Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi

Ramit digs into why a couple worth $1.8 million and earning around $818,000 a year still struggle to feel financially secure, even when it comes to buying a $78 jacket. Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You to Be Rich talks with Laura and Jason, both 38, who have built significant wealth and are considering retiring in their early 40s. Jason believes they can stop working soon, but Laura isn't convinced. Despite their financial success, she worries about what could go wrong and struggles to imagine life without a regular paycheck. For Laura, spending money has always been difficult. She once became physically sick when buying her first car, and even small purchases leave her questioning whether she's being irresponsible. After her parents lost their home in 2008, she's never quite shaken by the fear that everything could fall apart. As Ramit explores their finances and walks them through three possible retirement scenarios, Laura has an emotional breakthrough. But even if the numbers say they can retire, will she ever feel comfortable enough to actually do it?A special thanks to Facet for sponsoring this episode. As of the date of this recording, Facet is waiving their enrollment fee for new annual members, and for Ramit’s audience, Facet is offering $300 into your brokerage account if you invest and maintain $5,000 within your first 90 days. Head to facet.com/ramit to learn more about which membership option is best for you. Offer has been extended to 12/31/2026. #FacetAd Facet is a SEC registered investment advisor. Ramit is not a member of Facet, and has an incentive to endorse Facet as he has an ongoing fee based contract for cash compensation based on this endorsement. All opinions are his own and not a guarantee of a similar outcome. And as always, thank you to our partners at Monarch. Try Monarch for free today, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch’s core tier at https://monarch.com/ramit, promo code RAMIT. When you sign up with my link only, you’ll get your Monarch account customized with my exact CSP categories so you can see exactly how you’re stacking up to your plan each month. That’s https://monarch.com/ramit, promo code RAMIT. In this episode, we uncover: Why having $1.8 million in net worth doesn't make Laura and Jason feel financially secure Why Laura thought they earned around $400,000 when their actual household income was $818,000 Why Laura couldn't bring herself to buy a $78 jacket, despite their financial success How paying off $250,000 in debt still hasn't eliminated their fears about money What their 41% fixed costs and aggressive investment strategy mean for early retirement Why they planned to spend $1,000 a month guilt-free but actually spent nearly $6,000 Why Laura's parents losing their home in 2008 continues to influence her relationship with money How Jason's optimism about retiring at 40 clashes with Laura's fear of giving up a steady paycheck What three retirement scenarios reveal about their options to stop working at 45, 47, or 55 How they can prepare for retirement, build financial confidence, and learn to spend without guilt Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction (00:03:41) Can they really retire in their early 40s? (00:14:14) Spending disagreements and the $78 jacket (00:20:48) Their $1.8M net worth and financial fears (00:26:34) Discovering they earn $818K a year (00:36:45) Breaking down their investments and spending (00:45:48) How childhood experiences shaped their money fears (00:59:18) Three retirement scenarios and an emotional breakthrough (01:17:24) Preparing for life without a paycheck (01:26:38) Building confidence and learning to enjoy their money This episode brought to you by: Kindred | Apply now at https://livekindred.com/ramit to join for free and earn 5 nights of travel credit Wildgrain | Get $40 off the first box — PLUS free Croissants for life — at https://wildgrain.com/ramit40, promo code RAMIT40. Trust & Will | Protect what matters most in minutes at https://trustandwill.com/ramit and get 20% off ZocDoc | Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/RAMIT #sponsored DeleteMe | Get 20% off all consumer plans when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/ramit and use promo code RAMIT at checkout Connect with Ramit: Get my new book, Money For Couples Get Money Coaching with Ramit  Download the Conscious Spending Plan Listen to my book—now on Audible Get my New York Times best-selling book Get my no-numbers journal Other episodes Instagram Twitter YouTube Apply to be coached for free on this podcast at https://iwt.com/apply

