Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich continues his discussion with Mike and Noel in part two of their financial deep dive. The couple, married for just 6 months, faces a daunting $244K in debt with zero savings, fueled by previous "guilt-free" spending and a shocking $170K windfall that disappeared. Despite their dire situation, major cuts to their fixed costs haven't happened yet. Ramit encourages Noel to reconsider her church tithing and find proactive ways to increase income, like driving for Uber. Can they shift their mindset from feeling deprived to purposeful sacrifice, anchor their spending to zero, and collaboratively create a sustainable financial future?

In this episode we uncover:

• Noel’s decision regarding her church tithing

• The power of incremental income, like Noel’s potential earnings from Uber

• Ramit’s "anchor to zero" framework for mindful spending

• How comparing current spending to past mistakes sabotages financial progress

• The importance of distinguishing between sacrifice and suffering

• Why making big changes with money is meant to be hard

• The potential for selling household items to boost savings and signal a "rebuilding phase"

• How a short-term financial plan can set them up for long-term success

• The opportunity to define their own timeline for debt repayment and savings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Previously on money for couples

(00:02:09) How Noel's decided to approach tithing

(00:03:33) Why cutting subscriptions won't solve their problems

(00:03:49) Noel's plan to earn more money with Uber

(00:04:21) Ramit introduces the "anchor to zero" spending framework

(00:05:46) Mike and Noel reflect on the conversation

(00:07:11) Sacrifice vs. suffering: Reframing financial changes

(00:08:43) Why comparing to the past holds them back

(00:09:50) Noel's internal struggle with tithing

(00:10:34) Ramit presents a vision for their future

(00:11:15) The idea of selling household items to fund savings

(00:12:18) Ramit's proposal for their next steps and a follow-up

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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

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here: https://iwt.com/apply 

Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich talks to Mike and Noel, a young couple who are both 34. They married just 6 months ago, but financial fights have become a daily occurrence, even after receiving a $170K windfall. Mike blames Noel for overspending, but admits they both struggle with money, while Noel views the windfall as "guilt-free" spending. With $244K in debt, zero savings, and 82% of their income going to fixed costs, Ramit helps them uncover the root of their money woes. Will they finally get on the same page, create a financial system that works, and learn to trust each other with money?

In this episode we uncover:

• How Mike’s money anxiety leads him to check his bank account 20 times a day

• The shocking truth about their $170K windfall

• Why Mike’s anxiety worsens when he makes more money

• The one money rule Mike and Noel both broke

• How Mike’s upbringing shaped his money habits

• Why Noel feels like she's "drowning" and has no control over their finances

• The spending categories that reveal their money psychology

• Why Mike's "money is mine" mentality is holding them back

• Noel’s struggle to “hand over her paycheck”

• The credit card debt that keeps piling up

• Ramit’s radical approach to cutting fixed costs

• The “Glade Plug-in” budget that explains everything

• Noel’s difficult decision about tithing and faith

• Why benchmarking against past mistakes is a recipe for disaster

• The truth about their approach to money

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “We just kinda like get whatever we want whenever we want it”

(00:07:02) “I was stressing more than ever before”

(00:14:04) The one money rule they both broke

(00:24:29) “You treat me like a child”

(00:32:39) Ramit identifies their “money leaks”

(00:39:34) “I don’t want to hand over my paycheck”

(00:47:30) “My goals are not being met”

(00:55:38) The “Glade Plug-in” budget

(01:00:03) “I do wanna have a Glade budget”

(01:06:50) How Mike’s upbringing shaped his money habits

(01:15:10) Ramit shares his radical advice

(01:21:10) Preview for part two

This episode is brought to you by:

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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

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here: https://iwt.com/apply

Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich talks to Natalie and Chris, married with two young kids and a net worth of $1.3 million. Despite their significant assets, money remains a constant source of conflict, especially when unexpected expenses arise. Chris tends to "freak out," emotionally withdrawing and becoming zombie-like, leaving Natalie feeling alone. This pattern, which Chris describes as "catastrophizing," has intensified since their kids' expenses piled up. 

Their therapist recommended they talk to Ramit, hoping to establish a financial game plan to prevent Chris's emotional collapses. Currently, 81% of their income goes to fixed costs, with 0% to savings, leading to a feeling of constant stress and no margin for error. Can Ramit help them create a financial system that provides peace of mind and allows Chris to process financial challenges with less distress?

