Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel - Make It Make Sense: Calling Out Money Double Standards

Episode Date: March 27, 2025

📈 Are you on track with the Baby Steps? Get a free personalized plan. If you’d happily drive an extra 10 minutes to save 10 cents a gallon on gas—no judgment! In this episode, Rachel and George confess to money habits that don’t always make sense. Plus, they share what it means for you if you can relate. Next Steps: 🎥 Watch our video Revisiting Our Most Viral Financial Advice. 📘 Get Rachel Cruze’s book Know Yourself, Know Your Money. 🍸 Follow Smart Money Happy Hour on TikTok: @smartmoneyhappyhour  📱 Submit a Guilty As Charged question for Rachel and George! Send a DM to @rachelcruze or @georgekamel on Instagram! Be sure to type “GUILTY?” at the top of your message so we don’t miss it. 💵 Start your free budget today. Download the EveryDollar app! Connect With Our Sponsors: 🔒 Get 20% off when you join DeleteMe. 🌿 Get up to 40% off with code SMARTMONEY at Cozy Earth. Today’s Happy Hour Special: ☕️ Citrus Cardamon Coffee Spritzer Recipe: Recipe Fiction Citrus Cardamom Coffee Spritzer 1 ounce cardamom-infused simple syrup 4 ounces cold coffee 1/2–1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Soda water or seltzer to top Cardamom Simple Syrup 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 8–10 pods cardamom, crushed Instructions: Cardamom simple syrup: Combine water, sugar and heat until just boiling. Add crushed cardamom pods and allow to steep for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Strain to serve. Citrus cardamom coffee spritzer: Combine simple syrup, coffee and lemon juice in a 12-ounce glass. Add ice and top with fizzy water. Explore More From Ramsey Network: 💡 The Rachel Cruze Show 💰 George Kamel 🎙️ The Ramsey Show 💸 The Ramsey Show Highlights   🧠 The Dr. John Delony Show 🪑 Front Row Seat with Ken Coleman 📈 EntreLeadership   Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are calling out some financial double standards. It's like a $2,000 furniture piece. One of these moments in life that you're like, it doesn't make sense. If you want money and want to win with money, is it because you want safety or is it so that you can live like a saddest life? Hey guys, I'm Rachel Cruz. I'm George Camel. And this is Smart Money Happy Hour.

Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. everything from pop culture, current events, and to money. We're sipping on the illustrious, citrus, cardamom, coffee, spritzer, moktail. So many words for a drink that should be in prison. We will give you our rating, which, spoiler, not going to be good, and reveal the cost per glass at the end of the episode. So stick around.

You're going to want to be here for this sentencing. That's right. Good. Okay, so George, you know, we talk about personal finance for a living, and we really try not to be judgmental because we get people from all different situations and stories and, you know, it's a whole thing. And so we do try to be curious, right? As Ted Lassow would say.

Be curious, not judgmental. Which I think it was a Walt Whitman quote originally. You're telling me that Jason Sadekis didn't come up with that on the spot. I think I actually quoted Walt Whitman in the episode. But, yeah, yeah, we're not going to be curious, not judgmental. It's a great phrase. You had a curious moment recently.

Um, yes, I did. Yeah. I apparently am letting you know for the first time. No, I remember. Well, yes, in fact, I did. Thank you for bringing it up. What happened here? Well, it's just funny.

I am in a certain text group, shall we say. You know, they'll be like, oh, hey, here's this, you know, um, dresser for free if anyone wants to come pick it up. And it's from, you know, and they give the link and everything. And it's like a $2,000 furniture piece. So they're like, yeah, just come get a, you know. like we're done with it. You're like, oh my gosh.

But then they're like nickel and diamond, you know, like vitamins for $12. You know, if you want to get this for $12. And I'm like, this is so funny to me because they give away like thousands of dollars in an item. But the vitamins are charging for. But then something else they'll just like charge for. And I'm like, I don't know. Maybe like something is in their psyche or in them.

I don't know. But it's always funny to me that I'm like, if you're going to make money, like make it off the dresser, right, that you're going to get thousands of dollars for. So therein lies the double standard of like, why would you make this free but make the $10 item cost? Yeah, so again, it's one of these moments in life that you're like, that just doesn't, it doesn't make sense.

