposal."

Challenges in Marital Finances

Energy Management and Expectations:

• Whitney's Perspective:
  Whitney highlights the exhaustion that comes from balancing a high-energy career with home responsibilities, making it challenging to manage financial discussions after a long day.

  Whitney Camel (10:54): "I need to lay here on my heating pad and chill."

• Winston's Insights:
  Winston emphasizes the pressure of living up to the Ramsey persona, feeling the need to always appear in control and perfect, which can hinder open communication about their financial struggles.

  Winston Cruz (12:17): "We are not, like, perfect."

Engaging Games and Audience Participation

The couples participate in a "newlywed game," answering questions about each other's habits and preferences. This segment reveals amusing and insightful aspects of their relationships:

• Pet Peeves:

  • Rachel's Pet Peeve: Her tendency to not finish food, leaving leftovers scattered around.
  • Winston's Pet Peeve: Disorganization, especially concerning toothpaste usage and bathroom tidiness.

  Rachel Cruz (16:26): "It's bad."

• Favorite Fast Food Orders:

  • Winston guesses Rachel's Order: 2 soft shell beef tacos from Taco Bell.
  • George accurately identifies Whitney's Order: Chick-fil-A grilled chicken club meal with a gluten-free bun.

  George Camel (35:37): "I said Chick-fil-A grilled chicken club meal, gluten free bun."

Listener Questions and Financial Tips

Money in Marriage:

• Contentment and Money's Role:
  Whitney advises practicing contentment, emphasizing the importance of being satisfied with what one has while still setting financial goals.

  Whitney Camel (41:44): "Just practicing contentment."

• Money as a Tool:
  George and Rachel discuss viewing money as a means to achieve broader life goals rather than an end in itself, advocating for financial peace and purposeful spending.

  George Camel (41:39): "Money is a tool to accomplish goals."

Promotions and Recommendations

• Cozy Earth Products:
  The hosts and their partners rave about Cozy Earth's high-quality products, offering listeners a 40% discount with the code smartmoney@cozyearth.

  Rachel Cruze (20:20): "So make sure to use the Smart Money Happy Hour code."

• DeleteMe Subscription:
  They endorse DeleteMe, a service that removes personal information from online data brokers, providing peace of mind against scammers and spammers. Listeners can receive a 20% discount at joindeleteme.com/smartmoney.

  George Camel (33:36): "So I encourage everyone to check it out."

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with the couples sharing their ratings of the special drink of the episode, Hanky Panky, and engaging in light-hearted banter. They reiterate the importance of marrying the right person for financial harmony and overall marital success.

George Camel (44:23): "Marrying the right person is a wealth hack in and of itself."

Rachel encourages listeners to balance their pursuit of financial stability with maintaining healthy relationships, emphasizing that money should enhance life rather than dominate it.

Notable Quotes

• Winston on Financial Pressure:

  Winston Cruz (12:17): "We are not, like, perfect."

• Rachel on Money's Place:

  Rachel Cruz (42:06): "Put money in its proper position in life."

• George on Quality Time and Money:

  George Camel (41:39): "Money is a tool to accomplish goals."

Key Takeaways

1. Clear Financial Roles: Establishing distinct financial responsibilities can lead to smoother money management within marriage.
2. Open Communication: Addressing financial challenges openly helps prevent misunderstandings and fosters trust.
3. Purposeful Spending: Viewing money as a tool for achieving life goals rather than an end in itself promotes financial health and personal satisfaction.
4. Balancing Contentment and Goals: Practicing contentment while setting financial goals ensures a healthy relationship with money.
5. Marital Harmony: Marrying someone with aligned financial principles significantly enhances marital stability and financial success.

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For those interested in gaining deeper insights into managing finances within relationships, this episode offers valuable lessons blended with humor and personal anecdotes. Subscribe and tune in to Smart Money Happy Hour every Thursday for more expert advice and relatable conversations.

Transcript

[Rachel Cruz]

Cannot believe it, but Whitney Camel's better.

[George Camel]

Half, Winston Cruz, ladies and gentlemen.

[Rachel Cruz]

Unbelievable.

[Winston Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

Who is the nerd and who's the free spirit in your relationship when it comes to money?

[Winston Cruz]

I've never heard this question before. What's a harmless pet peeve your significant other is guilty of?

[George Camel]

It's got dark real quick.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Hey, guys, I'm Rachel Cruz.

[George Camel]

I'm George Camel and this is Smart Money happy hour. Special drink for some special guests today.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

Highly requested.

[Rachel Cruz]

Cannot believe it, but I'm gonna go. Ladies first.

[George Camel]

Whitney Camel, George's better half, Winston Cruz, ladies and gentlemen.

[Rachel Cruz]

Unbelievable.

[Winston Cruz]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

You got.

[Winston Cruz]

Thank you for having us.

[George Camel]

I don't think you understand how long the people have been wanting this.

[Winston Cruz]

This has been the longest sales job ever for Wendy and I. It feels like it finally closed the deal today. Congratulations.

[George Camel]

I'm not sure. I think people thought I was lying that I even had a wife.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, this episode's gonna be very special.

[Winston Cruz]

I think you'll prove it after today. I think you'll prove it after today.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, overall, 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. And this episode, obviously, we're going to chat our marriages, which is so fun.

[George Camel]

Marriage and money.

[Rachel Cruz]

And we're going to sip on a hanky panky. Oh, little hanky panky.

[George Camel]

I know. This is a family friendly show that's about as edgy as we're going to get today. And we're going to tell you what's in this drink and give you our rating at the end of the episode and reveal the cost per glass. So stick around for that.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right. Well, this is going to be a fun episode. We got questions in the fishbowl that we're gonna draw. You see that fishbowl over there?

[Winston Cruz]

I see that fishbowl, yeah.

[George Camel]

We're no fish. Just questions.

[Rachel Cruz]

Draw some questions out. And we're actually gonna play a newlywed game. We have dry and erase boards and everything. It's gonna be pretty entertaining.

[George Camel]

I feel like this is really a tell all episode. People are just hoping that our spouses roast us.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. Do y'all have a lot to roast us on, you think?

[Whitney Camel]

I don't know.

[Winston Cruz]

No, it's not. It's a pretty mild episode.

[George Camel]

Okay. All right, we'll roast you then. It's very nice.

[Winston Cruz]

I'd love for you to roast me, George.

[George Camel]

Wouldn't dare. People know. I. Okay. So before we draw the first Question. I want to hear how you two met. And I'd like to hear from Winston's side, if that's okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, wow.

[George Camel]

Because I've heard it from your side. I feel like there's a different side.

[Rachel Cruz]

We have, like, three stories.

[George Camel]

Exactly.

[Winston Cruz]

I know the very first time that I met her in person, she was coming over to the house that I was renting, this is in college. And she was with one of my roommates.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh.

[Winston Cruz]

He brought her by. And then she comes in and she shakes my hand like we were, like business acquaintances. I mean, like she was in a job interview. I had never played Jeracia Ramsey. I had never played the handshake game with a female until then. But it was like this, like, bro standoff. And so she does the tour of the house with my roommate and they leave. And that's the first time we met.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

But I walked in, I was like, classes hadn't started yet. I was just a freshman to this house. And legitimately, I was like, there are so many good looking guys that, like, love Jesus, that are, like, good guys. They're like young life leaders and stuff. And they were like, all had, like, visors on and, like, outdoor bags and like, y'all were all, like, campers.

[Winston Cruz]

And this Brentwood girl is walking in, like, wow, what's an outdoor bag?

[Rachel Cruz]

And I was like, who? What is. There's a whole other world of men out there. But I always thought. I thought you were good looking.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, thank you.

[George Camel]

You seem like it was, like, surprising.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah, I was fascinated. Wow.

[George Camel]

So when was the first, like, spark? When was the. Okay, I think there's something here. I think we should date. Was that months later, a year later?

[Winston Cruz]

It was a great. I mean, Rachel alluded to it. She actually went on dates with multiple roommates.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, wow.

[George Camel]

So this is literally. This is the Bachelorette.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh.

[George Camel]

It was the Bachelorette before the Bachelorette.

