Discipline Matters Most in the Hard Times

Summary

The Ramsey Show — "Discipline Matters Most in the Hard Times"

Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Dave Ramsey (A), with Rachel Cruze (C), co-host
Network: Ramsey Solutions

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Ramsey Show centers on how financial discipline, intentional decision-making, and unity in relationships matter most—especially in difficult seasons. Through listener calls and real-life scenarios, Dave, Rachel, and the team address issues ranging from marital strife and spending addictions to business debt and building wealth. The show emphasizes actionable financial advice, relational health, and building resilience when navigating money problems.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Increasing Income as a Homeschool Parent in Marital Troubles

[00:44–09:12]

• Caller: Stella (Arizona)

• Stella asks about ways to increase income as a homeschool parent preparing for divorce.

• Discussion explores practical planning for workforce reentry, childcare logistics, and the impact of life changes on family dynamics.

  Advice & Insights:

  • Rachel urges Stella to exhaust all options for counseling before divorce.

    “I would implore you to go and sit down and be in therapy for months...” —Rachel (05:49)

  • Dave and Rachel challenge the urgency of waiting till May, and stress the low stakes of homeschooling a four-year-old over salvaging a marriage or finances.
  • Practical recommendation: Secure daycare and accept job offers now, regardless of marital tension.
  • Memorable Approach: “I’m announcing: the kids are going into daycare and I’m taking this new job...” —Dave (08:01)

• Emphasis: Don’t let childcare or homeschooling be an excuse to avoid dealing with deeper marital and financial issues.

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2. Financial Infidelity & Spending Addiction in Retirement

[11:07–19:51]

• Caller: Bob (New Hampshire)

• Problem: Elderly couple with $7,000/month income but $40,000 debt, mostly due to the wife’s compulsive spending.

  Advice & Insights:

  • Rachel acknowledges potential addiction:

    “She has to do the work to understand what is happening for her. Because it’s a real thing.” —Rachel (12:39)

  • Dave prescribes clear boundaries:

    “If you do [spend over budget] next month, you will have zero access to the money. I will shut everything down...” —Dave (16:46)

  • The team recommends distinguishing between addiction and immaturity, and using strict budgeting and separation of financial access if necessary.

• Big Picture: Financial discipline requires tough boundaries and honest conversations, especially when deeply ingrained behaviors threaten security.

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3. Balancing Wealth-Building and Enjoying Life

[24:35–31:15]

• Caller: Nick (California)

• Nick and his wife have achieved financial milestones but struggle with enjoying their money and rationalizing moderate debt (e.g., for a tractor).

  Advice & Insights:

  • Dave calls out rationalizations and zero-percent-debt traps.
  • Key concept: “Move from intense to intentional.”

    “When you’re in 4, 5 and 6... you are in the phase of intentional, not intense.” —Dave (28:50)

  • Once core savings and debt priorities are done, allocate intentional spending for enjoyment—but only in cash.
  • Quote: “The best revenge for stuff like this is success.” —Dave (83:33, applicable through the show)

• Lesson: Don’t let the habit of scarcity rob you of living, but never rationalize backsliding into debt.

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4. From Chaotic Business Finances to a $100,000 Windfall

[33:45–43:06]

• Caller: Sarah (Phoenix)

• Sarah and spouse have chaotic business/personal finances. She receives a surprise $108,000 “early” inheritance and wonders what to do.

  Advice & Insights:

  • Immediate advice: Do not use inheritance to pay off debt until discipline is rebuilt.
  • Rachel and Dave strongly admonish budgeting as a couple:

    “You’re under the illusion you can out-earn your disorganization and chaos, and you can’t. I tried it. It doesn’t work.” —Dave (40:47)

  • Action Plan: Put windfall in savings, pay off $19,000 credit card debt aggressively from $14,000/month income, overhaul expense tracking, and sit down with an accountant.

• Essence: Money magnifies habits; a windfall won’t fix dysfunction unless you fix yourself first.

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5. Car Debt Crisis Destroys Budget

[45:20–53:37]

• Caller: Michelle (Indiana)

• Michelle discovers $62,000 family credit card/personal loan debt, plus $110,000 in upside-down car loans, all on a $122k household income.

  Advice & Insights:

  • Dave: “Your cars stole your food money, and your food was put on a credit card." (47:21)
  • Urges selling both cars despite steep loss, replacing them with $5,000 vehicles, and taking personal loans if necessary to salvage financial future.
  • Emphasizes the problem is not spending, but lifestyle inflation via irresponsible vehicle purchases.

• Takeaway: Don’t let pride or convenience keep you trapped in depreciating assets. Drastic change is required to break free.

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6. Dealing with Crushing Business Failure & IRS Debt

[55:42–65:13]

• Caller: John (North Carolina)

• John and wife face $1 million in debts (SBA, IRS, mortgage, legal fees) after business collapse.

  Advice & Insights:

  • Dave draws on his own bankruptcy experience.

    “I know what you’re going through. It took it all away. It just grinds you under a boot.” —Dave (61:04)

  • Prioritize basic needs: “Food on the table trumps anybody else’s request. Lights and water kept on...” (62:39)
  • Suggests consulting a bankruptcy attorney for options; IRS and mortgage take precedence, everything else may need to be let go.
  • Marriage and emotional support are paramount during extreme financial distress.

• Memorable Moment: Genuine empathy and assurance; “You’re a lot better than you feel about you right now.” (61:03)

• Lesson: Survival and sanity come before creditors; unite in hardship and take small, clear steps.

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7. Debt-Free “Scream” — Paying Off the Mortgage Young

[65:44–74:33]

• Guests: Grant & Jordan (Ramsey Team)

• Knocked out $130,000 (mostly mortgage) in 4.5 years in their 30s.

• They describe the process as “run ahead, hold on, slow down,” balancing intensity and living.

  Highlight Quotes:

  • “We didn’t really have a math problem. We had a behavior problem.” —Grant (67:41)
  • “It was a lot more of a relief than we honestly expected... there was this freedom I didn’t expect.” —Grant (71:04)
  • “Debt is a freaking weight. And it’s gone.” —Jordan (72:49)

• Importance of shared vision, communication, and celebration after achieving goals.

• Debt-Free Scream: “Three, two, one... WE’RE DEBT FREE!” (74:20)

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8. Analysis Paralysis: When Saving Becomes Scarcity

[86:40–94:41]

• Caller: Ann (Kentucky)

• Couple saved $600,000 over five years for a house but never bought due to husband’s endless hesitation and analysis.

  Insights:

  • Dave diagnoses the issue as marital and emotional—not financial.

    “This is now about us agreeing on something... and executing on what we agree.” —Dave (92:33)

  • Rachel flags a “scarcity mindset” and respect breakdown, urging marital counseling.

• Key Moment: The show uses real estate indecision to highlight how unspoken financial issues reveal marriage dynamics.

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9. Real-World Math: Home Payoff vs College Savings

[100:32–103:19]

• Caller: Rob (Indiana)
• Should he stop 529 contributions to put more toward quick mortgage payoff?
  • Dave: Yes—knock out mortgage intensively, then redirect freed-up funds to college later with much more power.

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10. Family Entanglement with Generational Property

[103:33–116:17]

• Caller: Mike (Nebraska)

• Co-signed mom’s mortgage on family land, considering paying it off with company stock.

  Advice:

  • Dave: Pay off with stock, but take a lien on the property for what you put in, protecting equity split with sibling.
  • Crucial caveat: Once you sign, you’re “all entangled” and can’t pretend separation.

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11. Real People Achieving Millionaire Status

[117:12–124:44]

• Caller: Don (Grand Rapids)

• At 38, Don and wife achieved $1.7M net worth, little inheritance, all through focus, discipline, and longstanding marital unity.

  Advice:

  • “If you look at us, we have a pretty average house, average cars, average clothes... but we’re millionaires.” —Don (121:03)
  • Dave: “You become this guy... unbelievable power couple.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On spending and contentment: “There’s a thing mixed up... in the psychology and the spirituality of godliness with contentment is great gain.” —Dave (19:22)
• On facing business failure: “This does not define the rest of your life unless you allow it to.” —Dave (61:48)
• On marriage and money: “We both legitimately get angry at the debt that we had.” —Don (119:44)
• On budgeting as a couple: “Money magnifies what you’re already doing.” —Rachel (37:28)

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Key Timestamps

• 00:44 – Stella: Homeschooling, divorce & making ends meet
• 11:07 – Bob: Elderly couple, spending addiction & budgeting boundaries
• 24:35 – Nick: Wealth, enjoyment, and self-rationalized debt
• 33:45 – Sarah: Windfall inheritance and business financial chaos
• 45:20 – Michelle: Car debt and family budgeting crisis
• 55:42 – John: Business collapse, IRS debt, and marriage in distress
• 65:44 – Grant & Jordan: Paying off $130k mortgage (Debt Free Scream)
• 86:40 – Ann: Analysis paralysis, $600k in the bank, and marital breakdown
• 100:32 – Rob: Home payoff versus college fund
• 103:33 – Mike: Family land, retired mom, and intergenerational finances
• 117:12 – Don: 38-year-old millionaire; focus, unity, and discipline

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Thematic Summary

The episode underscores that discipline is most vital under pressure—whether the challenge is debt, relationship strain, or simply executing on a long-term plan. The show illustrates, through callers’ real struggles, that financial success is less about income and more about habits, unity, and courageous decision-making. Conversely, unresolved emotional and relational issues—especially around money—breed stagnation and chaos, regardless of resources.

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Final Takeaway

If you feel stuck, chaotic, or divided—start with discipline and open dialogue. Build the habits now that your future self (and family) will thank you for. And remember Dave’s bottom line: “Walk daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus.” (126:35)

For more resources and to connect with the Ramsey team, visit ramseysolutions.com.

Transcript

[A]

Brought to you by the EveryDollar app. Start budgeting for free today. From the headquarters of Ramsey Solutions, it's the Ramsey show where we help people build wealth, do work that they love and create actual amazing relationships. Rachel Cruz, Ramsey personality number one best selling author, co host of the Ramsey network hit Smart Money Happy hour daughter, she's my co host today. Open phones at 888-825-5225. Stella is in Arizona. Hi Stella.

[B]

Hello.

[A]

How can we help today?

[B]

Well, a big question that I have. What recommendations do you have to increase your income while being a homeschool parent?

[A]

How do you increase your income while being a homeschool parent?

[B]

Oh, well, let me elaborate a little bit. Well, my situation with my husband is not that good and I plan to eventually file for divorce one once this homeschool year finishes. So for now, since I'm a full time homeschool parent, I don't have any work right now. So I was wondering what kind of.

[A]

Tips you're talking about in May, that's the end of the homeschool year.

[B]

Yes, correct.

[A]

And how many children do you have, hun?

[B]

I have two children.

[A]

What age? What age?

[B]

They're very young. Four and one.

[A]

What are you homeschooling a four year old. I'm sorry, how is a four year old in homeschool?

[B]

Well, pre K, so Foundation for Reading, Language arts, the math. Oh yeah, he's still full time and especially when I, since I have my, my younger son, he's one, so he still definitely depends on me. He's very attached to me. As he should be.

[A]

Okay, so if you file divorce, you understand that you're going to be working full time?

[B]

Oh yes, I understand.

[A]

And the kids are not. You're not gonna be homeschooling ever again?

[B]

Yes, I.

[A]

Who's going to take care of the kid? Who's going to take care of the children?

[B]

Well, I was already thinking on enrolling them on daycare. Also a local preschool.

[A]

How long has it been since you've been in the workplace?

[B]

Well, it has been about a year.

[A]

Okay. What were you doing before?

[B]

Oh wow. Well, I was working for a gas company.

[A]

For what company?

[B]

For a gas company.

[C]

A gas company. What were you making, Stella, at that position?

[B]

Oh, at that position I was making around, I was making around 54,000 a year. However. Well, I recently got an offer letter that I could be making probably $40 an hour due to the experience that I have. So hopefully at least are you in.

[C]

Like any immediate, like can you stay in this marriage till May.

[B]

Oh, yeah, definitely.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

So there's not like a husband provides.

[A]

What's wrong with your marriage? Huh?

[D]

Well.

[B]

I think during a marriage you should be able to negotiate the terms of the initial plan. For instance, my husband and I agreed that we will be homeschooling our children at the very beginning of our marriage. And everything was going fine since I was working also from home. My kids were little, so that was manageable. But for instance, it came to a point that I was able to change jobs working outside of the house, and my husband didn't really like that. And also it was a little hard for me to be away from my daughter.

[A]

So that does not sound like a reason to end a marriage.

[B]

Well, also we. Well, for instance, I wanted to work and now that my son is one year old, however, my husband.

[C]

So there's a. There's a values difference. So have you guys done counseling? Have you guys worked? Have you sought a professional?

[B]

Well, I have suggested that, of course, to my husband since we have been gotten into any arguments about finances and our homeschooling. But yeah, for instance, I have suggested that and my husband does not. Does not think it's the problem.

[C]

Have you, have you seen someone, Stella?

[B]

I'm sorry.

[C]

Have you seen someone professionally yourself?

