I'm Addicted to DoorDash

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Ramsey Show Highlights

Episode: I'm Addicted to DoorDash
Date: November 18, 2025
Host: Ramsey Network (Rachel Cruze & Christian)
Featured Caller: Gabe

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around Gabe, a 20-year-old college student who finds himself spending all of his income—primarily on DoorDash and impulse purchases. Hosts Rachel Cruze and Christian dissect Gabe’s situation, offering practical guidance for building financial discipline, setting goals, and forming better money habits as a young adult.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recognizing the Spending Habit

• Gabe’s Problem: Gabe admits to spending every paycheck, mainly on DoorDash deliveries and “random stuff,” regardless of how much he earns.
  • Gabe: "I always find a way, no matter how much money comes in the paycheck, to spend it all." (00:20)
• DoorDash Cycle: Gabe has tried deleting the app but finds himself redownloading it, describing the habit as a “creeping addiction.”
  • Gabe: "It's just like a creeping addiction, you know?" (00:46)
• Hosts’ Perspective: The hosts relate humorously, poking fun at how easy it is to aspirationally buy groceries and still wind up reaching for takeout.
  • Rachel: "Going back to an abusive ex to a zucchini." (00:57)
  • Christian: "We all aspirational grocery shop... I'm going to eat a zucchini." (01:00)

2. Deep Dive into Gabe’s Background

• Goals: Gabe’s financial aspirations are to get a car, buy a house, and eventually achieve a net worth of a million dollars.
  • Gabe: "First is get a car. Then after that a house. And then after that, cracked a million marks in net worth." (01:20)
• Income Source: He works for DoorDash (delivering and using the service), currently living at home.
  • Christian: “Wait, do you drive for DoorDash?” (01:47)
  • Rachel: “He’s a doordasher.” (01:53)
• Student Status: Gabe is a business management major, cash-flowing his education, with minimal debt ($200 on credit cards).
  • Gabe: "I'm cash flowing it." (02:56)
  • Rachel: "Do you have any debt?" / Gabe: "I have $200 in credit cards." (02:58–03:02)

3. Understanding Lack of Motivation

• Expenses: His only expenses are his phone and gas—totaling $300–400/month.
• Income: He makes about $2,000/month from DoorDash.
• Living at Home: The hosts note that minimal expenses and staying at home can reduce the urgency for change.
  • Christian: “If I’m you, I have very little motivation to even go work when my only two things I need to survive is covering a phone bill and gas.” (03:51)
  • Rachel: "There's no urgency. Exactly. I was living at home." (06:01)

4. Building Habits and Automated Savings

• Practical Tip: Rachel suggests automating his savings—directing at least half of his pay ($1,000/month) into savings to help reach his goals.
  • Rachel: "What if you gave yourself 600 bucks to spend on how you want and then save half of your income and you do that for the next, golly, six months, you'd have $6,000 when you graduate." (04:39)
• Pay Yourself First: Automating transfers to savings helps build the discipline to live on less and accumulate funds.
  • Christian: "If you automate that, you'll just pretend the thousand bucks never existed." (07:30)
• Include Giving: Rachel also recommends integrating generosity—giving a portion of income each month to create a habit of giving.
  • Rachel: "I'd be giving some too. I think there's a practice of generosity in there. Give, you know, it's ever how much you want, but even 200 bucks a month, practice that part, practice the saving part, and then you can still enjoy some of it." (04:39)

5. Changing Environment After Graduation

• Forming New Challenges: Christian encourages Gabe to move out after graduation to encounter real-world responsibilities.
  • Christian: "Once he graduates though, he just go ahead and find an actual job. Like, don't stick around home saying, well, I could save up for a house faster. And all of a sudden you spent 500 bucks on DoorDash." (06:20)
  • Christian: "Create some problems for yourself. Because we are wired to solve problems. And right now you just don't have many, which is not a bad thing. But if you want to accomplish your financial goals, you kind of need to have some. Some, you know, some mojo." (06:33)
• Personal Example: Christian shares his own story of expenses while living at home and how moving out changed his perspective.
  • Christian: "When I was living at home, I was working at the Apple Store. And every paycheck would just go to like, gear and just spend. I didn't, I wasn't saving any of it." (05:52)