In this episode we uncover:

• The unexpected source of Chris and Natalie’s referral to Ramit

• How large, unexpected expenses trigger Chris’s emotional “shutdown”

• Natalie’s experience of feeling isolated when Chris is financially stressed

• Why having a $1.3 million net worth doesn’t alleviate their financial anxiety

• The surprising reason for their elevated fixed costs and lack of savings 

• The emotional impact of feeling like there’s “nothing left over” at the end of the month 

• Chris’s pattern of “catastrophizing” and the fear of successive financial blows 

• The core question their therapist hopes Ramit can answer 

• How Chris’s upbringing influences his current financial anxieties 

• The challenges of discussing money when past traumas intertwine with current stresses

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “Your therapist...recommended that you speak to me”

(00:10:55) “Natalie, what’s your role in money?”

(00:25:43) The unexpected (and huge) financial blindspot

(00:36:18) Ramit discovers a massive amount of hidden money

(00:45:01) “You are financially set up for life”

(00:54:02) How "Red Bull wingsuit" leads to a Rich Life

(01:19:20) Finding an extra $1,360/month

(01:44:23) Natalie and Chris’s follow-up: “He’s at ease now”

This episode is brought to you by:

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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

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here: https://iwt.com/apply 

Two couples take the stage with a shared question—but very different financial realities: When is “enough” actually enough to move forward?

Finn and Luna built a successful pet-sitting business and now sit on hundreds of thousands of dollars—but with no clear plan for investing, homeownership, or the future. Meanwhile, Monica and Antonio earn a strong income, are completely debt-free, and yet feel paralyzed by fear as they juggle parenting, aging parents, and the possibility of purchasing a larger home.

In this live episode, Ramit digs into the tension between optimism and realism, abundance and anxiety. Together, they confront inherited money stories, decision paralysis, and what it really takes to turn income into confidence—so money stops being the thing that holds them back.

In this episode we uncover:

• Why having “hundreds of thousands of dollars” can still feel like total financial chaos without a system

• The emotional whiplash of going from paycheck-to-paycheck to sudden abundance

• How Finn and Luna’s optimism vs. realism split shows up in every conversation about housing, investing, and location

• Why crypto success without understanding risk creates false confidence

• The real reason Luna pulled money out of investments and parked it in cash

• How not knowing basic investing terms keeps progress stalled

• Finn’s fear that California homeownership is a ticking time bomb

• Monica and Antonio’s decision paralysis despite high income and zero debt

• How generational trauma, bankruptcies, and lost homes shaped Monica’s daily money anxiety

• Why Antonio believes earning more is the solution

• The financial and emotional toll of supporting aging parents while raising young children

• The hidden cost of being “responsible for everyone” and never prioritizing your own future

• The shift from reacting emotionally to money toward making deliberate, shared financial decisions

• What changes when money stops being mysterious

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “I’m a dreamer”—and he just wants a real plan

(00:25:32) What happens when the optimizer stops optimizing at home?

(00:33:01) “They gave up everything for us”

(00:46:33) “We make great money—but it doesn’t feel like enough”

(00:57:52) “I set the bar so high I can never win”

(01:04:37) Where are they now? Both couples’ follow-ups

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Links mentioned in this episode

• If you want help with your finances, join my Money Coaching program at https://iwt.com/moneycoaching

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

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here.

Cheryl (67) and Michael (69) have built rich, full lives: multiple careers, reinventions, and nearly 12 years of marriage. Yet when it comes to money, they feel stuck. They earn about $120,000 a year, have roughly $600,000 saved, and regularly book $10,000–$15,000 vacations focused on travel, family, and experiences. Then, almost immediately, panic sets in. With mostly separate finances, lingering trust issues from past decisions, and no clear retirement plan, they’re embarrassed to admit that they don’t actually know when (or if) they can retire. Cheryl wants clarity and confidence about the future, while Michael wrestles with fear, guilt, and uncertainty around spending and security. Can Ramit help them stop oscillating between YOLO travel and financial anxiety, and finally create a plan that lets them enjoy life without fear?