It doesn't make sense. And so there's a lot of that in this world. And that was the birth of this episode. Because I feel it a lot in my life. I'll do things that I'm like, oh yeah, I'll pay for this. And then they charge me $1.99 to subscribe to a podcast to get all the episodes. I'm like, I will not.

But I'll go and spend freaking like, I don't know, $30. to get my food delivered to my house for one night. You know, and it just, it doesn't make, it doesn't make sense. So there's a lot of that out there in the world. We're going to get into that. And, you know, humans are imperfect after the fall of man. Look it up, by the way, good story. Trying to make my mom happy.

She's in the crowd. I know. I'm like, my mom happy. Look up the fall of man. Dark stuff, but helpful information. We have natural tendencies as humans. Hypocrisy there, too. That are contradictory.

All right. We are contradictory. beings, but being intentional about this is how we grow. So we're going to get into that today. And you talk about natural money tendencies in your book, Know Yourself, Know Your Money, which one of your best, can I just say. Oh, thanks, George. Yeah, but I do think understanding yourself, because it can maybe help explain some of the hypocrisy that we live in. Because some of these, yeah, natural tendencies real quick. Spender versus Savor. What are you? I am the saver. I'm a spender. Are you a nerd or a free spirit? The nerd. I'm a free spirit.

The nerd. I'm a free spirit. Experiences, do you spend money on experiences or actual things? I think I'm a things person. I'm an experienced person. George, we're so opposite. Are you quality, get something very nice, or you want a bunch of little things, a quantity.

Quality. Quantity for me. Oh my gosh. If you want money and want to win with money, is it because you want safety feeling like, okay, I know I'm going to be okay? Or is it so that you can live like a status life and not status in a shallow way,

but in a sense of like, we get to go on the fun trip, We get to buy the fun car. Why do you want to win with money? I think I'm a safety person. I think I'm a very cautious, you know, anxious guy personality. All right. How about you?

I'm status. We're perfectly opposite. We are. Oh my gosh. Abundance or scarcity mindset. I think I'm scarcity. Okay, I'm abundance. Wow.

This is perfect. Okay. And if you're giving, is there ever a situation that you're like, oh, yes, you love to give spontaneously. You hear about something. You're like, absolutely. I'm going to, let's just give some money. here, or do you want to, like, research the organization and make sure it's very methodical

and it's real and it's legitimate? You're not getting scammed. You had me at research. Okay. So I'm a, I would say I'm a plan giver, but I still have some spontaneous giving in the budget. But my natural tendency planned. Okay, I'm spontaneous. And you know what? People will appreciate the Valentine's episode we had our spouses. You were literally Winston in so many ways. And I'm Whitney in so many ways. What an honor. You know? Just call me Lil Winston. You know, Winston Jr., Winnie Jr. I'll take that. I've always thought we're so similar, except for how we look, how successful we are, the things that we do, the hobbies.

No, I'm kidding. We're very similar. But hey, you and I, absolute opposites. Absolutely. You know, I'm sorry to make good, you know, good partners on the show. Absolutely nothing in common. You know, it's like Regis and Kathy Lee. I am your Regis.

I know. Or Kelly and Ryan? I'm more of, I love Reyes. He was everything. He was great. Rest in peace. You didn't know that. I just broke that news to you.

Oh my gosh. Yeah. He did pass, didn't he? He did. Oh, man. Rest and peace, King. Kathy Lee, still with us. Can I tell you?

One of my core memories of a child is who wants to be a millionaire. We were all obsessed with that show. Do you remember when the season came out? Everyone in America watched it. Yeah. And the guy that won the first million dollars when he had the last question,

he phoned a friend, called his dad just to tell his dad he was going to win a million dollars. That was the most baller move on television for the rest of time. And I watched it live, y'all. I mean, it was the biggest deal. Our kids will never understand. They're like, well, I couldn't watch it on YouTube. I'm like, it's not the same.

No, it's not the same. But Regis. Man, what a national treasure. Yeah. But yeah, I think Regis would have the same personality type as me. You are 100% Regis. I am older than I seem. It is true.

Old soul. It is true. It is true. Yeah. But listen, when it comes to us in our tendencies in life, there is the double standard. You know, we can be all these tendencies, but yet the way we spend and experience money may not make sense to everyone.

Make it make sense. That's the theme of this episode. So we have some confessions from our team, from someone we found online, but all of them are incredibly entertaining and a little too relatable. Very much so. So we have little paddles, George, for us.