6. Steps for Practical Financial Improvement

• Get a Car: Prioritize saving for a car; automate savings through a high-yield account.
  • Rachel: "I would reiterate. Yeah. If you... saved a thousand dollars a month, Gabe, I mean, you could have a $6,000 car in six months." (07:08)
• Use High-Yield Savings: The hosts recommend using a Ramsey-endorsed bank for higher returns and better savings incentives.
  • Christian: "Go to Fairwinds.org Ramsey. They just created a new bundle for our fans... Just go straight from checking into that high yield savings." (07:30)
• Avoid Debt: They underscore the importance of resisting temptations for car loans or unnecessary debt as Gabe transitions to full adulthood.
  • Christian: “Every time, especially as you enter adulthood, it's so easy to be tempted to take out the car loan, open the credit card, go into debt, take out the personal loan, whatever it is. And so this will help you avoid that temptation.” (08:09)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Gabe on Grocery Shopping vs. DoorDash:
  "You see like the zucchini you bought three days ago and you're like, ah, DoorDash sounds better. I'm redownloading it." — Gabe (00:50)
• Rachel on Aspirational Shopping:
  "Going back to an abusive ex to a zucchini." — Rachel (00:57)
• Christian on Motivation:
  "If I'm you, I have very little motivation to even go work when my only two things I need to survive is covering a phone bill and gas." — Christian (03:51)
• Rachel on Financial Routines:
  "I think it's just the habits and the routines month to month that you need to change. And when you kind of get those in place, you start to be disciplined." — Rachel (04:39)
• Christian's Self-Reflection:
  "I'm spending every $16 an hour I make." — Christian, reflecting on his own habits (08:36)
• Christian to Gabe:
  "This is very natural. You're 20. You're not weird, you're just 20." — Christian (08:22)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:10 – Gabe’s struggle with overspending and DoorDash addiction
• 01:20 – Gabe shares his financial goals
• 02:01 – Gabe’s status as a student and his income sources
• 03:39 – Discussion of expenses and living at home
• 04:39 – Rachel’s advice on automating savings and giving
• 05:52 – Christian’s personal experience with overspending while at home
• 06:20 – Importance of moving out after graduation to stimulate growth
• 07:08 – Concrete plan: Save toward a car and set up a high-yield savings account
• 08:09 – Reminders to avoid debt and build financial habits

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Tone & Takeaway

This episode blends humor, relatability, and actionable advice. Rachel and Christian keep the mood light, validating Gabe’s feelings and normalizing his struggles, while outlining clear steps for financial improvement. Their advice is compassionate but firm, emphasizing the creation of habits, automation, and introducing challenges to promote personal growth.

Summary:
Gabe’s spending isn’t unusual for his age and situation, but with a few new financial routines—particularly automating savings and delaying gratification—he can set himself up for future success. The hosts emphasize the importance of problem-solving, discipline, and self-awareness as key ingredients for financial health.

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Transcript

[Rachel]

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[Gabe]

So how do I stop spending everything I make so I can start reaching financial goals for myself?

[Rachel]

Oh, interesting. What are you spending money on?

[Gabe]

Well, honestly, mostly doordash, but then you get random stuff. Like, I always find a way, no matter how much money comes in the paycheck, to spend it all.

[Rachel]

It's fair.

[Christian]

Love will find a way. Have you thought about like deleting the doordash app and forcing yourself to go inside of a grocery store?

[Gabe]

Yeah, well, I actually didn't. I did that like two days ago. And like you said, love will find a way. It's just like a creeping addiction, you know?

[Christian]

So you see like the zucchini you bought three days ago and you're like, ah, doordash sounds better. I'm redownloading it. Oh yeah, like going back to an.

[Rachel]

Abusive ex to a zucchini. Why don't you at least say like.

[Christian]

Well, we all aspirational grocery shop. You know what I mean? We're like, you know what? I'm going to eat a zucchini.

[Rachel]

I'm going to eat a whole bag of spinach.

[Christian]

I saw a good Instagram air fryer zucchini recipe.

[Rachel]

I'm going to eat a thing of spinach.

