I Put $15,000 on Credit Cards for Pokemon Cards

Summary

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Ramsey Show Highlights (June 23, 2026), Dave Ramsey and co-host Todd take a call from a listener who has accumulated significant credit card debt—over $13,000—due to speculative spending on Pokémon cards. The episode centers around diagnosing impulsive financial decisions, the dangers of trying to "get rich quick," and the importance of steady work and accountability when digging out of debt.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Caller’s Admission of Debt and Lack of Awareness

• Caller shares that he racked up "like, thousands of dollars in credit card debt" buying Pokémon cards, hoping to flip them for profit.
• When pressed, he admits he doesn't know the exact total:

  “No, I don’t really pay attention like that.” (Caller, 00:48)

2. The First Steps: Facing the Numbers and Taking Inventory

• Dave Ramsey stresses the need to get specific about debt:

  "Step one, identify the problem in detail. You're lost, you're screwed. You need to find the map that has the little red arrow on it that says, you are here. Here you are, $13,426 of stupid. I want to define my stupid very carefully and thoroughly. That's step one. Step two is take assessment of the inventory of Pokémon cards and how you can move them." (Dave Ramsey, 00:51–01:22)

3. Underlying Issues: Employment Instability and Quick-Rich Myths

• Todd pushes deeper, asking about the caller's job status:

  “What do you do for work? What’s your job?” (Todd, 02:14)

• Caller confesses to unstable employment:

  "I'm kind of bouncing around employment." (Caller, 02:19)

• Todd and Dave identify this as a key source of desperation and risky behavior.

4. Challenging Money Myths and False Logic

• Dave Ramsey pokes fun at the “American Dream” logic and common misconceptions:

  “So you believe crap like you heard, like, it takes money to make money. And so I’m going to be a Pokémon guy because two people I know did this once, and instead of working…” (Dave Ramsey, 02:29) "Like, American dream is to go broke in credit card debt." (Dave Ramsey, 02:04)

5. Concrete Advice: Work Hard, Sell What You Can, and Get Accountable

• Dave lays out a plan:
  • Get a full-time (40-hour) job.
  • Add another part-time (30-hour) job, if necessary.
  • Aggressively pay down the debt.
  • Get help from the same friends who encouraged the card buying.

  "Once you get a 40 hour job and then what I want you to do right after that is I want you to get another 30 hour job and pay these, pay these credit cards off. Meanwhile, call some of your stupid Pokémon friends and say, hey stupid friend, you got me into a stupid mess because I was stupid. And we're gonna get this mess cleaned up and sell these stupid cards. Now help me with this and let's get these cards moved instead of sitting around looking at them." (Dave Ramsey, 02:29–03:10)

6. The Emotional Burden of Poor Decisions

• Dave vividly describes the shame of living with “dumb” purchases:

  “I’ve done dumb things, Todd... And dumb things, when you leave them sitting there in your house, they shame you. When you walk by, they go, you do it a tom thing. They talk to you, they tell you they do. Had a car parked in my driveway one time. It kept saying, Dave, you’re stupid. Yeah, you’re dumb, Dave. Yeah, you. Look what you did, Dave. Until I got rid of that stupid car, I felt stupid every time I drove it.” (Dave Ramsey, 03:15–03:48)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Here you are, $13,426 of stupid. I want to define my stupid very carefully and thoroughly. That's step one.”
  — Dave Ramsey (00:54)
• “Like, American dream is to go broke in credit card debt.”
  — Dave Ramsey (02:04)
• “Once you get a 40 hour job…get another 30 hour job and pay these credit cards off…call some of your stupid Pokemon friends and say, hey stupid friend, you got me into a stupid mess because I was stupid.”
  — Dave Ramsey (02:29–03:10)
• “Dumb things, when you leave them sitting there in your house, they shame you. When you walk by, they go…They talk to you… Until I got rid of that stupid car, I felt stupid every time I drove it.”
  — Dave Ramsey (03:20–03:48)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:06 – Caller introduces the problem: Pokémon card debt
• 00:51 – Dave Ramsey explains the need for detailed self-assessment
• 01:34 – Caller admits to speculative, unsuccessful buying
• 01:46–02:11 – Todd probes caller’s motivations; Dave critiques the “American Dream” justification
• 02:14 – Todd uncovers caller’s employment instability
• 02:29–03:10 – Dave’s concrete action plan for recovering from debt
• 03:15–03:48 – Dave shares a personal anecdote on the shame of bad purchases