[Winston Cruz]

I did not over. Over. I did not overcook that statement at all. But she went out on dates with one other.

[Rachel Cruz]

Listen, my rule is if a guy asked me out to dinner. Sure.

[George Camel]

So you gave three out of the four roommates before you landed? No, no.

[Winston Cruz]

He had, like, dated a few, and then, you know, and then he was not serious. I was. I was trying to figure out life as I still am. And so then she became great friends with my younger sister. And the circle started to get tighter and closer, and then she was available.

[George Camel]

That's a good start. It's green flag.

[Winston Cruz]

All the roommate stuff had kind of, like, washed Out.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Winston Cruz]

And so I called her and specifically remember asking her on a date, because I'm old school representative, and. No, I didn't. I didn't take that back.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, you didn't. You hung out with me twice.

[Winston Cruz]

I went in with the can I drive your car method.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

What?

[Whitney Camel]

That's not a method.

[Rachel Cruz]

He wanted to, like, hang out a couple of times. And then I remember saying, I'm not hanging out with Winston Cruz anymore unless he asked me on a date, because I don't know. I don't know this game.

[Winston Cruz]

She didn't say that to me. I think by that time, I just said date.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Winston Cruz]

That's the magic word, I guess.

[George Camel]

Hey, can I borrow your car?

[Winston Cruz]

No, not borrow it.

[Rachel Cruz]

No. He was like, you had a new car.

[Winston Cruz]

Let's go drive it.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm gonna drive your car. Like, you know.

[George Camel]

Okay. Similar to borrowing, but the person in.

[Whitney Camel]

The car with you, the.

[George Camel]

The owner is in the car too.

[Rachel Cruz]

In the passenger seat.

[Winston Cruz]

I didn't, like, need a ride to cvs.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Winston Cruz]

Very different.

[George Camel]

Much less romantic than Rachel's version.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wait, what?

[George Camel]

Oh, Rachel's version. Like, I saw him, and I just was so enamored by him.

[Rachel Cruz]

I didn't win.

[George Camel]

Is like, yeah. I mean, she was there, I was there. She dated a few of the other roommates. I was still there, and I was like, yeah, let's go for a ride.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh.

[Winston Cruz]

No. This is the how we met story. And. And then we went into. Oh, then how did it start to grow?

[George Camel]

I mean, we first date, sparks fly. Bada bing, bada boom. She's Rachel Cruz.

[Winston Cruz]

So much sparks. Many.

[Whitney Camel]

Wow.

[Winston Cruz]

Multiple, multiple.

[George Camel]

All right.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. How about you guys?

[George Camel]

Settles it. I think equally as unromantic. We were co workers.

[Whitney Camel]

I think I'd like to hear your ramsy. Yeah. And it was my first week, and George came and said hi to me. And he was one of the first few people that was super friendly to me, but it wasn't in a flirty way. It was actually in a, like, oh, this guy is so nice.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Just a nice guy.

[Whitney Camel]

But we didn't start dating till, like, two years later, because at the time, Ramsey was a lot smaller, and you had to. It was more important if you were gonna, like, actually date or work out. Cause the whole company, I feel like, was watching you at the time.

[Rachel Cruz]

Totally. So y'all worked at Ramsey for about two years before you actually, like, started dating?

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

How long did y'all date for before you got married?

[Whitney Camel]

A year.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Just over a year.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah. And did hide it for three months. We didn't tell anyone at work. And someone came up to me and they're like, that George guy is really weird to you.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[Whitney Camel]

You know, it's like, oh, is he?

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know why people are watching. But you weren't a personality then.

[George Camel]

No, no.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're doing social media.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah. Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, yeah.

[Whitney Camel]

He wasn't even in the closest role.

[George Camel]

I was like an email marketing coordinator.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

You know.

[Winston Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

Social media.

[Winston Cruz]

Were you intimidated to like walk up to her? Oh, I was.

[Whitney Camel]

Asked me out.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[Whitney Camel]

I did it over Snapchat.

[George Camel]

Messaged her Snapchat. And I'm a grown man at this point. I'm not to ask her out. And I was like, hey, Michael. Michael Reddish, mixologist and his wife Vicki. They want to know, like, what you would say.

[Whitney Camel]

They think we should go on. They think we should go on a date. Oh, yeah.

[George Camel]

So she called me.

[Winston Cruz]

I would rather drive her car.

[Whitney Camel]

I agree.

[Winston Cruz]

Be honest.

[George Camel]

Yeah. I should have asked, hey, can I drive your car?

[Whitney Camel]

And I was on my way to church.

[Winston Cruz]

A lot of people are saying.

[Whitney Camel]

And I literally said to him, I was like, I'll get back to you after church. So I was mad cuz I had sneakily given him my number. So I was like, you have my number and you're doing this like Snapchat, but you're putting me in a trap. Cause he's not actually asking me out. So then you're making me feel.

[George Camel]

It was like, let me just get my thoughts. Cause then it was. You know what? It was protecting myself.

[Rachel Cruz]

You were in preservation mode.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Unhealthy, George.

[Winston Cruz]

She says no, then it's their fault.

[George Camel]

It's just like, while she said no to the idea of them saying that we should.

[Winston Cruz]

Them.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

She wasn't interested. Arms length proposal.

[George Camel]

She didn't reject me. She rejected their idea.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right. Oh, yeah, they're great.

[Winston Cruz]

They're. Yeah, I can.

[Whitney Camel]

But I came back and said I go on one date. And then I regretted it because we had fun. But we didn't start dating again until Christmas party of. What was it? 2017, 2016.

[George Camel]

Ramsay Christmas party. We danced the night away on Broadway.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, y'all, that's fun. And I hate dancing. But hey, that's so great it worked out.

[George Camel]

I don't think any, like, no relationship was like. It was just as beautiful, so romantic. Everything went perfectly. It's always a little awkward from the start.

[Rachel Cruz]

Sure.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

I'm not saying I had the best idea to do a car and that, you know, it worked. Yeah, but I never knew that story, so that's good to hear.

[George Camel]

There we go.

[Rachel Cruz]

I love it.

[George Camel]

All right, let's get to the fishbowls. What the people came here for?

[Rachel Cruz]

Are we drawing for them?

[George Camel]

What is this?

[Rachel Cruz]

Are these questions for them?

[George Camel]

They're for all of us, I think.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. All right.

[George Camel]

No one said I'm ready, but I think they should answer because they are sick of us talking.

[Rachel Cruz]

For sure.

[Winston Cruz]

All right, who.

[George Camel]

Who is the nerd and who's the free spirit in your relationship when it comes to money?

[Winston Cruz]

I've never heard this question before. Let me get. Let me take a minute.

[George Camel]

Take your time.

[Winston Cruz]

I think we were going to cover this.

[George Camel]

I think your wife wrote, like, a whole book about this.

[Winston Cruz]

Ye. We were. I was born a nerd, and she was born a free spirit. From the beginning.

[Rachel Cruz]

100%. How about. Yeah, how about you guys?

[Winston Cruz]

We're as opposite as it gets.

[Whitney Camel]

I feel like same, but I do have my nerd tendencies. You don't give me enough credit.

[George Camel]

When's the last time you opened up a Google sheet? Just tell me.

[Winston Cruz]

Wait, y'all are the same?

[Whitney Camel]

No, I'm free spirit the nerd, but.

[George Camel]

I'm like the nerd spender. She's like a free spirit saver.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, you're like a Dave and Sharon combo. Oh.

[George Camel]

Oh, look at the unicorn.

[Rachel Cruz]

Look at that.

[George Camel]

Am I the Sharon?

[Rachel Cruz]

No, she's the Sharon. Oh, the free spirit saver. And you're the nerd spender. Yeah.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Like, I'll eat my vegetables to know.

[Winston Cruz]

I have my access for this. I don't understand.

[Rachel Cruz]

So because I'm the spender, free spirit, and you're the nerd saver.

[Winston Cruz]

Just a straight one or the other for us.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. We don't mix it.

[Winston Cruz]

That's amazing.

[George Camel]

That's good. You. Well, I feel like if you guys weren't together, you'd have some problems.

