I Will Teach You To Be Rich - 8. “My wife is spending too much money”

Episode Date: September 7, 2021

Natalia prioritizes experiences over finances. She doesn’t want to miss out on life, so if she wants to visit her family, she doesn’t wait to check their budget -- she gets on a plane. Andres, on ...the other hand, worries about money. He remembers growing up without money and doesn't want to go back there again. He's pushing to save, invest, and anticipate what's coming around the corner – especially now that they have a son.  They’ve both become used to only talking about money in the heat of the moment. Because of their different perspectives on money, they’ve adopted roles in their relationship: Natalia says she’s the overspender, while Andres is the worrier who tries to tamp down on spending. This is a classic push and pull role you see in so many couples. But as I dig in, you’ll discover some fascinating reasons behind the roles they’ve given themselves. Listen as I flip the switch on Andres's approach to the conversation he's having with Natalia. What if "we can't afford to go away" turned to "what trips would you like to plan for the future?" What if money planning was part of a planned conversation instead of a heated clash? What if talking about money was based on possibility instead of scarcity?  Listen in to this conversation with Natalia and Andres. Connect with Ramit Website Instagram Twitter Facebook YouTube Linkedin Produced by Crate Media.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 I don't care about the numbers if I want to visit my family or if it's Mother's birthday. I know that we have the money and it's priceless to visit our family. It frustrates me a lot because given the current circumstances that we are in, the only one of the two of us that is able to pay for these kind of things is myself. So it's challenging when the discussion ends on emotional things. It's difficult to respond, for example. You don't want the best for our child, and that it is not true. I hate to have these discussions about money when he's so frustrated because I don't like
Starting point is 00:00:44 this. Natalie and And I don't like this. Natalie and Andres don't agree on money. Now the short version is that she spends a lot and he worries about money. But there's a lot lurking beneath the surface. Just listen to this. It's that feeling of, I don't have enough to just pay for lunch. I understand that fear,
Starting point is 00:01:07 but you have a household income of around $300,000. Welcome to I Will Teach You to Be Rich. I'm Ramit Saiti. Today's couple, Andresan Natalia, used to live in Chile on very good salaries. But now they live in Mexico, and Natalia's
Starting point is 00:01:25 income has gone down 35%. Natalia is a spender. She admits it. If she thinks it's important, like visiting her family, then she'll spend without thinking twice. Andres, who earns most of the family's disposable income, is the total opposite. He's scared of their spending, really scared. He's the one who's saving, the one who's earning more, and the one who's worrying about their future. Now I could sit here and show them some stupid compound interest chart and tell them they're earning enough and it's fine to spend money on the things they love and that would not change a thing. Natalia would continue spending, and Andres would continue being worried. And that's not even the real issue anyway. The issue that the
Starting point is 00:02:13 two of them don't see money the same way is much deeper, and neither of them know why. Let's listen in today as we try to spot the clues. I am the one that earns the most right now within the relationship, but I'm also because of my background, the things that I lived in childhood, I am also the one who's the most concerned with having enough investments, having enough savings. I've gone through certain situations where I didn't know where my next meal would come. And so that has taught me that I need to plan
Starting point is 00:02:53 for certain things, even if they don't happen, like losing a job or having another social income. So I think what I would like her to understand, it's my stress regarding money is not because I'm only and solely focused on money But rather I know what it is and how it feels to be without money and it's a feeling that I really don't want to Have again. I think one of the biggest difference between The both of us is that I'm probably more impulsive and I'm just sensitive about oh our family needs this or the baby needs
Starting point is 00:03:32 this or I need to help my parents because well part of up the way we were raised my parents they were regular employees with a job that worked so much to give me the best amount. Only child and this has three siblings and so that's the biggest difference. One that I didn't have too much at home but my mom was always so positive that we'll go in through out of this and you'll figure out if you're a good person you will get it So for me is yes, I know we need to say we need to to invest But I care so much about the time that we spend together all the time that he's with the baby
Starting point is 00:04:15 So it's his more rational and more emotional Notice the words used Natalia says she's more sensitive and impulsive and emotional and she uses those as negative words. Now, ask yourself, what does someone get out of describing themselves in a negative way and then continuing to do the same thing over and over? Think back to college, when half your friends bragged about how lazy they were and how little sleep they got.