If you're watching, oh, that's my phone. Got these battles. If you're watching on video, and we'd say, yeah, no, we would not do this, or would be guilty. And remember, you have to show the camera the answer you want. Don't show it to yourself. And we'll say it out loud for those of you just listening on podcasts as well.

Okay, play along with us at home and drop your own money contradictions in the comments because it is highly entertaining, if nothing else. All right. First up, refuses to buy a bottle of wine at Trader Joe's for more than $10.99. But we'll happily pay $17 for a margarita at a rooftop bar. This is my toxic trade. No, I would buy the wine at Trader Joe's and buy the margarine. Oh, you're...

This is an improv. It's not yes and. It's... Okay. You know, it's like, are you at risk for falling for this? Would you, are you this person? You're not guilty of this. No, I would do both.

Do you both? Yeah. Yeah, for some reason, Trader Joe's like, oh, $8? There's a $7 bottle. It looks mighty fine. Like, I'm just... Why am I doing this? You're nitpicking a dollar to.

But I will pay good money for a high-end cocktail at a cocktail bar. Yep, that's fine. So, therefore, this is... This is my toxic trait. All right. Next one, squeezes out the last bit of toothpaste for a solid week and a half, but throws away a full bottle of face cream if unable to see results in three days. Oh, that's funny.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. How far are you going with the toothpaste? Yeah. You know, my toothpaste situation is not great in life. I'm not a great... Are you brushing? I do brush. Yes, I use an electric toothbrush.

I don't go to the dentist, as everyone knows. But I use an electric toothbrush. rush. Yeah, I'm a child with toothpaste. Oh, no. Are you like squeezing from the middle? Like a psychopath? Oh, middle, and it dries on top. You and Winston's shared toothpaste or just he has his own? No, he has his own that's perfectly clean in his drawer. Good.

Mine looks like a, mine is, yeah, no, not great. Like an intruder was coming in just to try to squeeze toothpaste in a rush. They didn't have a lot of time. Just squeeze and ask questions later. Y'all, why? Is it like all gunked up on the, on the, oh. Yeah, for sure. I am terrible. I got to take a drink of this drink, and it's gross enough that that tells you

how I feel about your toothpaste. I think because I lose the lids of my toothpaste. They're so small. That's the excuse? What toothpaste do you use, by the way? I think people want to know. It's red. Is it like crest gives a brand?

I know. I'm not convinced... I think it's Colgate. Okay. I was like, I'm not convinced you brush your teeth if you don't know the brand of toothpaste you use. I just know it's red, for sure. Colgate, I'm pretty sure it's it.

I don't know. Down to the flavor. No. Sensidine, pronamil, gentle whitening. Thank you. Kelly has taste. Will has taste. Y'all, if I even have to, this is how not detailed I am, this is my free spirit coming out.

If I have to replace my, every day, every day I use this moisturizer on my face, I don't really know what it's cold. go look at it to Amazon it. I genuinely don't know if I... I can tell you what it looks like. It's a white bottle. I don't really even know the name of it.

Wow. The freedom in which you live your life is frightening. I have a lot of peace. I'm very relaxed. So relaxed. You know, you put the stress on everyone else in your life to figure it out.

All right, I'm definitely not guilty of this. In fact, I would return the face cream for what I paid for it if I don't see results in three days, which, by the way, who's looking for results in three days? What promise did they make on this face screen? Well, they make a lot of promises in the beauty world, George. I don't fall for it.

I've used the same. They're so smart. So great. I wasn't looking for affirmation, but thank you. Means a lot. All right. Up next, insists of using a library card instead of buying a Kindle, but owns a beachfront vacation home in Calvo.

This one feels very specific to Sharon Ramsey. My mom. God bless you, Sharon. I guess I'll give your mom a phone. buy a Kindle, y'all, for the long time. I don't even know if she still owns one, but she's a reader. She reads all the times where I love, get my love for reading. And she still will check books out of the library.

She's going to the library physically. Oh, 100%. And I'm like, hey, Mom, did you get this book? And she's like, I don't know, I'm on the wait list of the library. And I'm like, I mean, she could Amazon it. But she doesn't want anything digital to read. She wants a physical book. Yeah, you know, in the past year, she may have got, I've never seen her with a Kindle.