[B]

We have done. Individually.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

It was three years ago and.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

But honestly, we gave up.

[C]

Okay. Well, everything in my mind, I would, I would exhaust every level of energy and effort and time and money to make this marriage work and the reasons that you're giving me. And I'm sure there are symptoms of bigger things going on underneath, you know, from, from a depth level perspective with your marriage. But I would, I would push you to go back before you make this decision. I would implore you to go and sit down and be in therapy for months and see what else can change in your marriage, that this doesn't have to be the outcome. And if you still get to this re. If you still get to this place that you are going to, you know that this is the route and you're going to file for divorce, then, I mean, then I would start working. I wouldn't be homeschooling right now. I would. I would be. I would be back in the workforce and not let. The first time to be in the workforce is in the middle of a divorce. But again, I would want that to be. I would want you guys to do.

[B]

A lot of work since. Especially the school year.

[C]

It's a four year old. Okay.

[A]

There's not a school.

[C]

Yeah. That I would not. I would I would not put that pressure on yourself. I mean, even kindergarten, right? Like, if you got to repeat kindergarten, I mean, it's. That's. That's pretty light. Yeah, that's light lifting. Some kids don't even do preschool and go straight to kindergarten. So I would not hedge so much weight on this Europe for quote, unquote, homeschool for your kids. I would be waiting my marriage, the work around that and. Or getting back into the workforce.

[A]

Or both. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah, or both.

[A]

And say, you know, okay, I'm. I'm announcing the kids are going into daycare, and I'm taking this new job and I'm going to see a marriage counselor. Will you come with me? Because if you don't, if you don't, we're probably going to end this, but I'm going to go work on it, and I want to work on it together. And if you want to give it a try, this is how it's going to go. And I'm going to make an announcement. This is what's happening. And it's not a question. It's not a. Not an asking permission.

[C]

It sounds like he wants you to.

[A]

Be doing this, stating, that's what I'm going to do. You take that offer letter 40 an hour, you go to work. But to get into daycare, just do it. Because that's what's coming anyway. Might as well just decide and do it and then make the moves. But I'm with Rachel. I'm having trouble connecting with you enough that I can understand why this is going on. So I think you do need to follow Rachel's suggestion. I've been doing this show for over 30 years, and some of the saddest calls I have taken are from situations that are completely preventable.

[C]

Yeah. And what's so hard is I feel like one of those. Especially the ones that I'm like, oh, it's terrible. People that call in and their spouse has passed away suddenly and they don't have life insurance. We actually took a question of a lady, and she had three kids pregnant, and husband didn't have life insurance. And I'm like, I can't even imagine. Or even if it was opposite, Right. If a mom passed away, there's a dad with kids and trying to figure out, how am I gonna afford childcare? How do I. How do I outsource some stuff that maybe she was doing? Like. And it just takes the grief and the sadness of something like a sudden death to a whole new level. Like, when you have to think through how Am I gonna pay my bills?

[A]

How am I gonna do it next week?

[C]

Yeah. In the middle of all that grief, like, it's just. It is. It's terrible. And so life insurance is the one thing, especially as a mom with three little kids that I'm, like, so big on for people to get because it's inexpensive. Zander is the place that Winston and I actually get all of our life insurance. And we keep re upping it because I'm like, I just want it there. Like, there's something about that safety of knowing that you have money if something.

[A]

Suddenly happens and it doesn't cost much because Zander shops among a gazillion different companies, it doesn't cost much. You just have to admit that someday you're not going to be here. You got to say it out loud, and you got to say, I'm going to say I love you to my family by taking care of them and taking the time to put this stuff in place. The cost of stinking pizza there really is.

[C]

So that is one thing to do, to say I love you to your family.

[A]

So we've used Zander for all of our family's needs for insurance for many years, including, of course, term life insurance. To get a free quote, go to 800-356-4282. That's 800-356-4282. Or go to zander.com Bob is in New Hampshire. Hey, Bob, how are you?

[D]

I'm doing okay, I guess, Dave.

[A]

Cool. How can we help?

[D]

Well, we've. For quite a while now, we've had financial problems with bills. We owe a lot of debt. And one of the problems is my wife has a habit of spending constantly, and she pretty much goes through all of the income that we have in a month. We've had discussions over it and everything. And, you know, it doesn't set in, but it is a little bit. I mean, she's little. She's a little better, but she just has this habit of when she walks in the store, she's got to buy.

[A]

Okay, how can we help?

[D]

Well, my question is as to what direction should I be using to, I guess, get her to stop completely from wasting the money and then being able to catch up on things.

[C]

I mean, Bob, when you say that, I mean, you're saying that she's spending the whole paycheck. So would you. I mean, would you think it's a level of addiction? Would you say, Would you go that far?

[D]

Oh, yes.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

Yes, yes.

[C]

And has she gotten help for it besides, you Just telling her not to. Okay, why not?

[D]

Yeah, yeah, We've had numerous discussions on it.

[C]

Because you're not going to change her. She has to do the work to understand what is happening for her. Because it's a real thing. I mean, we see that more often than. I mean, it's becoming more and more common, I feel like. So why has she not taken steps to find healing in this?

[D]

Well, the strange thing is she knows that she's, you know, the problem to our problem, and, you know, she's always feeling sorry for it. But, you know, when the income comes in, she goes out and she spends and she doesn't look at what she's spending. In other words, she'll go off groceries.

[A]

Pardon me, how old are you two?

[D]

She's 78 and I'm going to be 73 in the next couple of weeks.

[C]

But why don't you just take her? Like, she can't have access to the money. Like, if it's an addiction like this, this is what we would tell couples is to say the one that is struggling does not get access to money because she has a spending addiction.

[A]

And.

[C]

And you would say, all right, we're going to have X amount for groceries. And when you go to the grocery store, this is, you know, if that's, if that's what she does, then here's the amount you have. She doesn't get access to the checking account.

[A]

Yeah. And the income. What is your income at monthly?

[D]

Believe it or not, It's. It's over 7,000.

[A]

Okay. I believe it.

[D]

And.

[A]

And how much debt have you guys run up?

[D]

Well, the house still has 167,000. I mean, 260,000 dol. 7,000. We probably have about $40,000 in debt.

[A]

On what?

[D]

Well, we have one vehicle. You know, we have numerous credit cards.

[A]

So what do you owe on your car?

[D]

I believe it's about 25,000.

[A]

Okay. And what do you owe on the credit cards?

[D]

Credit cards total about $10,000.

[A]

Okay. And that's 35. And what's the other five?

[D]

The other five would probably be. Well, actually, we just had a roof put on the house, so that's five grand. Yeah.

[A]

Really? You had a roof put on your house for $5,000?

[D]

Well, I mean, I paid some of it, so there's some money left over on it.

[A]

Okay. Like a lot more. Okay. Yeah. So. So you guys can live on $7,000 if you have your. If you're in agreement and in alignment and you stick to a budget and you could reduce the debt. Agreed.

[D]

Yes, yes.

[A]

Is that you own two cars. That one's paid for.

[D]

Vehicle. I'm sorry, one vehicle.

[A]

The only. The only car you have is $25,000 in debt.

[D]

Right.

[A]

Okay. All right. But I think you could probably, with that kind of an income, clear the $40,000 in debt if we were reasonably spending on $7,000. Agreed. That's what your problem is. Okay.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And so you know the way it's going to sound at my house and you can do what you want to do, but you called us is, hon, I think we have a problem, and it's you. You're out of control, and you can't seem to control it, and it's really sad. Consequently, we don't have any money and we're in debt and we have plenty of income. And so here's what's going to happen. We're going to try this first. We're going to agree on a budget this month. You and I both have a vote. We're going to spend $7,000 on the EveryDollar app, and we're going to have a plan, and we're going to stick to that plan. And you're not going to go into a store and go out of control again. If you do next month, you will have zero access to the money. I will shut everything down and put it in my name to protect me and our family from you.

[D]

Right.

[A]

That's how it's going to sound. So we're going to try this together, like two grownups that can function. And so if you're being immature, you can merely adjust the immaturity. If you are an addict, we're going to discover that in one more month and we're going to treat you like an addict. At that point. I don't know. I can't diagnose if someone has an ocd.

[C]

Well, there's a level of medicating that's for sure going on.

[A]

Well, at a minimum, there's immaturity and princess syndrome or something. But at a minimum, at a maximum, 2% of the public has been diagnosed literally, with a spending addiction, a shopping addiction. 2%. And it's an OCD behavior and it's a psychological label and done by professionals, and we deal with them. But most of the time when we deal with it, we're just dealing with it with somebody who's being selfish, immature, and a princess or I deserve it and you don't kind of thing and you do. So I don't know which one she is, but I would if it was My wife, I'm going to have a real clear conversation that says for one more month we're going to try this and if we fail this experiment that you and I cannot act like two adults at 78 freaking years old. We can't act like grownups and live within our means, then I'm going to shut down your access to everything.

[C]

And it sounds like that's what's gonna happen. I think it is, yeah. 100%. And Bob, for her sake too, encouraging her, we just said this in the last call, but for real, she needs to go get help for it because she's not a whole person. Like there is a level there that is eroding her quality of life, who she is as a person and who she's gonna be as a wife. I'm like, you're getting someone who's not functioning. None of us are fully. But, but there is a very obvious issue there that she's just not addressing head on. And, and I don't think you're getting the quality wife that you could have too. If she doesn't go through a level of healing to this. Because that's probably what I mean. Like, yeah, it could be immaturity and all of it, but at 78 and him having this conversation, her knowing intellectually where they are, but her compulsion, it's still happening. There's stunning in there. So I, I would, for her sake, like the financial side is one thing, Bob, but if that's my spouse, I'm like, I want her to get healing. I want her to, to understand what's going on and to, and to find, I don't know, peace in this. Because there's just chaos happening inside of her. I, I would imagine. And it's coming out medicating in spending and so you're not getting a great wife either. A great partner. She's not getting a great self. I don't know, there's a lot there.

[A]

There's a thing mixed up between, in the psychology and the spirituality of godliness with contentment is great gain. And if I can't find contentment and so I'm chasing it somewhere else. That is a spiritual disease.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And it's also can be an addictive disease compulsion and it can be just immature.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

That's self centeredness. And no one ever told me no, that's right. And including you, Bob. You've never told her no. And you know, and her daddy, in.

[C]

A pretty like, yeah, like consequential way.

[A]

We're not doing that. Yeah, yeah, it's not an option. And so, so I can't tell exactly. And I'm really not going to diagnose something as severe as a spending addiction and this, but it could be. So I'm going to treat it that way and move down that process and it's going to stop one way or the other. These days, business as usual is anything but. Tariffs make trade policy a moving target. Supply chains are squeezed and cash flow is probably tighter than ever. So if your business can't adapt in real time, you're in a world of hurt. That's why you need NetSuite by Oracle, trusted by more than 42,000 businesses, including Ramsey Solutions. You need to see what's happening, what's stuck and what's costing you and how to fix it. And NetSuite is the number one cloud based business management suite because it helps your business make the right decisions fast. It brings accounting, financial management, inventory and HR into one place so you're not left shuffling a dozen different spreadsheets. That gives you the visibility you need to make quick decisions based on actionable data. And NetSuite AI automates everyday tasks so your team can focus on strategy. It's one system for full control and no guesswork to tame the chaos. And right now, if you're leading a business doing more than a million dollars in annual revenue, download NetSuite's free ebook Navigating Global Trade. Three insights for [e-mail] Ramsey that's NetSuite.com Ramsey well, I gotta tell you, we have a wonderful product that we do a low volume, very expensive print run on. We turn the creatives loose and just let them play in their little sandbox. And they do a beautiful job making this product lights out. It is the Ramsey Gold Planter and I think this is our 10th year maybe of doing this and it is drop dead gorgeous. It's very expensive to produce because it's so pretty and all this stuff is in it. But we've got it on sale as the Pre sale for 2026. If you want your Ramsey Gold planter, it's only 35.97 and that's good through Labor Day. So next week that deal will be gone, in other words. And so if you want one, you need to get in there. What it is is you open up the month. And as you open up the month at the beginning of the month is a couple of page, I would call it almost a devotional from Jade or Rachel or John Deloney. And then when you open the next Page, it's the entire month spread out on the two pages. When you open the next page, it's the first week of the month spread out on two pages. And then the next week and then the next week, and then the next week, then you go the next month. So if you're old school, my wife still keeps one of these old school hand done calendars all the time, carries it around with her if you like that stuff. And you, you know, you, and you want the inspiration from Rachel, Jade and John. And it's really good and the stickers there to do the whole thing, the whole bit. There's a whole thing around these gold planners.

[C]

It's not just a calendar.

[A]

It's got its own little world around it. So anyway, it's better than ever. New monthly content from everybody. And again till labor day, it's only 35.97. And we will take the price on up because we only do about 10 or 20,000 of these things. We don't do a huge volume. It's not like we sell 2 million of them or something.

[C]

So, so time sensitive. Once the new year hits, you're done.