Starting point is 00:04:49 Bro, it's crazy last time. We slept two hours. It's so insane. What do you think they got out of that? Well, the same dynamic is at work here. And I'm willing to bet there's an added wrinkle of some cultural elements as well. Now that we became parents, I'm so worried about education fund for our kid. He is one year and eight months. And we've been discussing this before he was born. And I talked to a lady
Starting point is 00:05:20 that she has this insurance thing because I'm more worried about what happens if we die before he's 18. And the reason why we got into this conversation is I know that there are some limitations to the way I communicate and I am the rational of the two. So at some point, badgering with data is clearly not getting the message. And I'm fully aware of that. Notice that. It's not just Natalia using labels.
Starting point is 00:05:53 It's also on Drase. So now, we have a three-part dynamic. Imagine a triangle. We have how Natalia describes herself. We have how onalia describes herself. We have how Andres describes himself. And we have the roles they've created for each other. Most people aren't even aware of these dynamics. So they spend 40 years attacking the symptoms.
Starting point is 00:06:16 She spends too much. He's always worried about money. But until you understand these dynamics, you're only tackling the symptoms, not the real root cause. How would you characterize what happened in that conversation about the insurance for your son? I think it's a decision based out of fear.
Starting point is 00:06:39 I don't think it's a bad idea imagining the worst case scenario, but it's being hijacked by your emotions and being offered a solution by someone who understands that fear. There is an industry specific to cater to those fears and that's what they're doing. They're selling to the fear of loss. It also frustrates me a lot given the current circumstances that we are in. The only one of the two of us that is able to pay for these kind of things is myself. So it's challenging when the discussion ends on emotional things that of course it's difficult to respond, for example, it's that you don't want the best for our child and that it is not true, but it's a matter of defining what do you consider what is the best for our child. I also stood my ground in the sense that I wasn't going to pay for that insurance.
Starting point is 00:07:38 And unfortunately, sometimes the decisions also, it ends when a conflict on result. We're a married couple and if you let these things like add up through time, right now it's not something that is causing a lot of pain, but in two years, three years, this will cause a lot of pain. Yeah, I think that's really savvy of you to acknowledge that this is a problem,
Starting point is 00:08:07 not a huge problem, but a problem. But if you continue going on with one child, maybe you grow your family, maybe you move another location, salaries change, this turns into something quite serious. And when I speak to couples who are older and they are at the verge of divorce, it never started there. It started 20 years prior, disagreeing about who pays for dinner, and it just calcified over time. So I think it's great that you're talking about this now. Just a quick side note,
Starting point is 00:08:43 that insurance offer was almost certainly a scam. In fact, here are a couple rules of thumb for insurance. If your financial advisor sells you whole life insurance, it's almost always a scam. If someone tells you insurance is a great investment, it's almost always a scam. And if someone tries to sell you fucking insurance on a playground, it's a scam. And if someone tries to sell you fucking insurance on a playground, it's a scam. By the way, if you're an insurance salesman firing up your keyboard about to send me some angry message about how your insurance policy provides a real value and guaranteed returns and a death benefit and all your other bullshit, just send your email straight
Starting point is 00:09:19 to the trash at I will teach you to be rich.com. I'll be sure to take a look at that. Okay, where were we? I know that I have less income and because I work for an airline for me, it's so easy to think, oh, let's go to Miami next weekend. Oh, let's go to Bogota in two weeks and I don't care about the numbers if I want to visit my family or if it's under as mother 65 birthday. So, I know that we have the money. It's probably $500 that I know that we have and it's priceless to visit our family and have some time together. For him, it's $500 that we should pay to this debt. And you think that we have so much money but if you see our savings is not that big. I will say oh you will see your nieces,
Starting point is 00:10:13 all our son his name is Alejandro. So I will say Alejandro will have some time with his cousins. So at the end he will say yes but but if we have a certified, he will say, we spent this money going to Colombia and you said it would be $500, and then we end up paying for dinners. And you bought more clothes for him. And it's not a nice conversation, but at the end, I was so happy that we had a good time with our families. That after this crazy year, I really appreciate that. I know that he cares about his family, but he went to study to Australia.