She reads actual physical books. And she still, she will not buy them. Dave Rainsy is a physical book guy, right? Yeah, so his dad. I've never seen him read a Kindle, not saying he doesn't. And I'm the same way, toxic trait. But yet they, like, are doing great in life, you know? So we're like, Sharon, you can buy books from Amazon.

But yes, the fact that she won't buy a Kindle, won't even buy the book, uses the library card to save on the $10, $15 the book costs. Love the library, and she goes on wait lists for the books. While in Cabo, which, by the way, is where she is at as of the shaping. As we speak. I got nothing but respect for our queen, Sharon Randi. But she is remarkably frugal. She had a very, you know, very humble upbringing.

And I think that has stuck with her of just like, don't be wasteful. Don't buy things that you could get for free. Still sitting you home with a little dollop of, you know, sweet potato casserole. Because we don't throw that away. Saving it. In the freezer. Just a little bit there. Yeah, she'll pull it out. We'll eat desserts and she'll give us the year.

The dessert is getting to her that she freezes. God bless. God bless. And here's your reminder. Go watch the Sharon Ramsey episode of Smart. money happy hour right after this because it's so good so good all right here's a new one won't buy a new winter coat for 20 years but will burn through a thousand bucks on a new shotgun every hunting season this one's for southern dads everywhere i'm gonna go uh i'm not guilty of this one

yeah but is Winston wow so he's like my winter coat from 20 years ago is fine still fits from college y'all this is so weird this is exactly the conversation i had with him this week because last week he was on a duck trip to Arkansas. He needed a new shotgun. Literally said, no, well, yeah, that's true. He did not buy a new gun for that trip. But he said, he was like, yeah, all the guys had all the great gear and stuff. Because he's a different, he's a peasant hunter, which is a different type of gear than duck.

I don't know. It's a whole thing. We get it. George gets it for sure. Yeah, but he said it was his coat from college. He was like, I just got my coat from college, you know? Still working. He still works.

So it's kind of Winston. But he didn't buy a new shotgun, but he still will just. Where would he wears? Does he have the full, like, water waiter out there? Waiters? Good for you, George. A waiter, yeah, he's got waiters, yeah. No, I have a lot of respect for hunting.

I just don't want to do it. That's fair. You know what? Yeah, I don't get it. I don't need to be out there in the elements at 5 a.m. To prove something? You know what else I don't need to prove? What's that?

My online information, because it's out there already. What a transition. Some of your best work. That's pretty good, y'all. That's pretty good. Yeah, why would you need to prove your online? online information. I think you have a good point. Because it's out there for everyone to see.

Especially yours. If anyone needs Delete Me, it is Rachel Cruz. This product was invented for you. Seriously, Delete Me goes in and removes all your information because we do so much of our lives online from banking, right, to our email, everything. I mean, we're shopping. There's so much. So our names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, everything's out there.

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Good for you, George. Because that's time it would have taken me to, number one, find all of these sites that have my information. Number two, find the invisible link to go request to remove it. Fill out the form, which, by the way, requires more information. And delete me does all of that for you at a very, very affordable price. You can do this for the whole family, and you'll get 20% off as a smart money happy hour viewer

by going to join delete me.com slash smart money or use the link in the description. Yep, it's amazing. The best. Next is only buys economy plane tickets, but valet's car at airport. Oh, that's a Rachel Cruz moment. I'm going to go halfway.

It's not that I've never done the valet, but I also am so angry when I have to pay that amount of money. Really? But it's so convenient. Here's where I will say Rachel wins. last time we traveled with a baby, mind you, but it was like five or six days, which is a lot. That's a long time.

That's a long time. So we did the like self-park, but in the garage next to the airport. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's not a far walk. I forgot where we parked. Ended up in the wrong area with the baby in the freezing cold. Oh, George.

With all the luggage we're lugging, and this is when I was like, Rachel was right. Rachel was right. Should have allayed. I know, but it's funny because Winston's like an anti-first class. like, he thinks it's the most wasted amount of money. He's the every man. But genuinely, he's like, that makes no sense to pay for that.

But truthfully, the amount of money... And we pay South, and we fly Southwest 95% of the time. I mean, rarely am I getting on. Let me tell you. Yeah, but Southwest, there's no option. Like, you're just, you know, getting on me, you're getting on. If you're A-list, that's basically first class. Yeah, and that's hard to get to.