[Rachel Cruz]

I probably might.

[George Camel]

You need the Winston in your life.

[Rachel Cruz]

I do.

[Winston Cruz]

We'd either be, like, living crazy or in a hole. If we were both. Either way.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, yeah. No fun or just all crazy. Yeah, we're going to chill around. It's good. One down, one down. Here we go.

[Winston Cruz]

Are we doing all this?

[George Camel]

All of them?

[Rachel Cruz]

Possibly. What's one challenging aspect of being married to a Ramsey personality?

[Whitney Camel]

I would definitely say, what do you call it? Energy. Something.

[George Camel]

Energy management.

[Whitney Camel]

Yes. Like just going from podcast to camera to everything all day and then coming home. And then I'm a stay at home mom now. So I'm like, hey, talk to me. But there's literally nothing left in the tank. So I think that's probably the hardest part, is you have to just lay it out there all day.

[George Camel]

So I leave it on the dance floor at work, and then I go home, and I feel like I have no energy or, like, mental capacity to give.

[Winston Cruz]

Hey, what'd you talk about today?

[George Camel]

You're just like, luckily, she's here now.

[Winston Cruz]

So you do have a battery.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I've got a battery. I'm human. All humans have batteries.

[Winston Cruz]

I know, but Rachel's goes up, and most people go down.

[Whitney Camel]

It's amazing.

[Winston Cruz]

It is amazing, so.

[Rachel Cruz]

Which is maybe why it's a challenging part of a racing stop.

[George Camel]

And then Winston's drained when you come home to talk about your day. All right. Hard enough. You did a podcast. Cool. Good for you.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

Rachel charges while she's driving. It's weird.

[George Camel]

It's amazing. What's the biggest challenge for you, Winston?

[Winston Cruz]

There's a few. I'm married to a Ramsey, too.

[George Camel]

We can go top three.

[Rachel Cruz]

We got some therapy sessions.

[Winston Cruz]

Here's what. Here's what. Here's a. Here's a. Interesting one. I think most people think that we have it all together. And so if you're always treated like the guide or the person that led you somewhere or taught you something or helped you celebrate a milestone in your life, sometimes you're, like, over here with your story, you know, and it's like, okay, that's great, but we're not, like, perfect.

[George Camel]

You know, you feel like you can't really put that out there because there's an expectation that.

[Winston Cruz]

I don't know, it's just the assumption that because Rachel's a Ramsey personality, that we have all the answers.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

And we don't.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, you're right.

[Winston Cruz]

So that's a good one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. The humanity of life is very real.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

For us, regardless of job or not. Yeah. And some people don't always expect that or see that, but. Yeah, that's good.

[Winston Cruz]

And the. On the flip side, though, like, if people come up to Rachel in an airport, I don't have to do anything.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

And that's awesome.

[Whitney Camel]

I know.

[Winston Cruz]

It's so awesome for an introvert. She'll talk to all of y'all, and I'll hang and just kind of like, part B it as we go.

[George Camel]

Do you ever want to be introducedly? It feel awkward to not be.

[Winston Cruz]

No, I actually.

[George Camel]

You step away, like you don't know her.

[Winston Cruz]

To embrace the awkward and just be, like.

[George Camel]

Just stand there.

[Winston Cruz]

At first, I was like shaking hands.

[Rachel Cruz]

I taught you that, babe.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

She taught you how to shake hands.

[Winston Cruz]

Firmest handshake ever.

[George Camel]

Wow, I didn't know that about you. Very stiff, like, just.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, no, no, but as a.

[Winston Cruz]

She's assertive.

[Rachel Cruz]

As an 18 year old girl. Yeah.

[George Camel]

One day. Taught you. Hey, look them in the eye, shake their hand.

[Winston Cruz]

She called me sir. It was so crazy.

[George Camel]

Yikes.

[Winston Cruz]

Nice to meet you, sir.

[George Camel]

Who handles money in your marriage?

[Whitney Camel]

Why'd you read it like that?

[George Camel]

Well, it says underneath spoiler both, so I feel like. Yeah, but I think there's different skill sets.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. I mean, honestly, in our marriage, who handles the money?

[Winston Cruz]

Me.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

You don't think so who knows the.

[George Camel]

Logins to the utility account to pay the bill?

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, okay. From the perspective I do it, it's.

[George Camel]

Not like she's not involved and doesn't know what's going on.

[Winston Cruz]

I get the mail. I could tell you what our last electric bill was. I could tell you the gas prices too, but. And Rachel's like. She checks. She's at this level up here. And I'm down in the weed.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

Got it right.

[Rachel Cruz]

100.

[Winston Cruz]

Would you describe it that way?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Oh, 100%.

[George Camel]

So she's CEO, you're CFO. We have our roles.

[Winston Cruz]

That's exactly right, George.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's fair.

[Winston Cruz]

That's exactly great way of putting it. A real fun spending CEO and a Grinch.

[George Camel]

She calls the shots. You tell her how much those shots cost and if it's. If we're gonna be okay.

[Winston Cruz]

She does ask me that.

[Rachel Cruz]

I am like, hey, how much is how much?

[George Camel]

You're like her business at a big picture.

[Winston Cruz]

She's like, are we gonna be okay? And I'm like, do you think we'll be okay?

[George Camel]

That made that worse.

[Winston Cruz]

You're seeing the same thing I am.

[Rachel Cruz]

We're building a pool this year. So there was a lot of checks being written.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

And he's doing all that. Right. And I can, like, log in and see the account, but I am like, okay, how much is left? Like, oh, and you have the spreadsheet, like, the details. You. You have a lot of that covered.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah, I just have more control issues than you probably.

[Whitney Camel]

You do.

[George Camel]

There we go.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's great.

[George Camel]

Very similar.

[Rachel Cruz]

How about.

[Whitney Camel]

What would you say? I'd say almost exactly the same. No changes.

[Winston Cruz]

Wait, who's.

[George Camel]

No notes. I'm you.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

We're the same.

[Winston Cruz]

We're so much more alike than I thought.

[Whitney Camel]

I know y'all can be better.

[George Camel]

I thought we were exactly alike. People mistake us.

[Rachel Cruz]

I Mean, the boots are just identical.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I'm like Wonka. No, I know. We get that a lot. We got the wrong guy. He's a little shorter.

[Rachel Cruz]

Do you want to draw one?

[George Camel]

I think you should draw one.

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know.

[Winston Cruz]

Are we?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[George Camel]

You read one.

[Rachel Cruz]

This is fun. You draw one.

[George Camel]

It's not an easy job. People think it is.

[Winston Cruz]

I'm going with whatever I get.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I read.

[Winston Cruz]

What's a harmless pet peeve. Your significant other is guilty of this.

[George Camel]

Got dark real quick.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

Rachel is wild to live with for, like, a Grinch. You know, like the control Grinch who likes everything neat, half eaten. Like, breakfast bars. Nothing's ever finished.

[George Camel]

Just, like, never gave up midway through anything.

[Winston Cruz]

But it's like, even if it came with two bars, she'll eat one and a half. Like, one bite is there, and it's in the cup holder of the car or something. I'll make her coffee in the morning. Always some coffee left.

[Rachel Cruz]

Cause it gets cold.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah. But every day, water bottles always leave a little bit left, and they're all crunched up. Just. She just doesn't finish anything.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Whitney Camel]

I'm like, are we the same people?

[Rachel Cruz]

Are you? Same with you.

[Whitney Camel]

I know that's gonna be yours.

[George Camel]

I would consider that a harmful pet peeve. I mean, it's. You're wasting food. You're causing other people to clean up after you.

[Winston Cruz]

Wasting food.

[Whitney Camel]

I don't ever ask him to clean up after me. It's on my nightstand.

[George Camel]

Well, three days, eventually you go, someone's got to do it.

[Whitney Camel]

No, I'd still do it.

[Winston Cruz]

Thank you. For two spaces.

[George Camel]

Yep.

[Winston Cruz]

Two toothpaste. Thank you, Lord.

[Rachel Cruz]

My toothpaste is terrible, y'all.

