The Ramsey Show
The Ramsey Show

Change Your Habits, Change Your Life

September 28, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Sarah called the Ramsey Show with $95,000 in debt spread across credit cards, a car loan, a personal loan, and home siding, making $103,000 a year as a nurse. She had been making minimum payments, but the interest rates had doubled those payments, and she had started missing payments for the first time. She was also still using the cards to live on after making payments. Dr. John Delony and George Campbell told her the debt would swallow her whole at minimum payments on 29% APR. Their plan: stop using the cards entirely, cut her 401(k) match to zero for 18-24 months to free up cash and create urgency, attack the smallest debt first with the debt snowball method, and pick up extra shifts at her main job where she makes $55.60 an hour rather than the second job paying $25. The key was deciding to be "all in" and radical, even if friends think she's weird.

The difference between a math problem and a safety problem

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What you'll learn

  • 1 Change Your Habits, Change Your Life
  • 2 The Ramsey Show with George Campbell & Dr. John Delony
  • 3 (00:15) **Show Opening** - George Campbell and Dr. John Delony introduce the episode's mission: transforming your life by breaking normal (broke) patterns
  • 4 (00:38) **Sarah's Debt Crisis: Minimum Payments Are a Trap** - Sarah calls in with $95,000 in debt across credit cards, personal loans, car, and siding, making $103K as a nurse but living on credit cards after minimum payments
  • 5 (10:28) **Alyssa's Marriage: Financial Safety After Domestic Violence** - Alyssa describes a husband who stopped physical abuse but remains financially deceptive and secretive
  • 6 (21:37) **Sarah in Denver: Six Kids, No College Savings, $40K Medical Bill** - A family with $300K income faces prioritizing a medical expense over college savings for six children
  • 7 (33:16) **Jake's Debt Snowball vs. Interest Rate Math** - Jake wants to prioritize a $9,200 credit card at 0% (going to 29% in 2027) over smaller debts

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

📈 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Are you on track with the Baby Steps? Get a Free Personalized Plan.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

❓ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a money question? Ask Ramsey is here to help.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


George Kamel and Dr. John Delony answer your questions and discuss:

  • “Should we get engaged knowing we're going to have a massive combined amount of student loan debt?”
  • “I make $1 million a year and want to buy a $1.3 million property—how much should I put down as a down payment?”
  • “My husband doesn't believe in saving for retirement.”
  • “As a single dad, how do I get out of debt and stop living paycheck-to-paycheck?”
  • “Should I cash out my retirement account to pay off debt?”


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