I'll never get there again. I know. You need 20-something flights a year. It's a lot. It's a lot. But Val-A, I will, yeah. For a short trip, I'm with Rachel. At the Nashville airport, I think it's $40 a day. Especially with kids.

With kids. If it's a short trip, I would do it. But for a long trip, like a week? I would say that's harder. I get that. I get that. God gave me legs. I can walk an extra.

Yeah, that's fair. I know. I just like the convenience. It is convenient. Convenience. But then they ask for a tip. And I know they're not going far. You know what I mean?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I struggle with a tip on the valet that already charged me 40 bucks a day. Sure. I don't do it by a preempt. percentage because their effort wasn't. It was a one-time effort. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

They weren't doing this every day, hoping you'd show up. Yeah, yeah. No, they're not like moving the car. That's good. All right, next one. Claims there's no margin in the budget for retirement investing, but pays $250 every month for a gym membership. Never made.

Your boy invests. Yeah, and we just canceled our gym membership. We had one. I know. Well, now you have like an at-home situation, right? So we do it in our garage. And so, yep, we're done. We're done with the gym, y'all.

But, you know, what's crazy is we paid that, y'all, for probably nine to ten months and never used it. Did it hurt at all? Yeah, I mean, every month and every dollar, I'm trucking it, the YMCA, putting it in. And I'm like, but we never go. So, canceled. I went to the YMCA recently. I did the day pass. Do you know about this?

Wow. Give me the details. And here's why I did it. I did it to go to the skate park to see if I still got it. And how did that end up? 20 minutes later found out, I still got it. I just don't have the endurance. Okay, are you nervous when you're like the board is,

I don't even know skateboarding, but you have a big hill. Okay. And you're at the top. And that board is just, and you've got to really commit to go down. Yeah, like dropping in on a quarter pipe or half pipe. Is that scary? It is, yeah. How you, it's scarier nowadays?

It is scarier now because I pay for my own insurance. And once you do that, I will say it changes. Like the 14-year-old kids at the skate. I was like, God bless you guys and your mom's insurance, like, you're out here doing the most. I was very concerned the whole time. I was like, if I roll an ankle, what does this mean for my family? So I was very cautious. Did kids look at you?

But I was the best. And the 14-year-old kids were like, wow, that guy. I was like, yeah. Your boy used to skate. George, well done. So after 20 minutes of impressing the children, I left and I paid my $15 for the YMCA, and I was very happy. And you were done?

Take pass. Yeah, but I do not currently have a gym membership because I was Rachel. and I paid too much for it. Didn't go enough. Yeah. Not really into the gym atmosphere, I realized. It's very intimidating. Yeah.

People that go to the gym really want you to know they go to the gym. And I need like a planet fitness level where it's like, hey, we're all just trying our best out here. Is that Planet Fitness? Yeah. Plan of fitness is like $10 a month. A lot of people who are not in shape who want to be in shape. The gym I was going to, which is Lifetime Fitness, is meant for people who live at the gym. Their hobby include...

Lifetime at the gym. Gym. That's it. They go to work, they go to the gym, they go home, they go to the gym. Yeah. Not for me. Yeah.

All right, next, we'll tip 20% for a manicure that you hate, but we'll stand in line at Target to return a $7 vase from last spring. Wow. I guess I'm guilty of this, even though I've never paid, tip 20% for a manicure I hate.

Yeah. Does this happen often? I've never got my nails done in a sense. I've gotten, my, yeah. I've gotten a couple of colors and I'm like, wow, it's just not what I wanted, but you never want to tell her because she's mostly done with it. You're like, so you just live with it. I did, I was on the business end of this with a massage.

Oh, what happened there? You know, you know the place, the massage place. It's by the minute, which red flag number one. The reflexology place? Yes. Oh, generous to call it reflexology. Oh, I know that place. Anyways, I tipped 15% one time because it's a mediocre.

chair massage. Sure. You know? And I tipped 15% and the guy literally pointed out, no, no, no, no, 20%, 20%. No, he didn't. 20%. And I was like, um... No, George, are you serious?

Okay, sure. Like, I was like, I don't want to be apart. Like, I want to get out of this. You know what I mean? So that was an awkward moment where I learned, even if it's not great, tip 20%. Tip the service. Tip the service. I'm a 20% across the board, probably regardless of the service.

