We Dedicated an Entire Episode to Respond to the Haters

Summary

Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel Episode Summary: "We Dedicated an Entire Episode to Respond to the Haters" Release Date: May 8, 2025

Hosted by the Ramsey Network, "Smart Money Happy Hour" brings together financial experts Rachel Cruze and George Kamel for candid conversations about money, pop culture, and the challenges of affording a life you love. In this special episode, the duo dedicates an entire hour to addressing the most controversial, triggering, and misunderstood moments from their show, responding directly to their critics and providing deeper insights into their perspectives.

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1. Introduction: Setting the Stage for Responding to Critics

[00:05] George Kamel:
George opens the episode by acknowledging the purpose: "Today we're reacting to our most controversial, triggering and misunderstood moments on the show."

[00:10] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel expresses no surprise at receiving negative feedback, even mentioning her mother’s comments: "I'm not shocked by this one that I got hate probably my mother was in the comments too."

[00:19] George Kamel:
George playfully teases Rachel about her upfront criticism: "So there you have it, Rachel. You came at me more than the commenters did."

---

2. The Impact of Social Media Criticism

[01:06] George Kamel:
George delves into the nature of social media interactions: "One thing about social media, Rachel, people have been getting extremely comfortable publicly calling each other out. [...] And I don't know the comment sections have gotten real wild. Very unhinged."

[01:25] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel agrees, highlighting the shift from productive debates to personal attacks: "But when it is at you, it's a whole different ball game, George."

[01:53] George Kamel:
George emphasizes the need for this episode as a platform to defend themselves: "And you want to defend yourself and you can't always jump into the comment section and say your true thoughts. And so that's why we have this episode."

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3. Addressing Specific Criticisms

a. George’s QR Code for College Fund Donations

[05:21] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel introduces the first clip addressing George’s QR code initiative: "This is you, George. Oh, my gosh, George Campbell, you are tacky."

[06:34] George Kamel:
George explains his intent behind the QR code: "I was making fun of myself on social media by saying, like, when you work in personal finance, you're the dad who has a QR code."

Notable Quotes:

• Rachel Cruze: “[...] I'm a hypocrite?” [00:15]
• George Kamel: “I like it because we're being mocked. And so it's time to defend ourselves.” [00:55]
• Rachel Cruze: “People thought I was fake saving, but I was like, what do you think? Do you genuinely think I just have access to Dave's, like, bank account?” [03:13]

[07:20] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel confronts George about doubling down on the criticism: “But you know what? I will say it's unpopular being a good dad in today's world.”

[08:46] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel concedes that George could have handled it better: “But I will say the context was missing, and I could have done it in a better way.”

b. Rachel’s Wine Tradition and Accusations of Privilege

[15:05] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel shares her tradition of purchasing and aging 2009 wines for anniversaries: "Every anniversary we open up a bottle."

[16:52] George Kamel:
George highlights the backlash concerning perceived privilege: “As a senior in college, your budget included this much wine, yet you claim to be a commoner eating nothing but rice and beans.”

**Notable Quotes:

• Rachel Cruze: “A lot of like privilege. But I'm like, okay, yeah.” [16:52]
• George Kamel: “It's not a cool thing to do.” [07:19]

c. George’s Costco Anecdote and Policy Criticism

[19:01] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel recounts George’s experience at Costco where he tried to help an older man without a membership, leading to negative comments: “It wasn't even financial advice. It was simply you sharing a thing that happened.”

[26:24] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel empathizes with George’s frustration over outdated store policies: “That's what I would do if I was the customer service person.”

Notable Quotes:

• George Kamel: “You're mad at the commenters and also Target.” [27:37]
• Rachel Cruze: “I was just trying. And honestly, out of all the crimes I could commit, getting a guy into a Costco, it's low on the bar.” [20:22]

d. Rachel’s Comments on Dental Visits Being a Scam

[29:02] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel discusses her skepticism about frequent dental visits: “All right, I'm not shocked by this one that I got hate probably my mother was in the comments, too.”

[32:00] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel clarifies her stance on dental health: “I do brush my teeth with an electric toothbrush. Okay.”

Notable Quotes:

• George Kamel: “But that makes sense. Yeah. Calling their entire industry a scam. Not great.” [32:04]
• Rachel Cruze: “I feel like you need Jesus or therapy.” [36:43]

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4. Strategies for Handling Negative Feedback

[35:17] George Kamel:
George advises listeners to watch full episodes before jumping to conclusions: “The algorithm just showed you it's hard to get the full effect and so you just jump into the comment section and so go watch the full episode before you jump to conclusions.”

[35:48] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel emphasizes self-reflection for those leaving negative comments: “I would just ask yourself some questions.”

[36:39] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel discusses the nature of her friendships and their lack of negative online interactions: “I don't think any of them would put negative comments out into the world.”

[36:57] George Kamel:
George suggests that negativity stems from deeper personal issues: “So your final takeaway is if that's you, you need Jesus or therapy.”

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5. Reflections and Takeaways

[34:57] George Kamel:
George defends their stance by highlighting the importance of context and accuracy: “As a true Ramsey in the DNA, most of the time we're right.”

[35:17] Rachel Cruze:
Rachel reflects on the evolving nature of their messages: “We may say things that in context, made sense in our head, but as it goes out to the Internet, [...] Sometimes we're wrong, but most of the time we're right.”

[37:34] Rachel Cruze & George Kamel:
The hosts wrap up by encouraging positive engagement and reiterating their passion for helping listeners: “We're doing okay. [...] We like our jobs. So just keep watching, and that's helpful.”

---

6. Additional Segments: Happy Hour Mocktail Ratings and Guilty as Charged

Mocktail Review:
Before concluding, Rachel and George review the episode's signature drink, the sparkling strawberry coconut mocktail. Rachel rates it a 3 out of 10, citing it lacked sweetness despite extensive preparation:
[38:26] Rachel Cruze: “I'm giving it a three out of ten.”

George rates it a 5 out of 10, appreciating the simplicity but noting it didn’t meet his taste expectations:
[38:19] George Kamel: “I'm gonna go five out of ten.”

Guilty as Charged:
In the "Guilty as Charged" segment, Rachel admits to a less-than-stellar review of a collagen face mask, which led to backlash from the company she endorsed: [39:07] Rachel Cruze: “There was a lady in there getting some clothes done, and she said, hey. Oh, my gosh. I watched the show and so I ran it.”

George shares his experience of being misrecognized as a YouTube personality: [41:12] George Kamel: “And next time I came in, he had a framed picture. And he was like, would you sign this?”

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7. Conclusion: Embracing Feedback and Moving Forward

Rachel and George conclude the episode by reaffirming their commitment to honesty and financial education, encouraging listeners to engage positively and seek comprehensive understanding rather than reacting to isolated comments.