[A]

So if we don't sell them, we gotta put them in the dumpster. So yeah, we got to make sure that we sell out. And so ramseysolutions.com store or if you're, you know, listening online, you can click the link in the description. Nick's in California. Hi, Nick. How are you?

[D]

Good. How's it going, Dave?

[A]

Better than I deserve. How can I help?

[D]

My wife and I, we went through FPU right after we got married. We followed your plan ever since.

[A]

How long you been married in?

[D]

17 years.

[A]

Well, good for you. Wow, you're a millionaire.

[D]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, pretty much. Good work. Yeah, yeah, really good. So we make, we gross about 350 a year. We have over 400,000 saved combining all the ROTH and the kids savings and whatnot.

[A]

Good.

[D]

Yeah. So we've been very disciplined and you've helped us get there. It's been really, really great. But I feel like, okay, we've done this for so long. It's kind of become who we are. And we're saving and we're building wealth and we pay off one thing. We got debt free. We didn't do the call, but we ended up buying another farm. And then now we got more debt now, but that's producing income too. And you know, now our kids are growing up and they're kind of at a fun age and I don't want to miss out on Memories. But we're so caught up into just paying down debt and saving and building wealth that we're not. You know, I want to go buy jet skis and I want to get quad, and I want to go do fun things that I did as a kid and make those memories with them now, you know, while they still like me.

[A]

You have zero debt. Except real estate, correct?

[D]

I would say real estate's 90% of it. I mean, we got a tractor.

[A]

Oh, you flunked to fpu. Oh, I thought you were a star pupil and became a millionaire and then you went and financed a tractor.

[D]

Well, that. That is actually an interesting.

[A]

No, there's nothing interesting at all about it. It's. It's pitiful.

[B]

Okay?

[C]

But he's got $400,000 in savings that's.

[A]

In his Roth IRAs. He can't pay the tractor off with that. What do you owe on your.

[C]

Do you have other. Do you have liquid savings, Nick.

[A]

What do you owe on your tractor, Nick?

[D]

I actually got it for free. I'll just say that I thought you.

[C]

Said you had debt on it.

[D]

I do. It's 25,000. But it was zero percent. So I took the money I got back from buying it from a government grant and put it on debt. Then I wrote the tractor off and saved myself 16,000 in taxes. So I was just like, oh, the government grant and the tax refund, it actually paid for the whole tractor. I put it on the line of.

[C]

Credit, but now they can't buy jet skis. Oh, my gosh.

[D]

Anyway, so it's 25, 000. It'll be paid off in seven months.

[A]

Okay. Is that your only debt other than the land? Yeah. Okay. And do you have your emergency fund in place?

[D]

Yep.

[A]

How much is in it?

[D]

31, 000.

[A]

Okay. Pay the tractor off today, honey. Today, okay? Today. Rebuild your emergency fund, okay? Remember, we're going back to fpu. I'm taking you back to class. This is the remedial version. And we're doing the baby steps again here, okay? We got to clear the tractor, got to rebuild the emergency fund. Then when you're. To answer your overall question, once you clean up this little mess you made that you rationalized out of your butt. Now once you do all that, once you clean up the mess, then what I'm going to do, if I'm in your shoes, you're in baby steps. 4, 5, and 6. Putting 15% away for retirement. You're putting money for kids college, and you're reducing the real estate debt. When you're in one through three, getting out of debt. Other than real estate. And you are. And building your emergency fund, you are intense and not allowed to do anything except get out of debt and build the emergency fund. When you're in 4, 5 and 6, you are in the phase of intentional not intense. And that is the phase. When a guy makes 350 grand, he should be able to put 15% aside. Should be able to in his 401ks and Roth IRAs, growing those and still have plenty of margin to buy a quad and a jet ski. I mean a quad, it's a four wheeler. Oh. And so like those, you know, anyway.

[C]

Like a side by side.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Fancy.

[A]

And so, yeah, so, you know, I just bought several of those for the farm, for the grandkids. That was fun because I wanted to, but I didn't finance it at zero. I mean, I just bought it. Okay, but. And it was a small percentage of our world and you can do that too. So you make enough money to do some of the enjoyment things you're talking about in cash only. No rationalization, no government kickbacks, no zero percent. We're just going to pay for it like your grandmother did, and that's the only way we're going to do it. And then you can enjoy those things because they don't have all this associated intellectual guilt that goes with the stupid way I did the thing. Okay. And move from intense to intentional. And I think you can systematically inside your budget, find the money to enjoy life while reducing your mortgages somewhat and while putting 15% away. You can do that in California making 350,000. But you've got to still enjoy your life. Yeah, you gotta go back to the basics, blocking and tackling that you learned in the class 17 years ago that actually got you where you are. And then you fell off the wagon, fell off the tractor and oh, that's so fun. But yeah, that's it. So you know what this does illustrate though, folks, is this is a guy makes a lot of money, he's obviously a bright guy. You know, dumb people generally don't make 350,000 a year. And the message of debt, zero percent debt. The message of debt is necessary, debt is wise, debt is sophisticated. If you're going to get a, you know, a tax credit from the government. And so this whole thing was sophisticated. That message is so prevalent that if you let your guard down, you'll buy.

[C]

A tractor or get one for free and then go through the hoops to.

[A]

Get back into what was really free. He paid for the tractor, but he.

[C]

Got a tax credit with it.

[A]

And that he didn't use to pay off the debt.

[C]

Right, Right.

[A]

So he still has the debt. So. But he talked himself into it.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

By the way, if you paid cash for the tractor, you would have also gotten the tax credit. There's not a debt requirement to get the tax credit, so. But it made you rationalize and justify. So what happened is you got financial advice from the tractor salesman. That's what happened. That's kind of a bad place to get it. Just. Just make note, Sam. Smart people don't wait for trouble to show up. They think ahead. It's true with money, and it's just as true about protecting your home. That's why I recommend SimpliSafe. Because most security systems only respond after someone's already broken in. But by then, the damage is done. That's not a plan. That's a patch. SimpliSafe is different. Their active guard outdoor protection helps stop break ins before they happen. Their AI powered cameras watch for suspicious activity. And if someone's lurking live, SimpliSafe agents can talk to the person, turn on spotlights, and even call the police. That's the kind of thinking that prevents crime in real time. Monitoring plans start around a dollar a day for your first month. It's free. And there are no contracts, just proactive protection. That's why over 4 million Americans trust SimpliSafe and why it's been named best home security system of 2025 by CNET. And right now, you'll get 50% off a new system with professional monitoring. Go to simplisafedirect.com that's simplisafedirect.com. there's no safe like SimpliSafe. Sarah's in Phoenix. Hi, Sarah. How are you?

[B]

Hi, Dave. How are you?

[A]

Better than I deserve. How can I help?

[B]

Well, me and my husband started a business back in 2020, and addition to the debt I have now, we racked up about 34,000 in credit card debt to sustain. So our last couple of years, the business has been doing great and is steady. And I was able to pay that down, just my credit card debt to 19,000. But out of the blue, I inherited $108,000. And I'm just like, what do I do with this? With all of my debt?

[A]

Who died?

[B]

I just need the advice. Nobody died. It was just like a. Like a early inheritance while they were still alive.

[A]

Oh, they. Who advanced you the money?

[B]

My uncle.

[A]

Okay. Wow, you got the rich uncle.

[C]

It's very nice.

[A]

I wondered where he was. Okay, everyone wants. So your business went through hell in 2020 and you subside. You subsidized it with credit cards up to 34,000.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then you told me it's doing really well, but it only has paid down a few thousand dollars. What is doing really well mean, how much profit are you making?

[B]

About 7,000amonth.

[A]

Well, why have you only paid down a few thousand dollars then? Are you profiting 7,000amonth or you're grossing 7,000amonth?

[B]

I'm. Well, I'm grossing, but also I was paying for just, you know, living expenses and food and stuff.

[A]

But no, I'm talking about your business.

[B]

It was. My credit cards were 34,000, so they're.

[A]

I know. And they're down to 17. And in five whole years, you paid it off about $3,000 a year, which pretty much sucks if your business is making $7,000 a month profit core really.

[B]

Really hardcore in like the last year. And we kind of did things a little bit backwards where we saved for a home down payment and all that.

[A]

Okay, let me go back. Is your business making a profit or a gross revenue of 7,000? Which is it?

[B]

And I.

[D]

And then.

[A]

Which is.

[B]

Yes, it's making a profit. It's making a profit of 7,000. And then I also work full time at a job and I make about 7,000.

[C]

Okay, so you're bringing home.

[A]

Okay, okay, so you have a $14,000 a month income and you're married.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And he makes what?

[B]

Well, he's. He was with the business with me, so that's included one of the $7,000 a month.

[A]

Okay, so your total household income is $14,000 a month?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I'm still not positive you know what profit means. This is a real profit. After all, Business. Business income minus business expenses equals profit. Taxable income is $7,000 a month. Is that what you're telling me?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

And are you putting any of that money back into the business? Are you guys just bringing home exactly what you profit?

[B]

We're just not budgeters. I don't know, we like spend like a couple thousand a month going out to eat.

[A]

But here, grasp with me here, there's a reason I'm asking all this regarding your inheritance, okay? Because I don't want this 104,000 to enable you to continue stupid butt behaviors that are going to destroy you.

[B]

I don't either.

[A]

Okay. And that's where I'm trying to get to. Because I want to. I want to love You. Well, here. I want to help you. And so, yeah.

[C]

And what we found, Sarah, is that money magnifies what you're already doing. So you're like, we're not great budgeters. We spent a couple of thousand just eating out, like, all that. And that's just.

[A]

And this allows you to continue into.

[C]

Misbehavior in a bigger way. Which we don't want. Right. And so I don't want to do now. That's right. That's right. Okay. I'm so glad. How's your husband? Is he on board with this? Of changing completely how you guys have been doing money?

[B]

He. He lets me do everything. He just says, you handle it. I trust. Beautiful.

[C]

That's not good. That's gotta end, too. That's gotta end, too.

[A]

Apparently, that's not working.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Cause y' all suck at this.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So, I mean, we've got to adult up here. Cause we're pissing away $14,000 a month. So what I'm gonna do in your shoes is I'm gonna take the 104,000, act like I don't own it, and put it in a high yield savings account, and then I'm gonna go home, and the two of us are gonna sit down on $14,000 a month, and in three months, we're gonna pay off this credit card.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

$6,000 a month on the credit card until it's gone. And you're gonna not go out to eat at all until you do that.

[C]

And that money will be going straight to the credit card.

[A]

And you're not gonna. And you're gonna really learn what real profit is on the business. Are you keeping a separate set of books on the business? No. Yes, you are. Have you kept your taxes paid?

[B]

I owe, like, 10,000 this year.

[A]

Have you been doing quarterly estimates? Do you know what that is?

[B]

I know what it is.

[A]

Okay. But $7,000 a month, $70,000, $84,000 a year. And so taxes on that are not $10,000. Taxes on that are $25,000. Have you filed tax returns?

[B]

Oh, yes. My numbers are probably just wrong.

[D]

Sorry.

[A]

I think that's probably the accurate statement because I just. There's. I'm fishing around in some. In murky water here. I can't tell what's going on. Okay? So, no, you do not need to use the 100,000. The $100,000 gift is a double gift. One, it's 100,000. The second thing is, it's going to make you all wake up and behave. If you don't 100,000 won't save you. 2 million won't save you. And so, number one, the business ought to be have a separate set of books.

[C]

You and your husband tonight.

[A]

Y' all need to sit down and listen to this.

[C]

Y' all have a long week ahead.

[A]

You need to sit down and listen to this.

[C]

Figuring all of this out.

[A]

So in business, you set a separate checking account and a separate set of books for business. Only thing goes into that checking account is income from the business. Only thing comes out of that checking account, expenses from the business. What's left, by definition, is called profit. Only then can you take it home. When you take it home, you should set aside 25% of whatever you take home in yet another savings account. For your quarterly estimates that are supposed to be filed. If you are not filing them after five years, you are being penalized every single day for not filing your quarterlies. You're violating every IRS regulation. It's costing you out the butt.

[C]

Yeah, they need to sit down with an accountant, probably.

[A]

Hello.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And start. Yeah. And get the dad gum business running like a business. You're. You're under the illusion you can out earn your disorganization and chaos, and you can't. I tried it. It doesn't work. I caught up. Hit me in the back of the head. Knocked hair off my head. Don't do this, okay? It's not fun. You're going to bring pain to your life. It's not cute and it's not okay. You're not a teenager, so you guys need to sit down, run the business like grownups. Then when you bring money home, after you've set aside a fourth for your taxes and filed your quarterly estimates properly, then we can talk about how much is really coming into the house and what to do with it and immediately need to clean up this debt. Because if you're making $10,000 a month, it's ridiculous that you have not reduced the debt any further than you have.

[C]

So no more. No more eating out and no more. You just take care of it. Because, Sarah, you've been on an island. I mean, he's left you there on an island, and you've signed up for that trip, and so that has to end.

[A]

And there's no food on the island.

[C]

Survival survivor. We don't want that. We want bougie. Sarah, we don't want to kick you off the island. But. No but sitting down and you guys together do a budget. And if you hold in line, Sarah.

