1: Vault: Did She Come Clean To Her Husband About Her Financial Crisis?

Summary

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The Bert Show Episode Summary

Episode: Vault: Did She Come Clean To Her Husband About Her Financial Crisis?

Date: March 4, 2026

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Overview

This episode centers around “Josie,” a caller who finds herself in a financial and marital dilemma after mismanaging the couple’s investments. After lying to her husband about taking finance classes and not pulling their money from the market as advised, Josie faces the challenge of coming clean. The Bert Show crew—led by Wendy and friends—dig into themes of honesty, financial literacy in marriage, and whether full disclosure is always best. The conversation is lively, honest, and filled with real-world relationship insight and banter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Josie’s Financial Crisis Confession

• Josie's husband had previously asked her to manage their finances, including stocks, and to attend finance classes. However, Josie neither attended the classes nor acted on her husband’s advice to withdraw from the stock market before a downturn.
• For weeks, she concealed her missteps until “payday”—the night she finally confessed, dreading his reaction.
  • [02:52] Josie recounts, “Yesterday was horrible, as you can imagine. I was, like, sick to my stomach all day long... I said, there’s something we have to talk about.”

2. Surprising Twist: The Husband Was a Step Ahead

• Josie discovers during the conversation that her husband had already “checked into things” and sold off the stocks in August, averting the potential loss without informing her.
  • [03:34] “He… broke down into a smile, and he’s like, ‘Okay, you can relax a little bit. Stop crying. Just relax… But I had a feeling. So I checked into things. I sold some stocks in August at the end of August.’”
• Josie is told she’s now banned from handling family finances.
  • [04:13] Josie: “‘That I’m not allowed anywhere near the money?’ And he said, ‘Exactly. No more handling the finances ever, ever, ever. I’m in charge of everything.’”

3. Feelings of Reluctance and Relief

• Josie admits to feeling both relieved and a bit foolish for her failures, acknowledging her irresponsibility.
  • [05:13] Josie: “Yes. No, I was. I was irresponsible. There is no question. That’s why I’m relieved to have him take over, because clearly I’m… no good in this arena.”

4. The Lie Lingers: Finance Classes and Further Deception

• Josie reveals she hasn’t yet admitted to her husband that she never attended the finance classes, even though he paid for them.
  • [05:48] Wendy: “But the weeks of lying that led up to it when I was leaving the house and she thought I was going to the finance classes... I think she’d have a tougher time with that than anything else.”
  • [05:55] Josie: “Okay, well, to be fair… I haven’t spilled the beans yet about not going to the finance (classes).”

5. Should She Come Clean (Again)?

• The crew debates whether Josie should confess to the second layer of dishonesty. Opinions are divided; some encourage full honesty, while others advocate letting sleeping dogs lie.
  • [07:21] Wendy: “Do you guys think that she should come clean with him now about the second part… or just go ahead and keep it a secret?”
  • [07:34] Friend 3: “The fact that there’s money attached, that’s not cool.”
  • [07:37] Friend 4: “Let it go. Water under the bridge… If it comes up again, just confess then.”
  • [08:16] Financial Advisor: “The right thing is… yeah, you should. But no, I wouldn’t.”

6. Making Amends and Marital Dynamics

• Some suggest Josie could at least reimburse her husband for the unattended class or buy him something as a gesture.
• The show rounds off with light-hearted banter about responsibility, trust, and possible creative ways Josie could “make it right.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Wendy (Host):
  • “That feels like the verbal version of the dog with the tail between his legs right there.” [01:46]
  • “If the roles were reversed... Stacy would be crazy nuts that I didn’t do anything with the money. But the weeks of lying... I think she’d have a tougher time with that than anything else.” [05:24]
• Josie (Caller):
  • “I was shaking. Like, literally my hands were shaking.” [03:24]
  • “‘That I’m not allowed anywhere near the money?’ And he said, ‘Exactly. No more handling the finances ever, ever, ever. I’m in charge of everything.’” [04:13]
  • “Yes. No, I was. I was irresponsible. There is no question.” [05:13]
• Friend 3:
  • “She is. No offense, Josie, but, I mean, at the class, you went to class once, and you didn’t take it seriously. So with the finances, you were irresponsible?” [05:04]
• Financial Advisor:
  • “The right thing is… yeah, you should. But no, I wouldn’t.” [08:16]
• Friend 4:
  • “Let it go. Water under the bridge... If it comes up again, just confess then.” [07:37]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:52] Josie describes her anxiety and the confession moment
• [03:34] The surprising relief—husband reveals he handled the finances
• [05:13] Josie candidly acknowledges her irresponsibility
• [05:55] Admits she hasn’t confessed about skipping finance classes
• [07:21] The team debates whether she should come clean
• [08:16] Final advice: “The right thing is… yeah, you should. But no, I wouldn’t.”