Ramit digs into how years of impulse spending, money avoidance, and unequal financial responsibility have left a couple earning around $178,000 a year with $186,000 in debt and just $571 in savings. Ramit Sethi talks with Michelle and Jeff, both 45, who have three children and are approaching 20 years of marriage. They’re earning more than ever, but still living paycheck to paycheck, with fixed costs consuming 87% of their take-home pay. Michelle feels responsible for making everything work, while Jeff admits that avoiding the numbers helps him avoid worrying about money and leaves her carrying the burden. A closer look at their spending reveals a $76,000 car purchase, buy-now-pay-later spending, and more than $9,000 spent eating out reveal how their everyday decisions keep them stuck. The conversation reaches a turning point when he asks them to step away and decide whether they’re both ready to commit to change. Together, they explore the childhood experiences behind their money habits and begin building shared rules, a spending plan, and a different financial future for their family. A special thanks to our new partners at Monarch for sponsoring this episode. Try Monarch for free today, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch’s core tier at https://monarch.com/ramit, promo code RAMIT. When you sign up with my link only, you’ll get your Monarch account customized with my exact CSP categories so you can see exactly how you’re stacking up to your plan each month. That’s https://monarch.com/ramit, promo code RAMIT. In this episode, we uncover: Why earning around $178,000 a year hasn’t stopped Michelle and Jeff from living paycheck to paycheck How Michelle became responsible for managing the money and deciding which bills could wait Why Jeff avoids the numbers, even while acknowledging the pressure it puts on Michelle What $186,000 in debt, $571 in savings, and 87% fixed costs mean for their family How a $76,000 car purchase left them with a roughly $1,000 monthly payment Why Ramit pauses the conversation and asks them to decide whether they’re ready to change How childhood experiences with money still shape their spending, trust, and communication How they spent $9,275 eating out by August, including $2,747 in a single month Why they agree to weekly money meetings, shared purchase rules, and a $75 monthly dining-out limit What their follow-ups reveal about sharing responsibility and automating savings, retirement contributions, and extra debt payments Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction (00:02:13) Earning more, still living paycheck to paycheck (00:16:50) The purchase arguments putting pressure on Michelle (00:32:04) Ramit asks them to step away and commit (00:39:04) Facing their debt and high fixed costs (00:49:08) The childhood money patterns they’re repeating (01:05:53) Where their money is really going (01:13:34) Building shared money rules (01:20:18) Reworking their budget, savings, and debt plan (01:28:51) Follow-ups 💡 RAMIT’S PODCAST NEWSLETTER • I share new ways to think about money every Saturday. Get the emails here: https://iwt.com/podcastnewsletter 🙌 GET HELP FROM RAMIT SETHI • Order my new book: Money for Couples: https://iwt.com/moneyforcouples • Take control of your money with the Conscious Spending Plan: https://iwt.com/csp • Optimize your credit cards with the 1st chapter of my book: https://iwt.com/chapter1-pod • Join my Rich Life: Road to $100K program: https://iwt.com/100k • Listen to my book — now on Audible: https://amzn.to/48zko28 🤳 CONNECT WITH RAMIT SETHI • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramit/ • X: https://twitter.com/ramit ✅ SUBSCRIBE SO YOU DON’T MISS ANY EPISODES https://youtube.com/user/ramitsethi/featured/ This episode brought to you by: Facet | As of the date of this recording, Facet is waiving the enrollment fee for new annual members, and for my audience, Facet is offering $300 into your brokerage account if you invest and maintain $5,000 within your first 90 days. Head to facet.com/ramit to learn more about which membership option is best for you. Offer has been extended to 12/31/2026. #FacetAd  Leesa | Go to https://leesa.com for up to 30% off mattresses PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code RAMIT, exclusive for my listenersFabric by Gerber Life | Go to https://meetfabric.com/RAMIT and apply today, risk-free Grow Therapy | Visit https://growtherapy.com/ramit to find a therapist today Gelt | Gelt is taking on new clients now. Find out if you qualify at https://joingelt.com/ramit Want to know exactly when you’ll hit your first $100K? Rich Life: Road to $100K gives you a step-by-step system to automate your money, accelerate your timeline, and build your Rich Life along the way. Join today: iwt.com/100K Connect with Ramit: Get my new book, Money For Couples Get Money Coaching with Ramit  Download the Conscious Spending Plan Listen to my book—now on Audible Get my New York Times best-selling book Get my no-numbers journal Other episodes Instagram Twitter YouTube Apply to be coached for free on this podcast at https://iwt.com/apply