[Winston Cruz]

It looks like it got murdered.

[Rachel Cruz]

Ever since I was a child, never.

[Winston Cruz]

Looks like a crime scene, is it? All over the counters in her bathroom drawer is a crime scene.

[George Camel]

Like, how many are we talking? Multiple toothpastes? Is there just two?

[Rachel Cruz]

Nice.

[Winston Cruz]

Everywhere.

[Rachel Cruz]

So it just got. It's.

[George Camel]

I know. I'm a child, y'all.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm a child.

[Winston Cruz]

It's just.

[George Camel]

How hard are you squeezing the toothpaste?

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, I just.

[Winston Cruz]

It's not about that.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's not the squeezing. It's the, like.

[Winston Cruz]

It's the.

[George Camel]

Oh, you don't know how to get on Transition.

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't get it on.

[Winston Cruz]

She doesn't know how to get it on the toothpaste.

[George Camel]

It's the motor skills. Okay.

[Winston Cruz]

It's the motor skills.

[George Camel]

All right, Cool, cool, cool.

[Rachel Cruz]

Done.

[Winston Cruz]

And doesn't close the lid because it Can't.

[George Camel]

It's no longer.

[Winston Cruz]

It won't go on gunked over. Yeah, yeah, I know.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's bad.

[Winston Cruz]

It's fascinating.

[Whitney Camel]

Okay.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I'll say. I guess you need to wait.

[Kelly]

What's for me?

[Whitney Camel]

Rachel didn't say her.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, it's kind of on the same lines. His tolerance for, like, the kids in, like, his bathroom drawers and stuff. Like, we have three kids under nine. Like, kids are gonna be. They're gonna be everywhere and they're gonna, you know. But when he, like, opens his drawer and everything's not who's been in my drawer? My cotton balls aren't, you know, whatever, whatever, whatever, whatever, whatever. And it's just like.

[George Camel]

Is that the big item for you? It's the big toiletry.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. That's in the drawer on the side. And it has, like, the kids homework in there. I mean, it does. I mean, it can get. It can get crazy, but the 11.

[Winston Cruz]

I have, like, three spaces that you cannot touch.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's what he always tells us.

[Winston Cruz]

My wallet, my bathroom drawer, and my network gun closet.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, that's a safety issue. Yeah, well, I say the same thing.

[Winston Cruz]

To all of the spaces, and I don't have any.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's just like, you got to be flexible. Like, stuff's going to happen.

[George Camel]

Yeah, be flexible.

[Winston Cruz]

You got this whole house. But you want my bathroom drawer, which.

[Whitney Camel]

Is perfectly love Dad's.

[George Camel]

It does feel very personal.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Y. Go.

[George Camel]

Mine for you.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Very similar. I am a very kind of tidy, clean freak. So, like, there's, like, a little bit of lacroix left. Three days, I'm feeling for temperature, like, up. The body's dead. It's gone. It's.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's gone.

[George Camel]

Room temp. Let's toss it. Empty water bottle. Let's crush that up and toss that. It's that kind of stuff. The bathroom counter, like, mine. My side tidy every night. I get ready for bed, it's clean. Her side could be a few weeks before it gets tidied up.

[Rachel Cruz]

But if everything's out, you can see it all.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

So it makes it easier, but it.

[George Camel]

Causes stress and trauma for the other person who has to live with it.

[Whitney Camel]

He does, like, two things to get ready for bed. And I'm like, yeah, that's why you don't have a bunch of junk all over your.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, that's true.

[George Camel]

I'm a simple man.

[Whitney Camel]

So in the same vein, mine is also the tidying. He has to tidy every night. And if I am not in the.

[George Camel]

Mood, that's like My tidy. What's my worst toxic trait? I care too much. I simply care too much.

[Whitney Camel]

And he is passive aggressive about it.

[Winston Cruz]

He's like.

[Whitney Camel]

He's a 2enneagram 2. And he's like, why aren't you helping me tidy this house? And I was like, oh, because I've tidied after a toddler all day. I'm out of tidying. I need to lay here.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Whitney Camel]

I need to lay here on my heating pad and chill. So.

[George Camel]

And I'm. It's 10pm and I'm just wiping down countertops. Just.

[Rachel Cruz]

George.

[George Camel]

Yeah. You got to sleep better.

[Rachel Cruz]

You got to let go of that stuff, man.

[Whitney Camel]

Feels good.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, George. One thing we can all agree on, though, is that Cozy Earth has the best products.

[George Camel]

That's nonpartisan.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, obsessed, y'all, from the PJs and the sheets and the socks. I got some lounge pants. Love them. I mean, like, seriously, everything I buy, and I even bought a ton of Christmas gifts off of Cozy Earth because it's just. They're amazing.

[George Camel]

And our spouses have reaped the benefits of these products because we sleep on their sheets every night. And Whitney and I, we're making the sheets, and we, like, unfurled them. Tina, throw them on the bed. And you're like, wow, that's luxury.

[Rachel Cruz]

Luxury.

[Winston Cruz]

Especially when they're tidy. Even better.

[George Camel]

Love it. Tidy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Love it.

[George Camel]

Great products. And, you know, we. We are considered bougie, frugal, so we like nice things. We want to get a deal. And so for our Smart Money happy hour viewers and listeners, they get up to 40% off when they use the code smart money@cozyearth. Smart money. And that's our gift to you.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Which is a huge code, you guys. I mean, because I will say again, it's quality products. You're going to pay a quality price for the stuff, but it lasts. The material is amazing, and you're going to love it. So make sure to, yes, use the Smart Money Happy hour code.

[George Camel]

And Winston famously paid full price. That's how good it was for him. He bought a sweater.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, yeah.

[George Camel]

A hoodie at full price.

[Winston Cruz]

I did. I did. I couldn't wait.

[George Camel]

Which hurts my frugal soul. But, hey, that just speaks to the.

[Winston Cruz]

Out of character for me.

[Rachel Cruz]

I love it, but it was so good. So check him out.

[George Camel]

We'll have a link in the show notes as well. Or go to cozyearth.com smart money.

[Rachel Cruz]

So great. All right, Whitney, you. You draw one.

[Whitney Camel]

All right, See what we got here. Name the top three qualities you admire most in your spouse. Oh, that's sweet.

[Rachel Cruz]

Nice. Wow. Gosh. Here we go. Roasting.

[Winston Cruz]

Happy Valentine's Day.

[Rachel Cruz]

Roasting. My number one for Winston is he is a man that, like, continues to work on himself. Like, he's not a guy that's like, oh, I'm too. I'm fine. There's, like, a major level of, like, oh, yeah. I want to continue to learn and grow, and I'm curious about this part of me. And all this. All this, like, it's one of the best. To be married to that type of man is, like, the biggest gift ever, I would say. His kind of pairs with that humility. I feel like there's a level of just an honesty, a vulnerability, like a. Like, here's who I am, and here's what's going on. And there's not a lot of, like, pride in that. And so that's been, like, so helpful in marriage. And then third, I'm gonna say, okay, it was my pet peeve. See, it's a blessing and a curse. I'm gonna say your level of taking care of things, his organization, his. Like, he can do stuff like, oh, yeah, your tire's low. Here's the tire pump thing that I have. Or here's the. There's this. This. The washer dryer broke. I'll fit. Like, it's like a. I just. You just take care of things. He's like, a proactive, proactive guy. So there you go. Off the top of my head.

[Winston Cruz]

Thanks, babe.

[George Camel]

Very nice things.

[Rachel Cruz]

15 years of marriage again tomorrow. That's great.

[Winston Cruz]

I'm gonna go with. Authenticity is probably my number one, because I feel like Rachel's the same wherever she goes, which is really hard to do on camera. Off camera, on camera, off camera. And then she's really intelligent, and so I love watching her have conversations. And she is so, like, smart and quick and up to date and has great perspective and things to say when we're talking with people and with us, obviously. And then I'm gonna go with her nails. I like her nails.

[Whitney Camel]

Wow.

[Winston Cruz]

I've always liked her nails.

[Rachel Cruz]

I always love my nails.

[George Camel]

Like, natural.