Starting point is 00:10:54 And he said, I don't care if I don't see them two years. I'm an only child. My parents are almost 70. They just have one grandson. I really want them to see him every three months or receive six months because I work for an airline and if I don't have the best salary in the world, at least I can get this ticket, business class and so is not that terrible to go to Colombia. I know that I should be more rational on that side, but for me so hard.
Starting point is 00:11:26 I know, I know, half you guys want to create a 30-page spreadsheet and shove it towards Natalia saying, Hey, look at the numbers! Let's make a conscious spending plan. The solution is not in a spreadsheet. Just think about how most people would approach this. Hey, Natalia, we really need to create a budget. Uh, yeah. Okay. Whatever. I want to see my parents. Budgets don't work. Well, actually budgets don't work. Period. But even conscious spending plans from chapter four of I will teach you to be rich. A New York Times best seller.
Starting point is 00:12:01 Don't work if both of you don't agree why you're creating one. Watch, you can tell from what Natalia says. And when we were doing this exercise for you, I think we have a budget and we have to talk about how much we have in brands and everything. But when I realized that we are in $300,000 and we just save less than, I don't know, 1% to percent, 5%, which is nothing. I got nervous about it and I think that's what Andres wanted me to do that. I will be conscious of what we're doing and the art thing that last year I was about to lose my job and he was so nervous. He said, okay, if you lose your job, we need to change the apartment. We can't live here. We're going to do. We have so many expenses that we don't have.
Starting point is 00:12:54 We don't have your income. This is not a quality of life that you want, but we can have it. Where you realized, wow, we are more precarious than I had realized. He said, you see, that's what I have tried to tell you for so long, but you don't listen to me. Have you ever said no to an opportunity because of money? She said for the first time yesterday, I was ecstatic of joy. I couldn't believe it. I was like, okay, I didn't say anything, but it was the first time I've since I've been together with her. I'm trying to be more conscious because my son and my birthday on August, and we also want to go on Vincenzoon. I said, like like it's so much money. We cannot have both
Starting point is 00:13:45 trips. Okay. I will say no to Colombian June and let's wait for for August and what we could do is that we can bring out my parents and that's like the best of both worlds that will have some time with families, but we're not traveling so we're spending much less. We're staying here. What did that feel like? It felt good that at the end, I'm going to see my parents, and they're going to see his grandson, but I was more conscious about the money that we were going to spend there.
Starting point is 00:14:20 Okay, Andres, it sounds like you have been trying to get to a shared understanding of your finances Okay, Andre, it sounds like you have been trying to Get to a shared understanding of your finances with Natalia for a long time, but it doesn't sound like until recently that She understood your money in the way that you want her to understand your money. What do you think changed? you want her to understand your money. What do you think changed? Before our son was born, we had this agreement where we took out a loan on her name and she would pay off that loan
Starting point is 00:14:56 that that specific loan was for real estate investment. And that way I didn't have to be concerned about how much she was spending when shoes, bags bags or whatever. And that worked fine until our son was born. That's when I started saying, okay, we need to reaccommodate these certain things. And of course, it's frustrating for me trying to do the best thing that I can for my family, because it's not like we are penny-pinching and we're not doing anything, we are enjoying ourselves.
Starting point is 00:15:27 But sometimes she says to me, like, oh, we will just pay it with the credit card. And I was like, yeah, but you still need to pay the credit card. So you still need to pay that money back. And so it's frustrating. And of course, I'm always trying to look for a solution for these problems. Maybe she won't come 100% to my side and I don't think that's the idea.
Starting point is 00:15:51 The idea is that we can't find a common agreement between the two of us whereby I feel comfortable. I don't know, 80% of the time, 75% of the time. The idea of at least in my head is, let's say, enough. And then we can enjoy ourselves. Unfortunately, from my side, I did an investment on a family business two years or three years ago. It was a $100,000 investment. And unfortunately, we lost it in the pandemic.