[A]

Whatever you want to do.

[C]

Kelly's gonna pick up. We're gonna give you total money makeover. We're gonna give you every dollar and entree. Leadership. Throw that book into or. And so, but, but to sit down and to plan out your income that you guys have that has hit your account as a household and say, here's exactly where our money's going. Rent or the more. I think you have a mortgage. You said you got a house. So mortgage, lights, electricity, subscription. I mean, you list out everything you guys spend money on and then you're going to take a. You're going to sit there and start deleting categories because you're not going out to eat, you're cutting subscriptions, you're cutting your lifestyle to nothing until this credit card debt is paid off. And I mean, honestly, I don't know.

[A]

Start running this like you work for someone and you're going to get fired if you continue to suck at your job.

[C]

Because the problem is, is if you take some of this 108,000 inheritance and just pay off the credit card debt, nothing has changed in you guys. So I would push you not to use the inheritance to pay off the credit card debt. I would force you guys to do it. You need to learn and actually participate and have the action towards this change. You have to feel it and go through it in your life.

[A]

And if the numbers are anywhere near close, you're gonna do it in about three months once you get your head screwed on.

[C]

Y' all have to sit down together Sarah tonight.

[A]

And he has to start carrying the emotional weight of this with you together. This is the only way you win. There's really not another option. This is it. Foreign. I get it. Switching banks is a pain in the. You know what? But if your bank doesn't line up with your money goals, it's time to make the switch to Fair Winds Credit Union. Listen, you guys know how I feel about big banks. They make money when you stay broke, charging you overdraft fees, pushing credit cards and telling you debt is normal. And that's why I only work with folks who help you, not just profit off of you. Fairwinds is different. They're owned by their members, their nonprofit, and they share our values. They even advertise with billboards saying they want their members to be debt free. So they built the smart checking and savings bundle just for Ramsey fans. You can open your account online in minutes and here's what you get. Free checking with no minimums and no monthly fees. Savings with a high APY to help you in baby step One and beyond and a mobile app that actually makes sense. Plus you also get access to over 33,000 fee free ATMs and more than 5,000 affiliated branches nationwide. So don't settle for a bank that slows your progress down. Choose one that's built to help you win with money. Go to Fairwinds.com and open your Smart bundle today. Fairwinds is federally insured by the ncu. Welcome back to the Ramsey Show. Rachel Cruz, Ramsey personality. My daughter is my co host today. The phone number is Triple Eight Horses 5225. Michelle's in Indiana. Hi, Michelle, how are you?

[B]

I'm doing okay, thank you. How are you guys doing?

[A]

Better than we deserve. What's up?

[B]

I so recently I found out this past weekend how much we actually have in debt with credit cards and a personal loan.

[D]

Recently.

[B]

Just started watching your stuff and I we had not been doing finances together. He pays some, I pay some. But after learning a little bit, we joined finances and that's when I discovered all this debt.

[A]

Wow. I'm so honored. I'm happy for you guys that you're doing this. I'm sorry you found that you're in a hole, but you can get out. This is awesome. How much debt did you find?

[B]

50,000 in credit cards and 12,000 in the personal loan.

[A]

Okay, very interesting.

[C]

So 62,000. What was the credit. Was the credit card debt yours and his and just combined its 50 or was it all his? All yours.

[B]

99.9% his.

[C]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

But he used the cars for utilities and groceries for household items.

[A]

Yeah, I got you. Okay. And what's your household income?

[B]

He makes 101,000 a year. I make 21,000.

[A]

Okay, so 122. That's good. Very good. No car debt.

[B]

Two cars and they're upside down. So that's not a good situation either.

[A]

So this isn't your only debt. So how much do you owe on the car?

[B]

One car is 45,000, the other car is 65,000.

[A]

Whoa. Okay. And is there any other debt? Is there any other debt.

[B]

Besides mortgage? No.

[A]

Okay. And what do you owe on your mortgage?

[B]

315,000.

[A]

Okay. All right.

[C]

You have 110,000 cars.

[A]

Tell you what. I can tell you for sure happened mathematically after doing this for 35 years.

[B]

Okay, okay.

[A]

Your cars stole your food money.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And your food was put on a credit card. Your husband has not been irresponsible. Except for the time that he went to the car lot.

[B]

Yeah. Had to have an electric car.

[A]

Yeah. See you Guys are broke. Your car broke. And he was trying to prop it up because there's not enough money to pay for these stupid cars and live. And he propped it up with credit cards. That's 100% what happened here. Your husband's not a bad guy. He was just trying to cover and make things happen.

[B]

Yes. And he wasn't trying to hide it for me. He didn't want me to worry. He said he's trying to work on it.

[C]

Yeah. And y' all were separate in it, right? He was just taking care of it.

[A]

We're not blaming him. I'm just saying that this credit card debt is not due to irresponsible spending. It is due to the irresponsible purchase of vehicles that you can't afford.

[B]

I agree with you. I just don't know what steps to take.

[A]

Okay, so on the $65,000 car, who's driving that one?

[B]

He is.

[A]

Okay, so it's a truck.

[B]

No, no. Electric car.

[A]

Oh, okay. Oh, crap. Which one?

[B]

Honda. Honda Prologue.

[A]

Okay. And you owe 65. Do you have any idea what the actual market value of this log is?

[B]

I looked up Kelly's blue book and it said 30,000.

[C]

Oh, gosh, man.

[A]

Yeah, it's 30,000 for trade in or private sale or.

[B]

Actually, I think it was traded.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Probably worth 35. Okay. Which still sucks. So basically what we're saying is Honda electric cars have tanked in value. They're like jumping off a clip with no parachute in value. Okay. Wow. I didn't know they sucked that bad. Okay, that's really bad.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

How about the $45,000 car? Do you know.

[B]

Do I know what it's. That's worth?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

27. 27,000.

[A]

And that was trade in. So that's probably 32. Okay. All right. Okay. So $30,000 loss. When did you buy the Honda?

[B]

I'm sorry, I'm a little nervous. I can't think.

[A]

It's okay.

[B]

Second in the. He's had it less than a year.

[A]

Did you have negative equity in another car that you traded on it?

[B]

I think he did.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I think there was some negative equity.

[A]

Because I. I mean, I know these electric cars suck on holding their value. It's just. They're pitiful. But I did not think you could lose $30,000 in one year. I think that's probably not right. So it's not. They don't. They're not that bad. So I hope either way you're there. Okay, here's the problem. If you keep it, it's Going to keep tanking, and you're going to look up and it's going to be worth 10 grand, and you're going to owe 55. Right. And so, you know, it's almost like to save the patient, we're going to have to amputate the leg. You know, it's like we got to stop the bleeding here. There are too many. Too many amputations, too much blood in this metaphor. I got mixed metaphors going. But anyway. Yeah. So we got to. Anyway, you've got to stop the loss in value by getting rid of the car, because it's going to get worse and worse and worse at an increasing rate.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

So, wow. I'm so sorry. Do you guys have any money? I haven't asked that.

[B]

No.

[A]

Okay. It's not surprising.

[C]

What do you make, Michelle? You make 22,000. What do you do for a living?

[B]

I was a nurse. I got injured and I'm on disability now.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

A permanent disability.

[B]

Permanent disability.

[A]

Sorry.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Out there working it.

[D]

So.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Because, man, you can make some bucks as a nurse. That's a very good career. Oh, man. All right, so anyway, back to the whole thing.

[C]

We got.

[A]

The great news is you now know where you are. The great news is you're now working together. And the great news is we have identified the problem, and it's called a Honda prologue, and it's caused all of this. It's all the result of buying a car.

[C]

And the $45,000. I mean, like, I think all of it.

[A]

Two cars.

[D]

Two cars.

[C]

So a part of me would just take. If you can get a loan from the credit union, take the difference. You each go get $5,000 cars. I'd rather be $55,000 in debt than 110.

[A]

Yep. Yep. I would. If you can get the credit union to loan you enough money to get out of both of these and sell them both and get two $5,000 cars, that's a huge change in direction. It's going to. Otherwise, you're going to struggle with this for a decade. And so we got to stop this thing going off a cliff mathematically, because, I mean, you can tell from 65 down to 30. Right. In a heartbeat.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And we don't want to do that another year. I don't want that for you. I want you to be free.

[C]

And then you guys. Yeah.

[A]

You think you could get a loan at the credit union to cover the debt deficits on these cars?

[B]

I'm not sure now because his score on the credit's gone down.

[A]

Yeah. I'm gonna go sit down and talk to him. If you've got either one of these loans with the credit union, it's a real reason to talk to them. Because this is going to go sideways. It's bad. And then once you get that straightened up, you can address the other stuff pretty quick. Because you make good. You make good money. And now you're working together. The sun will come out. But we got to get rid of.

[C]

You guys have two to three years. You gotta get rid of the law of intense. Intense plan. Michelle, What a horrible car.

[A]

And I'm a Honda fan in general. Attached.

[C]

But not an electric fan.

[A]

Not an electric fan adds to it.

[E]

Okay, Rachel, the Internet officially knows too much about all of us.

[C]

So much, George. I mean our names, our addresses, even our relatives names. And what's crazy is even if you opt out, data broker websites can still get your info.

[E]

Don't like that. And just a year ago, get this, the average person had about 300 pieces of personal data floating around online. Now it's over 600. It has doubled in a year.

[C]

Guys, that is so concerning. Because that info then can be used in phishing, scams, impersonation and even harassments. That's why George and I both use and love Delete Me.

[E]

Yes, Delete Me scrubs your personal info from hundreds of these data broker sites. Not just once, but all year long. And there's real privacy experts behind the scenes doing this, not bots. So this is digital hygiene. We all need.

[C]

We all need it. And then they will send you a detailed report showing exactly where they found your data and what they removed. And you can even request custom removals if you have something specific you want them to look out for.

[E]

Exactly. And this is not being paranoid. This is staying protected. And so far, Delete Me has removed my info from 240listings and saved me 94 hours of time it would have taken me to do it.

[C]

I love it. And you guys, in a world where strangers can google your grandma and get enough info to scam her in just two clicks, Delete Me gives you peace of mind.

[E]

Yes. So go to join deleteme.com Ramsey for 20% off. And that discount brings their annual plans down to about nine bucks a month. So go check it out. Join delete me.com Ramsey.

[A]

John is in North Carolina. Hey John, how are you?

[D]

I'm good.

[B]

Actually.

[D]

I'm a little. A little less than than I deserve. A little not good. How are you?

[A]

Oh, John, John, I'm sorry. How can we help today?

[D]

Well, My, My wife and I, we got ourselves in a little bit of a mess. We're looking at about a million dollars in debt at the moment.

[A]

On what?

[D]

Well, I just closed down my business in June, and so we. We had taken out some SBA loans to keep the. To keep the business afloat. And then we also have our house credit cards. We have IRS taxes due, and, you know, a couple other things.

[A]

How much is the. How much is the SBA.

[D]

Right now? I think there's about 250,000 left on them.

[A]

How much is on the IRS?

[D]

It's 350,000.

[A]

Okay. And how much on credit cards?

[D]

We actually just entered a consolidation loan and that. We weren't sure if that was the right thing to do or not, but it. It dropped our monthly payment significantly. So right now we're at about 100. I think the total payoff was about 96.

[A]

Okay. And so six, seven. What's the three. The other 300. Your mortgage.

[D]

250,000 on the mortgage. We have 8,000 left on a car. And then just repaying our accountants and attorneys.

[A]

Which amounts to what?

[D]

15,000 for an accountant, age. 8,000 for an attorney.

[A]

And the attorney was for what? I'm sorry, the attorney was for what?

[D]

They actually assisted me through my IRS. They got me an installment plan for $500 a month, which was great until two months after the installment agreement went through. Now, now they're saying that we have to review everything again and that we will be at least liable for 175,000 to pay in the trust fund.

[A]

I'm sorry, you're liable for 350,000. So how. Where's 175 come in?

[D]

I'm not sure. The. That's what the officer said when I was on the phone with him.

[C]

An additional 175.

[D]

Not an additional. That's just.

[C]

That includes in the 350.

[A]

Okay, so you didn't, you didn't hold your 941s back?

[D]

No, we never held anything back. We. We just learned they're not going to.

[A]

Put that on payments. That's right. I don't. I don't disagree with that. Okay, so what is your home worth?

[D]

About 550.

[A]

Okay. And what else do you own?

[D]

Nothing. Right before all this happened, we had a rental property, we had land. We sold all those to. We actually did a flip, and we lost everything on top of that. And then everything kind of just trickled down from that. And then we paid off some credit cards back then as well, which was about four years ago.

[A]

Are you now working, doing something else?

[D]

Yes.

[A]

What do you make?

[D]

Just recently, I was making 260, but now I'm making 140. I. I got let go from one one job because they just couldn't afford.

[C]

Me anymore, so now it's 140.

[A]

Okay. And you're your wife work outside the home? Sir.

[D]

She makes about 20 grand.

[A]

How old are you?

[D]

33.

[A]

How long you been married?

[D]

Eight years.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Do you guys have kids?

[D]

Three.

[C]

Three.