[Rachel Cruz]

He's a scratcher. He's like a cat or a dog.

[Winston Cruz]

I am.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Just like, you like to be scratched.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, yeah. I am a dog.

[Rachel Cruz]

Head back. Like, that's his love language.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

I do have long nails.

[Winston Cruz]

She's always had great nails. I always liked them, so I'm gonna go with the easy one.

[George Camel]

Surprised you did none of that for Winston. No physical traits. Best qualities.

[Winston Cruz]

Well, she hadn't finished her hanky panky yet.

[George Camel]

Okay, I'll go.

[Whitney Camel]

You wanna do me?

[George Camel]

Yeah. My favorite thing is her calming personality. I'm a naturally anxious person. She's a naturally very peaceful, calm person. And that was what initially really attracted me to her. And I appreciate that about her because I can spin out pretty easily.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not you, George.

[George Camel]

Not me, me. No. Number two, her intentionality, especially seeing her become a mom. I've never seen someone do the research, want to do the right thing the right way, Even if it's harder, even if it's more expensive, she's going to do it the right way because she cares that much about our daughter or our dogs. And so I love that about her.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's good.

[George Camel]

And number three, I just think she's really cute. It's very. I know, I know. But I was. Obviously, that's what initially attracts you to someone. Sure. At face value.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

You only did three today, so it's hard to.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Well, truthfully, she's also shorter than me, which was a big win as a short king to find your short queen. That's special.

[Whitney Camel]

But I did think I was taller than him until our first picture.

[George Camel]

So that's her toxicity.

[Whitney Camel]

And I had to pray about it. So I had to get over. So for the record, I would have prayed if I was taller.

[George Camel]

She had to pray to be like, lord, help me get over his tiny, tiny body.

[Whitney Camel]

I mean, it's admirable. I gotta see you say, Whitney.

[George Camel]

All right. Speaking of which, three nice things about me. Good luck.

[Whitney Camel]

Same thing. I would say, even though, yes, I give you a hard time for tidying, it does give me a great, like, mental. Like, my mental space is not free of. It's free of, like, all the clutter and stuff in our home. Like, I don't have to, like, worry about those stuff because I know you got it. Watching you become a dad. You just love Mia and she obviously loves you so much. Like, all day long, it's just like, da, da, da, da. And I'm like, he's not here. It's mama right now. I'm like, I'm doing all this right now. But that's been so sweet just to see yalls relationship. And then the last one would be. I just know I can trust that you, like, have the best intentions for our family and our future. Like, I feel like George is already 10 years ahead all the time. And it's. And he'll bring me in, which is great. And all his, like, Spreadsheets and stuff that he just nerds out over. But it's cool that he cares enough about where we're going instead of just like. Like, us waking up one day and being like, oh, shoot, what's happening here? So I know that I can trust him in that. Just to, like, care about, you know, our family and our finances and all the things. So it's really sweet.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's so good.

[George Camel]

Thank you, man. Well done a lot today.

[Winston Cruz]

Like, George even more now.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well done.

[George Camel]

That was a really sweet time. Let's get back to roasting each other.

[Winston Cruz]

George is bored.

[George Camel]

I'm more comfortable. No, it was really sweet. I think people tuned out. What are your and your spouse's love languages? This should be easy. There's only five of them, right?

[Rachel Cruz]

Winston's physical touch. I mean.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, bingo.

[Rachel Cruz]

And the. And the key in the book is, like, not necessarily sexual, because everyone's like, oh, yeah, of course. Physical.

[Winston Cruz]

But, like, what's my number two?

[Rachel Cruz]

He always says, like, can I just have a hug? Like, I just need a hug. Right?

[Winston Cruz]

You just are, like, Rachel's flying around the house making a schedule for, like, next year.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. I'm like, I'm sorry. Sorry. And then I pat him sometimes. He says, don't pat me.

[George Camel]

It's patronizing.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, I'm sorry. I'm just.

[Winston Cruz]

It's like, we're buds, bro. Thanks for that hug in the kitchen.

[George Camel]

Wow. That's rude.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. That you want to throw second would be quality time.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah. Oh, man. Way to go.

[Rachel Cruz]

I got you, babe. I got you.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Winston Cruz]

Rachel's words of affirmation. Acts of service.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Yes.

[Winston Cruz]

Did I get them in the right order? Oh, boy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. No, no, no. Yeah. I'd say Todd. Yeah. Interchangeable.

[George Camel]

So say nice things and do nice things.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

About. And for Rachel.

[Winston Cruz]

Love your nails. While I'm doing the dishes. That's called a callback.

[Rachel Cruz]

Good job.

[George Camel]

If you know, you know, pay attention. Okay.

[Whitney Camel]

Yours is acts of service.

[George Camel]

100%.

[Winston Cruz]

Really?

[George Camel]

Because I'm always the one doing all the things.

[Winston Cruz]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

If someone does it for you, so.

[Winston Cruz]

You'Ll notice something and you're like, that's a big deal.

[George Camel]

Yes. That means the world.

[Whitney Camel]

Well, let's just say it's not. Things that always need to be done in that moment.

[George Camel]

Didn't know we were still roasting. Thought the pet peeve part was over.

[Whitney Camel]

Don't act like you do all the good.

[George Camel]

Yeah. If I see a task that needs to be done, I don't care what's going on. House could be on fire. I'm like, well, I'm finishing this.

[Whitney Camel]

Just, you know, through priorities. It's like, what do I see in.

[George Camel]

Front of the priorities? Whatever I'm doing right now, whatever's there.

[Winston Cruz]

Whatever gives you therapy.

[George Camel]

Whitney's quality time.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Still figuring out what that means.

[Whitney Camel]

But his version of quality time is us sitting together in silence on our phones, but we're still together, where I'm like, no, we need, like, it's very sweet speaking to each other.

[George Camel]

We're like watching a show together that we both are into. I feel like that's quality time.

[Whitney Camel]

No, I think she wants, like.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

I agree. As a fellow quality timer.

[Whitney Camel]

Oh, thank you.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, next question. Let's see this one. Were you and your spouse on the same page financially when you first met?

[George Camel]

Well, that's easy for us. We met at Ramsey. So the answer is yes. And Whitney was debt free when I met her, which, you know, green flag for sure. Wouldn't have been a red flag if she had debt she was paying off. But the fact that she was debt free was just like, oh, that's awesome. Like, we're gonna be leapfrogging when we're married completely debt free. So that was really nice.

[Rachel Cruz]

How much debt did you have?

[George Camel]

I had paid it off by the time I met her.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, so you were debt free too?

[George Camel]

Yes.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

So that was a game changer. And we didn't have to have a ton of financial conversations because we both believed in the Ramsey principles. We both had been through Financial Peace University, so that made made our life a lot easier, I would say.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

On that front.

[Whitney Camel]

Agreed.

[Winston Cruz]

It's good.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's great.

[George Camel]

So Rachel, obviously, coming from Dave and Sharon, very. Ramsey. Very. Has her financial principles. But were you in the same. Did you even know Ramsey?

[Winston Cruz]

No, I was a college kid not listening to talk radio, which fair. Pretty much all of them.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[Winston Cruz]

And so where were you at with your money back in the day too? Right. I loved work and I loved, like, earning money. I was into the credit thing. Like, I remember getting my first $500 limit because it was all strategy for me. It was.

[George Camel]

You wanted to play the game.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah, yeah. And I was going to be great at it. You know, I wouldn't say we were on the same page when we started dating. And then I don't remember having specific conversations around it, but I just think as I got to know her family, I just started to adopt certain principles. Probably we did go through Financial Peace.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I think we did. Watch it.

[Winston Cruz]

Dave made us do that. He made us do that.

[Rachel Cruz]

He did? On engagement.

[George Camel]

That's your pre med.

[Winston Cruz]

I haven't thought about that in 12 years.

[Rachel Cruz]

We went to a class. Y'all. Like, we went to a class.

[George Camel]

Did they know, like, your Dave's daughter? Like, do they. I know.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not until I was on the lesson.

[Winston Cruz]

Not till we were like, she looks familiar.

