Podcast Summary: “We’re Bored In Our Financial Situation”

The Ramsey Show Highlights | October 23, 2025
Host: Dave Ramsey (with Rachel Cruze, Chris Hogan)
Guests: Ashley & Jim

Episode Overview

This episode of The Ramsey Show Highlights centers around a common but rarely discussed phase of financial planning: grappling with the “boring” middle steps after early momentum in paying off debt and saving. Ashley and Jim call in, sharing their experience of feeling stagnant and unmotivated while chipping away at their mortgage and living within their means. The Ramsey team offers practical tips, understanding, and encouragement to stay the course.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Stagnation of the Mid-Journey (00:24 – 01:13)

• Ashley and Jim’s Situation:
  • Currently in “Baby Steps” 4, 5, and 6: investing, saving for college, and paying down the mortgage.
  • Experienced swift progress getting out of debt and building an emergency fund.
  • Now feel stuck and bored: each time there’s extra money, an unexpected expense comes up (plumbing, a new car).
  • Ashley: “It’s just been really difficult in this kind of phase because …we saved our emergency fund really quick. Now we’re just like, okay, let’s move it. I really want to pay off the house.” (00:32)
• Family Overview:
  • Two kids aged 13 and 7.

2. Expectations vs. Reality of Financial Progress (01:28 – 02:41)

• Rachel Cruze on the “Upward Trajectory” Myth:
  • Many assume progress will be steadily linear because the Baby Steps seem quick and clear.
  • “But the truth is, life happens.” (01:29, Rachel Cruze)
  • From their millionaire study: paying off a house takes about 9 years on average.
    • For “Baby Steppers,” it’s around 7 years. For millionaires in general, 10 years.
  • Encourages Ashley and Jim to give themselves “grace,” reminding them life brings its own ups and downs.
  • “I would just say give yourself some patience. You really are going to get there. … You’re seeing it in a really short window where…I feel like the runway is much longer for you.” (02:23, Rachel Cruze)

3. Visualization and Motivation Tools (02:41 – 03:29)

• Dave Ramsey’s Airplane Analogy:
  • Compares the initial fast progress to “taking off” in an airplane; the long stretch afterward feels slow and dull.
    • “When you’re getting up to altitude, it’s kind of exciting. …Then you’re 40,000ft up…all right, three hours to go on this flight.” (02:41, Dave Ramsey)
  • Recommends visual tracking (e.g., “rings for the mortgage”) to help feel progress, especially as payments increasingly go toward principal.
  • Suggests a budget audit to identify why it’s hard to make progress, and possibly using “sinking funds” for maintenance and repairs so these expenses don’t derail mortgage goals.

4. Are Sinking Funds Too Much? (03:29 – 03:54)

• Ashley Questions Their Budgeting Approach:
  • Wonders if they’re “putting away too much in sinking funds” (03:29)
• The Reality of Frequent Expenses:
  • Jim insists they need the funds, as something always seems to come up (“Just yesterday…” 03:41)
  • Example: Unexpected expense with “tree roots blocking our sewage system.” (03:48, Jim)

5. Fun and Enjoyment Along the Journey (04:11 – 04:37)

• Chris Hogan Checks on “Fun Spending”:
  • “When was the last time you guys planned and saved up to do something fun?” (04:11)
• Ashley and Jim:
  • Recently took a Royal Caribbean cruise after being debt-free; now intentionally spending less this year.
  • “We’re taking a year off from fun…We did have a lot of fun after we paid off the debt…” (04:18, Ashley)

6. Setting Clear Goals and Celebrating Milestones (04:38 – 05:15)

• Dave Recommends Specific, Measurable Monthly Progress:
  • Advises setting a specific dollar amount to put toward their mortgage principal each month (“Is it $500? …Make it a priority.” 04:51).
  • Suggests making it visual, tracking progress, and increasing amounts as income grows.
• Ashley and Jim’s Mortgage:
  • $155,000 remaining; Dave predicts hitting below $100,000 will give them a “new pep in your step, a second wind, if you will, on that marathon.” (05:15)

7. Encouragement & Validation (05:15 – 05:28)

• Closing Words from the Ramsey Team:
  • “You guys are doing great. Congratulations…” (05:23, Rachel Cruze)
  • Roundtable of encouragement and thanks.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It does get faster and your incomes are going to go up. … Just know that right now it might feel hard.”
  – Dave Ramsey (02:53)
• “Give yourself some patience. You really are going to get there.”
  – Rachel Cruze (02:23)
• “I think just give yourself a little bit of grace. Cause life does this, right? Like cars break, refrigerators break, things happen.”
  – Rachel Cruze (02:10)
• “We just went on a Royal Caribbean cruise just a couple months ago.”
  – Jim (04:29)
• “When you go below that six figure mark, you’re going to get a new pep in your step, a second wind, if you will, on that marathon.”
  – Dave Ramsey (05:15)

Important Timestamps

• 00:24: Ashley shares their feelings of stagnation in Baby Steps 4–6
• 01:28: Rachel Cruze discusses the realities behind the “linear progress” myth
• 02:41: Dave Ramsey’s airplane analogy—a metaphor for mid-journey malaise
• 03:29: Ashley and Jim debate whether their budgeting with sinking funds is excessive
• 03:48: The “tree roots in sewage” expense story
• 04:11: Chris Hogan encourages prioritizing fun to offset boredom
• 04:38: Dave advises getting specific on extra mortgage payments
• 05:13: $155,000 left on the mortgage—Dave predicts the psychological “boost” at under $100k

Conclusion

This episode provides empathy and practical advice for those in the “boring middle” of financial freedom. The Ramsey team acknowledges the emotional plateau after early wins, urges persistent discipline, and advocates for visual tracking, specific goals, and even budgeting for fun. The clear message: Stay patient, adjust as needed, and keep perspective—it’s a marathon, not a sprint.