[A]

Okay. I remember being right where you are. I was 28 with two, and. And I didn't make it. I ended up bankrupt. But I can share with you a couple things. Okay. One is this stuff will destroy your marriage if you. If you don't fight for your marriage. And so the two of you have to sit down and say, regardless of what happens, we're it. We're doing it together. We're in it to win it. And we have to lock arms, and it's you two against everybody else.

[D]

Right?

[A]

Okay. And she's scared. She's scared in a way you don't even understand. And you. If you're normal, this has taken a lot of your confidence and your swagger away.

[D]

Absolutely.

[A]

It did me. It took it all away. Okay? And. Because it just grinds you under a boot. And so once you say those things out loud, that means she gets extra hugs because she's terrified. And we're gonna do this. We're gonna make it. We're not going to jail, and we're not gonna go hungry. I don't know what else bad is going to happen, but those two things we do know, okay? Now, so you protect your marriage, and you understand that that business failure is a part of running a business. Sometimes it happens, and. And it doesn't define the rest of your life unless you allow it to.

[D]

But it.

[A]

But it does suck. And it does make you think that you're not worthy. And you are worthy. You're better. You're a lot better than you feel about you right now. Okay? Hear me, brother. You're a lot better than you feel about you. I've been there. I know. And out of the ashes of mine, this whole thing grew. So there's something. The other side of this or something else to do. But right now sucks beyond belief. So food on the table trumps anybody else's request. Lights and water kept on trumps anybody else's request. Paying the first mortgage on the residence. So we have a place to eat. We have food and water and utilities trumps anybody else's Request no one gets in line in front of your family. Do you hear me?

[D]

Sir, yes, sir.

[A]

You take care of them, and then you'll. You'll. Her terror will start to subside, and your confidence will start to grow. And that's where you're going to grow to fight through this is by taking care of those things first. Okay?

[D]

Absolutely.

[A]

Are you guys in a good church? You need to be. You're not. You need to be. Okay? You need to get some people around you that love you and. And walk into the presence of God on Sunday morning while you're fighting the devil, because this is wicked stuff you're going through, dude. Okay? It's warfare, and there's no other way around it. You got to fight it. Okay? Now, I don't know if you're going to make it or not. Mathematically, as a secondary concern, I'm concerned that you make it and that your wife makes it and your marriage makes it and your kids make it, and the rest of these people can jump off a cliff. They're irrelevant to me. The SBA is going to get what they deserve, probably, which is nothing, because they're bankruptible. The IRS is not bankruptible, and those 941s are not going away. So that thing right there is a real mess. You may end up selling the house to clear the stinking irs.

[D]

Right. I was thinking about going bankrupt, but the sba, you know, it's. It's personally guaranteed. So there. I don't know.

[A]

You can't bankrupt the business. You're bankrupt because you personally guaranteed it, and that probably means you're selling the house to pay the irs. So you need to get the advice of a bankruptcy attorney. I'm not telling you to file, but you need to learn what your options are, because, number one, is not credit cards. They can jump in a creek. I'm not paying them nothing. Forget whatever you're paying them. Screw them, they get nothing. And the sba. Screw them, they get nothing. Right. Now they can all just sit over there and look at this mess because they created it, too. And we're going to get. We're going to work on the irs. Oh, you got to keep the car payment paid because you have a car to get to work, and you need to sit down with a bankruptcy attorney and learn. But I think if there's a way to manipulate through this, you're probably going to end up selling the house to clear the irs. The rest of it is bankruptible, and you can start over. But I don't I don't know how you're going to clear all this, making 140. There may be a way though. There may be a way. So. But take care of you, John. Take care of your wife. Okay? Promise me.

[D]

I promise.

[A]

All right. And we're here if you need us. You call me anytime. I'm here to help you. I've been right where you are. Hang on. Kelly's going to pick up. I'm going to put you with Ramsey coach as my gift. We're going to be with you and walk with you.

[D]

Thank you. D.

[A]

Hey, we love debt free screams on the debt free stage in the lobby of Ramsey Solutions. We love them even more when they're one of our own Ramsey team members. Yeah, Here we go. Grant and Jordan Traylor are with us. Grant. Grant is a director of data and analytics with us at Ramsey Global. How long you been with us?

[F]

About seven and a half years.

[A]

Seven and a half years.

[D]

Wow.

[A]

Okay, cool. And how much debt have you guys paid, Grant?

[F]

We paid off just over $130,000.

[A]

All right, very cool. And what kind of debt was that? That was all the mortgage paid off your house.

[C]

Oh my gosh.

[A]

Hey, how old are you Two weirdos?

[F]

I'm 37 and she's a little younger than me.

[G]

I like it, like really legit. 36.

[A]

Very little. Way to go, guys. What's the house worth?

[F]

We think it's worth around 350,000 or so.

[A]

I love it.

[C]

Amazing.

[A]

Way to go, guys. So how long did it take you to knock the house out?

[F]

Just over four and a half years.

[A]

Okay, so you've been doing that while you were working here? Yes, sir. Now how weird weird is it to be working on your get out of debt plan while working at Ramsey? Awkward. Weird.

[F]

It makes it pretty easy to be honest. Great support system around me helping encourage us along the way. It's been really cool.

[A]

Yeah. You're not really given an option. We do give you an option. We're not looking at your stuff but I mean everybody around you is encouraging rather than discouraging. Yeah. So cheering you on. Cheering you on. Cheering you on. And since it's team members, for those of you out there in listening on the other side of this on a speaker, we do not ask their. We've got about 150 of their teammates standing around here. So we don't ask their income. Okay. So that's not part of it. But he did it. You did it in seven.

[C]

No, four.

[A]

You've been here seven years. You did it in Four and a half years.

[C]

Was it faster than you guys were? Like, when you originally kind of mapped it out, did it go faster or slower?

[F]

It went a little slower. Honestly, when we kind of started out, we set a BHAG that we knew the math didn't work on, but we just wanted to be aggressive because we knew we didn't really have a math problem. We had a behavior problem. And we needed to set a goal so big that it seemed hard, and we had to change our behaviors around it.

[C]

Okay. Yes. So the goal itself was probably, like, a little impossible, but you wanted that. Yeah.

[F]

Three and a half years was the goal. So we were about a year behind that.

[C]

Okay. Okay.

[A]

So you're a failure. So Jordan, I mean, he comes to work here, and he comes home, and we're going to pay off the house in three and a half years, and you're going, what?

[G]

Well, the conversations like that always come at, like, 11 at night when the kids are, you know, going down and it's quiet. And so I definitely did not agree at first. Not only impossible, but, like, why? And I don't have this culture around me every day. And so he comes home with these really big ideas, and then I kind of look at him like he's crazy. And then he talks me through it. But honestly, the thing that helped the most was he gave me a visual in his day to life, and it showed me this is where, you know, like, we're wasting money at this point. And I was like, well, that's a lot of money. Yeah, it has, like, it really doesn't actually make sense to keep doing this. So let's do it, you know, let's do it.

[A]

Data guy. Got you with data.

[G]

I know.

[C]

Graphs and all.

[A]

Data analytics. Comes home from work. Oh, wow.

[G]

Literally every day. Yes.

[A]

I love it. Very cool. Very cool. Yeah.

[C]

And you have three kids during the time. So were you guys. Because how intense do you feel like you guys were in the four and a half? Like, was it really like, okay, we're gonna do as much as we can as fast as we can, or did y' all live a little? Through baby steps four through six?

[G]

It felt a bit like a run ahead. Hold on. Slow down. Run ahead a little slow.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah.

[G]

I'm like you. It's like, let's celebrate. Let's be present. Let's enjoy what we have right now. And so he went into some moments that were like, whoa, we're not getting where we're supposed to be going. This is frustrating. I think that was where he Felt like, are we actually going to keep doing this? So for, for me, I needed though, I needed that cup of coffee, you know what I mean? Where it was like, no, I need to know.

[A]

I like that. Yeah.

[G]

And so we had an anniversary celebration in the middle of that. That was big and just a ton of fun and we acted like kids and I'm kind of still living on that. That was like over two years ago, you know, but when you're not used to having coffee, you know what I'm saying, it's like stuff helps go a long time. So. And our kids are like, they don't know that we're weird because they're too young. Like this is just weird, you know, and that's just their normal. And so they talk about it like it's normal, you know. So, I mean. Yeah, they get stuck.

[A]

Well, it's not. It's not those kids. Parents are heroes. You guys are amazing. I mean, look at what you did. This is. You've changed your whole family tree because now you have your entire income. No debt of any kind and you're only 37 years old. Yeah. How does that feel?

[F]

It feels honestly incredible. We knew when we went into the bank, I kind of expected like that moment where we pay it off to be this emotional high and then we'd go back to normal life and it wouldn't feel that different in the day to day. And it was honestly completely flipped in the bank. It felt like we were just in a dingy bank surrounded by people who were pretending to be excited for us. And it was kind of anticlimactic.

[C]

They were like, yay.

[F]

And then we went back to everyday life and there was this tangible weight that I didn't know I was walking under the whole time that I could just feel not there. Like there was this freedom that I didn't expect. And Jordan and I both made a comment along the way of noticing that and calling out how it was a lot more of a relief than we honestly expected it to be in the day to day.

[A]

What's the big thing you're going to do for yourselves to celebrate?

[D]

Right.

[F]

The big thing to celebrate. We haven't decided where we're going to go yet, but we have always kind of dangled as a carrot out at the other end of this that we want to go on a big trip with our family.

[A]

Yeah.

[F]

Like our kids have gotten older so what that was going to look like has changed over the four and a half years. So we're figuring that out. But we want to Do a really big celebration. Just get away for, you know, a week and a half, two weeks.

[A]

Yeah.

[F]

Either go international or even stay domestic and just really live it up for a while.

[A]

Go big. I love it.

[C]

How many paychecks have you guys had without the house. House payment?

[F]

I think only two. This was the first month's budget that we had without.

[C]

Is that crazy?

[G]

That was a tricky conversation. Yeah.

[B]

Why?

[C]

Because you want to spend it?

[D]

No.

[A]

What?

[B]

No.

[G]

Because we realized immediately, like, you. You go into your muscle, you know, movement of like, okay, budget talk. And then all of a sudden, it was like, well, now that money is sitting there, and so he starts allocating, and then I come along because I'm the one that comes up behind, you know, because I'm not the nerd. And. And then it was like, no, that's not what I was thinking we'd do with that money. And he's like, yeah, no. And so then our kids were gone with our amazing parents who have been our biggest cheerleaders this whole time. Shout out to all three sets of parents. And they were gone. And we did a weekend of vision casting, and that was where it was like, whoa, debt is a freaking weight. And it's gone. And now we get to just.

[C]

Just so great.

[G]

And that was, like, such an amazing moment, not only for the financial part of our home, but, like, us, our marriage, who we are as souls. Like, we are image bearers, you know, of the kingdom. And we're imaging him in his. Yeah, I'm not gonna do that. In his generosity, you know? And so that was the moment for me where it was just like, that's fun. We've never had this before. We never talked like this before. That is so cool.

[A]

That's fun.

[G]

Yeah.

[F]

Yeah, it was really cool. We kind of, in that moment, realized we've been going for four and a half years, and we had this shared goal, and now we don't have that shared goal. We have different expectations. And so it's really cool to have that conversation and actually align to where do we want to be 30 years from now?

[A]

This is a problem people need to have.

[F]

It's a fun problem, for sure.

[C]

So good.

[A]

All right, bring the kiddos up. Let's hear their names and ages. Come on up, guys. And so this is Cal.

[F]

He's 10, Kate is 8, and Finley is 6.

[A]

All right, you guys. Your mom and dad have changed your whole lives and your kids lives. You don't even know it yet. It's pretty impressive. Very, very cool stuff. Very well done.

[C]

Did you get to miss school today? Did y' all get to miss school to be here?

[G]

Another homeschooled me there all morning.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

I was like, that's pretty good. That's a good day. That's a good day.

[A]

All right. Very fun. Very fun. All right, guys. 130,000 paid off, house and everything. At 37 years old. They did it in four and a half years. Count it down. Let's hear a debt free scream.

[F]

Three, two, one.

[D]

We're debt free. Yeah. Wow. Wow.

[A]

Amazing.

[C]

Amazing.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Man. That's a power couple right there. And we have the privilege of working with one of them every day.

[B]

Huh?

[A]

Pretty cool stuff.

[C]

Well, and it just shows when you're intentional and you have the plan, even though it's a big, lofty goal like they did the three and a half years. You're, you know, you have something you're aiming for, even something like paying off a house, which feels impossible for so many people. They did it.

[D]

Boom.