[George Camel]

Did you ever have red flags, Rachel, when you, like, you see a credit card?

[Rachel Cruz]

No. I remember thinking, oh, this is pretty funny. That, like, I'm out.

[George Camel]

You did.

[Rachel Cruz]

We're getting pizza, and, like, there's the.

[Winston Cruz]

Did you really?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Is your Eagle.

[Winston Cruz]

But you just didn't say any. I mean, I didn't really care.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, honestly, I'm 19.

[Winston Cruz]

I'm 20 years old.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm out with Winston blasting. You're thinking about.

[Winston Cruz]

He's driving. He's driving my car.

[Rachel Cruz]

He's driving my car.

[George Camel]

It's great.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm fine.

[George Camel]

What car was it?

[Winston Cruz]

I want to know.

[George Camel]

What kind of car? What kind of car was this?

[Rachel Cruz]

It was like a suv.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Lexus suv.

[George Camel]

Nice.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes, but with the money stuff, because people ask us this a lot, and I'm like, yeah, number one. We were so young, and it was kind of like this. And you weren't like, a crazy, like, oh, my gosh, I want. No, I want this crazy, nice car. He's not a consumer. Like, consumerism is not. Winston's, like, top issue. Right. So because of that, he's, like, very practical. And so the idea of living with what you have, not going into debt.

[Winston Cruz]

It fits my personality.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. I was like, it wasn't this big. Like, yeah. It wasn't this, like, oh, I have to change my mindset.

[Winston Cruz]

I was gonna work hard and be practical with or without cred. I really was. So I was like, okay. Without.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Yes. FPU is a great class. Right. Worth the money you pay. You know what else is worth the money you pay?

[George Camel]

What's that for?

[Rachel Cruz]

Delete me a subscription. That literally, this company goes in and removes all of your data that is online. So data brokers come in and get your data from websites. You filled your, you know, your information out. And so they. These data brokers, they have your address, your number, your name. I mean, it's crazy. The information that you have that's out there. And delete me. Goes in and removes your information from all of these websites. So it helps you stay away from, like, scammers and spammers and everything out there.

[George Camel]

Oh, yeah. It's one of the ways I say I love you to my family. Is by using Deleteme, our information is being scoured online, removed. Deleteme sends me the report and I sleep easier, which as an anxious person, very nice.

[Rachel Cruz]

This is what you need.

[George Camel]

Very, very helpful.

[Rachel Cruz]

Some peace.

[George Camel]

So I encourage everyone to check it out. They're giving our listeners and viewers great discount. If you go to joindeleteme.com smart money, you'll get 20 off any of their plans just by going to that site.

[Rachel Cruz]

Joined me.com smart money and their plans start as low as $9 a month, you guys. So it's really inexpensive and it. And in the world today of technology and Internet and every. All of our information out there, it is worth it, protecting your information. So it is a great service. I love it. And it's so fun to get that, to get the emails and the reports to see how many hours you've saved. They saved you from removing your information.

[George Camel]

And I'll always beat you because I started first. I'm at 66 hours and I brag about it.

[Rachel Cruz]

George is there. I'm in the 40s, but it's fine.

[George Camel]

Check it out. We'll drop a link in the description below.

[Rachel Cruz]

So great. Okay, next, I think we should play a game. And we could play like the not so Newlywed game because we've all been married, you know.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

How long?

[George Camel]

Six years.

[Rachel Cruz]

Jinx. You owe me a Coke. Six years? Fifteen.

[George Camel]

Wow. That's pretty wild.

[Winston Cruz]

Winston says if they beat us, we're screwed.

[George Camel]

This episode, you guys should do better than us.

[Rachel Cruz]

This episode comes out. This is like a trivia at Valentine's Day. Do you remember when you proposed the.

[Winston Cruz]

Day before Valentine's Day? Like a true strategist.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. The 13th.

[George Camel]

Throw her off.

[Winston Cruz]

Get into the restaurants.

[Whitney Camel]

That's true.

[Winston Cruz]

That's how you get into the restaurant menu. All this time. Actually, I don't know why I did it. Maybe that was it. I didn't want to be cliche. That's kind of my four coming out.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, but I thought about that this time of year. This is when we got engaged. That's so funny. Okay, so Kelly, our producer, is going to ask ask some questions. So let's get our whiteboards.

[Kelly]

What is your wife's favorite fast food order?

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, man, this is hard. I have a lot. I just wrote one and then I thought, oh, but there's another one in my head that's really good too.

[Winston Cruz]

Gosh, George, it's a long order.

[George Camel]

It's an exhausting order.

[Whitney Camel]

Dietary restrictions.

[George Camel]

Okay, I'm ready.

[Kelly]

All right, Winston, what'd You put.

[Winston Cruz]

I went with Taco Bell. Non specific. It's the dirtiest fast food I know.

[George Camel]

You just went Taco Bell, Rachel.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

All right.

[Kelly]

Do you know what her order? Taco bell is?

[Winston Cruz]

2 soft shell beef tacos.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, that is true.

[Whitney Camel]

That's.

[Winston Cruz]

That's not what you wrote.

[Rachel Cruz]

No.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, wow. Can we see good, too?

[George Camel]

For the good of the group?

[Rachel Cruz]

Can you. Italian. Sorry. Italian.

[Winston Cruz]

I don't think I got that firehouse.

[George Camel]

So job fully involved?

[Rachel Cruz]

Fully involved. See, senor? Yes, that's exactly right.

[George Camel]

We just did our fast food smart money episode a little while back, so.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

I learned a lot about her fast food habits. You should be worried.

[Winston Cruz]

That would have been helpful.

[George Camel]

You should be worried.

[Kelly]

All right, George, what'd you put?

[George Camel]

I said chick fil a grilled chicken club meal, gluten free bun.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow. Wow. Chick fil A Gluten free.

[George Camel]

Nailed it.

[Winston Cruz]

Unbelievable.

[Whitney Camel]

Wow.

[George Camel]

Had to add the gluten free.

[Winston Cruz]

You got to tell them one to zero.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow. All right, y'all are winning.

[Kelly]

All right, second question. What is your wife's vacation dream spot?

[George Camel]

Oh, gosh.

[Winston Cruz]

Not even a dream.

[George Camel]

She doesn't even know this is a dream.

[Whitney Camel]

Like dream. That's different.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Whitney Camel]

Then where are we gonna go? Okay.

[Kelly]

All right, Winston.

[Winston Cruz]

New York City.

[Rachel Cruz]

New York City.

[Whitney Camel]

Wow.

[George Camel]

Look at that. I said Alice beach, and I went.

[Whitney Camel]

Beach first, but then I went dream Europe. Cross that out back to realistic as beach. Wait, with a what, 30. A 38.

[Winston Cruz]

She covered the whole highway for you?

[George Camel]

I went very specific.

[Rachel Cruz]

That was good. Okay.

[Kelly]

All right, last question for the guys. What is your wife's favorite place to shop for herself?

[George Camel]

Oh, gosh, this is tough. It's like there's the where she would like to shop, and there's where she has to shop.

[Kelly]

No, her favorite place. Like, where does she go most often?

[Whitney Camel]

I don't shop. He doesn't give me money.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

[George Camel]

She acts like there's an allowance. She doesn't give me money.

[Winston Cruz]

Wow. You won't let her have any money?

[George Camel]

I'm gonn. I'm gonna go perfect world type.

[Winston Cruz]

All right, Winston, target with question mark.

[George Camel]

Yes. Yay.

[Winston Cruz]

Such a close.

[George Camel]

I'm waiting for her to finish.

[Whitney Camel]

I can't even. Okay.

[George Camel]

I don't want to be accused of cheating.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

[Whitney Camel]

What do I like? I don't know.

[George Camel]

Okay, I'll tell you what you like.

[Whitney Camel]

Okay, you can go.

[Winston Cruz]

I'll tell you how much money you get.

[George Camel]

I said anthropology.

[Whitney Camel]

Dang. That's it. That is it. I Put Nordstrom.

[George Camel]

I know her better than she knows her.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know her better than she knows herself. George.

