The Ramsey Show Highlights - "I Made A Big Mistake"

Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Ramsey Network Team (featuring Rachel, Financial Coach, Financial Advisor)
Episode Theme:
This episode centers on the emotional and financial pitfalls of cosigning and providing expensive assets for family members—specifically, a mother who bought her adult daughter a car. The discussion unpacks why generosity, if not handled wisely, can turn into a burden and offers tough but compassionate advice on correcting those mistakes.

Main Discussion & Key Insights

1. Rachel's Dilemma: The Gift Gone Wrong

• Rachel shares her regret over buying her daughter a car for $27,000, which remains in Rachel's name—including the loan and insurance. The arrangement was contingent on her daughter getting her credit together to put it in her name, which hasn't happened after almost a year.
  • "I've made many, but this is huge... She hasn't done that. She's getting fast track tickets... her insurance not covered by anyone other than mom. And I'm becoming inundated with this." (00:11)
• Additional complications: The daughter incurred ticket fines (toll bridges), rising car-related expenses, and still relies on Rachel for the car's cost and paperwork.

2. Expert Advice: Undo the Mistake

• Financial Coach and Advisor recommend a drastic change: Sell the car.
  • "I think you need to sit down with her for a cup of coffee and say, honey, you know what? I love you and I'm so sorry. I thought I was doing something nice for you, and this is a curse to you... We're gonna sell that car." (01:32)
• They emphasize that generosity, when not matched by responsibility or capacity, isn't a blessing but a burden—both to the giver and receiver.
  • "You didn't help your daughter. You hurt your daughter. You put her in a situation where she can't afford a car." (02:44)
  • "You're not blessing her. You're not blessing those kids. You're putting those kids’ mom in a trap and she can't swim. She's drowning because of you." (03:14)

3. Hard Truths: Accountability and Boundaries

• The hosts challenge Rachel's rationalizations based on her daughter's single-parent status and her grandchildren's need for transportation.
  • Rachel: "She has three children. My grand. So she don't care. Have transportation." (01:51)
  • Financial Coach: "I don't care. She does not need a $27,000 car. And she's irresponsible." (01:54)
• The conversation is direct, even tough, encouraging Rachel to prioritize responsible financial stewardship over misplaced compassion.
  • "Stop it. Quit rationalizing it. It was a dumb butt idea. Quit doing it. Stop it, love your daughter better." (03:14)
• Possible solutions are given: selling the car, taking a small loan to cover the negative equity, and helping her daughter into a more affordable vehicle.
  • "What you could do is go down, get a eight thousand dollar loan from a credit union, give your daughter the five thousand if you want to get her the five thousand dollar car, three thousand dollars for the difference and be done with it." (04:11)
  • "And you pay off the $8,000 for your mistake and then you pay off the 8,000 of that loan." (04:44)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On misplaced generosity:

  "When you're trying to bless somebody and you do it wrong, you don't bless them, you curse them. And that's what you did. You didn't mean to, honey, but it's what you did, so you need to undo it."
  —Financial Coach (04:47)

• On financial boundaries:

  "You're like somebody swimming and you hand them an anchor."
  —Financial Coach (03:14)

• On making tough decisions:

  "Sweet girl. You made a mistake. Undo the mistake. Don't keep going it."
  —Financial Coach (02:33)

Key Timestamps

• 00:11: Rachel describes the problem and her daughter’s lack of follow-through.
• 01:32: Coach suggests having a difficult but loving conversation and selling the car.
• 02:44: Coach clarifies that the current arrangement hurts, not helps, Rachel’s daughter.
• 03:14: Tough talk on rationalizations and the consequences for the whole family.
• 04:11: Step-by-step advice on selling a financed car and resolving the negative equity.
• 04:47: Reflection on the difference between helping and enabling.

Takeaway

This episode delivers a blunt reminder: Financial help is only helpful when it aligns with responsibility and reality. The experts urge Rachel—and listeners—to undo imprudent financial decisions, prioritize accountability, and offer real support that helps long-term, even if that means having tough conversations or selling assets.