Wow. I know. You're so generous. George, you're so stingy. I'd be like $2.00. I thought 15% was a totally fine tip for an okay massage in a chair that they got 38 years ago that smells like cigarettes. Just one man's take. Just one man's take.

Just throw it out there. Yeah, you got the fluorescent light on. I'm three feet from a bathroom that an employee just used without washing their hands. How do I know? Never heard a sink, but heard the toilet. But no, no, you're right. You're right. I should be generous.

Okay. It's a real experience. Let's just do a strip mall. Like, you know what you're walking into. No, this one was in the... Yeah. Agreed. Fine.

It's next to a subway. If it's next to a subway and a CBD store, you know what you're getting into. No excuse. No excuse. Check, give the, draw your blood and check your levels place. Make you more uncomfortable. They're talking behind my back the whole time. Always.

And I know. I know. And I can't do anything about it. You should start like saying, Arabic stuff. That would be a good power move. Because they don't know what I'm saying either. I've no one to talk to.

But I'll say it. I'll talk to myself so they know I'm not okay. Oh my gosh. But yes, I am guilty of the standing in line at Target to return a $7 vase from last spring. Yeah, I can see that. Been there, done that. How about this? Owns zero name brand belongings, but say the cash to buy a personal sauna,

coal, plum, home gym, and backyard pool. This one is suspiciously similar to something. Winston Cruz. What do? That's a Winston. Is this true? I'm going to throw him up for that one. I can't. I'm not guilty of this. I wish I was, truthfully.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is the dream. It's to own zero name brand belongings, but have a backyard pool cold plunge. You know what that tells me? All the way. Winston does not care about your opinion. Isn't that his superpower?

So true. Doesn't, yeah, doesn't know much about current. Because he does nothing to flex. Yeah. If he does anything, it's for Winston. Yes. As we sat down, Winston has this jacket that he, that George has on. But Winston's is more waxed.

And Winston found this small little shop and this small little town outside of Nashville. And he's like, ooh. Columbia, Tennessee. This is Enegram 4 style. He's a hard Enigram 4, which is funny, 5 and 4. And he was like, oh, no, I was going to see that. And then he came to Ramsey to visit me for lunch and he saw someone wear it. And he was like, hmm, people know about this.

And then I just thought you had it. I was like. It's ruined now. When Winston finds out I have the same jacket as there. He's like, can I return this still? No, I know. But yeah, that's a good one. We shop local.

It's what we do, Rachel. That's a good one. But, you know, one thing that Winston does love is Cozy Earth. That is one name brand stuff. Honestly, that he has the hoodie, the socks. And it's because of the quality. Because it is so soft, like, genuinely. I actually got my brother-in-law pair of joggers for Christmas from Cozy Earth.

And he just texted me the day. He was like, hey, I want to make sure this is the type, this is the brand. Such great stuff. The Camel family has a lot of Cozy Earth in the house, and we love it all. Go check it out. They're giving our viewers and listeners up to 40% off. If you use the promo code,

smart money at checkout, go to cozy earth.com or click the link in the show notes. All right, George, next. Won't step foot into a Whole Foods to buy organic groceries, but we'll spend $120 on the latest of lemon drop because of hashtag wellness. Oh, wow.

I'm going to say it guilty because I kind of relate. I'm like, I can get there. But I'm like, yeah, I would spend money on like a cozy earth or a Viori. You're not a Whole Foods fan. And then I'm like, I'll just buy public's milk.

Like, I'm fine. I'm fine with my life, you know. My wife just yesterday was like, hey, buy the organic one if you can. And I was like, I can, but it's double the price. And our baby won't know. So. Your baby's gut will know, though. That's what they say.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. She ate lint. So, like, I don't know. I'm not that concerned at this stage of the game.

But I do respect it. I do respect it. I'm not guilty. We'll drive an extra 10 minutes on the way home to fill up at the cheap gas station, but we'll shell out 150 bucks a month on food delivery fees. I'm not guilty because I won't drive the extra, but I will do the delivery fees.

I am the opposite. I will absolutely drive extra to the cheap gas station, which for me would be like a Sam's Club or Costco. In most cases, they have the best price. We'll drive extra. But the delivery fees, I am... You hate it. I am reading them. Nothing makes me more angry.

