My Wife Wants To Move Because Of Roaches

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Ramsey Show Highlights

Episode: My Wife Wants To Move Because Of Roaches
Date: January 23, 2026
Hosts: Dave Ramsey & Jade Warshaw
Caller: Jerry

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on a real-life dilemma from Jerry, who's facing a tension between his family's financial goals and their quality of life. Jerry and his wife are on track to become debt-free by year-end, but an ongoing roach infestation in their rental apartment is prompting his wife to push for an immediate move to a new place—potentially jeopardizing their financial progress. Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw offer practical guidance on balancing these competing priorities, addressing lease obligations, pest control realities, and the emotional weight of living in difficult conditions.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Jerry’s Situation & Financial Goals (00:06–00:54)

• Jerry explains:
  • They're currently renting and expect to be out of debt by the end of the year.
  • His wife wants to move due to a persistent roach problem.
  • Breaking the lease and moving would mean using their “debt payoff” funds to pay for the move instead.
• Clarification: They are not buying a home, just seeking to rent a different apartment.
• Dave & Jade's input:
  • Urge Jerry to get precise numbers for first, last, and security deposit instead of guessing.
  • Jade (01:03): "First thing is finding out exactly what the numbers are to find out how it’s going to affect your debt-free journey... get real numbers around that versus guesstimates.”
  • Dave estimates the move-in cost at around "$5,000".

2. The Roach Problem & Lease Details (01:48–02:37)

• Jade (01:48): "I, I can’t do. Roaches."
• Dave underscores the seriousness:
  • Questions why building management hasn't resolved the issue.
  • Jokes about needing an “Exterminator, Terminator, Ghostbusters, a Catholic priest waving something.”
  • Suggests if management isn’t helpful, Jerry should challenge the lease to leave without penalties.
• Lease nuance:
  • Jerry reveals their lease explicitly states tenants are responsible for pest control.
  • Jade points out this means efforts only help their unit, not the whole building, perpetuating the problem.

3. Balancing Baby Steps and Quality of Life (02:37–03:13)

• Jade: Points out systemic infestations can't be solved by individual tenants. Reiterates that sometimes, life interrupts financial progress:
  • “Sometimes it feels like two steps forward, a little step back... But in this case, roaches.”
• Dave:
  • Suggests making up lost time after moving: “Let’s work twice as hard to get out of debt by the end of the year, regardless.”
  • Frames the $5,000 move-in as a sunk cost that's worth the improved living situation.

4. Legal & Practical Tips (03:31–03:52)

• Dave (03:33):
  • “I would be uploading the lease agreement to ChatGPT to... tell me how to get out of this thing and see what they are responsible for.”
  • Recommends reviewing lease terms or seeking legal advice (even via AI tools) to see if there is an exit or recourse.

5. Personal Experience & Florida’s Unique Roach Situation (03:52–04:30)

• Jade: Shares how she’s repeatedly threatened to move due to bugs—especially “palmetto bugs” (giant, flying roaches common in Florida).
• Jade (04:10): "Palmetto bug can be like the size of the palm... they like water... you could spray all day, but they like water... So basically everywhere we’ve ever lived, I’ve threatened to move.”
• Dave (04:30): Jokes that Jade has convinced him to avoid ever moving to Florida.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jade (01:48): “I, I can’t do. Roaches.”
• Dave (02:12): "I want Exterminator, Terminator, Ghostbusters, a Catholic priest waving something. I mean, I want everybody up in there."
• Jade (02:37): "If the whole building has an infestation problem, you can spray till the cows come home in all your corners, but they're going to keep coming down from the guy upstairs."
• Dave (03:33): "I'd be uploading the lease agreement to ChatGPT to then act like my lawyer to tell me how to get out of this thing..."
• Jade (04:10): "People in the audience are like, girl, I know a palmetto bug can be like the size of the palm... they can come in your house. So basically everywhere we’ve ever lived, I’ve threatened to move.”

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Key Timestamps for Segments

• 00:06–00:54 – Jerry lays out his and his wife's situation and financial goals.
• 01:03 – Jade emphasizes the importance of getting exact move costs.
• 01:48 – Jade and Dave affirm the severity of a roach infestation.
• 02:12 – Dave’s comical “ghostbusters” reference.
• 02:37 – Jade explains why tenant-only pest control is ineffective.
• 03:13 – Dave reframes the move-in cost as a sunk cost for better living.
• 03:33 – Dave suggests legal/AI review of the lease.
• 03:52–04:30 – Jade and Dave trade stories about bugs in Florida.

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Tone & Takeaways

• The conversation blends empathy, humor, and practical advice without downplaying the stress of persistent pest problems.
• The hosts validate Jerry’s wife's concerns, ultimately supporting a move, even if it means pausing the debt-free journey temporarily.
• Listeners learn the importance of getting clear numbers, understanding lease terms, and not sacrificing quality of life for financial goals—especially when the living environment is unsafe or unhealthy.