[A]

Don't tell me it can't be done. Grant and Jordan will tell you otherwise. Boom. We've done in depth research. 100% of you are going to die. You need a will. You're going to die. You need a will. It's national Will make a will month, and 43% of adults say they don't have a will because they procrastinated. I just haven't gotten around to it. And so I'm going to leave my family come behind completely vulnerable because I won't do adult stuff like getting a will done or I don't know how to make all these big decisions. Well, make them. It's a good time. Otherwise the state's gonna make them for you. And so, well, everything goes to family anyway. No, it also goes to the lawyer. The lawyers get all of it if you don't do a will. So this is crazy, you guys. You've got to get your wills done. It's nuts. The number of people that die without a will. It's like seven out of 10 people. This is not good. It's a good way to destroy what little bit of wealth you've built instead of letting your family benefit from it. And so go to ramseysolutions.com willsquiz for a simple and free online will quiz and we'll help tell you what the right kind of will is. Do you need to go to a lawyer and do an in depth thing or can you go to Mama Bear legal forms and do an online will in about 30 minutes? I don't Care. But you need to get one done. Don't be walking around without a will. If you've moved states, you need a new will. If your marital status has changed, you need a new will. If major life stuff has blown up, you probably need a new will or update change, amendment, whatever, I don't care. But you need to get this. Stay on top of this stuff, guys. It's too emotionally expensive for those people you leave behind. Trenton is in Washington. Hi, Trenton. How are you?

[D]

I'm doing fine. How are you?

[A]

Better than I deserve. What's up?

[D]

Oh, not a whole lot. Had a friend recommend me to you and I've been hooked on your shows ever since I started watching. Just had a question. You know, I kind of got myself in a bit of a hole here. I recently got let go from my job. Unemployed. I got in an accident with work truck on while I was on shift and out to a job site.

[A]

So every time someone wrecks a truck.

[D]

They fire them, apparently.

[A]

So you weren't like drunk or something?

[D]

Nope, not at all.

[A]

Okay, what were you making?

[D]

Roughly 80,000 a year.

[A]

You got CDL?

[D]

85,000. No. Light duty tow truck driver and roadside mechanic for heavy duty trucks such as semis.

[A]

Okay, so you're a diesel mechanic.

[D]

Correct.

[A]

Okay, that's good news. All right. Because you probably weren't making enough. I mean, a lot of diesel mechanics make over a hundred.

[D]

Yeah. Yeah. I originally got put onto the job for the light duty towing. I just wanted to branch out and try something a little different, I guess.

[A]

You have cert. Do you have certifications in diesel?

[D]

I do.

[A]

You do. Okay. How long ago did you get fired?

[D]

Roughly? About two months ago, I want to say.

[A]

Why are you not working? Turning a wrench somewhere.

[D]

That's the thing is I'm unsure. I enjoyed towing a lot. I love towing. I want to get back into towing, but now with that on my record, it's kind of hard.

[A]

Yeah. So don't. I'm sorry. You need a job. You've been sitting on your butt for two and a half months. You don't starve to death. You need to go get a job turning a wrench, man. You make 100k as a diesel mechanic, Go be a mechanic tomorrow.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And you work your way back into towing in the future years. Or open your own towing thing later. But let's not. Let's not get hungry first. What have you been doing during the two and a half months? Watching Oprah.

[D]

And your shows.

[C]

Netflix.

[D]

Working. Working with friends.

[A]

He's watching your rerun Watching me, not Oprah. That's great. Oh, my gosh. Okay, so, honey, you gotta.

[D]

You gotta get your friend making a little bit of money here and there.

[A]

Yeah. You're not. Yeah, you're sitting on your butt. Dude, you gotta go.

[F]

You gotta go get the.

[A]

You make. You have a wonderful skill. For real, though, you have a wonderful, wonderful skill.

[C]

How are you. How are you surviving? How are you paying for food and keeping your rent or mortgage paid? You know, bills?

[D]

I am just running to the end of my savings and my wife is currently working.

[C]

Oh, you're married.

[A]

What does she make?

[D]

Correct? I think probably 40 or 50,000 a year.

[A]

And how old are you, sir?

[D]

I'm 25.

[A]

Okay. And how much debt do you have?

[D]

Around 60,000.

[A]

On what?

[D]

I think it's like 40, 45 on personal loans, like 15 on two vehicles.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Okay. All right.

[C]

Are you guys working together, you and your wife with money, or is it correct?

[D]

Yes. No, everything's shared.

[C]

It is.

[D]

Everything.

[C]

Great, great.

[D]

Everything's together.

[C]

Well, let's. What's she. What's. What's she doing? Is she. What's she saying to you? Is she like, hey, Trenton, go. Like, what is she. Is she urging you to get out there?

[D]

She is. Yeah. And I guess a big reason that I. I'm not actively looking today is I'm getting ready to go to Ohio for my dad's wedding. Not next week, but the week after. And, you know, jobs are probably not going to hire me with taking vacation two weeks from today.

[A]

And it starts the day you get back.

[D]

Yeah, I don't know. I guess. Yeah, I've definitely been lazy.

[A]

No, listen, here's what happened, okay? You're 25 years old. You were doing something you loved with people you liked, and an accident happened that wasn't your fault or if it was your fault, it was still an accident. You didn't do it on purpose and the jerks fired you and it knocked the wind out of you. And you've been laying around two months trying to get your breath back because it knocked the snot out of you, took some of your confidence in your swagger away.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Is that right?

[D]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

So I'm trying. I'm trying to tell you in the last few minutes that you, sir, have a wonderful skill that is very marketable and you can make a lot of money. And stacking some cash right now would feel really good to a bruised ego. It'd be good. Really good. Return some of your dignity to you that they stole from you. It's kind of ridiculous that they fired you, but they did.

[D]

I don't know where I was at with it, but you just gotta accept it and roll with what's going to be in life, you know?

[A]

Yeah, that's true. But you got a role now. Okay? What I'm telling you is it's normal to get the breath knocked out of you. And it's normal for something like this to hurt. But you cannot let that be a reason to be sidelined. They don't have the power to sideline you. Only you have the power to sideline you. And you have sidelined yourself for the last two and a half months while you hurt from this experience. And so I'm mean old Uncle Dave, who's telling you, you got chops, you got tools, you know how to fix stuff that nobody else on the planet hardly knows how to do. You can make 80 to 120 grand a year, turn the wrench on a diesel buddy, and then you go, stack you some cash, clear up this debt, pile up some money, buy you a truck, start your own towing company in four years. Yeah, I'll show them.

[D]

Yeah. Sounds like a damn good plan.

[A]

Yeah, but it's not going to be. It's not going to happen. Working three hours a week, right. Screwing around.

[D]

Right.

[A]

It's time to throw your shoulders back and go, I'm better than the way I was treated. You are better than the way you were treated. You are better than the way you were treated. You have an actual skill in a world that doesn't know how to do things. You know how to do things. And so you have a tremendous advantage. I mean, if you were just doing dumb work and got fired and then you got to go look for more dumb work, that this conversation wouldn't sound like this, but, dude, I'm serious. I mean, Mike Rowe, that does dirty jobs and I. He was showing me the data the other day on the trades. And one of the things that keeps popping up and one of the hottest things out there and the biggest shortage is freaking diesel mechanics.

[C]

Literally. What? Yeah.

[A]

And I talked to one the other day that's making 120. And so I'm serious. It's not a bad. You are in a really good shape. And the best. Let me tell you, the best revenge for stuff like this is successful. Success is a wonderful revenge. And you don't even have to mention their name ever again. You just move on. And then you can build a company bigger than them by the time you're 46. It could happen. It could Happen. I know guys that do it. Have at it, brother. We've all done dumb things with money. I've done them with zeros on the end. One of the biggest mistakes I see people make with money is not having a plan for it. You got to have a plan. You got to be intentional. And you need to get a budget. You have to tell your money where to go so you're not wondering where it went. Our budgeting app, Every Dollar, helps you do just that. It's the easiest and fastest way to make a monthly plan. For every dollar you've got coming in and going out, now's the best time to get started before the ridiculous holiday spending season gets here and sucks you in because you didn't have a plan. Don't let that happen. You're done making that mistake. Go download every dollar for free in the app Store or Google Play today. Welcome back to the Ramsey Show. Rachel Cruz, number one best selling author, Ramsey personality and my daughter is my co host today. The number is 888-820-55225. Ann is in Kentucky. Hi, Ann, how are you?

[D]

I'm doing well.

[B]

How are you?

[A]

Better than I deserve. What's up?

[B]

So I'm calling today with a little bit of a different dilemma. My husband and I have been married for a little over 10 years. We graduated right before we got married. And he found you. So we, well, he had to get me on board, kind of. But we decided to follow the baby steps. We paid off over $300,000 of student loan debt in about four years. And then we decided, we decided we would start saving for a down payment for our first home.

[A]

Good.

[B]

So we did that. We were started investing in our 401ks, doing all the right things, but it's been kind of a struggle to find the right home. Trying to find something that we both agree on. So that was about five years ago now and we still haven't taken the plunge, mostly on my husband's end. And in the meantime, you know, we've just been piling up all this cash that we have.

[A]

Okay, so I'm confused. The goal that we both agreed to was to save up a big down payment and then get a house and now you can't agree on the house for five years?

[B]

That's correct.

[A]

What is it, what is it he wants that you don't want or vice versa?

[B]

Well, I think at this point the biggest issue is that we have over $600,000 saved and seeing that money go.

[A]

Okay, now you said you couldn't agree on the house?

[B]

Well, I am now.

[A]

He just doesn't want to buy a house.

[B]

Well, he won't admit to that, but I do think that's a big part of it. Yes.

[A]

Okay, so, no, let me go back to the other part, because if he found a house he liked, I think you could get him to do it.

[C]

Well, did it. Has he ever found a house he liked, Dan, or do you kept showing them over five years, different houses, and he just didn't like it.

[B]

Well, a little caveat. We live in, like, Appalachia. There's not a lot of real estate. So it is kind of hard where we live to find a house that meets all of, you know what we want. Like, he wants a garage so we can have a boat one day, and he wants all this stuff that is kind of hard to find.

[C]

We got $600,000.

[A]

Are you in a. You're in rural eastern Kentucky, correct? Okay, so typically, you're not looking in a subdivision, correct?

[B]

That's correct. There are a couple of subdivisions here, but homes, there are anywhere from 600,000 to over a million dollars, depending on what you get.

[A]

Okay, so what are you looking at?

[B]

That's another thing is it's been hard for us to agree. You know, when we started out, we said maybe max of 600. And then he's like, well, I don't think I want to spend that much. A couple years later, and then now it's back to.

[D]

To.

[B]

It's just been really a struggle to come to an agreement.

[A]

Okay. Meanwhile, the houses in that subdivision have gone up 300 grand, correct?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

That's stupid. I mean, you're.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

Yeah. We're not parking the money, and instead the money sitting here making 3%, and if it was invested in a good piece of real estate called your home, it would have gone up 10 or 15% during that period of time.

[B]

Right. I'm just struggling with at what point.

[A]

This has cost you $100,000 out. It's called cost you $100,000. Yeah. I mean, I think that you guys gonna sit down and go, look, I'm not. Okay. I'm not. Okay. We agreed that we were gonna buy a house. Now we need. And we're not gonna. There's no such thing as a perfect house, and there's no such thing as a perfect husband either. So.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I'm gonna settle on both of them. Them. We're going to get a house. I'm going to get an imperfect house with my imperfect husband. Ready, set, go. Here we Go. We're going to do this. We agreed to. This is what we're going to do. And sitting on this money is costing us. And I'm getting increasingly pissed.

[B]

Right. Yes, for sure.

[A]

Now, this is. This is what you're describing, and I think you just need to say it out loud. I don't think you've said it out loud.

[C]

Yes, you said that you have.

[B]

I actually, yeah. Like, there's been some things. Just a few months ago, we. Things came to a head and I was like, I think we just need some time apart. So he did leave for a few days and kind of had a change of heart and came back and we looked at some homes, but it's just like dragging the seat, it seems like.

[A]

Yeah. So your marriage counselor that you need to be seeing should be walking you guys through the idea that he is not respecting your opinion and you.

[D]

Okay, okay.

[B]

Because that's kind of how I feel. I feel.

[A]

It doesn't mean he has to go along with you, but when he agrees to something and then slow walks it, that means he's patting you on the little head.

[B]

Right. And sweet little girl. I haven't been like, you know, when we agreed to purchase a home five years ago, like, I just feel at this point like I've lost trust also, if that makes.

[C]

With his word, because he said he was going to do one thing and he won't follow through with what you guys agreed with.

[A]

Yeah. So you're losing. You're losing respect and he's losing. He's not respecting your thing. So this is a. This is a marriage breakdown. It's come really deep here. This is sad. I mean, when I started the call, it was just like, we need to buy a house. And now it's like, this is tearing our marriage apart.

[B]

Basically. Yes.

[A]

All right. So I'm not sure he has gotten the memo yet.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

How serious this is. I mean, I understand he left and came back and it's not about the house anymore. This is no longer.

[C]

That's the conversation.

[A]

This is now about us agreeing on something. We both have a vote. And then executing on what we agree.

[C]

On in the statement and which I think is. Is big in a marriage that I'm starting to not to trust you. Like, that's a bit like that. The one person in life that you should trust is the spouse. Like, that's the. That is the, you know, that's the person. Have you said that to him, that sentence?

[B]

I have.

[C]

Okay. And how does he respond?