Ramit unpacks what happens when inconsistent income, mounting debt, and years of avoiding difficult money conversations leave a couple in their 40s feeling like they’re running out of options. Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You to Be Rich talks with Rebecca and Matthew, who have been married for 16 years and have four children. They earn around $185,000 a year, but their income is unpredictable, their fixed costs are at 84%, and they have just $1,000 in savings and $45,000 invested. They also have more than $633,000 in debt plus another $350,000 in law school loans that could bring their total debt close to $1 million. Their biggest challenge isn’t simply learning how to budget. Rebecca feels constantly in the dark about when they’ll get paid and where their money is going, while Matthew avoids difficult conversations and tries to solve financial problems on his own. Ramit helps them confront the chaser-avoider dynamic they’ve repeated for years, why borrowing money and moving cash between accounts has never solved the underlying problem, and whether Matthew may need to walk away from his business and choose a stable income to protect their family’s future. A special thanks to our new partners at Monarch for sponsoring this episode. Try Monarch for free today, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch’s core tier at monarch.com/ramit, promo code RAMIT. When you sign up with my link only, you’ll get your Monarch account customized with my exact CSP categories so you can see exactly how you’re stacking up to your plan each month. That’s monarch.com/ramit, promo code RAMIT. In this episode, we uncover: How inconsistent income has made it almost impossible for them to plan their finances Why Rebecca says their financial situation feels “hopeless” How their money system keeps them overspending, borrowing, and blaming each other Why their $633K of debt could actually be closer to $1 million How Matthew’s $350K law school debt has doubled since graduation Why 84% fixed costs, 1% savings, and 0% investing are putting their future at risk How their spending reveals they’re regularly buying things they haven’t actually planned for Why Rebecca says she feels in the dark about money, paychecks, and their financial situation. How their chaser-avoider dynamic mirrors the money patterns Matthew saw growing up Why Matthew may need to leave his business for a stable job and why earning more alone won’t fix their relationship with money Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction (00:07:56) The money arguments keeping them stuck (00:22:25) Ramit opens up their finances (00:40:54) Why their fixed costs are so high (00:51:48) The spending they couldn't afford (01:05:08) Why Matthew avoids money conversations (01:14:11) Creating new rules to manage money together (01:23:16) Should Matthew leave his business? (01:32:30) The difficult financial choices facing their family (01:43:41) What their retirement could look like 💡 RAMIT’S PODCAST NEWSLETTER • I share new ways to think about money every Saturday. Get the emails here: https://iwt.com/podcastnewsletter 🙌 GET HELP FROM RAMIT SETHI • Order my new book: Money for Couples: https://iwt.com/moneyforcouples • Take control of your money with the Conscious Spending Plan: https://iwt.com/csp • Optimize your credit cards with the 1st chapter of my book: https://iwt.com/chapter1-pod • Join my Rich Life: Road to $100K program: https://iwt.com/100k • Listen to my book — now on Audible: https://amzn.to/48zko28 🤳 CONNECT WITH RAMIT SETHI • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramit/ • X: https://twitter.com/ramit ✅ SUBSCRIBE SO YOU DON’T MISS ANY EPISODES https://youtube.com/user/ramitsethi/featured/ This episode brought to you by: DeleteMe | Get 20% off all consumer plans when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/ramit and use promo code RAMIT at checkout Factor | Head to https://factormeals.com/ramit50off and use code RAMIT50OFF to get 50% off and one free breakfast item per box for one year, while supplies last until 10/31/2026. See website for more details. Facet | As of the date of this recording, Facet is waiving the enrollment fee for new annual members, and for my audience, Facet is offering $300 into your brokerage account if you invest and maintain $5,000 within your first 90 days. Head to facet.com/ramit to learn more about which membership option is best for you. Offer has been extended to 12/31/2026. #FacetAd Wispr Flow | Try Wispr Flow for free at wisprflow.ai/ramit MasterClass | For unlimited access to every class and at least 15% off any annual membership, go to https://masterclass.com/ramit Monarch | Try Monarch for free today, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch’s core tier with code RAMIT at monarch.com/ramit Want to know exactly when you’ll hit your first $100K? Rich Life: Road to $100K gives you a step-by-step system to automate your money, accelerate your timeline, and build your Rich Life along the way. Join today: iwt.com/100K Connect with Ramit: Get my new book, Money For Couples Get Money Coaching with Ramit  Download the Conscious Spending Plan Listen to my book—now on Audible Get my New York Times best-selling book Get my no-numbers journal Other episodes Instagram Twitter YouTube Apply to be coached for free on this podcast at https://iwt.com/apply