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Summary:
This episode offers both concrete financial guidance and real-world empathy for anyone wrestling with the trade-offs between debt freedom and basic livability. Dave and Jade use humor, shared experience, and actionable steps to reassure listeners that it's okay to take a detour on your financial journey when something as fundamental as a safe and clean home is at stake.

Transcript

[Dave Ramsey]

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[Caller (Jerry)]

My wife and I, we potentially can be out of debt by the end of this year. But she currently wants to move to a new apartment because of an ongoing road to issue and the money that we would use to pay off debt would be used to purchase a new apartment. I was calling to see if we should use that money to buy the apartment or to.

[Dave Ramsey]

Do you own the apartment you're in?

[Caller (Jerry)]

No, we're currently renting but that would break the lease. Well, the lease doesn't end until November 31st. So we will use all the money that we would use to pay the debt out this year. It would have to be saved the entire year in order to pay for first lasting security towards the end of.

[Dave Ramsey]

The year on a new apartment. You're not buying an apartment, you're renting a different one.

[Caller (Jerry)]

Yeah, yeah, we're just renting. We're on baby step two.

[Jade]

What is that number for first, last in security?

[Caller (Jerry)]

Well, we're not sure yet. Here in Florida we estimate that for two one it'd probably be around 2,100 22200amonth.

[Jade]

So that's the first thing is finding out exactly what the numbers are to find out how it's going to affect your debt free journey and getting real numbers around that versus guesstimates.

[Dave Ramsey]

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[Jade]

That I, I can't do. Roaches.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah, I think that's a reasonable thing. Like I don't want to live with a roach infestation. My big question is why is the apartment not doing anything about it?

[Caller (Jerry)]

Well, we have a pest control company that we use but the efforts that they've been putting there haven't been working that well.

[Dave Ramsey]

No, we need like Ghostbusters in there.

[Jade]

Station in the entire apartment complex. Somebody coming to your thing, spraying the little twinkle.

[Dave Ramsey]

I want Exterminator, Terminator, Ghostbusters, a Catholic priest waving something. I mean I want everybody up in there.

[Jade]

The bomb where they cover the whole building.

[Dave Ramsey]

Fabric exorcist. Get what you have to get up in there to get the roaches out. And if they don't handle it, I think you have the right to fight them to get out of this lease without. Without, you know, paying any fees.

[Caller (Jerry)]

Well, the. The lease actually say that we're in charge of pest control. That's.

[Dave Ramsey]

So you pay for pest control?

[Caller (Jerry)]

Yeah, we pay for pest control.

[Jade]

And that's the problem. Do you see what I'm saying? If you're just your pest control, what you pay for is just going for your unit. But if the whole building has an infestation problem, you. You can spray till the cows come home in all your corners, but they're going to keep coming down from the guy upstairs who, you know, where it all started. So that. That, yeah, I'd be up and out of there. I'd sit with your wife and figure out what's it going to cost. Sometimes, you know, the baby steps, George. You know this. Sometimes it feels like two steps forward, a little step back, two steps forward, a little step back. And it's just like that. But in this case, roaches.

[Dave Ramsey]

Yeah.

[Jade]

And it just can't happen.

[Dave Ramsey]

And the five grand, you're sort of just like prepaying, you know, the first month, last month, the deposit, hopefully you get back. And so there's a little bit of the sunk cost up front, but I think it's well worth it. And I would just try to make up for lost time once you guys are in that new apartment. Let's work twice as hard to get out of debt by the end of the year, regardless.

[Caller (Jerry)]

All right, great. That's good advice. I appreciate it.

[Dave Ramsey]

I'd be good. I would also. Here's. Here's how much of a nerd I am. I would be uploading the lease agreement to chat GPT to. To then act like my lawyer to tell me how to get out of this thing and see what they are responsible for. And so maybe that'll help, Jerry. I don't know. But, man, that's not a fun problem to deal with. And I'm with your wife on this one.

[Jade]

I have threatened to move before.

[Dave Ramsey]

Does that work?

[Jade]

No, I think Sam knows because I've threatened to move over many things. But when we live in South Florida, we have what's called palmetto bugs, which is really just called a giant roach that can fly.

[Dave Ramsey]

Oh, I hate those.

[Jade]

People in the audience are like, girl, I know a palmetto bug can be like the size of the palm. Like, they're big and they. They. You can't get around it. Like, you could spray all day, but they like water. So if you're by the Glades or if you're by. If you have pipes in your house, they can come in your house. So basically everywhere we've ever lived, I've threatened to move.

[Dave Ramsey]

All right? You just convinced me to never move to Florida. Thank you, Jade. Create your free every dollar budget today. The simplest way to budget for your life.