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Summary

This episode candidly explores the dangers of impulsive, speculative spending fueled by myths about easy money—especially when combined with employment instability. Dave Ramsey’s trademark tough love, seasoned with humor and personal experience, underscores the importance of clear-eyed self-inventory, hard work, asking for help, and acting quickly to rectify financial mistakes. The episode delivers practical steps for getting out of debt and a memorable lesson on the emotional cost of unwise purchases.

Transcript

[Dave Ramsey]

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[Caller]

Hey. So anyway, I was. I've kind of gotten myself kind of like, screwed over a little bit, I guess you could say I was out getting. I had a friend put me on to getting Pokemon cards, and I think I went a little too far over because I racked up. Well, I talked to the lady on the phone before this. I racked up like, thousands of dollars in credit card debt to help pay for my Pokemon cards.

[Todd]

How much is. How many thousands?

[Caller]

Probably like 10 to $15,000.

[Dave Ramsey]

Okay, how much credit card debt do you have exactly? Do you even know?

[Caller]

No, I don't really pay attention like that.

[Dave Ramsey]

Well, step one, identify the problem in detail. You're lost, you're screwed. You need to find the map that has the little red arrow on it that says, you are here. Here you are, $13,426 of stupid. I want to. I want to define my stupid very carefully and thoroughly. That's step one. Step two is take assessment of the inventory of Pokemon cards and what. And how you can move them. So you've been trying. You bought them to speculate on them and try to retail them back out. You tried to buy them at one price and sell them at another price, Right?

[Caller]

Correct.

[Dave Ramsey]

And did you do that successfully ever?

[Caller]

No, I kind of just winged because I saw other success stories. I was like, you know what? I'll use the credit card. You know, my logic was, I'll use their money because it's not mine. And then if it doesn't work, then why were you.

[Dave Ramsey]

Then it's your money after all. Who knew?

[Todd]

You know, I have a feeling this is a symptom of something else. What caused you to be so desperate that you would do 10,000 or however much on. On a credit card for Pokemon cards?

[Caller]

Oh, that's just the American dream in my mind. I'm just trying to like, make the. The next dollar.

[Dave Ramsey]

Like, American dream is to go broken credit card debt.

[Caller]

Well, when you order like that.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah, this dude, I wanted to.

[Todd]

Okay, like, what do you do for work? What's your job?

[Caller]

I'm kind of bouncing around employment. I'm kind of.

[Todd]

There it is.

[Caller]

Looking for a need.

[Todd]

And there it is. Okay. That's what I was getting to. There was something going on.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Okay, okay. So you believe crap like you heard, like, it takes money to make money. And so I'm going to be a Pokemon guy because two people I know did this once, and instead of working so here's what I want you to do once you get a 40 hour job and then what I want you to do right after that is I want you to get another 30 hour job and pay these, pay these credit cards off. Meanwhile, call some of your stupid Pokemon friends and say, hey stupid friend, you got me into a stupid mess because I was stupid. And we're gonna get this mess cleaned up and sell these stupid cards. Now help me with this and let's get these cards moved instead of sitting around looking at them. Because every day I gotta look at them. If I'm you, I feel dumber.

[Todd]

Yeah, the American.

[Dave Ramsey]

I've done dumb things, Todd. You did a dumb thing. So I know what dumb things look like. And dumb things, when you leave them sitting there in your house, they shame you. When you walk by, they go, you do it a tom thing. They talk to you, they tell you they do. Had a car parked in my driveway one time. It kept saying, Dave, you're stupid. Yeah, you're dumb, Dave. Yeah, you. Look what you did, Dave. Until I got rid of that stupid car, I felt stupid every time I drove it. Yeah. Create your free every dollar budget today. The simplest way to budget for your life.