[Christian]

Well, Gabe, but here's the thing. What are your financial goals? Because I think they have to be big enough and powerful enough to fuel your love of door dash to stop that.

[Gabe]

Yeah, well, first is get a car. Then after that a house. And then after that, cracked a million marks in net worth.

[Christian]

Love it. Those are great goals. Okay, that's the American dream summed up.

[Rachel]

What are you doing for a living right now?

[Gabe]

Right now? It's not good. I'm actually working for the master. I feed I doordash a lot for myself.

[Christian]

Wait, what?

[Rachel]

Well, no wonder it's easy because you're around it all the time. Like this Taco Bell.

[Christian]

Wait, do you drive for DoorDash?

[Rachel]

Pay myself to do it again.

[Christian]

Okay, you're not working for like doordash Corporate. You're like a.

[Rachel]

No, he's a doordasher. He's.

[Christian]

Okay. How old?

[Rachel]

Running around food for people. Yeah, how old are you?

[Gabe]

I'm 20.

[Rachel]

Okay, you're 20. Okay.

[Christian]

Are you in school? Did you not go to college? What happened?

[Gabe]

Yeah, well, I'm in school for business management right now.

[Christian]

Okay, what do you want to do with that?

[Gabe]

Well, ideally, you know, you get a short term management job to kind of build Up a nest egg and then go out on my own and try my hand at the entrepreneurial. I can't talk.

[Rachel]

Yeah, you're good.

[Christian]

So you want to work in management of something like is it retail, is it corporate? Have you sort of drilled down into that to what you'd be most into?

[Gabe]

Yeah, I'd be most into corporate, but obviously if someone offers me a job paying more than doordash says, I'll take it at this point.

[Christian]

Okay. How much longer in school?

[Rachel]

Yeah, when you graduate?

[Gabe]

I'm expecting next summer.

[Rachel]

Okay.

[Christian]

Cash flowing it or are you going to debt?

[Gabe]

I'm cash flowing it.

[Christian]

Great.

[Rachel]

Do you have any debt?

[Gabe]

I have $200 in credit cards.

[Rachel]

Okay, we got that. It's good. Okay, Gabe, you know what I'm gonna say you're, I'd say you're a typical 20 year old guy. I don't think there's anything wrong with you. I think you need a little bit of motivation and I think when you're in school you have a part time job, you know, you got to just float your expenses. I mean, are you living at home? How, what, what are you doing like for rent and all of that?

[Gabe]

Yeah, no, right now I'm living at home, which probably doesn't help the spending, but yeah.

[Rachel]

Well, it's fine. I mean, you're in college, I think that's totally appropriate. So what do you have to pay for? What are the things that are, you're responsible for?

[Gabe]

Right now it's just my phone and gas.

[Rachel]

Phone and gas. Okay.

[Christian]

And what are you making every month?

[Gabe]

Naturally it varies, but it's usually about two grand a month.

[Christian]

Okay, okay. Because if I'm you, I have very little motivation to even go work when my only two things I need to survive is covering a phone bill and gas.

[Rachel]

And because you're a full time college student, so you're in caught, you're, you're in college, which I don't think it's bad.

[Christian]

Yeah, that's great. You're in college, you're doing well in your classes, you're going to graduate on time.

[Rachel]

So I think the best thing for you, Gabe, honestly right now is to work on your habits. And you need to start creating some new financial routines and so you can do this, you can even automate some of this. I don't always recommend that for people because I kind of like people's behavior to change because they're actually the ones doing it. But for you, I would almost say, yeah, make, make it a goal where you save you Know, half of that, maybe you save it. What if you saved a thousand dollars a month? Because how much does your phone and gas cost?

[Gabe]

Not much. It usually shakes out to around 3, 400.