[B]

I mean, it's hard for Me, because he's very. He's a person who can't make a decision. He overanalyzes everything. So he, he acts like he, he understands why I would feel that way.

[C]

Sure.

[B]

That he just can't seem to move past. Past the point of actually putting it into action. Yeah, I guess, if I'm explaining that correctly.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. If I'm his. If I were sitting there in the office with the marriage counselor and you two were sitting there, I would challenge him that he now has grown to love the $600,000 cash more than a house and more than. Than his wife's wishes.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And that's. That's a dangerous place. That's a dangerous place. That's what you've described.

[C]

Yeah, it's a great, it's a great way of saying it.

[A]

It's what you've described. And I think you guys have got to work through that. This guy sounds like he is emotionally stunted. And so you guys have got some work to do. And then the house purchase will be a result of you having found some healing and trust and respect and those other words in your marriage and back in your relationship. And the house purchase. So I think the house purchase is not happening. Is revealing other things that are going on. It's not the, it's the symptom.

[C]

And it's a deep scarcity mindset on his end too. I mean, he just, he didn't want to let go of anything. There's a level of like that.

[A]

Well, if he's control and he's a detail guy, he's got paralysis of the analysis. He's sitting around thinking he wants to just keep it all runs over in his head.

[C]

That's too much.

[A]

This is, I mean, it's 27, 27,001 time instead of just going and doing something. Ready? Aim. Aim. Aim. Aim. Aim.

[C]

There's some control. He has fire. He. Oh, dear God.

[D]

Come on.

[A]

Jeez.

[C]

Hey, guys, Rachel Cruze here. And guess what? The 2026 Ramsey goal planner is here. This isn't just another calendar. It's a life changing tool that helps you set clear goals and habits that actually stick. Get ready for all new monthly content from your favorite Ramsey personalities, tactical goal tracking tools and upgrades that make this our most durable planner yet. But don't wait. If you order in the first week, you'll get the lowest price at just $35.97. Order by Labor Day at ramseysolutions.com store to get the.

[D]

Foreign.

[A]

Today's question of the day on the Ramsey show is brought to you by why Refi? If you've been turned down for refinancing your defaulted private student loans, you're not alone and you're not out of luck. Why Refi exists? To give people like you another shot. Go to yrefi.com that's the letter y r e f y dot com. Ramsey. Not in all states.

[C]

Today's question comes from Hunter in Texas. My wife is a CPA and smarter than me, better looking than me and better at everything except for choosing a spouse.

[A]

Good line.

[C]

She uses every dollar to make sure we don't overspend, but treats it like a general guideline, not something to actually stick to. I always thought the budget was like a script for a play where you write the numbers and once the play starts you don't go all off script. Who is right? I mean I yield to you Hunter in it that when you set the budget, it is what it is. Now I do know after doing budgeting for 10 plus years, 15 years of marriage, there's going to be a lot of circumstances for us. It's almost monthly now where things come up that you don't realize. And so you have to add an extra line item. You got to shift some numbers around. So there is kind of this ever moving part of the budget which is going to be real like that that's gonna happen. So it's less of a guideline. But when you, when you plan it, you stick to it. And when something comes up, you may have to kind of shift and figure out how to make it work, but it's still gonna work within the numbers. So that's how Winston and I do it because I mean I had like a. Yeah, like a hundred and thirty four dollars doctor visit I literally paid today from two weeks ago and I didn't know that was gonna happen. Right. And so you gotta like put that in the every dollar budget and then I'm shifting other things to. So things are going to come up that you don't expect. And so there is going to be a level of having to be somewhat flexible. But for the most part I'd say 90% of it is planned out that you 100% should know from start to finish of the month.

[A]

Yeah, you need to agree on where every dollar is going to go to and stick to it. And if you're going to make a change and you will, as Rachel said, make some changes. But in the middle of the month, the only way you make a change, two things have to occur. We both agree to the change. You don't make the change and then go, look what I did. We both agree to the change. And if you raise the amount of money in a category or create a new category, you've already spent all your money on paper, so you also have to lower some other category by that same amount. So if you. If you create a line item for $134 for an unexpected doctor visit for a sick kid, and that was not in the budget, then we have to lower some other amount somewhere in the budget by $134 because you're not in Congress. This has to balance. And so two things occur when changes are made. Number one, both agree to it before you do it.

[D]

It.

[A]

Number two, you lower another category by the amount you raised that category.

[C]

That's exactly right.

[A]

And so it still balances.

[C]

And that's another part of being debt free. When we tell people to work their way out of debt, you actually have margin. So you may be putting some money away in savings, and you may kind of have to take some of that, lower a little bit the savings to.

[A]

To pay some of this $134 less going into savings.

[C]

Right? That's right. But that's like all of this works in unison. Right. Like, you're moving forward with your money throughout the baby steps to help help even with some of these things, which is great.

[A]

Yeah. But a general guideline means she's doing whatever she wants to do and reporting to you later, and that's not okay.

[C]

Yeah, I'd be stricter on it.

[A]

That's not. That's not. No, you're more right than she is.

[C]

And one thing you guys could do is sign up for one of our everydollar trainings. We have free trainings weekly now in the Ramsey personalities. We do it because everydollar within the budgeting app, it's going to help you not only with the budget, but we have a digital coach component which is actually going to show you and help you work the baby steps to know, okay, what are things within my financial world that I can shift and change to be more proactive? And so all of that is in these everydollar trainings. So if you guys want to check.

[A]

It out, you can sign up for free.

[C]

For free? Yep. @ramseysolutions.com webinar, we do a Q and A. We walk through a lot of these kind of questions, like what you just had, Hunter. So, yeah, make sure to check that out.

[A]

Rob's in Indiana. Hey, Rob. What's up?

[D]

Hey, thanks for having Me on. I have a very quick math nerd question for you guys.

[C]

Dave is your man. Dave is ready for it.

[D]

Wonderful. We owe $125,000 left on our house and our monthly payment for our mortgage is $1,500 a month. Our take home pay is about $8,500. We have a three year old son and we're only going to be able to have one baby because of COVID related stuff. And I already have about 25 to $30,000 saved for my son's college already. We had been putting $417 a month into a 529 for him and I was thinking about stopping putting any money in his college basically to get on. Just have another 4, 5, $417 a month to put towards our mortgage to try to get it paid off in the next three years with your guys online mortgage payoff calculator. If I pay around $4,000 a month, I can actually get our budget completely paid off or our mortgage completely paid off.

[A]

Yeah, but you're talking about 1500 plus 400. It would be 1900, not 4000.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. And I've went through my budget and I've already found another fifteen hundred dollars that I can put towards it every month.

[A]

Okay. And your wife's on board with all that wondering?

[D]

Yes, I think she's on board with.

[A]

You'Ve got room to breathe. You're not doing rice and beans. That's not what we're trying to do.

[D]

Oh no, absolutely not. We're doing just fine.

[A]

Okay. All right. Yeah. You can circle back to the 529 later if you need to after the four years. Because how old is your baby?

[B]

Three.

[A]

Yeah. So I mean, three years from now the house is paid for. Four years from now the house is paid For. There's seven if you need. If you look up and they go 25 is not going to be enough or what the 25 is going to grow to is not going to be enough, then I can add some money and catch back up. You won't have any trouble because you won't have a house payment anymore.

[D]

Yeah, exactly. I figured if I put the money we put towards our mortgage back in for one year, that's $18,000 more than I was going to miss out on before.

[A]

Exactly. And way more. And it will continue to grow anyway. It might be enough in there already, depending on the college choice and what you're planning to fund and all that kind of thing. So. So if it's invested in good mutual funds, it's 25, 50, 100. It's probably 200 grand. When they get there, if you don't, if you don't add anything. So, you know, you need to sit with your. With your SmartVestor Pro and calculate out what the 25 is going to grow to. And that'll tell you if you need to add anything at all. And you can certainly do that after four and a half years after the house is cleared. So I'm with you. Good plan. Rock and roll. Math nerd approved. There we go.

[C]

He said, I had a math nerd question. I was like, perfect. Dave loves.

[A]

I love a good math riddle.

[C]

Good math riddle.

[A]

I was that nerd kid for sure. All right. Mike's in Nebraska. Hey, Mike.

[D]

Hey. How's it going?

[A]

Better than I deserve. How can we help?

[D]

Great. So I have a situation where my parents, you know, growing up, I knew my parents weren't. Weren't the best with their finances. It's something that I initially struggled with, but then feel like I've done a. Me and my wife have done a good job, but come to find out after my dad's passing a couple years ago, just how bad they were with money. And they had essentially racked up $200,000 worth of debt living off of a line of credit. Now it's just my mom on her acreage, and I have, over the past two years, been working to. I started an LLC to do a storage business on her property in order to try and monetize her property a bit and get her more income to cover the mortgage that we had to get for her.

[A]

We had to get for her that.

[D]

That I helped her get for herself.

[A]

Okay, so you're not on the mortgage.

[D]

We did co sign on it because of my mom's. My mom's 74. So we put. Because of our. Our house was paid off. I co signed for it.

[A]

Okay, how can I help?

[D]

My question is they don't. She doesn't have a lot of retirement. Little to none. She gets like, essentially like $5,000 annuity a year. That usually goes towards her. Some of the medicine that she has for the year.

[A]

She has Social Security coming in.

[D]

She has Social Security? Yes. How much is that what she lives. She gets about just a little over 2,000.

[A]

All right, tell you what. Hang on through the break. We'll come back, talk to you. I don't have enough information to spit an answer at you, so hang on. Many of you listen to the Ramsey show because you're sick and tired of getting nowhere with your Money. You work too hard to live paycheck to paycheck with no money in the bank. But here's the deal. Just listening to the show won't change that. If you want different results, you have to do something different. We've helped millions of people save money, ditch debt and build wealth. And you can too. But you gotta have a game plan. And that begins with our get started assessment. Go to ramseysolutions.com start now. Take the free quiz and get your free step by step action plan. If you've had it with money stress and are ready to take control of your money for good, go to ramseysolutions.com startnow alright, we're talking with Mike in Nebraska. Mike's mom is 74. She's got three coming in for Social Security, 5,000 a year from an annuity to help with her medical bills. She and her husband, Mike's dad ran up a bunch of debt. We're not very good with money. Mike jumped in, took out a mortgage and put a storage building on their lot and he co signed the mortgage and that's how far we'd gotten in the discussion. Does that all sound accurate, Mike?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, now, so how much is the mortgage now?

[D]

It's, the mortgage right now is 1300amonth.

[A]

No, I mean the balance. I'm sorry.

[D]

Oh, sorry. The balance, we started at 203 and it's at 185 right now.

[A]

Okay. And the property with the storage building, everything added to it, the current value of the whole thing is what roughly.

[D]

Be probably guesstimate between 800 to 900. Okay.

[A]

All right. So there's around 700k in equity right now. Okay. And this, and she's lived on this property for how long?

[D]

Since I was little. We've had it, it's been in our favor. Land's been in our family since my dad grew up on the land.

[A]

Okay, so you're the third generation.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

Okay. All right. So your grand, your, your grandparents were there and you have memory of all that too. How many, how much acreage is there?

[D]

It's roughly about nine, just under nine acres.

[A]

But how, how rural is the area?

[D]

It's, it's not, it's right next to a highway that connects to decent sized towns. So it's, it's not very, I mean.

[A]

Because nine acres at 100 grand an acre doesn't sound farmland.

[D]

It's, it has two houses on it.

[A]

How many storage units? How many storage units you put on it?

[D]

Right now? We're like, we have two sheds but that do like basically. And we're doing RV and boat storage for the storage.

[A]

Okay. All right. And you live nearby?

[D]

Yeah, in town.

[A]

Okay. So you're trying to help her run boat storage. Storage. Get enough cash flow to pay this mortgage.

[D]

Yeah. So the. More like so far we've been able to between renting the sheds and the storage, been able to cover the mortgage for the year as well as like a little bit more. She gets $1,000 rent from the other house that's on the property.

[A]

So is she living on. Is she living less than she makes now with your help?

[D]

Sorry, say that again.

[A]

I said is she able to live on the money that these things are providing her with? Social Security?

[D]

She's. I have her living off of just Social Security. She did get like my, my dad was the type that he didn't. He wanted my mom to be at home and so she never. She hasn't worked for a long time after her initial career and then. But she does a part time job now and all the money from that job goes towards principal on the loan.

[A]

Okay. All right. So she's on board on all this.

[D]

Sounds like she's like she, she, she realizes her situation.

[A]

She got her head in the game. She's not gonna get to keep this property if she doesn't get her act together. And she's getting her act together. That's good.

[D]

Yeah. The property is what I feel like is the saving grace for her and what the only thing that we have like that keeps us from being.

[A]

Okay. So how's her health financially?

[D]

She's, She's. Her health is good, not great.

[A]

Are you the sole heir?

[D]

I have a brother as well.

[A]

Okay, so what happens when she passes?

[D]

The. The land is split between my brother and myself.

[A]

What are you going to do then?

[D]

My hope was to build up a storage. The storage business on there in order to offset any costs for her future home care.

[A]

I'm talking about your brother. How are you going to split the land with your brother when she's gone?