Notable Quotes:

• George Kamel: “Our job is to help you. We're just sharing experiences and opinions, and they're on camera and then on the Internet forever.” [37:09]
• Rachel Cruze: “We like doing this. We like our jobs. So just keep watching, and that's helpful.” [37:24]

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Key Takeaways:

• Context Matters: Both hosts emphasized the importance of understanding the full context behind their statements before forming judgments.
• Honest Communication: Rachel and George strive to maintain transparency and honesty, even when facing criticism.
• Handling Negativity: They advocate for self-reflection among critics and encourage positive engagement over negative commentary.
• Continued Learning: Acknowledging that miscommunications happen, the hosts are open to improving how they convey their messages to avoid misunderstandings.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Rachel Cruze: “Do you genuinely think I just have access to Dave's, like, bank account?” [03:13]
• George Kamel: “I am doubling down that your system is stupid and old and it's time to update Target.” [27:35]
• Rachel Cruze: “I get that. I get why they're hating.” [23:21]
• George Kamel: “Monetize the haters. Comment all you want. You're only making me more powerful.” [37:34]

---

For those who haven’t listened, this episode offers an insightful look into the challenges public figures face on social media, the importance of context in communication, and strategies for handling criticism constructively. Rachel Cruze and George Kamel provide relatable anecdotes and thoughtful reflections, making this episode a valuable resource for anyone navigating the complexities of online interactions and personal branding.

Transcript

[George Camel]

Today we're reacting to our most controversial, triggering and misunderstood moments on the show.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, I'm not shocked by this one that I got hate probably my mother was in the comments too.

[George Camel]

So there you have it, Rachel. You came at me more than the commenters did.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was a little aggressive. I'm so sorry, am I a hypocrite?

[George Camel]

I'm not gonna answer that.

[Rachel Cruz]

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

[George Camel]

But first, let's talk about what we're sipping on. It's a sparkling strawberry coconut mocktail.

[Rachel Cruz]

I like it because we're gonna.

[George Camel]

We're being mocked. And so it's time to defend ourselves.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, drinking a mocktail in a mocked episode.

[George Camel]

So we're gonna give you our rating and reveal the cost per gl end of the episode. So stick around for that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep. So good.

[George Camel]

So one thing about social media, Rachel, people have been getting extremely comfortable publicly calling each other out. I don't know what's going on here, but the comment sections have gotten real wild. Very unhinged. And I don't know, I'm not the type of person to leave. To leave a comment unsolicited on a video or a post.

[Rachel Cruz]

Totally. No.

[George Camel]

Because unless it's a friendly. Love that for you, you know.

[Rachel Cruz]

Sure, yeah. Positive. I know. And you know, I like a good little debate every now and then. Like, you know, get a. Get in there. If we can just be open minded, a little political. Like, I like to read some of the comments sometimes of like, yeah, political posts to be like, all right, what's, what's the banter going on here? But when it is at you, it's a whole different ball game, George.

[George Camel]

And you want to defend yourself and you can't always jump into the comment section and say your true thoughts. And so that's why we have this episode.

[Rachel Cruz]

We dedicate the whole episode to this so we can be as honest about what we think as possible.

[George Camel]

Have you ever let a comment or DM get under your skin that, like, it upset you for longer than a day?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I've had two that I still think about every now and then.

[George Camel]

Can you share?

[Rachel Cruz]

One was this girl and she was like, yeah, basically ragging that I'm Dave's daughter, and she's basically, like, looking, and she, like, tried, like, pull all my credentials. Like, I don't have a Formal education in the financial world, like, all this stuff. And I was like, come on, girl.

[George Camel]

So, like, they were calling you, like, a Nepo baby. Is that the name?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

They're like, oh, it's just nepotism.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. And I get that a lot. So, like, those comments, I'm like, I hear this a lot. But it was like another layer for some reason that I was like. And then I had one about me saving for the pool. Our pool that we literally have been saving for for five years. We couldn't build it when we moved in, when we built our house, because we didn't have the money.

[George Camel]

You're moving at the speed of cash. It's an expensive project.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, and we were going to do it. Nice. Right? So it was a. It was a pricier project, but we're like, we're going to wait and so we can't. And someone was like. They were like, God, we all know she could just pay for it. She's having to keep that company afloat by working the plan. End quotes. Oh, wow.

[George Camel]

And I was like, I'm being accused.

[Rachel Cruz]

Of, like, fake saving. Like, saving is a big deal for me.

[George Camel]

That's amazing.

[Rachel Cruz]

Big deal for me. Because I'm a spender.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

But I thought about that multiple times during the project. I'm like, it's just funny. They thought I was fake saving, but I was like, what do you think? Do you genuinely think I just have access to Dave's, like, bank account? That I get to, like, taking money.

[George Camel]

Out, paying cash for everything? It's like, this is like building a house. This is a very expensive project.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes, I know. So anyways, I've thought about that a couple of times.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Do people really think that I'm saving? How about you, George?

[George Camel]

Well, there was a recent post. I don't think it's in this episode. It's so recent. And it went viral. Like, over 5 million views about car loans. It was just an excerpt from my book about how stupid car loans are.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

And the comment. I jumped into the comments a little. I dove into the deep end.

[Rachel Cruz]

You love jumping in there sometimes. But we hold you back. The lifeguards at Ramsey, like, don't go in, George. You can't. And you just. You just dive.

[George Camel]

But what joy does.

[Rachel Cruz]

I feel like you're just, like, ready to.

[George Camel]

And I'm not a good swimmer.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

So I get in there and it's not pretty. So I left some comments because people. I just feel like their cornbread wasn't done in the middle and I needed to jump in there and let them know how stupid their comments are. So, you know, they're talking about car loans and they're going, what do you want us to do? Just walk everywhere? Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Either buy a. Don't buy a $40,000 car. Instead, walk everywhere. That's exactly what this post was about. And so that stu. Just really irks me, and I want to defend myself, and I'm sometimes not the most winsome commenter.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, see, I don't get into my comments with that stuff.

[George Camel]

That's wisdom.

[Rachel Cruz]

I did want to reply to that girl and be like, love women, supporting women, and, like, kind of just throw.

[George Camel]

You can be snarky, too.

[Rachel Cruz]

I didn't. I didn't, though.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Thought about it.

[George Camel]

It's fun for me. It's sport. And you know what? Most of these profiles have zero posts, no profile picture. It's like, these are real in my head. Not even real people, for sure. This isn't Jane, who's like a. You know, like mama four, you know?

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. But those are funny. When Mama for Jane comes at you.

[George Camel]

Oh.

[Rachel Cruz]

And then you go. And she's like, First Corinthians 4, 6 in her profile, and you're like, yeah, good night, Jane.

[George Camel]

I always try to go to their profile to use some dirt against them.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow, George. Okay.

[George Camel]

I am vindictive.

[Rachel Cruz]

Man. We are going to. We are so excited about this episode.

[George Camel]

Let's get into it.

[Rachel Cruz]

You can't tell.

[George Camel]

Our team pulled clips specifically from Smart Money Happy Hour, where people in the comments section have either disagreed with us, been triggered by what we said, or just misunderstood us completely.

[Rachel Cruz]

I love it. So let's dive in, shall we?

[George Camel]

We're going to watch the clips.

[Rachel Cruz]

I think we should.

[George Camel]

Okay. And to have some fun, we're going to hear the angry commenters out, and then we're going to wave these signs to indicate whether we are doubling down or we see your point. Maybe there was some regret, some context needed.