Starting point is 00:16:19 It was a restaurant that had to close. And so that was also a very big hit for us. So I think it's for me it's relief. And it's also I don't want to be discussing all of the time with my wife. And that's the reason why we're here. Because this is not the fight over the discussions that I want to pick with my wife. What's your greatest fear about your money, Andres? Just not being able to provide, to be honest. It's that feeling of, I don't have enough to just pay for lunch. I had a business like 10 years ago where I made enough money just to pay my basic expenses.
Starting point is 00:16:59 If I had something that deviated from my daily routine, I had to walk there because I couldn't pay for gas. And it was a very humbling experience, right? It teaches you a lot. It teaches you humility, and it'll also teach you that you can get over it, and you can overcome it. But it's also a very nasty experience when you're living through it.
Starting point is 00:17:19 I understand that fear, but you have a household income of around $300,000. Like, if we don't have a salary, we're in a tough situation. I can cover expenses for right now, two months, or month and a half. But after that, I'm screwed. And that's what concerns me.
Starting point is 00:17:37 Before the pandemic, I was so positive about it. If I'm not selling tickets, I will sell shoes or, but I'm so good at that that I know that it can provide. But I never thought that the world could shut down. And well, I couldn't have these opportunities of just changing from one job to another. I'm probably won't have this nice requirement, but we'll sorry out. But I think that everything changed
Starting point is 00:18:04 and also because of this investment that he lost with his family. One thing that I hear from both of you is worried about what could happen. And it seems like this pandemic has really opened your eyes to the downside risk. And Andres, what I hear from you is a real fear about going back down the socioeconomic ladder. And this is very common for people who have
Starting point is 00:18:36 come from very humble means. And then they've done quite well. They look back and say, yeah, I could do it if I had to, but I really don't want to, because it is not a good place to be. If it wasn't by myself, I would say, okay, if that's the cost, then let's do it. Fine. But when you're a family, then yeah, I should in my past. Literally.
Starting point is 00:19:04 Have you explained this and have you talked about it with Natalia? Not in this way, too. I have to be honest. Because we always talk about it when we're in the heat of the moment. And it's not a good conversation to be right on. Did you catch what Andres just said? We only talk about money in the heat of the moment. This is so common.
Starting point is 00:19:27 This is about 95% of the people I talk to. They don't actually have good feelings about money. You know, deep down, a lot of people actually hate money, even though they would deny it if you pointed it out to them. To many people, money is a source of stress, frustration, anxiety, so they only talk about it when things blow up. And then they paper over it, pretend the fight didn't happen until next time. Now, the I will teach you to be rich approach is to start with your rich life in vivid detail, then to build a plan with big wins and quick wins along the way.
Starting point is 00:20:07 And that also means setting up a regular time to talk about money before things go wrong. Treat it like a standing business meeting. Create an agenda. Celebrate your wins at the beginning. If you claim money is important to you, then I really want you to take it seriously. There are a couple things that drive me insane. One, when I post a picture eating Mexican food in the L.A. and 7,500 people help me tell me that their favorite hot sauce
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Starting point is 00:23:52 So let me ask you right now. Can you tell Natalia what you are worried about with your money? Talk to her. your money. Talk to her. My fear, honey, of losing my job, or you losing your job, it's that we won't be able to have the trade-off discussions because there won't be a discussion of trade-offs. There won't be enough money to go to visit your family, to pay for school, for Alejandro, to pay for rent, not in the level of living conditions that we're used to. And for me, I think it's very hard to get to that point because half of my brain will
Starting point is 00:24:40 think, will throw it out. That's my positive way of thinking, that we will do it. But I know that he doesn't want that stress around our relationship because if we want the best cold, that's going to be expensive, but if we don't have money to pay the rest, we're going to do. So I know that I need to be more responsible of thinking the worst, but for me, thinking about that, it's very hard because we're both so talented and we're so focused on what we do that I know that it doesn't matter if we lose our job, we'll sort it out. And I hate to have these discussions about money when he's so frustrated
Starting point is 00:25:27 because I don't like it. Yeah, I understand. I think money discussions should also be about joy and they should also be about what can we do and family and travel and paying for Alejandro's education. I think those are amazing discussions. I also think that money discussions have to circle around the numbers and the plans. Planning for when things go well, planning for when things go poorly. Because it's all going to happen in a lifetime. You're so young. Things are going to go really well sometimes
Starting point is 00:26:06 and things are gonna go horribly other times. And you've experienced both of those, even in your marriage. You know, in some ways, Natalia and Andres are actually pretty aligned with money. And you know why? Because they both approach money from a place of fear. On Drays is scared of what could happen if they find themselves in a situation where they don't have enough money.