In this episode we uncover:

• Why Cheryl and Michael can easily book $10K–$15K vacations, then immediately panic

• How a “dream trip” exposes deeper confusion about what money they actually have access to

• How Michael losing $12,000 from an inheritance investment triggered feelings of betrayal

• Cheryl’s cancer survival and how living with mortality reshaped her urgency to travel, spend, and fully live now

• Michael’s discomfort with seeing money as “real” unless it’s physically accessible

• Why keeping finances mostly separate makes it nearly impossible to feel confident about retirement

• The emotional weight of being the higher earner

• How early family money stories still shape Michael’s decisions today

• Cheryl’s journey from Wall Street wealth to purpose-driven work

• Why spending in retirement feels scarier than earning ever did

• How “YOLO travel” and hyper-frugality coexist

• What their Conscious Spending Plan reveals about low fixed costs, high freedom, and misplaced fear

• Why having a financial advisor still didn’t give them clarity or peace of mind

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “I’m just doing this for Cheryl”

(00:23:13) Ramit breaks down their numbers

(00:45:23) “If we’re not on the same page, it’ll be an ugly retirement”

(01:08:29) “Am I worth it now—or am I still that kid asking permission?”

(01:10:01) “We never talked about money when we met”

(01:23:10) “If we retire now… will it feel like freedom—or fear?”

(01:36:38) Where are they now? Cheryl and Michael’s follow-ups

This episode is brought to you by:

ZocDoc | Download the ZocDoc app for FREE at https://zocdoc.com/ramit then find and book a top-rated doctor today #sponsored

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Facet | Facet is waiving their $250 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 https://facet.com/ramit to learn more about which membership option is best for you. Offer expires December 31, 2025.

Fabric by Gerber Life | Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/ramit

Links mentioned in this episode

• If you want help with your finances, join my Money Coaching program at https://iwt.com/moneycoaching

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

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here.

Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite Money For Couples episodes of the year.

Update: Romy and Travis recently shared an update on YouTube about where they are now. You can watch it here. 

Romy and Travis’s story struck a chord with listeners because it shows what really happens when a couple is earning good money…but operating with completely different expectations, habits, and fears around money.

This episode is a perfect example of how old patterns can quietly shape a relationship—and what it takes to break them. If you missed it the first time, or want a refresher, this is one of the most revealing conversations of the year.

In this episode:

• Why Travis believes he can always “go fishing” to make money

• How their childhoods shaped their attitudes toward money

• The emotional weight Romy carries as the only planner

• The story behind Romy’s secret UK savings

• Their unclear approach to buying property

• How disorganized thinking affects everything from taxes to tipping

• The risks of having no real emergency fund

• Why Travis’s role as the “reassurer” holds them back

• How Ramit helps them redefine generosity

• The first steps toward rebuilding trust

Chapters:

00:00 — “I tapped my card and it said insufficient funds”

09:23 — “I’m living the same financial life as my parents”

18:13 — Breaking down their numbers

38:14 — The weight of taking on the “man’s” role

52:48 — “I’ve been poor before—I’ll be poor again”

1:02:08 — Living on hope, not numbers

1:12:05 — “We’re doing this together”

1:28:56 — Where are they now? Romy & Travis

Connect with Ramit

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here.

Jamie (45) and Ryan (36) have been married for nearly a decade and share three kids, but their financial foundation was shaken when Ryan quit his high-paying finance job and cashed out his 401(k) without telling Jamie. Now earning far less, they’re still spending like nothing changed, running up credit card debt and ending each month wondering where the money went. Jamie, the higher earner, is anxious about retirement and trust after years of financial surprises, while Ryan avoids money conversations and struggles with insecurity. Layered on top are a 10-year age gap, deep past trauma, and very different visions of a Rich Life. Can Ramit help them rebuild trust, create a real plan, and finally start acting like partners instead of adversaries?