[Rachel]

Okay, so yeah, what if you gave yourself 600 bucks to spend on how you want and then save half of your income and you do that for the next, golly, six months, you'd have $6,000 when you graduate. That'll help you upgrade a car and actually start moving. But, but you can even go in and automate some of this. Like you can, you know, set up some systems in place with online banking and that kind of thing that when your paycheck hits, it's like, pay yourself first. Yeah, absolutely. I'd be giving some too. I think there's a practice of generosity in there. Give, you know, it's ever how much you want, but even 200 bucks a month, practice that part, practice the saving part, and then you can still enjoy some of it. So I think you're in a good spot. I think it's just the habits and the routines month to month that you need to change. And when you kind of get those in place, you start to be disciplined. You start to know what you're doing, you're telling your money what to do. And then when you graduate and you get your first job, those habits just go in from a $2000 a month to maybe a $5000, $6000 a month salary. And you know, know you've, you've changed the way that you handle your money. Literally, your behavior changes.

[Gabe]

Okay.

[Christian]

I was exactly like you, Gabe. I'm looking back at when I was.

[Rachel]

You were not that much of a spender.

[Christian]

No, I. But when I was living at home, I was working at the Apple Store.

[Rachel]

Yeah.

[Christian]

And every paycheck would just go to like, gear and just spend. I didn't, I wasn't saving any of it.

[Rachel]

Well, because there's no urgency. Exactly. I was living at home.

[Christian]

And so I just, I remember feeling that way, Gabe. And what unlocked it for me was getting out of the house. I moved across the country, started fresh, finished school, and that sort of put a new pep in my step to go, listen, mom's not going to save you with her home cooked meals.

[Rachel]

I don't move out though. Do you?

[Christian]

No, I'm saying once he graduates though, he just go ahead and find an actual job. Like, don't stick around home saying, well, I could save up for a house faster. And all of a sudden you spent 500 bucks on DoorDash.

[Rachel]

Yes. That's right. That's right. Yeah. So when you graduate, you need to move out. That needs to be.

[Christian]

Create some problems for yourself. Because we are wired to solve problems. And right now you just don't have many, which is not a bad thing. But if you want to accomplish your financial goals, you kind of need to have some. Some, you know, some mojo.

[Rachel]

Yeah.

[Christian]

Right now it's hard to have that when mom is folding the laundry.

[Rachel]

Gabe, what kind of car do you have right now?

[Gabe]

Well, right now I don't have anything. I'm driving my dad's for doordash.

[Christian]

Oh, whoa. How does he feel about that?

[Gabe]

He feels fine about it because he does it part time too, so, you know.

[Rachel]

Okay.

[Gabe]

He doesn't really mind.

[Rachel]

Okay, well, I would make that a goal then. I think that's a great. You said that. But I would re. Yeah, I would reiterate. Yeah. If you. And if you saved a thousand dollars a month, Gabe, I mean, you could have a $6,000 car in six months. You know what I mean? Like it.

[Christian]

Do you have a high yield savings account, Gabe?

[Gabe]

Yeah, I do. I'm shopping around for another one. Cause I'm not a fan of the one I have.

[Christian]

Perfect. We got just the one for you. Go to Fairwinds.org Ramsey. They just created a new bundle for our fans. You got a great high yield savings account. And so you can actually attach your checking and savings and then start to automate that thousand bucks a month. Just go straight from checking into that high yield savings. And like Rachel said, if you automate that, you'll just pretend the thousand bucks never existed. So pretend you make a thousand bucks a month and now we have to work live off of that. That helped retrain my brain as well.

[Gabe]

Okay.

[Rachel]

Yeah. Make sure to check that out. And you'll get the Ramsey debit card with that bundle?

[Christian]

Oh, yeah.

[Rachel]

It says debt is normal. Be weird. You're not deeply in debt, Gabe, but at least you kind of get that reminder. It's a good reminder. Yeah.

[Christian]

Every time, especially as you enter adulthood, it's so easy to be tempted to take out the car loan, open the credit card, go into debt, take out the personal loan, whatever it is. And so this will help you avoid that temptation?

[Rachel]

Yep. For sure.

[Christian]

This is very natural. You're 20. You're not weird, you're just 20.

[Rachel]

Yep. Just put some disciplines and new habits in place. I think you're going to be fine. But George Camel is spendering.

[Christian]

What can I say? Left to my own devices with Mama Camel cooking at home.

[Rachel]

Unbelievable.

[Christian]

I'm spending every $16 an hour I make.

[Rachel]

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