[Rachel Cruz]

We hear you. All right, so the first club. This is you, George. Oh, my gosh, George Campbell, you are tacky.

[George Camel]

So tacky. I decided, you know what? Instead of making everyone like, hey, bring a gift, bring more stuff. What if I did a little QR code? And if you so chose, you could give to her future college fund. So I made a cute. It was really cute. It said, like, cowgirls, blah, blah, blah, Support cowgirls college fund with a QR code to go scan and donate directly to the fund. This was not like my Venmo. So I then posted on social media, like, I'm posting the picture, as a joke. Like when you're the. When you give people financial advice and you're the girl. Dad, whatever. As a funny joke. Then people thought, wow, he's soliciting donations from social media now.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, they thought.

[George Camel]

So they thought it was tacky that I was on social trying to get money from my daughter's college fund.

[Rachel Cruz]

Which was not your intent of that.

[George Camel]

Which was not the intent. It was supposed to be a funny joke. Like, this is classic George behavior that amidst all the gifts, George is like, hey, you could donate to the college fund because it will. At a 12% rate of return, it'll turn it. You know. So there you have it, Rachel. You came at me more than the commenters did.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was a little aggressive. I'm so sorry.

[George Camel]

That's okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

Honestly, the QR code, though, George. Okay. And the comments were if we shall.

[George Camel]

Yeah, here's one. This dude is being totally classless.

[Rachel Cruz]

College fund donations are strictly for the grandparents.

[George Camel]

Since when are you the 529 police?

[Rachel Cruz]

Do you. Oh, my gosh. Okay. Are you. Are you doubling down?

[George Camel]

I am doubling down.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

But you know what? I will say it's unpopular being a good dad in today's world.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Just unbelievable.

[George Camel]

It's not a cool thing to do. Here's what I will say. The context was missing. People thought I was publicly asking for donations. I was not. I was making fun of myself on social media by saying, like, when you work, you know, in personal finance, you're the dad who has a QR code.

[Rachel Cruz]

You aren't expecting your social media.

[George Camel]

No, I was not asking anyone to donate. The other thing that I missed was that people that came to the party didn't know this was happening. It was a last minute idea I had.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

And so they already bought gifts. And so, no, I didn't expect them to also give to the 529. It was more for me. I had a good time in Canva making my little, you know, cowgirls. Going to college. You want to support. I got zero dollars from this big campaign I ran at the party. This party was just close friends and family. This was not like a thousand people. And I was like, hey, donate Venmo me for me. No. I know she's gonna be fine. I'm already gonna fund her college. I'm not asking strangers to fund it.

[Rachel Cruz]

But you did ask friends to fund it.

[George Camel]

It was an option. I did not ask anyone. It was just a simple it was signage. Buy the gifts in case someone thought, oh, that's fun. I would love to give her the gift that keeps on giving through compound growth instead of a piece of crap toy that we're gonna throw away in one month.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

The dogs will destroy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Doubling down. George is doubling down.

[George Camel]

Doubling down. But I will say the context was missing, and I could have done it in a better way.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, fair. Okay. Next is mine and my children.

[George Camel]

Finally.

[Rachel Cruz]

And my children.

[George Camel]

I am ready to roast Rachel.

[Rachel Cruz]

My kids. Now, we only give them tablets on road trips or on flights. So they're, like, on drugs every time. We like, travel because they don't get. They don't get on drugs. So I don't do anything now.

[George Camel]

What are they watching?

[Rachel Cruz]

It's great. They play games. A snake game that you got to eat stuff. That's their big thing.

[George Camel]

It feels like they love games.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know they love games. And one's a color in per box thing Amelia does.

[George Camel]

So the reason they want to travel is not for the destination.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's what we're learning. Yes. That they just want their tablets.

[George Camel]

Okay, here's the comment that I think sums all of the drama up. Quote, when you said tablets followed by on drugs, I assumed you were talking about giving your kids Benadryl to keep them quiet on road trips.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know.

[George Camel]

Next comment for sure. Thought she was talking about drugging up her kids during travel.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh. I did say I'm gonna give them a tablet, and it's like they're on drugs. Yeah. That was not.

[George Camel]

But you're talking about the dopamine of a screen keeping them occupied. Yes.

[Rachel Cruz]

That it's like they're on drugs because they're just, like, so dazed out staring at this tablet, which isn't even an iPad, because we're too cheap to even do that. So we do Amazon Fire, and they're sitting there just playing their games, and you don't hear a peep from them. So. Yeah.

[George Camel]

So can you clear the air that you are not drugging your children?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. So I would. I would rephrase how I said that so that it's clear. I am not drugging my children with Benadryl tablets. They are watching electronic tablets. And because they are so happy and enthralled with them, it is like. It is like they are on drugs. So forgive me.

[George Camel]

And you don't give them these tablets any other time.

[Rachel Cruz]

How often do they just get it on vacation? And now it's kind of, like, become a thing because, Charles, recently we're going On a trip for spring break. And he's like, I can't wait for our trip. And I was like, I know, it's gonna be so fun.

[George Camel]

He's talking about the tablet.

[Rachel Cruz]

He goes, because I get to watch. I get to watch my. I get to watch my tablet. And I was like, oh, shoot. So that's not good.

[George Camel]

You know, he doesn't care about the trip. Exactly.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just cares about the trip.

[George Camel]

You boy's glued to the screen. Oh, my gosh.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. So I don't know if that theory's really working out for us, but it's fine. Yeah, I don't. I don't. We don't do tablets at home.

[George Camel]

That's impressive.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Only the big screen for the kids. Only the best.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just the big screen.

[George Camel]

That's what we're talking about.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just the big screen. People probably yell at us.

[George Camel]

When you were a kid, did you play games in the car and all that?

[Rachel Cruz]

I got a Game Boy. The original Game Boy.

[George Camel]

Yes.

[Rachel Cruz]

And you had a Tetris Kirby. Did you ever have the Kirby game? Yep, I did that. And then we did get a PlayStation when I. The original. This is like the gray PlayStation OG.

[George Camel]

Yep.

[Rachel Cruz]

Gosh. And that was.

[George Camel]

What was your game of choice?

[Rachel Cruz]

I had a game. We've talked about it on here and we couldn't remember was like a. It's like a chicken.

[George Camel]

A chicken.

[Rachel Cruz]

A rooster looking character. A chicken character that would. That you would play. We looked this up. Do you remember the story?

[George Camel]

Yes. We found the name, I think.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. Oh, no.

[George Camel]

We'll never remember it again. Okay, let's get to the next clip. That was a cute one for you. The tablets and drugs.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know, it's a real cute. Yeah, that wasn't too bad.

[George Camel]

Let's see what I said next. Do you have any good hotel hacks, like for booking?

[Rachel Cruz]

No.

[George Camel]

Do you kind of.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, Tell me, George.

[George Camel]

Priceline Express, okay, allows you to get, like really great deals on hotels, but you don't know what hotel you're booking.

[Rachel Cruz]

I've heard about this.