In this episode we uncover:

• The moment Jamie learned Ryan quit his high-paying job and cashed out his 401(k)

• How Ryan’s breaking point at work led to a “nuclear option” decision that shifted stress from the office straight into their marriage

Why earning nearly $300K still leaves them feeling broke

• The trust fallout from repeated unilateral decisions, including quitting jobs, cashing out retirement accounts, and impulsive purchases

• How Ryan’s spending on shoes, clothes, and even a classic car mirrors patterns he watched growing up

• Jamie’s role as the default financial manager

• The vacation-vs-things blame cycle that keeps them stuck spending instead of saving

• Why hiding money in a separate savings account felt like the only way Jamie could protect their future

• The uncomfortable truth behind their $13K emergency fund

• How calling their own spending “stupid” and “dumb” keeps them trapped in shame instead of change

• The emotional toll of living in constant financial vigilance while still spending freely on convenience and comfort

• How a failed $500 spending rule exposed their lack of shared systems

• The powerful influence of Midwestern money guilt, family secrecy, and conflicting childhood money messages

• Jamie’s past divorce and financial trauma

• The shift from adversaries to collaborators

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “We’ll just go our separate ways”

(00:18:56) Ramit breaks down their numbers

(00:40:49) “Smart people can make stupid choices”

(00:52:26) “Can we become a team again?”

(01:02:09) “Is this a Rich Life—or just a really long to-do list?”

(01:14:36) “You’ve turned dysfunction into permission”

(01:28:57) “I’m bitter that I have to pay it off”

(01:39:21) Where are they now? Jamie and Ryan’s follow-ups

This episode is brought to you by:

Gelt | Book a tax consultation with Gelt at https://joingelt.com/ramit. As a member of my community, you can skip the waitlist

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Aura Frames | Use promo code RAMIT to get $35 off the best-selling Carver Mat frames at https://auraframes.com

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Links mentioned in this episode

• If you want help with your finances, join my Money Coaching program at https://iwt.com/moneycoaching

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

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here.

Ado (33) and Gabby (32) are exhausted by a cycle they can’t seem to escape: getting into credit card debt, paying it off, and then ending up right back where they started. Now, with $44,000 in credit card balances, student loans on both sides, and an $1,800 monthly daycare bill, they feel one setback away from losing everything.

Ado’s avoidant, live-in-the-moment approach clashes with Gabby’s desire for structure and long-term security. Both come from financially chaotic childhoods, and those old patterns are replaying in their marriage. They dream of moving to Europe and building stability for their young daughter—but can they break the cycle that’s defined their entire relationship?

This episode asks: What will it take for them to finally stop the spiral and create a plan that lasts?

In this episode we uncover:

• Why Ado and Gabby keep finding themselves back in credit card debt

• How their “dance” of overspending, working extra, and then trying to catch up has cost them thousands

• The emotional toll on Gabby as she tries to break a cycle that feels unsustainable

• Why Ramit pushes them to examine their spending through the lens of their daughter watching and learning their habits

• Taking apart their monthly budget line by line

• The $170 date nights, lattes, Costco trips, and Target runs that add up

• Gabby’s realization that overspending isn’t just about Ado

• Ado’s upbringing as a Bosnian refugee, and how frugality, scarcity, and parental sacrifice shaped his desire to enjoy life

• How childhood experiences continue to shape Gabby’s budgeting, anxiety, and need for security today

• How both partners absorb social norms around spending and treat exhaustion as a justification for impulse purchases

• The truth about using their savings account as a checking account

• The staggering $3,075/month they spend on debt payments

• Their dream of moving to Europe being pushed back year after year

• The emotional rupture of realizing one missed paycheck could destabilize everything they’ve built

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “We never tell ourselves no”

(00:17:24) “It’s not just about paying off debt”

(00:33:21) Ramit breaks down their numbers

(00:48:21) “I feel like it gives me comfort”

(01:02:26) “Money was a weapon”

(01:12:53) “Denial lasts a week, vision lasts a lifetime”

(01:32:00) “Nobody making this much should have credit card debt”

(01:36:45) Where are they now? Ado and Gabby’s follow-ups

This episode is brought to you by:

Aura Frames | Use promo code RAMIT to get $35 off the best-selling Carver Mat frames at https://auraframes.com

Masterclass | Get up to 50% off Masterclass during the holiday season at https://masterclass.com/ramit

Facet | Facet is waiving their $250 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 https://facet.com/ramit to learn more about which membership option is best for you. Offer expires December 31, 2025

Fabric by Gerber Life | Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/ramit

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Links mentioned in this episode

• Join my event “Becoming Time Rich” on December 18th at 8pm ET. Register at https://iwt.com/timerich

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

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here.