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Conclusion

The episode offers a relatable slice of real-life relationship and financial drama, peppered with humor and practical advice from the Bert Show crew. Ultimately, it leaves listeners pondering the balance between honesty and self-preservation in relationships, and the importance of financial transparency between partners. The episode concludes with Josie leaning toward keeping her further dishonesty secret, as the group banters about the complexity (and comedy) of marriage.

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Transcript

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[Josie]

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[TV Show Promoter]

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[Josie]

I want both of our sacks to be fun.

[Friend 1]

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[Josie]

We were all a part of this victory. Now get those nachos out of the preemie warmer.

[Host Wendy]

Nachos.

[Josie]

Feels like there's more applause for the nachos than my speech.

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[Host Wendy]

All right, Wendy, who is Josie and why are we talking to her again this morning?

[Financial Advisor]

Josie is married and decided to ask her husband to take over the financials, which included some of the stocks that they had in the stock market. Well, Josie was supposed to go to a couple of classes about finance and learn about it and never checked up on the stocks. And her husband actually asked her to get out of the stock market before it crashed and she didn't do that.

[Host Wendy]

She didn't do that. So she didn't go to the classes, didn't pull the money out. Lying to him now for weeks. And last night was payday. She had to talk to her husband last night about everything that she's been doing and tell him that they've lost a ton of cash. Hi, Josie.

[Josie (Caller)]

Hi, guys. How are you?

[Host Wendy]

That feels like the verbal version of the dog with the tail between his legs right there.

[Josie (Caller)]

So I had the talk and you guys were right. He had taken care of it without telling me.

[Friend 2]

No way.

[Friend 3]

Knew it.

[Josie (Caller)]

Yeah, he did. I can't believe you guys had more insight into my husband than I did.

[Host Wendy]

Melissa was right on top of that.

[Friend 3]

Well, I just feel like I was thinking my own relationship and like, you know, Katie and I know each other's weaknesses and our strengths. And I think that if there was something Katie didn't trust me with but asked me to do, she would check on her own, you know, behind my back just to make sure it got done. If it was something that important, like with money.

[Josie (Caller)]

So.

[Friend 3]

So that's why I assumed your husband

[Host Wendy]

did the same thing even before you found out. I want to take this from, like, the prequel before you found out that he was taking care of things. I want to know what your day was like yesterday, how you approached him yesterday, where you sat him down. What were you feeling when you sat him down? And then I want to know exactly how he broke it to you that he'd taken care of things.

[Josie (Caller)]

Okay. Well, yesterday was horrible, as you can imagine. I was, like, sick to my stomach all day long. And he got home last night around seven or so, and I couldn't do anything else except have the conversation. So I didn't beat around the bush. I said, there's something we have to talk about. Come sit in the living room. Sat him down. I was shaking. Like, literally my hands were shaking.

[Host Wendy]

He must have known at that point what was coming up. So when you said, we need to go sit down and talk, did he. Did his face say anything to you? Did he give away anything?

[Josie (Caller)]

Well, I was so nervous that I wasn't even really paying that much attention to him, but he didn't give anything away at that point. He seemed like, okay. And so I was, like, crying a little bit, shaking, and I, you know, was telling the story. And at first he, you know, he was, like, trying. Trying to make this mad face, like, trying to keep it, you know, mad. And then he just kind of broke down into a smile, and he's like, okay, you can relax a little bit. Stop crying. Stop crying. Just relax. You know, you're not off the hook. But I had a feeling. So I checked into things. I sold some stocks in August. At the end of August, he said. And then he said, you know what this means? And I said, what? That I'm not allowed anywhere near the money? And he said, exactly. No more handling the finances ever, ever, ever. I'm in charge of everything.

[Friend 2]

And how do you feel about that? Do you feel relieved that he's taking it back, or do you feel like, oh, kind of.

[Josie (Caller)]

To be honest, yeah.

[Host Wendy]

At that point, she lost all leverage in the negotiation at all. So she's probably relieved that she doesn't have to handle any of it.

[Friend 2]

But the thing is, now, like, your husband thinks you're completely irresponsible. You gotta do some things to earn his respect back again.

[Friend 3]

Well, she is. No offense, Josie, but, I mean, at the class, you went to class once, and you didn't take it seriously. So with the finances, you were Irresponsible?

[Josie (Caller)]

Yes. No, I was. I was irresponsible. There is no question. That's why I'm relieved to have him take over, because clearly I'm. I'm no good in this arena.

