262. "We make $167k. Why do we feel poor?"

About this episode

Ramit Sethi discusses financial challenges faced by a couple earning $167k a year despite a high net worth.

Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich talks to Drew and Amanda, a married couple earning around $167,000 a year with a net worth of over $800,000. On paper, they look financially successful but behind the scenes, their fixed costs are dangerously high, their savings are low, and their spending decisions are causing tension in the relationship. Drew admits he struggles with spending, while Amanda finds it difficult to say no, leaving them stuck in a pattern where money feels stressful instead of empowering. In this episode we uncover: • Their household income of around $167,000 a year • Why they still feel financially stretched despite a strong net worth • Their surprisingly low savings compared with their assets • How fixed costs reached around 89% of their gross income • Drew’s struggle with spending and impulse decisions • Amanda’s difficulty saying no without feeling like the “bad guy” • The hidden relationship dynamic behind their financial stress • Why eating out 6–8 times a week became a major spending leak • The role of bonuses in justifying bigger spending decisions • Amanda’s childhood experiences with financial instability • Drew’s “you only live once” money…

People in this episode

Host: Ramit Sethi

Guests: Drew, Amanda

Topics covered

• financial stress
• couples and money
• spending habits
• savings
• relationship dynamics

Keywords

• financial stress
• couples finance
• spending decisions
• savings
• relationship dynamics

More episodes of Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi

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• 261. "We’re in our 40s with nothing saved. Will we be ok?" · May 19, 2026 · 1h 33m
• 260. "We’re in our 40s and forgot to invest. Are we screwed?" · May 12, 2026 · 1h 53m
• 259. "We’re worth $1.5M but I refuse to buy new pants" · May 5, 2026 · 1h 46m
• 258. "We had $900K. Now we’re $100K in debt" · April 28, 2026 · 1h 34m