Karen (45) and Chad (44) built their lives around a high income: buying their dream home in a high-cost city and raising three kids with confidence in the future. But when Chad lost his $340K tech job, everything changed. Three years later, he’s earning half as much, their emergency savings are gone, and they’re borrowing just to stay afloat. Karen lies awake fearing they’re one paycheck away from losing the house, while Chad stays optimistic that a future promotion or windfall will fix everything. Their conversations remain polite but distant, masking deep anxiety, resentment, and two completely different philosophies on money. Can Ramit help them confront reality, reconnect emotionally, and decide whether they can afford to keep the home they love?

In this episode we uncover:

• How Chad’s income dropped by 50% overnight

• The emotional toll of pretending “everything is fine” while secretly fearing they can’t make the mortgage

• Why even buying kids’ necessities fills Karen with guilt

• Why Chad defaults to thinking “maybe we’re just poor for a while”

• The dangerous gap between their public optimism and the reality Karen wrote in her application

• How Karen and Chad communicate like polite coworkers instead of partners

• The childhood roots that shaped their opposing money philosophies

• Why living with zero savings and three children is far more dangerous than Chad realizes

• The breakthrough: shifting from tracking numbers to actually making meaning from their spending and fears

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “We’re one paycheck away from disaster”

(00:17:12) “Here we go again”

(00:26:21) Ramit breaks down their numbers

(00:37:22) “I’m looking for solutions, not platitudes”

(00:49:47) “Why aren’t you more relaxed with less money?”

(01:01:11) “Is the house on fire?”

(01:19:32) Where are they now? Karen and Chad’s follow-ups

This episode is brought to you by:

Bilt | Join the loyalty program for renters at https://joinbilt.com/ramit

Aura Frames | Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/RAMIT. Promo Code RAMIT

Wispr Flow | Try it for free at https://wisprflow.ai/ramit

Gelt | Skip the waitlist at https://joingelt.com/ramit

Netsuite | Get the free guide “Demystifying AI” at https://netsuite.com/ramit

Links mentioned in this episode

• Design your Rich Life for the New Year at my virtual event. Grab your seat at https://iwt.com/richlifereview

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

If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here.

Alex (34) and Jackie (33) have been married for 11 years, raising four young kids while navigating a financial dynamic that’s been strained for nearly as long. Alex is meticulous and cautious — he’s tracked every expense since 2016 — while Jackie follows her instincts and believes God will provide. But when she secretly enrolled in a $5,000 coaching program and later pushed for a $16,000 photography course, Alex’s trust shattered. Now he feels like he’s carrying the entire financial load, while Jackie feels discouraged and untrusted. Their arguments spill into daily life, even in front of their kids. Can Ramit help them rebuild trust, confront their conflicting money beliefs, and finally create a system that brings peace instead of panic?

In this episode we uncover:

• Why Alex has tracked every dollar since 2016—and how control became his default coping strategy

• Jackie’s belief that “money will come” and the role faith plays in her financial decisions

• How a secret $5,000 coaching purchase shattered Alex’s sense of safety

• The emotional toll of raising four young kids while constantly feeling financially behind

• How Jackie’s childhood of scarcity and inconsistent money messages shaped her impulse-driven spending

• How Alex’s upbringing around saving, stability, and tithing taught him to equate control with security

• Why relying on miracles and unexpected windfalls creates a fragile financial foundation

• Jackie’s desire to feel heard, supported, and validated—instead of managed

• Why Alex feels lonely and burdened in the role of financial gatekeeper

• How a shared money system can shift them from crisis-mode to long-term partnership

• The first steps they take toward rebuilding trust, financial clarity, and a plan they can both commit to

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “Do you trust each other?”

(00:17:40) “We had $300 and no plan”

(00:29:15) Ramit breaks down their numbers

(00:37:15) “If we just made more, everything would change”

(00:50:52) “I wasn’t taught to dream — just to survive”

(00:58:53) “Hope isn’t a financial strategy”

(01:07:33) “I want the positive behavior without the crisis”

(01:16:36) “The house is on fire”

(01:29:07) “That changes everything”

(01:36:56) Where are they now? Alex and Jackie’s follow-ups

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Links mentioned in this episode

• If you want help with your finances, join my Money Coaching program at https://iwt.com/moneycoaching.

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