I know. Because here's the thing, you're not only paying for the fees, but every item you purchase is 20% more expensive. Yeah. I know. I know. I hear you. It makes me so angry that I'm like, you know what? I'm going to get in my car and drive there myself to show them a lesson. I'm going to pay retail price for that. No more. You know, on my prayer list.

I'm on there? I have Amanda Bines now. I've added her. Oh, good. Okay. Because Lindsay Lohanna is off of my prayer list because she's doing great. She's thriving. She is thriving. Bieber, is he still on there? No, I think him and Haley are doing great with the new baby and stuff.

It feels right. Great. You've already saved two people with your prayer list. And I'm going to add you, George, to it. Thank you. Wait, do I get to replace Bieber? Because even what you just said, George, you know, I just think you need to loosen up a little bit. I just think you need to enjoy a delivery fee.

I am my father's son. What can I say? My parents didn't immigrate to this country to get screwed on delivery fees. They got screwed enough on the way in. They're not getting screwed on the way out, too. It's simply too much. Don't you think we have to put a stop to this? Okay, here's the thing.

We need a delivery fee revolution. This is what people should be campaigning on. I hear you. I get it. It is stupid. It's crazy. Even Biden, who can't download an app to save his life, had a whole thing about junk fees. He was trying to get rid of the junk fees, as he called him. Because back in Scranton, when he was, you know, on the train,

traveling with corn pop, the man doesn't know. Cornball. That's less than the guy paid a fee. George, okay. But listen, my prayer for you is just to kind of like, loose it up a little bit, you know? That's good advice. Just enjoy a few delivery fees in your lifetime,

and you're going to be okay. Thank you. Because here's the truth of it all. So we all value different things. We're going to spend money and effort on things that we just, you know, it's our natural bent. And not that they're right or wrong. And again, I think there's a time and a place to save the money.

But there's also a time and a place just, to enjoy the life, but we're all going to have that hypocrisy in life, right? That's always going to be part of that. Would Sharon Ramsey pay delivery fees? Left her own devices, no. No, she wouldn't. Would Dave Ramsey pay the delivery fee, unbeknownst to Sharon?

Yes, yes, yes. Dad would, yes. But if it was up to Sharon to order the meal, she'd back, well, just go pay him. No, Sharon, she... Not paying the fees. I tell many stories of my mom. This one came to mind. We were on vacation, like, last year. And she all tried to talk us out of buying

breakfast because she's like lunch is coming soon we don't need a picture breakfast or like but mom you can wait patience yeah because she's like it's a wait you know she's like it's fine just grab that banana from the lobby that's why you don't like it's gonna be fine it harkens trauma from your childhood and therefore you don't want me to live that life maybe that's maybe it's a i can't help it oh my gosh too good too good what's the takeaway here um well i think it again it's about that we all place value on different things. I think if we do have unhealthy habits that needs to be addressed, right?

This isn't to like cover up and laugh about that. If we need to talk about that. But also if it's in the budget, that's a great thing. And if you're using every dollar, you know what's going on with your budget and that's what's key.

And it's okay to be like me, boogey frugal. It's okay to have some nice things and to want to get a deal on something else that isn't worth paying full price. And it's okay to be Rachel and to put it in the budget

and just spend and enjoy your life. And don't go to Costco on a Saturday and tip well and be great. That's right. That's a right or wrong here. That's a great life, too. Thank you, George.

All right, before we get to our guiltiest charge, tell us for this drink that we did not drink. This drink that I think will be serving time. I think this is the drink you see on the side of the highway picking up trash, and you go, kids, this is why you stay in school. Don't end up like this drink. This drink is the citrus cardamom coffee spritzer moktail, which, by the way, are five things that I love on their own.

but when put together are a hate crime towards mocktails. Here's my rating, negative 10 out of 10. Okay, I don't give it that. I give it a two. Well, look at Miss Generous over here. You get a spit take when you first tried it. Try it again. And tell me it doesn't taste like sweet tea with espresso

through a waffle house filter that sat out for days, then got put in the fridge, and then you put a lime little peel on it. little lemon on it. Yeah. I mean, it's bad. Is that accurate? It's bad.

Yeah, it's bad. A one. It's like water. I hate to give it a zero. I don't know why. Because effort went into this. Yeah, it's not good. Is that fair? It's not good.