Starting point is 00:26:31 Natalia, on the other hand, is scared of missing out on life. Of what could happen if she doesn't take advantage of that money in the here and now. They see themselves as having totally different perspectives on money, but when you look beneath the surface, they're actually surprising areas of agreement. They just show up differently. Now, I can start to gently bring them together. Natalia, it's so interesting hearing you talk about your optimism because in many ways, I am very optimistic about lots of things as well. And that has paid off in a lot of ways. It made me very resourceful, very forward-looking, but it's interesting to
Starting point is 00:27:13 me that you apply that positivity to so many different areas, but what if you applied that positivity to your own financial relationship here? I think that now that I'm more conscious of the numbers and I think that I finally understood why Andras is so nervous about it. I think it will be more rational in the decisions that we should take as a family on our expenses and think about the future because it's good that I'm so positive, but I know that I need to be prepared for the worst. When you think about planning for the worst, how does it make you feel? I hate it. For me, the worst is that we could die. If we die, that's the worst. If there's something in between, I think we can sort out and I know that we'll get the
Starting point is 00:28:17 money. So I don't like to have that type of conversation because what I'm just thinking is that I don't care about the future that I'm so emotional and I need to think about the worst But I don't do it because I hate that. I really don't like that. That's what I thought people who are really positive thinkers They they find it stupid and boring and just horrible to have to think about the worst. That's horrible. I agree. Don't like it. People in general, they don't like to floss.
Starting point is 00:28:50 Now imagine I tell people, you have to think about flossing and read about flossing every day for two hours for the rest of your life. They're like, I don't even like flossing once a year. Why you gotta make me read all this stuff? It sucks. Andres, that is what Natalia perceives when you talk about planning for the worst. It's not that it's right or wrong.
Starting point is 00:29:18 I'm just telling you how she perceives it and why it's been so challenging for her to plan for downside risks, even when her own company went through chapter 11. I'm sure you, Andres, were like, okay, finally she's going to get it, but I'm willing to bet it wasn't like that, was it? Yeah, not even close. I've tried different hammers on the same mail and I wasn't getting through. So let me guess, you tried this version of Google spreadsheet, then you tried Microsoft Excel, and then some investment chart, nothing has worked. I can see why. And
Starting point is 00:29:59 again, the comment that I wanted to make before she started talking is her positivity is the reason I married her. We had this Again, the comment that I wanted to make before she started talking is, her positivity is the reason I married her. We had this inside joke, if you like, between the two of us, that she was the sunshine to my rain. And I still see it that way. So it's, yeah, I think it's difficult to understand
Starting point is 00:30:21 that is what is not allowing her to close this. That just really pisses me off. Inside, I know that if you were 100% convinced, this shit would be sorted out in a couple of months. And so that's sometimes when we end the discussion, it's like you're just messing with me because I know, and she can tell you the story of how we got married and how she found me a job and I actually moved from Australia to Chile. I got him a job in Chile when I was in Colombian who was living in Australia. So we could live together in America and in Nigeria. So that positive I am, that's the level.
Starting point is 00:31:03 So that's the thing, like I said, you got me a job when we were in three different countries and you can't really commit to solving this. And of course, I've never said this to her, but that's what I think inside is, if you got the same type of result that you had for that, we would have solved this a long time ago. So the challenge with saying that is that while it may be true, it's really hard to make someone else get resolved that they don't have. That's why I had never said it.
Starting point is 00:31:40 Yeah. And Natalia, hearing that, on Drase commented, if you really wanted to do this, he thinks you would have gotten it done in a matter of two months. And you said, I feel embarrassed because if I wanted this, I think I could. Why don't I want this?