[George Camel]

So it makes people nervous. They're like, I don't want to know what hotel this is. Now. They'll tell you, hey, it's a four star hotel with these great ratings, but you don't know specifically. I knew exactly what hotel I wanted to stay at. I was like, I want to stay at the Kimpton Eventi in New York City.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

I use a browser extension called Travel Arrow, which sees through Priceline's magic cloak of invisibility and reveals exactly what hotel I'm about to book. But Priceline Express gives it to you at a steeper discount.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, for sure it does.

[George Camel]

So that's what I did. How could that spark controversy?

[Rachel Cruz]

Why?

[George Camel]

Apparently, dozens of people commented, either disagreeing and saying it's better to call the hotel directly or accusing me of doing a paid ad for Priceline.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, they thought you were sponsored.

[George Camel]

What is up with people thinking every time you mention anything, it must be an ad? Here's the other part. Disagreeing. It's better to call the hotel directly. The hotel ain't giving you these prices. They're always like, we'll just call the hotel because it's safer. If you book through the third party, there's no guarantee. Sure, I get that. There is some risk. Booking with a third party versus directly with the hotel. The hotel. The lady at the front desk was like, how did you get this? Like, she was shocked.

[Rachel Cruz]

She was shocked. All right, George, so you're doubling down. I feel it in the spirit.

[George Camel]

Not an ad. Just trying to be helpful.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just trying to be helpful.

[George Camel]

Everyone's like, who told you? So I try to give you the hack. And they're like, this guy's trying to. No.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm mad that you're giving hacks, George.

[George Camel]

Yeah. So don't have the hookup with Priceline. Not affiliated. But we do have the hookup with one of our favorite services. Delete Me.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. Love Deleteme. Can we talk about how great they are?

[George Camel]

We can.

[Rachel Cruz]

They go in and remove your information online and hundreds of data broker websites that are out there. Because if you are unaware of how much time you spend online and how much time you put in your information online, like we all do, but it's everything from your name, address, addresses, even past addresses, your phone number. Like, all this information about you is out there. And then. You know what really gets me, George?

[George Camel]

What's that?

[Rachel Cruz]

Companies make money off of that. Off of our information.

[George Camel]

Extra gross.

[Rachel Cruz]

And they sell it to other companies. And you're like, stop it. Stop using my information. But that's where so many of our spams and scams come into play. So removing your information online is what Delete Me does best.

[George Camel]

And they send you this amazing report every other month. And they have reviewed over 20,000 data broker sites. Remove me from 250 of them so far, saving me, I think, 85 hours.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Of time. Which is incredible. And so if you want to go check it out, they're giving our listeners and viewers an awesome discount. 20% off their annual plans, which comes out to like nine bucks a month.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

So go to join DeleteMe.com smart money. Or click the link in the description. That's JoinDeleteMe.com smart money.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, this next one was a clip from Smart Money Happy Hour. And we put it on. On Instagram or online, I think, other platforms on the line about us buying 2009 wines the year we got married. So here's this clip.

[George Camel]

Oh, boy.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know what Winston and I did?

[George Camel]

What?

[Rachel Cruz]

When we got married in 09, we went to a liquor store and we bought probably five or six cases. I mean, I think it was upwards of like, I don't know how many is in a case? 12. I mean, over 60, 70, 80 bottles of 09 wine. And every anniversary we open up a bottle.

[George Camel]

That's fun. Just you two.

[Rachel Cruz]

Uh huh. Yeah. Yeah. If we go to dinner. That's interesting.

[George Camel]

I like that tradition.

[Rachel Cruz]

And we have all of our bottles of like, where we were, like, which restaurant we were at and all of our anniversaries. Almost 15.

[George Camel]

So how could a sweet, innocent tradition of you and Winston opening a bottle of wine?

[Rachel Cruz]

The comments were so funny. A lot of like, that was great. That was great. And then I got. You can't buy 09 wine in 09 unless it's table wine, which wouldn't age sus. All right. I got married December of 09. So by the time you go to your honeymoon and like, do all the things and you go to liquor stores, like, probably bought it in like February of 2010. Sorry, I got the details wrong. Tons of 09 wine. Tons of it.

[George Camel]

I love it.

[Rachel Cruz]

And then, George, you know what you do? You go and you buy wine. Refrigerators. We bought two of them to hold the bottles.

[George Camel]

The prison.

[Rachel Cruz]

So they're chilling. They're chilling right now in refrigerators. Because you know what? It was an investment into our future and what we wanted with our marriage. So they are lasting and they are still good 15 years later because we open one every year. And it's fine. It's good wine. And it wasn't crazy expensive wine either. But if you keep it preserved, it's fine now. Is it gonna be okay in 50 years? Maybe not, but who cares? We're gonna be like robots by then.

[George Camel]

You know, I love seeing you turn into me. It's really the best. It's the best gift.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was mad. I was like, I bet that's not. Oh. And someone else said, I don't even know if we wrote this one down. They were like, oh, yeah. A lot of like what? Privilege. Privilege. But I'm like, okay, yeah.

[George Camel]

Oh, to buy a case of wine.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. And we bought multiple cases, so, yeah. It may have been a couple hundred bucks. Right? Like, I don't know. I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what to tell you.

[George Camel]

I love this comment. As a senior in college, your budget included this much wine, yet you claim to be a commoner eating nothing but rice and beans. Dropping significant cash like that is not in the baby steps when you just graduated.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, I had a semester left, so take that.

[George Camel]

Goodness gracious. Also, have you claimed to be a commoner eating nothing but rice and beans?

[Rachel Cruz]

No, I don't eat rice and beans.

[George Camel]

Something you've never said before.

[Rachel Cruz]

No.

[George Camel]

We tell people to do rice and beans when they're, like, drowning in debt, trying to get out.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. And even you guys. And even. That is not literal.

[George Camel]

It's a metaphor.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's not literal. It's just a mindset. Do we have to tell people that? I really want to tell people that.

[George Camel]

I love when other people.

[Rachel Cruz]

I did get defensive of that one.

[George Camel]

The best part is when other people are telling Rachel Ramsey Cruz to be more Ramsey. What?

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know, but I thought that is. That is a sad. Yeah.

[George Camel]

So are you doubling down?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I'm doubling down.

[George Camel]

Yeah. That's what's up.

[Rachel Cruz]

We did. I don't know why people were, like, so confused about it.

[George Camel]

Well, most people have never purchased a case of wine, myself included. You know, I'm not really a big wine guy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I mean, it's fine, but would you comment on someone saying sounds sus.

[George Camel]

No, I would just move on like a normal person.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just write the whole word out. If you're going to be mad at.

[George Camel]

Someone, they did do a sus. Dot, dot, dot.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, like, okay, just go ahead and, like, just type it out. Let's don't be lazy with our critiques. All right, I'm done.

[George Camel]

That was fun for me.

[Rachel Cruz]

That one did make me mad. We'll see. In this comment, I was like, how do you hate on that? Like, that's my other thing. Sorry, we won't keep it. I won't keep talking.

[George Camel]

It wasn't even financial advice. It was simply you sharing a thing that happened.

[Rachel Cruz]

And I was like, oh, my gosh.

[George Camel]

To be fair, there was a lot of people who also said what a beautiful tradition. They were very inspired by it.