[D]

The land can. The land's large enough that we actually got an approval to property line wise. Split the property in half if we wanted to.

[A]

You can't. There's a mortgage on.

[D]

That's. Well, one of the questions I had like questions for calling that I had for that was I have, I have stock from my company and it's sort of just been plateauing for a while and I was wondering if it would be wiser to take that money and roll it into her loan to pay it off and then have the property storage sort of payback.

[A]

How are you protected from your brother ending up with that money?

[D]

My mom has basically said that anything that I put into the land, she would modify her will to make sure that I'm like, any money I put into the land is protected as, like, first out. So if we had ultimately decided to sell the land.

[A]

Yeah, you would. You would need to take a lane. You would need to take a lien on the land for the 100. How much is the value of your stock.

[D]

Right now? It's 120. But, like, as it rolls off, like, it'll be 200. And then if the stock goes up.

[A]

Whatever growth from that as it rolls off. What do you mean?

[D]

Like, every. Every quarter or so, I get more released to me.

[A]

Oh, so it's restricted, dude. Okay.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. All right. So you just gotta. All right.

[D]

Stay with the company.

[A]

Yeah. Is your brother. Have you guys been having good communications with him on all this so you don't get burned?

[D]

I mean, we're. We're on the same page when I. I think I'm more on the. On the hook financially.

[A]

Yeah, you're the only one on the hook, obviously.

[D]

But. But yeah, he's supportive and helps with the property and the management of things and helps with my mom. So, like, he's. He's on board with everything.

[A]

All right. Yes, I would pay off the mortgage with your stock. Yes. Because the mortgage is in your name. You have stock to pay off a mortgage that's in your name. Yes, I would. But you need to take a lien against the property. Take a mortgage against the property at no interest and to be paid when you know to be taken as a. As a. That guarantees that her will functions. Because now you have a lien on the property, and your brother cannot get anything out of the property until that mortgage is paid. Okay. And you got the ability to split the property easily because you're the mortgage holder then. But you're not going to split a property with a commercial mortgage holder unless you refinance.

[D]

Right. And if. I guess my. The thing that I've battled, I've gone back and forth with was between the money going from my stock into the property versus going into, like, retirement accounts and things for myself, because I don't want.

[A]

Well, this is your retirement because you're betting the farm. Listen, you went borrowed $185,000 or you went borrowed 200,000. Now it's down to 185. You act like your mother did this. You did this. It's. You're liable. You have a mortgage. So. No. You don't put money in retirement while you have a mortgage on a side piece of farmland? No, absolutely not. So you, you left the. You left the position of separation a long time ago. This is no longer separated. This is not your mom.

[C]

All entangled. Yeah.

[A]

This is your deal because you signed up for it and you're heavily invested with time and effort and everything else. I like where it's taking you guys overall because your mom has taken responsibility. She's reigned herself in. She's, you know, taking a job. She's. I'm living on a budget. Your brother's involved 200,000.

[C]

Take a lien on the property for that.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Whatever he pays off. If he takes 185, pays off the mortgage, he puts a lien against it for 185. That means 185 comes to him before he splits with his brother after she's gone.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. What about her $200,000 line of credit?

[A]

That's it. They refinanced it. They already took it out. They refinanced it. So that, that's the thing. So we're getting rid of that. And. Yeah, no debt. Now. The only debt is you, and you're not collecting on it until she's gone. And so that money's not working very hard for you. But it, you know, your debt with third generation land, you guys are planning to keep it. You're not going to liquidate it. So there's no. There's no out for you other than pay off the debt. So that's the. You stepped into it and you got it on your shoe. That's the way it works.

[D]

Sam.

[A]

Our scripture of the day, Philippians 4:12. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Maya Angelou said, forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn't know before you loaned it.

[C]

Oh, that's good.

[A]

That's good. I like it.

[D]

It.

[A]

All right. Don's in Grand Rapids. Hey, Don. How are you?

[D]

Good.

[A]

How are you? Better than I deserve. I see on my screen that you are a baby step millionaire. Congratulations.

[D]

Thank you. Appreciate that.

[A]

Well done. So what's your net worth?

[D]

It is $1,773,412.

[A]

Way to go, man. Way to go. Give me a little breakdown on that by category. What's it Invested in?

[B]

Sure.

[D]

It's 652,000 in 401k, 161,000 and a Roth IRA, 35,000 and a 529. Our mortgage, our house is paid for. Home value of 446,000. We have a cabin that's also paid for. Valid at 385,000. Then we have 91,000 cash.

[A]

All right. How old are you?

[D]

You 38. My wife and I are 38 and we became millionaires when we're 35.

[A]

Way to go. You did early. Congratulations. How much of this did you inherit?

[D]

We inherited about 90,000 from my wife's grandma when she passed away.

[A]

How long ago was that?

[D]

2018.

[A]

Were you already millionaires by then?

[D]

2022 is when we. When we became millionaires.

[A]

Okay, so you shot up, man. Way to go. Okay, so mathematically though, you did not become a millionaire because of inheritance.

[D]

No, no.

[A]

This is all you saving and dipping. And what. What's been your range of income since you started working? Best year, worst year.

[D]

Worst year, 45,000. Household. The max is going to be this year. We're expecting it to be around 315,000.

[A]

What do you do for a living?

[D]

So I work in supply chain analytics in the food manufacturing industry. My wife is a manager for the state of Michigan. We've both had incremental progress throughout our careers.

[A]

Okay, right, Cool, cool. So you got a degree in supply chain logistics?

[D]

My degree is actually in general management and I have an MBA in marketing. My wife has a degree in environmental science and biology and she also has an mba, but that's in consulting.

[A]

Okay, so how do you attribute the high of a 315? But that's just recently. So most of this time you've been making probably between 100 and 200. And you get to a net worth millionaire status at 35 years old. Somebody's 22 is listening to us right now. Tell them how you did that.

[D]

So we graduated college in 2011 living on nearly nothing. And once we got into our careers, we just pretended like we had no money and just put all of our income towards getting our debt paid off. So I graduated with $60,000 in debt and student loans. We got that paid off in two years. And we just really focused on putting our whole household behind getting out of debt. That's what we did. We bought our first house in May 2015. We paid that off in four years. And then we paid off. We bought our cabin in 2023. We paid that off in one year. So I think really the Big secret for us was extremely focused on getting out of debt, putting our entire household behind it.

[A]

Well, and you've been systematically dumping money in this 401k and Roth like crazy too, because you got about 900 in that, that.

[D]

Yeah, we've been fortunate enough that we've been able to contribute to our retirements, but also have a high enough income that we've made, you know, get our debt paid off too.

[C]

So, yeah, lifestyle creep is not what I would say for you guys. You guys have stayed very intentional.

[D]

Yeah, if, if you look at us, we have a pretty average house with pretty average vehicles and we wear pretty average clothes. So, you know, walking down the street, you wouldn't see us and think we're millionaires, but we are, so it's pretty awesome.

[A]

Well, you weren't trying to impress anybody walking down the street. You're trying to impress the people in your house, you and your wife. That's all we care about impressing. And so that sets it up. Wow. Very cool, man. So you think in today's world, the current economy sitting right where we are, that if you came out of school, you could do this again in the same period of time or faster?

[D]

I mean, if I graduated right now, we had to do it all over again. We could probably do it as fast. We're just, that's just the kind of people we are. We both legitimately get angry at the debt that we had. When we first started paying off our mortgage. We don't even know what the minimum payment was because we would pay four or five times that every month. So. And then every time we paid it down, we would get kind of excited by it. So we were spending thousands of dollars towards our mortgage and it was awesome because our cost of living was so low that we could do it and it wouldn't hurt us. So. But now we're set up for life and hopefully continues this way.

[C]

So great. What are you guys doing now for fun? Now that there's. You guys make a great income, you're doing everything. You have no mortgages on, on either property. What does life look like now?

[D]

Well, we've got two kids, we have a seven year old, four year old to keep us busy. We really enjoy going to our cabin. It's a good way to unwind and relax. We spend a lot of time with our families. We just took our kids to a surprise vacation over in Wisconsin and I think we're planning on possibly going on a cruise next year.

[C]

So fun. That's great.

[D]

Being in a position to where we could do those things without really needing to worry about impacting our personal lives is very enjoyable and freeing.

[A]

Yeah. Wow. Very cool. Good for you guys. Well done. Well, we're getting ready to announce another Ramsey cruise, so be listening.

[C]

Join us on that one.

[A]

We'd love to have you. Way to go, guys.

[C]

I'm so proud of you in your 30s.

[A]

That's incredible. What do you drive?

[D]

My wife drives a 2014 Chevy Sonic. We bought that in 2014, and we bought it new, but it was a pretty inexpensive car. But we. We paid that off about three months after we bought it. And then I drive a 2020 Ford F150 that we paid cash for.

[A]

Okay. Yeah. You need to upgrade your wife's car. That car sucks.

[D]

Yeah, I know. We've.

[A]

You have $2 million.

[D]

She's laughing at you right now. She can hear you.

[A]

Yeah. Your wife's car sucks. You need to go get her a car, dude.

[D]

I will try. She likes Ricardo.

[A]

I don't. Hey, Don. I'm proud of you guys. Way to God. Way to go, y'. All. We're so proud of you. Way to go. Baby steps. Millionaires at 35 years old. We're talking to him here. He's 38. They are 38. They together. You did hear that very clearly. We talked to couples about the correlation between the ability to build wealth and.

[C]

Working together and the speed at which you do it. You're both all in.

[A]

Change up.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

You're going.

[A]

We both were mad at debt. We both agreed to put thousands of dollars.

[C]

We both were excited when we seen the numbers go down. It's like they.

[A]

Yeah, you heard the unity all the way through that. So when we're trying to get you couples to combine your finances, we're trying to get you couples to be in agreement on where you're going and how you're going to get there. This is where it takes you. You're 38 years old with a million seven, and I'm griping you out to buy your wife a better car. That's where it gets you.

[C]

Yep.

[A]

Okay. Because you guys Understand, when they're 44, if they do nothing else, this is 3 million 4. When they are 51, if they do nothing else, this is $7 million. This is where this is going. Let me do it again. Million dollars. Let me do it again. $28 million in their 60s. That's where these numbers are going. That's how this works. And so when you. Once you get this thing going in the right direction and you quit Supporting life insurance companies and banks and car companies, and instead start supporting your own stinking family. You become this guy. This guy's a. This couple's a rock star. Unbelievable power couple.

[C]

And the values align.

[A]

Don't tell me you can't do it. Don't tell me the American dream is dead. I talk to people like Don every week. I just think you've been listening to your communist college professor too much. This free enterprise system stuff works, boys and girls, go do what Don did. That puts us out of the Ramsey show in the books. We'll be back with you before you know it. In the meantime, remember, there's ultimately only one way to financial peace, and that's to walk daily with the Prince of peace, Christ Jesus.

[E]

Up next, we are headed out to Chicago and Orlando for the Ramsey show live. Yep, you heard me right. We are taking this show to you. This is going to be everything you love about the Ramsey show, except you get to be a part of it.

[A]

Part of what, George?

[E]

The Ramsey show live. Okay, that's what I'm telling them about.

[A]

Ramsey show live in here.

[D]

Nope.

[E]

We're doing it on the road. You're going to Chicago with me and Rachel Cruz. September 30th. Are you free?

[D]

The Windy City.

[E]

I like it that time of year.

[A]

You know what else I like, George? I like the deep dish.

[E]

Okay, maybe we'll have some deep dish. You mind if I finish the promo?

[D]

Is that okay with you?

[A]

Okay. Okay. Appreciate that.

[E]

Questions and answers, real conversations, and I'm sure a few surprises here and there.

[C]

George, are you in here talking about TRS life?

[E]

I am, Jade. I'm trying to talk about it.

[C]

Nice.

[G]

So that means it's actually happening, right?

[E]

It's happening. If I could tell the people, I think it could actually come to fruition.

[B]

Listen, just tell me me when and where.

[E]

You don't know. Okay, we're going to Orlando. You're going to join Dr. John Deloney and I. October 2nd.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Okay, great.

[G]

I'm going to go pack now.

[A]

Thanks.

[E]

Please, please do that. Go pack.

[C]

Hey, George, speaking of packing, is this like sweater weather or is it not that cold yet in Chicago?

[E]

What is happening?

[A]

Can I.

[E]

Can I please just get to how they buy the tickets?

[C]

Jeez, I thought it was a good question.

[E]

Okay, this is not an arena tour. This is a one night only event in Chicago and Orlando. General admission is only 39 bucks. Plus there's a VIP experience if you're bougie like that. But here's the thing. There's only 300 seats available, so get your tickets now at ramseysolutions.com events.

[A]

Hey, how come you get to go to both cities?

[E]

I. I just go where they tell me, man. Hey, have you been there the entire time?

[C]

Maybe.

[D]

Okay.

[E]

And also, are you reading a children's book?

[D]

I'm expanding my mind, George.

[E]

That's how we got those PhDs.

[A]

Yeah, it's probably where you got that jacket. Okay.

[E]

See you on the road, John.