Starting point is 00:32:02 I don't know. Right now, that's the first thing that I thought it's because of ego. That's what I thought. That's what was the first thing that what I'm not doing is. I think that we have a big difference on this. He has read so much and he knows so much. And I could understand what he's saying if I pay attention, but I would love that I could know more. Keep going. So if that's the case, I hear you loud and clear. He has more technical
Starting point is 00:32:32 knowledge about this topic. I get it. One view would be that that would make you want to learn more. Oh, because I want to be his equal, his partner, but that's not happening. Why do you think that is? Because I'm so bad to accept when I'm not good at something. When you became a mom, were you great at being a mom? No, nothing. And I felt so guilty every day. Did you get better? Yeah, finally. But it was hard. Of course it was hard,
Starting point is 00:33:07 but one year eight months ago, you had to. And so you did it. And I'm sure it took quite a lot of time. And I started reading and everything. And now I give and so advice to my friend. Okay, but let's go back to that moment where you started reading all these books and things like that. Have you done the same with personal finance? Just now that I got the book and listened to your videos. But I know that I can find the time and that's what he's being so worried. I know that he can do it, but I'm so worried about, I need to be very good at my job. And I want to have something really under.
Starting point is 00:33:41 I want to have something with you, So I don't have time for this. It's not a time issue. You and I both know it's not a time issue. Keep going. First you said I'm not at the same level. Okay, fine. Fair enough. You were not great at being a mom until you became a mom. And then it became a priori. That's an example that you could ever want. I don't know. I think that it's time for me to grow up on this. Okay, maybe, but I don't love when you are saying words to yourself like, I know I need to be more responsible, I need to grow up, I need to be less emotional.
Starting point is 00:34:21 I don't love it because it feels like you're beating yourself up. And I don't think you would tell one of your friends, hey, it's time to grow up and be less emotional. Like would you ever say that? No, because that's me. It's not about needing to grow up or be less emotional. If anything, I love hearing how you feel about your money. I love hearing that you want to fly and see your family and see Andres' family.
Starting point is 00:34:50 I love that. I want you to keep that up. But I hear so much worrying about what money could mean to you, specifically about saying no. And because of that, it's so fascinating how you behave with money. One, you avoid talking about it. That we see. But two, in really peculiar ways, you become super committed. Did you notice what happened with the lady telling you about the insurance for your son? And you come home and you're saying,
Starting point is 00:35:28 Andre, we gotta get this insurance. Do you see how peculiar that is? For most of the time, you don't wanna look at any of the numbers. But suddenly you're worried about what could go wrong because of a random lady trying to sell you insurance. And here you are like, got to do this particular thing I want to recommend two things on Drays for you I want to suggest that as you open up this new chapter of your financial life
Starting point is 00:35:56 When you communicate with Natalia you start? With money from a place of Joy and excitement. If you were to start from a place of joy and excitement, what question would you ask her? Laughing at myself. It's a jack-ly the opposite of whatever I do Yeah Right now where do you come from a place of you come from a place of what? Scarcity you mean yeah, so when you talk to her when you ask her these questions Deep down Do you think she picks up on that scarcity?
Starting point is 00:36:44 Yeah, of course. Yeah. So if you were to use other words, joy and excitement, what are a couple types of questions you would ask? Yeah, the simple one. How many times would you like to travel next year? Keep going, I love this. What do you want to go?
Starting point is 00:37:06 Yeah, where and when do you want to go? How many times do you want to go to the restaurants in a month? This is the start of totally reconceptualizing how they talk about money. From a place of scarcity to one of joy and possibilities. And I want to address a common reaction I get when I bring this up. It goes like this, well, if I ask her how many times she wants to travel, she'll say, 10 and we can't do 10. This is the fear that if you ask someone what they really want, they'll say they want the world and when you can't deliver on that, you're just setting yourselves up for disappointment. I don't love this way of thinking.