Ramit unpacks how to manage money as a couple after a job loss and what happens when one partner carries most of the financial responsibility while the other starts stepping back. Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You to Be Rich talks with Isabelle and Ryan, 37 and 40, who have been married for 12 years and have a four-year-old daughter. After Ryan was laid off from his $150,000 software engineering job, Isabelle became the sole earner. They have around $1.2 million in assets and an $800,000 net worth, but two mortgages and fixed costs at 83% of their income have left them trying to figure out how to manage their money on one income. Their biggest challenge isn’t simply how to budget or save money. Isabelle manages most of their financial planning and decision-making, while Ryan struggles with money anxiety, guilt around spending, and feeling shut down when he tries to get involved. Ramit helps them understand how childhood scarcity shaped their relationship with money, how to communicate about finances without falling into a parent-child dynamic, and how reducing their fixed expenses could give them more freedom to actually enjoy the money they’ve built. In this episode, we uncover: How to manage money as a couple after a job loss How to budget on one income without letting financial anxiety take over Why Isabelle feels exhausted managing their financial future Why Ryan feels guilty spending money despite their $800K net worth How a $3,000 espresso machine exposes his money anxiety Why their fixed costs have reached 83% of their income How two mortgages are putting pressure on their monthly budget How childhood scarcity shaped their relationship with money Why their dynamic has started to feel like a parent-child relationship How clear money rules and lower fixed expenses could help them become a team Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (02:00) Why Isabelle feels responsible for their financial future (04:00) The purchase that exposes Ryan’s money anxiety (09:50) How losing his $150K job changed their roles (39:00) Ramit opens up their numbers (48:00) Why they’re paying two mortgages (01:04:00) How childhood scarcity shaped their money dynamic (01:23:00) The parent-child dynamic they’ve fallen into (01:38:00) Ryan and Isabelle make a new financial plan (02:07:00) Follow-ups 💡 RAMIT’S PODCAST NEWSLETTER • I share new ways to think about money every Saturday. Get the emails here: https://iwt.com/podcastnewsletter 🙌 GET HELP FROM RAMIT SETHI • Order my new book: Money for Couples: https://iwt.com/moneyforcouples • Take control of your money with the Conscious Spending Plan: https://iwt.com/csp • Optimize your credit cards with the 1st chapter of my book: https://iwt.com/chapter1-pod • Join my Rich Life: Road to $100K program: https://iwt.com/100k • Listen to my book — now on Audible: https://amzn.to/48zko28 🤳 CONNECT WITH RAMIT SETHI • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramit/ • X: https://twitter.com/ramit ✅ SUBSCRIBE SO YOU DON’T MISS ANY EPISODES https://youtube.com/user/ramitsethi/featured/ This episode is brought to you by: ZocDoc | Taking care of your health just got easier – start here with Zocdoc: https://zocdoc.com/RAMIT #sponsored ElevenLabs | If you run a business or handle customer operations across support, sales, or marketing, start with a demo at https://elevenlabs.io/ramit Granola | Try Granola totally free at https://granola.ai/RAMIT. Leesa | Go to https://leesa.com for 25% off mattresses PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code RAMIT, exclusive for my listeners Facet | As of the date of this recording, Facet is waiving the enrollment fee for new annual members, and for my audience, Facet is offering $300 into your brokerage account if you invest and maintain $5,000 within your first 90 days. Head to facet.com/ramit to learn more about which membership option is best for you. Offer has been extended to 12/31/2026. #FacetAd  Connect with Ramit: Get my new book, Money For Couples Get Money Coaching with Ramit  Download the Conscious Spending Plan Listen to my book—now on Audible Get my New York Times best-selling book Get my no-numbers journal Other episodes Instagram Twitter YouTube Apply to be coached for free on this podcast at https://iwt.com/apply