[Rachel Cruz]

Can't do anything right. George. Can't do anything right.

[George Camel]

So sorry. I can't imagine what you're going through what? A hard life.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, what's yours?

[George Camel]

All right, back to me. What do we got? I'm at a Costco. A man approaches us, and he's like, older man, probably in his 50s, maybe 60s. And he goes, hey, listen, I forgot my membership. Do you mind if I just, like, walk in with you guys?

[Rachel Cruz]

Is this in the parking lot?

[George Camel]

This is in the entrance area of Costco, which, as you know, you can't get into Costco without flashing your membership with your photo. And this guy's kind of, like, approaching us, and he's like, hey, I don't have my members. Like, I have a picture of it on my phone. I was like, well, great. I do, too. That's what I use. I use the Costco app, and I click the membership, and he's like, no, no, no. It's like a picture of the membership card. I'm like, okay. He's a real boomer. So I pretend like he's my dad, and we walk in together. So we're chatting it up. I'm flashing the card real casual while talking to dad. So he walks in, I ask him, what are you gonna do on the way out? Because you need to now.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, 100.

[George Camel]

Show your picture with your card when you're in line, or else they won't let you through.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep.

[George Camel]

And he goes, I'll figure it out. I'll find someone. Guess who he finds at checkout?

[Rachel Cruz]

He found you, George.

[George Camel]

He ends up right behind me in line.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, he doesn't.

[George Camel]

And he go, are the chances. And I go, I think this man's committing a crime now. I mean, it's a free country, but also, Costco has rules.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, okay, George, I forgot. I forgot that story. That's been a while.

[George Camel]

I forgot how good of a person I was for trying to do a good deed and getting roasted for it.

[Rachel Cruz]

What did they say?

[George Camel]

It's common knowledge that if you lost your Costco card, all you have to do is ask them to print out a temporary one at the front desk. First of all, that is not common knowledge. Did you know that?

[Rachel Cruz]

No, I did not know that.

[George Camel]

I didn't know that.

[Rachel Cruz]

No.

[George Camel]

How am I supposed to know? I was just trying. And honestly, out of all the crimes I could commit, getting a guy into a Costco, it's low on the bar. Yeah, put me in a minimum security.

[Rachel Cruz]

I just want to know what he saw in you. To think this is my guy.

[George Camel]

There's something about me that says this guy will do it.

[Rachel Cruz]

This guy?

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just see, I can rope him into a scam and a heartbeat. Do you think it was a scam, or do you think he genuinely forgot his Costco?

[George Camel]

He seemed like a genuine. I mean, I didn't pay for his stuff.

[Rachel Cruz]

Sure.

[George Camel]

So I was like, I'm not. Like, I'm not falling for that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Camel]

He was just a guy. Like, worst case, he snuck into this Costco and bought some stuff with his.

[Rachel Cruz]

Own money trail mix and meat.

[George Camel]

Take my membership away, Costco. So I don't know. Here's another comment. Well, it's official, folks. Podcasts have run out of interesting content ideas.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, no, no. They're calling us boring.

[George Camel]

That's an interesting story. If the algorithm said this person needs to see it, it's literally a money podcast. You spend a lot of money at Costco. Felt relevant to me. So I am going to go halfway on this.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

I should have known that it's common knowledge that you can get a temporary membership.

[Rachel Cruz]

Actually, as the Kirkland King, I am disappointed.

[George Camel]

Yeah. But, like, what am I doing? Hey, I can't help you. But if you go to the customer service area, I'm sure they can. That's what I should have done.

[Rachel Cruz]

You should have done that.

[George Camel]

And that's why I'm halfway on this.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, that's good.

[George Camel]

But doubling down on it was a good deed. Shame on me. Egg on my face for not sending him to customer service.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, that's fair. Very humble. Very humble, George.

[George Camel]

And another person said. I'm sorry, did he say someone in their 50s and 60s is an older person calling them a boomer? Yeah, they're older than me, and they're literally a boomer in their 60s.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just call them facts. Facts. Yeah.

[George Camel]

I didn't say elderly. I didn't say decrepit. I didn't say geriatric. I just said someone older.

[Rachel Cruz]

Older. That's right. Older than you or just general over someone older? Okay, it's both.

[George Camel]

I'm sorry, when. When is 60s not older?

[Rachel Cruz]

When you're about to be 60?

[George Camel]

I didn't say old. I just said older.

[Rachel Cruz]

Older. Older than what, though? I think these people.

[George Camel]

Fine. I'm done sharing my fun Costco stories because apparently it's boring to you.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. All right, I'm next.

[George Camel]

Finally, back to Rachel.

[Rachel Cruz]

On my 30th birthday, I went to Vegas and I had an envelope, and I said, this is the amount of money.

[George Camel]

It's a little bit of fun money.

[Rachel Cruz]

And when this envelope is empty, I'm done. I came out with more money than I came in. And the night I had at the craps table was one that I will never forget. Wow. Okay. So the first comment I find endearing, they said, you know, you're Dave Ramsey's daughter when you're using an envelope system in Vegas.

[George Camel]

That's cute.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's funny.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

And then we got a couple of these, but the essence was. So you're against credit cards but down for gambling. Got it.

[George Camel]

How do you address the haters on this?

[Rachel Cruz]

I get it. I get why they're hating. So I.

[George Camel]

Oh, wow. You're in support of the Stop criticism.

[Rachel Cruz]

If I go to Vegas again, like, I'll still play craps, but I may not talk about it publicly. I don't know. Is that bad discernment on my end?

[George Camel]

I. I just feel like you need to address the fact that apparently this is debaucherous behavior.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. Well, it's not responsible. Like, we do talk about gambling.

[George Camel]

Like, yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's if you have extra money. And that's what it was for me. It's fine. I don't have, like, this personal conviction of, like, I did something wrong, but should I have spread that with the world via a podcast? I don't know.

[George Camel]

I think it's the same people who are upset that occasionally we'll have a cocktail on this show.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

That is fair as an adult beverage. And now we're promoting, I guess, alcoholism. They think we are, like, yes. Getting debaucherous on this show.

[Rachel Cruz]

So I guess they think I'm telling you to gamble your life savings away. So.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

So. Yeah. But I can. I get it, though. I get that. I don't know.

[George Camel]

So you can actually understand the haters.

[Rachel Cruz]

I feel like I need to, like, even out my.09 wine.

[George Camel]

Oh, good. Like, all right, I'll take the loss on this one. Yeah. I hate losing money, and so it's hard to enjoy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. Yeah. And the times I have played craps, I have lost more times than I have won.

[George Camel]

But when you win, you brag about it on podcast.

[Rachel Cruz]

Pretty fun. Is fun.

[George Camel]

And you planned for it. And you knew if this money disappeared, you'd be okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

And I played maybe three times in my whole life, too. It's not like I'm like a.

[George Camel]

You're not constantly going to Vegas to try to win some money.

[Rachel Cruz]

Go to. Yeah, I'm not like, yeah, that's not what I'm doing.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

But I don't know.

[George Camel]

Game recognized. Game.

[Rachel Cruz]

I could see it.