Starting point is 00:37:57 It's basically saying, let's not talk about what we both want because it might not happen. Guys, that is the definition of scarcity. Just because you and your partner talk about what you want doesn't mean you're going to get all of it. Hey, I want to eat chicken wings for breakfast for the rest of my life. Not going to happen. But the simple practice of approaching money from a place of possibility changes everything. It shows that you're open, you're listening, and you're genuinely curious.
Starting point is 00:38:29 When your partner feels listened to, and they listen to you, suddenly you can both make a plan together. And you want to know the biggest secret of all? If you actually follow through on the I will teach you to be rich system, you automate your finances, you earn more, master your psychology, you might discover that you actually can get everything you want. And that you just might need to set even bigger goals. Just a couple of final points I want to mention.
Starting point is 00:39:04 With the income you have, you guys have an opportunity to live an amazing life. However, you have two opposing forces pulling at you. One of them is pulling you because you're both so focused on all the things that could go wrong, that you spend an inordinate amount of time in the negative. And that really underlies so many questions that I hear from you. What's your 10-year plan? Because we might be poor. And similarly, we need to buy this insurance because we might die.
Starting point is 00:39:38 There's a lot of this negativity being focused over here. I don't love it. I don't love it. What I would love to see is, hey, let's plan out best case, middle case, worst case. Let's take it from hot to cool. Hot is we're gonna die and our son is gonna be alone. That's no good. All right, you make really poor decisions when that's how you're approaching a financial decision. Cool.
Starting point is 00:40:10 They're saying, you know what? I think it's possible that in the next two or three years, one of us might get laid off. So let's make a plan. If we had to do it, could we cut our lifestyle down? That's a conversation that both of you can have. And you're just like, look, we're a team. We got a plan for what happens if something goes bad.
Starting point is 00:40:29 But you've started by planning all the things that can go well. What if we continue getting raises? What if we manage our expenses? What do we get to do with all this money? The reason you don't save money is that you both hate money right now. You look at it negatively, but if you have a reason, okay, you know what? We'd like to work towards
Starting point is 00:40:50 six months of savings, et cetera. We've already talked about Italy. Suddenly you will see your savings accounts start to grow so much. You will naturally be making better decisions about where to eat or how often those kinds of things. You will go from reactive to proactive because you did the work of creating your life. It's so true because we are not seeing the good part of that and say we're going to say for this trip or for this house or for this whatever. And I think that it makes up the whole difference on my mind that we're not losing our money in just paying banks. We are planning something great for us. And I think that way I would definitely save more because I'm looking forward to doing that.
Starting point is 00:41:48 And I think that's the key of how my brain works. And he knows me very much, but I think that the approach was so negative, and that's why I got so defensive. And it's true, we need to be prepared for the worst, but also for the best of what I think, that we can have a great life and keep accumulating things and having experiences. So I really appreciate your time. I'm just sitting here with a smile in my face.
Starting point is 00:42:22 I think I just want to thank you. I'm pretty self-aware and this conversation was one of those things that we were struggling as a couple. And I'm not saying that it's resolved because this is just the beginning, but it's a process. And this is the right step. And I was aware that I was doing something wrong, but I clearly couldn't see it.
Starting point is 00:42:46 I would like to see both of you bring out the best in each other because for your son, that you can send him to all the tutors you want and get all the nannies you want, but he will learn more from watching how you to live life and use your money. Hey everybody, this is Ramit. I have one favor to ask of you. I really wanna hear from you about this episode.
Starting point is 00:43:17 If there was something that surprised you, something that opened your eyes, something that really struck you, send me a note. I'd love to hear from you. I'm on Twitter. You can DM me on Instagram, or if you're on my newsletter, you have my email address, and you can send me a note, I read all of them. I would love to hear at least one thing that struck you or surprised you about today's episode. Thanks for listening. Here's what you'll find next week on the I Will Teach To Be Rich podcast. I was running late from work and shut over to the office and she was having a conversation with him and the first thing he was talking about as I sat down
Starting point is 00:44:06 was how to manage credit card debt. Now that she had $10,000 of the credit card debt and I was like, you have $10,000 of credit card debt like how? I thought I could fix it for a long time. I kept telling myself, why bring somebody else into this space when it's so awful? And I want anybody else to feel like this.

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