Okay, we got it. All right, but here's... Don't try it at home. Here's the good news. It's only a dollar and 11 cents per glass. So, worst case, you also wasted money while making a terrible drink. Here's what's in it in case you have a dark mind. It's got sugar, water.

cardamom pods, cold coffee, fresh lemon juice, plain seltzer, and I imagine the middle finger of your worst enemy stirring it all together. Just to go, this will really add to the flavor. This will really get on. But honestly, I triple dog dare you to try it with the recipe in the show notes.

Give it a try this weekend. The kids cannot enjoy it too. So this is a fun one for the whole family to suffer through. And if you make it and you enjoy it, We're not friends. We're not going to get along in life. But I wish you the best. Wish you the best in life.

Well, now it's time for it. It can't all be banged. You know? You can't win them all, people. You got to have the valleys to really appreciate the peaks. Quote that. That's actually good. As I walked in the valley of the shadow of death.

Yeah. They should rename this drink, the shadow of death. And the worst is the aftertaste. I'm not going to lie. I think it's even worse than the actual drink. Somehow the before taste also bad. It's just bad all around. All right.

Now it's time for Guilty as charged. And this is where our producer Kelly gives the same new guilty charge question every week and for guilty we have to take a sip, which is terrible. Now that's a punishment. I'm so sorry if either of you are guilty of this.

Have you ever been a quote-unquote Karen about something money-related and it paid off? Yes. Immediate yes. I can think of seven stories. I'll go with one. AT&T internet bill, your boy's budgeting.

He sees that bill come through normally, $80 and $36. But for some reason this month, Rachel, it was $85.36. And I said, not on my watch. No, no, no, no, no. My internet service didn't get better. What's happening here?

Not $3.29 better. I contact the customer chat because that's where I can be a full Karen without needing to feel bad about it with no tone. They won't recognize my voice. and they ended up not only reverting me back to the $80 after I was very inquisitive, and they said, well, prices went up.

I went, no, they didn't, not for me. I've been a customer for 85 years. They reverted my price back to $80 and gave me a $100 visa gift card. What? George. If that isn't full Karen and it paying off, I don't know what is. Well, Karen paid off for that. Can you beat that?

Uh, no, I can't. But I used to look at clothing and stores before I bought. And if I found any snag, little dot, anything off, I would go to the register and say, oh, do you see this? Like, mm. And they would usually get like 15% off or something, which isn't a ton, but at least you get, like, taxes off. So I would do that every now and then. Yeah.

I'm proud of you. Karen. Hey, we're both guilty. To you. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. And

You know what's so funny is Sharon's twin, his name is Karen. I was going to say, shout out to Sharon's sister Karen. I know what I was going to say, yeah. I feel like Karen's out there, like get a bad rap. They do. Every Karen I've ever met is the nicest person.

Oh, my and Karen's the best. Who wants nothing more than to get rid of this personal brand? I know. Sorry, Karen. I don't know how, but it's like the mom bob, you know, like from the 2000. I know, you know, I have another, yeah, I know. I have another terrible, thought with a Karen.

I threw up on the bus in third grade on Karen Crozier. That's my other Karen thought. Directly onto another human being? I did. A toaster true. Was there follow up? Was there no floor nearby? I was in the third grade.

I don't know. I was riding the bus. Didn't feel great. Karen Crozier. Okay. Next question. Were you in the window seat? Nope. Karen was.

Hold on. You were in the aisle seat and you turned left to throw up on Karen. Right. Oh, got it. You're on the right side of the bus. I know.

Couldn't I turn left onto the floor? Yeah, and then I remember my sweet dad picked me up from school because I thought I was sick. Got in his car. He was like, hey, Rachel, I know, you know, it's kind of embarrassing all this. I was like, it was embarrassing. It was an embarrassing for Karen. Embarrassing for Karen. She's got bombing all over.

But dad really tried. Yeah, that was a boomer trying to empathize. I remember that. Very sweet of him. But I wasn't, I wasn't embarrassed. That was fine. Anyways, all the Karen's out there. We love you. God bless you. Shout out.

Subscribe if you're a Karen to the channel. If you're not Karen, keep scrolling. It's not for you. Yeah. Make sure to check out our next episode on our most viral money advice because it's so great. And we'll see you guys next Thursday on an all-new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.