[George Camel]

The commenters won today.

[Rachel Cruz]

Game recognized. Game. All right, George, you got a.

[George Camel]

All right.

[Rachel Cruz]

A target, man. You're all about the stores in these clips.

[George Camel]

I go to stores.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, so this next one about your.

[George Camel]

Target run, that's where most of my stories come from, because I don't have hobbies. So all you do is just go to stores. All right, let's play it. I returned an item from one Target to another Target in the same day. And they were like, we can't return this. And I was like, why? Like, well, you need to wait 24 hours between purchases from different targets to make a return. And I'm like, well, I can't go. I can't come tomorrow. So I was like, this is ridiculous. You know, I purch. I have the receipt. And so she's like, I'm sorry. This is the rule. And I went, well, screw the rule. And I crunched up the receipt and said, I'd like to do no receipt return. And she was just like, okay, see your id. And I know it was a little. It was a tiny win for mankind, but it was a big win for George. And I got my. I got it.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's actually pretty great.

[George Camel]

Thought it was an innocent, fun little story.

[Rachel Cruz]

I actually. I'm great with it. That does not make me mad. Why were people mad?

[George Camel]

Well, apparently. Here's a comment. You really stuck it to that hourly employee that has no control over the situation. Another comment. It's not because it's their policy. It's because their system is from the 90s and aren't able to share data until after they close out for the night. Former employee. I didn't think it was the. But here's my thing. The employee knows that you can do a no receipt return. So all I'm asking is for some human decency to say, hey, the system is really outdated. Here's how it works. But I can just do an overseat return.

[Rachel Cruz]

Totally.

[George Camel]

That's what I would do if I was the customer service person.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

I don't know if it's an oxymoron to put customer and service together these days, but I was expecting a little bit of service.

[Rachel Cruz]

George, you're getting hate for this conversation right now.

[George Camel]

Did I ruin their day? No, they were fine. They probably have not thought about it since. And yet you commenters, you haven't lost sleep over this clip. Can't believe he would treat a customer. They're doing their job. The no receipt return is a legitimate policy. If I take advantage of it, they'll cut me off. Did you know that?

[Rachel Cruz]

No.

[George Camel]

If you go over a certain amount because you have to Give your your id?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

They track it against how many returns you made to avoid fraud. Avoid me? Like taking an item from I found in the trash and returning it to Target for money?

[Rachel Cruz]

Totally. Yeah. Yeah.

[George Camel]

But I have given Target a lot of money over the years. I don't feel bad about this.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, so you're doubling down.

[George Camel]

I am doubling down that your system is stupid and old and it's time to update Target. I expected more of you. Costco. I understand they're operating on a slim.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're supposed to be mad at Target. You're supposed to be mad at the people that commented about the hating about the Target.

[George Camel]

I'm mad at the commenters and also Target. Please update your systems. It's a real problem for people who buy things and then want to return it at a different store within a 24 hour period, which is a very specific situation.

[Rachel Cruz]

There you go. So good.

[George Camel]

You know something I'll never return, Rachel?

[Rachel Cruz]

What?

[George Camel]

Anything I've bought from Cozy Earth.

[Rachel Cruz]

It is so true. I would cry if someone was like, you got to return this. I'd say please no.

[George Camel]

And even with this bedding, 10 year warranty on their bedding. So if I really had an issue that tore a hole in it, they're going to make it, right.

[Rachel Cruz]

They're sheets I bought for my sister in law because she loves very soft things. So I literally bought a set of sheets from Cozy Earth for her birthday and she just told me like two days ago. I was like, do you just love them? And she was like, I literally get a bed every night and I just feel like I'm swimming. That's what she said. It's like I'm swimming. Because it's like the softest, most wonderful material.

[George Camel]

Various.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's their sheets, it's their joggers, their pants. I have a sweatshirt. I have a regular like black T shirt. I bought like a long sleeve that I love. Winston has the socks. I mean like I'm kind of jealous.

[George Camel]

I gotta up my cozier thing.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm not kidding. Go. You need to go. Because they have great sales and actually our discount code I think is the best. Up to 40% off.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Promo code. Smart money at checkout or go to cozyearth.com. smart money.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. So that's a really good deal because again, these are like nicer products. Like we're not getting dupes here. They're like the legitimate thing. So when you go to checkout again you get up to 40% off. So type in smart money when you're Checking out. And it's amazing. We love it.

[George Camel]

Thank us later.

[Rachel Cruz]

Love it. Love it.

[George Camel]

All right, next clip of you getting roasted. Excited for this one. What you do now? What's an appointment? You're like, I've hunted this so far.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, the dentist for sure. But I think it's a scam because I'm fine. My teeth are fine.

[George Camel]

As far as we know. That's like saying, well, my car is fine because I got a car. It looks brand.

[Rachel Cruz]

I did the whole like one year thing or whatever, and then every time I went, they're like, it looks great. It looks great. Finally, I was like, okay, I'm going to go to one year. And then I went to two years. And then I went to the dentist last year for the first time and I can't even tell you how long. And he was like, looks great.

[George Camel]

This is like Ramsey DNA. I go twice a year to the dentist and they're always like, well, we got to watch that cavity. We got a new machine we're going to use on this, so maybe next $150.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right. I'm not shocked by this one that I got hate probably my mother was in the comments, too. I know people want to take it back now.

[George Camel]

Your chance.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, no.

[George Camel]

You're standing by the fact that the dentist is a scam.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, that's probably. Probably strong language. Some of the comments were, no, Rachel, go at least once a year. Dental health is a part of your overall health. If your plan is on using your teeth forever, professional cleaning every six months at a minimal. Rachel, 85 year old Rach will thank you.

[George Camel]

What do you think?

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, so far my plan is working for myself. My children, I do take. So just so I take care of my kids. My kids do go twice a year, all the things. But I just. I don't know, George. Like, I just. I feel fine. I think the dermatologist. I would be more. So much more inclined to like, check my skin for stuff.

[George Camel]

Have you ever had my teeth?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I got two when I was younger back there.

[George Camel]

How'd you know?

[Rachel Cruz]

Because my mom would take me to the dentist. And then I went though. I went, y' all, like two years ago. Looks great. Everything's fine. And I had not been in years. I'm telling you, an electric toothbrush and flossing, you are fine. You're fine.

[George Camel]

Oh, now you're promoting flossing all of a sudden?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I've gotten on the flossing train.

[George Camel]

Was that because of me?

[Rachel Cruz]

No, it's because I got One of those, like, little stick guys. Like the bags of stick things.

[George Camel]

Do you know the brand?

[Rachel Cruz]

Maybe Oral B. Oh, what do you have?

[George Camel]

Placker's twin line guy over here.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Placard's twin line is the only.

[Rachel Cruz]

Why double the line.

[George Camel]

Double the line.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Oh, I can't stand a single line. Call me pretentious.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, yeah. Why? What is it?

[George Camel]

I don't know. There's something about the double line that changes everything.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know my mom reuses her dental floss.

[George Camel]

That's right. That was from the Sharon Ramsey episode we did.

[Rachel Cruz]

It was. I know, I know. I don't know what to tell you.