[George Camel]

All right, it's me and the ladies.

[Winston Cruz]

Internal points.

[Kelly]

Whitney and Rachel, what is your husband's favorite music album of all time?

[Rachel Cruz]

Can I say an okay? Oh, shoot.

[Winston Cruz]

That's the hardest question.

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know albums. I mean, I genuinely. Can I say, like, favorite artist?

[Kelly]

Favorite music artist.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, that's better. I can do that. I can do that.

[Kelly]

Artist.

[Whitney Camel]

I got album and artist.

[George Camel]

We're going album and artist, which gives us a bonus point.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, shoot. Yeah, that's fine.

[George Camel]

Rachel can change the rules at any time, but I can't. Okay. No, no, that's fine. I get it. Makes sense. Makes sense.

[Kelly]

All right, all right.

[Whitney Camel]

Whitney, how do you even say it? Bon iver, Bonnie bear.

[George Camel]

Bon iver, bony bear.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, that's the same word.

[George Camel]

Yeah, well, that's the album. It's his self titled.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, wow.

[Kelly]

All right, Rachel.

[Rachel Cruz]

Winston loves Gavin Degrel.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, way to go, babe.

[Kelly]

Nice job.

[Winston Cruz]

I guess what I thought you would.

[George Camel]

Get, he did the. The Sweet Chariot song. Was that his big hit?

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

You don't sound too enthused about that. You're like, well, you gotta listen to his deeper cuts.

[Rachel Cruz]

No piano.

[Winston Cruz]

No, he's. He's awesome.

[Kelly]

What's one chore around the house your husband hates the most?

[Whitney Camel]

Oh, easy.

[Winston Cruz]

Don't process it.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm going for it.

[Whitney Camel]

All right, Whitney, I said deep cleaning, specifically the shower.

[George Camel]

Oh, yeah, I got that one wrong. I said washing baby dishes, which.

[Whitney Camel]

How many times have you done that since Me?

[George Camel]

That's why I said it. I'm being honest.

[Whitney Camel]

Never.

[George Camel]

I. I draw the line.

[Whitney Camel]

His brother has washed more dishes.

[Kelly]

Rachel.

[Rachel Cruz]

I said laundry.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, shoot. I said dishes.

[George Camel]

Oh. How did we both say we both hate the dishes and they don't know?

[Whitney Camel]

No, you love adult dishes.

[Rachel Cruz]

What was the laundry? I think we were married, like, four or five months, and you did laundry. And I was like, probably perfectly. And what did I say? We joke about time.

[Winston Cruz]

I think laundry is your thing.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's what I told him. I was like, I think laundry might be your thing.

[Winston Cruz]

I was like, I need to stop doing laundry so often.

[George Camel]

I love it. She considered it, like it's one of his greatest talents. I did.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was like, you're really good at it.

[George Camel]

I understand.

[Whitney Camel]

I'll wash and dry and wait till George gets home to fold.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[Whitney Camel]

That's it.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's the polytechnic.

[George Camel]

I'm a great folder.

[Kelly]

All right, last question. Unless we have to go into Tiebreake.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, Lord.

[Kelly]

If your husband had to pick one TV show to watch for the rest of his life, what would it be?

[Whitney Camel]

Oh, man.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh. One TV show for the rest of your life.

[Winston Cruz]

It's not a good sign when I can't think of it.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. Oh, man.

[George Camel]

It's not that deep. All right.

[Kelly]

Okay.

[George Camel]

Whitney for the championship.

[Whitney Camel]

Seinfeld.

[George Camel]

Yes.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, wait. This is his. I almost said Breaking Bad.

[George Camel]

All right.

[Rachel Cruz]

I left friends because I love friends. Rachel. Okay, I'm putting this. Cause it's kind of my two Real Housewives. Rh Real Housewives.

[Winston Cruz]

Because I have to.

[Rachel Cruz]

You laugh at it a lot, babe.

[George Camel]

Oh, no, it's. Cause you like.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, shoot.

[Winston Cruz]

How it's made.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, that is Winston's. Totally.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Kelly]

The camels won.

[Winston Cruz]

I'm coming.

[Rachel Cruz]

I went.

[Winston Cruz]

Me.

[Rachel Cruz]

I went.

[Whitney Camel]

So selfish.

[George Camel]

Do you need time to grieve the loss, or are you good? I mean, save it for therapy. We gotta keep moving.

[Rachel Cruz]

I just hate that I went selfish with Real Housewives. But you do think it's funny.

[Winston Cruz]

Oh, gosh. If I have to, that's what I sacrifice to be with you. Okay, there it is. There it is.

[Rachel Cruz]

Congratulations on the win.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah, well done, guys.

[George Camel]

You didn't have a sore loser on one of her top traits.

[Winston Cruz]

Y'all are way ahead. No.

[Rachel Cruz]

Geez.

[Winston Cruz]

She'll bring it back up.

[George Camel]

Cool, cool, cool.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, so if we could all each leave a final money tip for the viewers and the listeners. When it comes to. Are we going to money in marriage specifically, or just life money tips. George, what do you think?

[George Camel]

Ooh. I mean, I feel like this has been a very marriage focus, but I think we can open it beyond that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, so just a money tip.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

What would you say to people out there?

[Whitney Camel]

Top of my head. I would say just practicing contentment, like one of my biggest traps. I'm always kind of, like, looking at the next thing, which is great to have goals, but sometimes you need to be okay with what you have. So even in singleness, like, you don't have to be chasing the next thing all the time.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well said.

[George Camel]

Beautifully said.

[Winston Cruz]

Well said. I would say that the way that my relationship with money is always telling a story about me on a deeper level. So if I'm wanting to spend, then there's probably a lot of reasons why. And so it's not just the money of it. It's telling me a story about where I'm at. So it could be because I want some control. It could be because I want a little hit of dopamine. So I'm not gonna do a little Amazon shopping. It could be because I want to feel powerful. It could be because I'm scared. It could be, you know, all kinds of different things. And so my tip would be, it's telling you something about where you're at in the moment.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. On that same kind of idea, I would say to have money in its rightful place. Because I do think even being in a career where we talk about money a lot and we're like, budget and get out of debt and save and invest and all the things which is very important and you need to do to create peace in your life, but put money in its proper position in life. Because I do think people just chase it and chase status. And there is an underlying belief. If I just had more kind of what you're saying, Whitney, like, I'll be okay. And to a degree that it's an unhealthy part of your life. More does not mean that it's going to be better. So when you can kind of get to this place of like, it's great and we want it under control, we don't want it to be a stressful thing in our life. So we're going to do and make wise thing, make wise choices around us so that it's not the thing that we're chasing all the time because it kind of leads to a dead end.

[George Camel]

Beautifully said. I'm going to put a bow on it. Along the same theme and say that you go with you. Doesn't sound like it's about money. It is. The question to ask here is, and then what? You're going to achieve this financial goal and then what? Well, then my life will be, no, it's not going to be fixed. And so I think money is a tool to accomplish goals. But if money is just the thing that you're trying to solve for, you're going to be really disappointed when you get there. So have a bigger goal, have a bigger vision for who you want to become, whether you're single, as a family, whatever it is, and chase that instead of the next financial goal.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep. Love that, George. That's good. Well said. So well said.

[George Camel]

I do feel like marrying the right person is a wealth hack in and of itself.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, I saw an Instagram reel and I don't know who the guy was, but he was like an older looking guy. He looked very smart and rich. Interviewer said, what's the number one thing you would say to people? Like the number one piece of advice ever, ever? And he said, Marry the right person. That the spouse. I mean, truly, the spouse creates a lot of.

[George Camel]

I don't want that to cripple people, to be like, well, there's a soulmate out. No, it just means make sure you're aligned with that person versus going, oh, my gosh, I didn't. He's not on the same page, and I'll never get there.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep, yep, Exactly. So good. Okay, well, before we get to Guilty is charged, George, tell us what we sipped on, because I am almost finished.

[George Camel]

We sipped on so good. A hanky panky, which is appropriate for this episode and at the same time, inappropriate. I'm going to give this drink a 8 out of 10. How about you?