[Host Wendy]

If the roles were reversed here, okay, and this was happening in my house first, Stacy would be crazy nuts that I didn't. I didn't do anything with the money. But the weeks of lying that led up to it when I was leaving the house and she thought I was going to the finance classes, and I was lying to her face time and time again. I think she'd have a tougher time with that than anything else.

[Josie (Caller)]

Okay, well, to be fair. To be fair, I haven't spilled the beans yet about not going to the finance.

[Friend 4]

To be fair, who exactly are you being fair to right now?

[Host Wendy]

Oh, honey.

[Friend 2]

So he still thinks he left. Barbara brought out the honey.

[Josie (Caller)]

I couldn't let it all out in one night.

[Host Wendy]

Why rip it off?

[Friend 4]

It's a band aid. Just tear it off.

[Host Wendy]

You gotta do. So you gotta go back and you gotta do the whole thing again.

[Josie (Caller)]

Well, I figured, at this point, does it really matter? Go to the finance class.

[Friend 4]

But what if he comes to you someday and he's got, like, your little portfolio or whatever it's called, and he's like, let me ask you a question. That finance class, what do they say? We're Safe? Was safer CDs or Treasury bonds?

[Host Wendy]

Well, she could say, now, you know what? I'm. I mess this up so badly. Before this is all you on, I

[Friend 3]

do want to ask who paid for that class?

[Josie (Caller)]

I mean, it came out of the house, so he paid for it. Yeah, I guess.

[Friend 3]

And I'm just curious, how much does a class like that cost?

[Josie (Caller)]

I don't think very much. I think it was like $300 or something.

[Friend 3]

300, okay, so he spent three. Or you two. I'm sorry, as a couple. You spent $300 on a class you never went to. So maybe the fair thing is, you know, if you're not going to tell him, then maybe, I don't know, somehow to reimburse him that $300.

[Josie (Caller)]

Oh. Like, get him a. Book him a massage or something and then be like, surprise.

[Host Wendy]

I don't know, bond in his name or something. Do you guys think that she should come clean with him now about the second part of this or. Now that the worst part is over, just go ahead and keep it a secret.

[Friend 3]

The fact that there's money attached, like, that's not cool.

[Host Wendy]

You got to sit him down Again. Jeff, what do you think? Sit him down again or just let it go?

[Friend 4]

Let it go. Water under the bridge. Just tuck and move. Don't say a word. And if it ever. If it comes up again, if he brings it up, the financial class go. Well, I've got another confession to make. I didn't want to tell you this, blah, blah, blah, blah, but I think it's probably six months from now he'll even forget you said you took it.

[Host Wendy]

So you're saying full disclosures and marriages is overrated?

[Friend 2]

No.

[Friend 4]

Because then you get the problem about lying to him where you were every single night you're supposed to be at the class. I don't know.

[Friend 2]

And why your nails and toes look so good all the time,

[Friend 1]

Wendy.

[Host Wendy]

Does she go back and tell him that she lied about all the classes or just let it go?

[Financial Advisor]

I wouldn't really. The right thing is. Yeah, you should. But no, I wouldn't.

[Friend 2]

That's funny.

[Financial Advisor]

Just let it ride. Let it ride.

[Friend 3]

Give him his money. I mean, the big drama's over. If you're not going to tell him, give him his money back somehow. At least make it right for yourself.

[Friend 4]

But pay back with a couple of,

[Friend 3]

you know, she don't want to make it run. How much you charge for each one of those, John?

[Friend 4]

I gotta see a picture of her.

[Friend 3]

Dante. $.

[Host Wendy]

All right, Josie, let us know how you handle it, all right? If you have the talk with them again, call us back the next day and let us know.

[Josie (Caller)]

Okay?

[Host Wendy]

Are your instincts now saying just let it go? Or you. Are you thinking you're gonna have the talk?

[Josie (Caller)]

My. My instincts are saying let it go.

[Friend 3]

She's not gonna tell him.

[Host Wendy]

She's not gonna say not a damn word. Whatever.

[Friend 2]

Tell him.

[Host Wendy]

See you later. Bye. Bye.

[Financial Advisor]

Let it go. She is.

[Friend 2]

Consistent

[Friend 3]

irresponsibility.

[Friend 2]

I was fishing for a company. Yeah, Somewhere around there, wasn't there.

[Friend 4]

Hey.

[TV Show Promoter]

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[Friend 1]

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[Host Wendy]

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[TV Show Promoter]

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[Friend 1]

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[Host Wendy]

Wow.

[TV Show Promoter]

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[Friend 1]

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[Host Wendy]

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