[George Camel]

Beyond the line.

[Rachel Cruz]

Anyways, I don't think it's a scam, so I'll do your. I'll do one of these half and half. I don't think it's a scam. That was kind of a joke. But also, I think you can keep your dental health fine with an electric toothbrush, brush and flossing. Now, if you have pain, go. Right. But like. And again, maybe genetics, too. I think some people just have bad teeth.

[George Camel]

Yeah, that's me.

[Rachel Cruz]

So if that's you, then probably most.

[George Camel]

Offensive, they always ask me, do you floss regularly? I'm like, three times a day. Why are you even asking me? Rude.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know.

[George Camel]

What are you finding over there?

[Rachel Cruz]

What are you seeing there?

[George Camel]

You're thinking, I'm not flossing.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. People did not like. Especially the dentists out there, do not like me saying that.

[George Camel]

But that makes sense. Yeah. Calling their entire industry a scam. Not great.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. I mean, what other. I don't know.

[George Camel]

I got in trouble for calling funeral homes a scam. That was a recent one. Didn't even make it to this episode. Apparently, funeral home directors. Directors don't feel that way.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. No, for sure not. Definitely not. George. Okay, we will. We'll end on this last one helpful.

[George Camel]

Tip or marketing myth. Rachel. Oh, I love oil changes.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, man. I.

[George Camel]

They always tell you you need more oil change.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'd say marketing myth. Winston would say needed. He's big on oil changes. Like taking care of your car. Me? Eh, it'll be fine.

[George Camel]

But then what if your car, like, blows up because you didn't do any oil changes?

[Rachel Cruz]

Are you an oil changer when it's, like, it's time? Because I think my car indicates it later than the little sticker they give you up at the top. Oh, yeah, because they want you coming in more. Because then they also come to you and they're like, well, your Tire your engine, your whatever, whatever. And I'm like, all of you. All right. The little friendly oil debate. You know, car oil. I don't know.

[George Camel]

I feel like you basically said, oil changes are a scam.

[Rachel Cruz]

Everything's a scam. This person said, if there's any car costs not to skip, it's an oil change. It prevents costly problems down the road. This person said, I work in the auto industry. Read the owner's manual, tells you the correct mileage intervals for maintenance. Technically, you can go 10,000 miles between oil changes, but I still say do it close to 5000 miles.

[George Camel]

10,000. Feels insane.

[Rachel Cruz]

Feels like a long time.

[George Camel]

Like, usually it's like three, four, five.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. I don't know.

[George Camel]

I feel six, seven.

[Rachel Cruz]

I feel like I am nine.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

I feel like I am who I am on that clip. So what I said, to repeat what I had said in the past, is I would follow this. I would not follow the sticker as.

[George Camel]

Much as I would the meter.

[Rachel Cruz]

The meter, yeah. And I am not as detailed with it, even though I do think it's important.

[George Camel]

So I. Yeah, I'm doubling down on this.

[Rachel Cruz]

I will not double. Like, I'll. I'll be more. George.

[George Camel]

Oh, wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I would go more. We should probably get our oil changed.

[George Camel]

But I always wanted.

[Rachel Cruz]

I would get my oil changed more frequently than I would get my teeth cleaned.

[George Camel]

That's frightening, but a true statement for you. I'm honestly proud of you.

[Rachel Cruz]

And not awareness. Again, I want to clarify that I do brush my teeth with an electric toothbrush. Okay.

[George Camel]

Thanks for clearing the air on that one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Make sure we all know that teeth look great.

[George Camel]

That's a good one. Yeah. The oil changes, you know, we have. We both mostly drive electric cars.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes, that's true. That's true.

[George Camel]

But we have gas cars in the family, which need more maintenance.

[Rachel Cruz]

They do, don't they, George?

[George Camel]

They do. And it ain't cheap. No, it's true that when you take it in for something, they're always going to find a bunch of things they recommend. And that's where I'm like. It feels. Dentist. To add on all these things that they're like, you should probably do this or else you're gonna die.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes, that's right.

[George Camel]

I don't buy it. I want a second opinion.

[Rachel Cruz]

I love it. Love it.

[George Camel]

Well, what's the takeaways from all this?

[Rachel Cruz]

I think that we can change over time, George. I think that we may say things that in context, made sense in our head, but as it goes out to the Internets, May you not have the full grasp of what we were wanting. And sometimes we're wrong, but most of the time we're right. So it's fine.

[George Camel]

Well, as a true Ramsey in the DNA, most of the time we're right. I'll say this to your Credit In a 60 second post, taken out of context. The algorithm just showed you it's hard to get the full effect and so you just jump into the comment section and so go watch the full episode before you jump to conclusions, especially if it's our show. I highly encourage you watch the full episode.

[Rachel Cruz]

You have the energy to put in negative things on the Internet. Comments for people that you don't know personally.

[George Camel]

How is your quality of life?

[Rachel Cruz]

I would just ask yourself some questions.

[George Camel]

How are you doing life for you? Like, what are you actually angry at? Because it's not our eclipse.

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know if I'm being real honest.

[George Camel]

I'm being real honest.

[Rachel Cruz]

We talked about before this show. I'm not friends with people that leave comments.

[George Camel]

I asked Rachel, do you know, do any of your. Have any of your friends ever left a comment on YouTube or Instagram on a random person's post?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. And I was like, I don't think so. I will have friends that comment on celebrity posts and they're like, yeah, you go, girl. And like Kim Kardashian or something. And I'll see their comment makes me laugh, but it's like nice or something supportive. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I don't think I have any friends. I could be wrong on this. So just I can be held to this. The friends. I'm going through my Rolodex real quick of like, like eight to ten of my girlfriends. I don't think any of them would put negative comments out into the world. I don't think that they're like gonna say something mean on the Internet about people.

[George Camel]

So your final takeaway is if that's you, you need Jesus or therapy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Is that clear? Both, I think, is the best combo.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. I'm kidding, y' all. It's fine.

[George Camel]

But we love when you guys comment with your positivity and encouragement, letting us know what you like and what you don't like. I can take it. Honestly, it's fun for me.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, it's fine. We're kind of. We're blowing this into a bigger deal than it is.

[George Camel]

We're doing okay. You. Let's.

[Rachel Cruz]

Fine. What's that whole meme? What's the.

[George Camel]

Everything's fine.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm fine. It's Fine. Everything's fine. It's fine. I'm fine.

[George Camel]

Our job is to help you. We're just sharing experiences and opinions, and they're on camera and then on the Internet forever. And we don't have time to redo it perfectly.

[Rachel Cruz]

But just know we like doing this. We like our jobs. So just keep watching, and that's helpful.

[George Camel]

You know what I say, Rachel? Monetize the haters. Comment all you want. You're only making me more powerful. The algorithm is like, let's show this to more people. This is hot content. So thank you.

[Rachel Cruz]

Thank you for that. Okay, George, well, before we spill the tea on Guilty as Charged, what are we sipping on?

[George Camel]

We are sipping on the sparkling strawberry coconut mocktail. And you. We both barely got through this one.