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm going. I'm not a usually a dark liquor cocktail person anymore, but I think I would order. I'm gonna go 10 out of 10. I think I would order it at a restaurant.

[George Camel]

It was really good, Winston.

[Winston Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

Rating.

[Winston Cruz]

I am honestly. It's growing on me as a cocktail does, but I'm like a six and a half.

[George Camel]

All right, thanks for being honest. Six and a half?

[Whitney Camel]

I'd say nine. It's good.

[George Camel]

All right. We just, like, stair stepped there. We got a full range from six and a half to ten. So here's what's in it, if you're curious. It's got gin, sweet vermouth, Fernet Branca, which is an amaro, and an orange twist as a garnish. And it comes out to $3.96 a glass, which is probably a fifth of what you'd pay at a restaurant for this. So make it at home. The recipe's in the show notes and tell us who's right on their rating. Is it a six and a half or is it a ten? Somewhere in between.

[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.

[Kelly]

So this one's a little bit different. This is what is your spouse's most toxic money trait.

[George Camel]

Are you trying to cause marital strike? Why would you do that? We were gonna have a great night after this.

[Winston Cruz]

In Rachel's haste, sometimes she has fallen for scams.

[George Camel]

Sometimes our audience is very familiar with this because of her authenticity. They know.

[Winston Cruz]

They know. I'm not telling you anything you don't know. That's it. I mean, that is it. She just goes, I've fallen for a while. Click, click, click. That doesn't look real.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Winston Cruz]

You know what? I Mean, you remember that one? Yeah, yeah. Show me the website.

[Whitney Camel]

I know.

[Winston Cruz]

No wonder you need delete me.

[George Camel]

So her. Her most toxic trait is that she's too trusting.

[Winston Cruz]

I don't think that's what I said, George.

[George Camel]

I've seen worse. That's all I'm saying.

[Rachel Cruz]

I just don't think through things sometimes.

[Winston Cruz]

Just get excited. Yeah, I'm gonna go.

[George Camel]

We've all got that text from USPS being like, hey, you owe us money if you want this package delivered.

[Winston Cruz]

This tracking number.

[George Camel]

So exciting.

[Winston Cruz]

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Kelly]

Rachel, what's Winston's.

[Rachel Cruz]

Winston's toxic trait is that he claims and is undercover a saver. Doesn't spend. I mean, literally, we will go through it. We'll go through like, I'm not kidding, a month, two months, maybe three months. And the Winston line item in the every dollar budget. But there might be like one Starbucks. And I mean like nothing. And then he comes to me and he's like, hey, I kind of want to buy a piano that's against the wall, that's silent, even though we have another piano. But he wants to practice piano where the kids don't bother him. And it's a lot of money. Or I want a sauna, but I kind of want the really nice sauna and the three person sauna. It's gonna cost a lot of money and I want that. Like, he never spends, but when he spends, it's like a lot of money.

[Winston Cruz]

Lifelong product.

[Rachel Cruz]

Lifelong product. And I'm like, sure. I mean, I'm great. I mean, that's fine, right? We're not going in debt for it. Like, we got it, so. But when he spins, it's like, I could buy my Amazon packages. Don't equate to what he spends. Like, I think, I think if we added it up, you actually spend dollar amount more than I spend.

[Whitney Camel]

Thank you.

[Winston Cruz]

A thousand cuts versus yeah.

[George Camel]

So he focuses on life changing things that really matter and you focus on the trivial. I think that's a fair assessment, you know. And don't you reap the benefits of said sauna and said piano playing?

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, no, the piano's silence because he wanted away from the kids, which reaps.

[George Camel]

Its own benefits when you don't want to hear piano. Which I think is very thoughtful of him.

[Winston Cruz]

He just wants more hangers. It works out.

[Rachel Cruz]

More clothes.

[Winston Cruz]

It's like, you gotta. We gotta get some of these hangers out of here.

[George Camel]

More hangers. You gotta get more clothes because now you have empty hangers.

[Winston Cruz]

Well, the closet's full, so you have To. I don't know.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, what's yours?

[Whitney Camel]

All right, Whitney. I mean, it's weird how, like, similar we are. That's exactly what I was gonna say about George when he. So, same thing. He won't spend frivolously for months, and then all of a sudden he wants a bedjet that will air condition his bed.

[Winston Cruz]

Wait a minute.

[Whitney Camel]

At night? I thought you'd tell them how much it was.

[Winston Cruz]

Hung out this long. And we. And the bedjet didn't come up.

[Whitney Camel]

Yeah, and he just bought a bedjet Mini because the big one had too much air conditioning.

[George Camel]

To be fair, I returned it to save us money and purchased the mini version, which was a few hundred bucks cheaper. Cheaper.

[Winston Cruz]

This is fascinating. Is this. The viewers know about this?

[George Camel]

I think I've mentioned the bedjet before. Yeah, it's not an endorsement. More of. I mean, if I could afford the eight sleep, I'd probably go with that. But that's $4,000. So I thought 350 bucks for the.

[Whitney Camel]

Bedjets a steal, but minor things, like just girl stuff. Like. But he gets his haircut every two weeks, so that's in the budget. So obviously it's like, normal. But then when I go and get highlights, he's like, whoa, whoa. Like, freaks out. But I'm going twice a year, which is way less than his. Twice a week.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right.

[Whitney Camel]

Haircut.

[Winston Cruz]

Toxic.

[Rachel Cruz]

Toxic.

[George Camel]

Okay. Is it my turn?

[Whitney Camel]

Yes, it is.

[George Camel]

How much time do we have? No, your toxic trait, unequivocally, is the fact that you will buy hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of clothing, but she's going to return it all, maybe more than she bought, to where somehow she's gonna make us money. It's a money making scheme.

[Whitney Camel]

I put money back in the budget.

[George Camel]

She's like, I'm going to spend $500 at Old Navy, but I'm going to.

[Whitney Camel]

Return mostly 50% off. And I don't know my size anymore. I just had a baby. I'm going to throw that card in there.

[George Camel]

So she throws that card. If you just say the word postpartum, I'm like, okay, I can't win.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's the trump card.

[George Camel]

So she does. And to be fair, she does return it all. A month later, there's a $400 credit back to our account. But in the moment, as a saver, I'm like, that's a lot of money to spend on clothes in one month.

[Whitney Camel]

You know, Also, I'm not doing it every month. You have to be honest. Honest. This is like Once every two years. Don't even.

[Rachel Cruz]

Hey, you know what? Mia's gonna love you. I just took my girls to Target, and I was like, hey, should we get some new boots? They're like, yeah. I was like, okay. Okay. So we went and bought new boots, and it's so fun.

[Whitney Camel]

And I got Mia three pairs of shoes today. And he was like, what is this charge? He's like, your daughter needs to walk.

[Rachel Cruz]

She cannot walk, I feel.

[Whitney Camel]

But she's cute. That's all that matters.

[George Camel]

Cute. I know.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, it's so fun. Girls are fun.

[George Camel]

I think what we've learned is that that toxic money traits don't mean you can't have a great marriage.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

That's what I've learned.

[Rachel Cruz]

Thousand percent.

[George Camel]

That was fun. Kind to say thank you, too, for being here. I know this. Maybe you both were dreading this. We kind of forced you into it. But we appreciated it very much.

[Rachel Cruz]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Winston Cruz]

Happy Valentine's Day to y'all.

[George Camel]

Happy Valentine's Day.

[Winston Cruz]

Glad you know each other better than we did.

[Rachel Cruz]

Love to get just one point.

[George Camel]

Love to get dinner on Valentine's. If you guys are free, let us know.

[Rachel Cruz]

Double date. Double date. So great.

[Winston Cruz]

Rachel still wants to finish the Newlywed Game. Thanks for having us today.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm a crown, too. Should we do round two?

[Winston Cruz]

It's three to two. I think from what I remember.

[Rachel Cruz]

Best out of three. Oh, man. Well, thank you guys for listening and watching as always. You can check out our episode on why fewer people are having kids today. It's not us because we got kids, but make sure to check that out. Subscribe and like. And we will see you guys next Thursday on an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.