[Rachel Cruz]

I hate to say it, because I saw how much time intentionality this mocktail took. There was a lot of blending, A lot. I mean, there was a lot of pureeing, a lot of stuff. So I just want to say thank you for making it, but I'm giving it a three out of ten.

[George Camel]

Ouch. Okay, here's what I was wanting it to be. I wanted it to taste like the pink drink from Starbucks, which is. It's creamy, it's sweet. It's got coconut. It's got the strawberry. This one, it wasn't quite there, but I'm gonna go five out of ten.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

If it had a little bit more sweetness, I could get behind it. It only cost 97 cents to make.

[Rachel Cruz]

There you go.

[George Camel]

So that's a good. That's nice. We didn't waste a lot of money on it. Here's what's in it. It's got strawberry puree, sparkling water, and coconut milk. So a very simple drink. And honestly, I think some people would love this. I would add some level of sweetness to help it out.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

But, yeah, I don't know. It's not bad.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not bad.

[George Camel]

Okay, recipes in the show notes. If you guys want to try it out this weekend, maybe your kids will love it.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, now it's time for Guilty as Charged. And this is where we ask each other a new Guilty as charged question every week. And if we're guilty, we take a sip.

[George Camel]

Oh, boy. All right, Rachel, here's the question. Has your honesty or, quote, public presence online ever backfired?

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, when you put something out online and it backfired. No. I did on Instagram, a one of those collagen face masks that's, like, all white, and then it, like, dries clear translucent. And you, like Peel it off. And it's supposed to be on for, like, five hours. And I did it because I was seeing them everywhere. So I was like, oh. So I did a story. I was doing it, and I got so many people were like, oh, my gosh. Tell us what you think. What you think. So I did, like, the reveal after. I was, okay, this dried here, the took it off, and I was like.

[George Camel]

Eh, not a great review.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, it's just, like, it was fine. Like, nothing. Like, like, majorly changed. And I guess I had shown or.

[George Camel]

No.

[Rachel Cruz]

I think I even tagged the company because people were asking what brand I was using. So I was like, oh, yeah, it's this brand. And then they reached out to me.

[George Camel]

Oh, no.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. I felt terrible. And they were like, we're so sorry you're disappointed. You know, could we ask? Like, they're very kind about it. So I was like, oh, shoot. You kind of forget that's people on the other end.

[George Camel]

There's real people here.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I know. And I didn't, like, bash them. Bash them. But I was just, like, very lukewarm about the results. So I think I just told them. My only feedback was, like, every girl I was seeing that was promoting it had, like, beautiful, clear skin. So, like, I don't know why, but you think, like, I know. I know it's not true, but a part of you is, like, when I take this off, maybe my sunspots will go away and, like, my pores will shrink instantly, you know? And you're kind of still got your face.

[George Camel]

Dang.

[Rachel Cruz]

Your face is your face. So they did. I did feel bad. I don't know.

[George Camel]

That's sad. Cause they were so nice about it too.

[Rachel Cruz]

They were so nice about it. I know.

[George Camel]

So they weren't like, thanks for dogging us, Rachel. You got a big following.

[Rachel Cruz]

Am I a hypocrite?

[George Camel]

I'm not gonna answer that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I just talked about how I don't say anything negative online, but I wasn't, like, bashing them.

[George Camel]

I was just like, you were being honest.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was giving an honest review.

[George Camel]

You weren't like, no one ever buy this. It's a terrible product. You were just like, hey, here's my results. Yeah, not the best.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

That feels honest.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, man. You know, you put yourself on a pedestal, then you get. Get knocked down because of your own words.

[George Camel]

Shame, shame, shame, shame.

[Rachel Cruz]

Shoot. I'll rethink my whole life now.

[George Camel]

Good.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, George, you.

[George Camel]

This one is more about being in public. So, you know, occasionally someone Will say, hey, like, I'm a big fan of the show. Like, when we're out and about shopping or whatever. Very once in a blue moon for me. I'm sure it happens all the time for you, but there was a time where I thought I was being recognized. And so, like, you know, when you're out in public, you're not, like, on. You know, you're just a person. Your face is just kind of. Whatever. I'm in a lot. I'm tired. In a line.

[Rachel Cruz]

Sure.

[George Camel]

I'm in a Sam's Club returning a chair.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not Costco.

[George Camel]

No, I was in a Sam's Club this time. They had a great lounge chair. Wanted a different color. I found out they had a stone, so I was returning the navy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay?

[George Camel]

So I'm standing there with my navy lounge chair, returning it in the line, and all of a sudden, this lady is like, hey. And I turned. And I turned to an 11. I was like, hey, how's it going? Because I thought, like, oh, this is a person. I need to kind of, like, you know, give them a little. Zhuzh it up a little bit. And she was like, where'd you get that chair? And I was like, oh, it's just over there. And Whitney turned to me and she was like, what just happened? Who are you? And I was like, I don't know. I thought I was being recognized, and I was really tired, and so I think I swung too hard to, like, go on, George. That's the switch. And she didn't know me from Adam. She was just like, hey, that's a cool chair. Would you get that chair?

[Rachel Cruz]

Welcome to Smart Money Happy hour.

[George Camel]

So embarrassing.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, that's funny. You know, only you knew, though. And Whitney.

[George Camel]

That's true. She just thought, oh, he's not okay. Yeah, he's having. He's having a time.

[Rachel Cruz]

He's having a real happy day here at Sam's. That's what she was thinking.

[George Camel]

But I try, like, there's a level where you kind of have to be on because you don't know who you're going to run into you're going to meet. So that's why I shower before I leave the house. It's my thing. I have to shower before I leave the house. Because the day I don't is the day I'm just gonna be someone like.

[Rachel Cruz]

Hey, can I get a George? George, over here. George. George. George. Tell us, George. They're all yelling at you, taking your picture.

[George Camel]

I can't swing that.

[Rachel Cruz]

You got it. You gotta do this. I take that hat that you never wear.

[George Camel]

Well, I'll tell you this before we go. I'm on the wall at my alterations place. I have a framed P.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, signed.

[George Camel]

Signed.

[Rachel Cruz]

Like a headshot.

[George Camel]

Yeah. So there was a lady in there getting some clothes done, and she said, hey. Oh, my gosh. I watched the show and so I ran it. I ran to my car, grabbed a book for her son about to go to college. And one of the owners, the person that works there, was like, I guess they googled me after I left. So when I came back, he started yelling, YouTube. YouTube. And I was like, hey, that's me. I'm on YouTube. And he's like, picture, picture. And so we took a picture. Next time I came in, he had a framed picture. And he's like, would you sign this? And I made it into the, like, Z list Celebrity wall of Fame. I don't know anyone on this wall. So let me just tell you, like, I'm not.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're in there, George.

[George Camel]

Catch me on the wall. How about that?

[Rachel Cruz]

So proud. So proud. Well, make sure that you guys leave a review. It could be nice or mean. We're taking it all these days. We're really okay? We're fine. It's fine.

[George Camel]

Remember, you will be judged on the other side.

[Rachel Cruz]

Everything's fine. And make sure to check out our episode. We explain our most hated financial advice. If you like this episode, you'll love that one. And make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.