The Ramsey Show - App - Should I Pause My Debt Snowball While Changing Jobs? (Hour 3)

Episode Date: October 1, 2019

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Music Music Live from the headquarters of Ramsey Solutions, broadcasting from the Dollar Car Rental Studios, it's the Dave Ramsey Show, where debt is dumb, cash is king, and the paid-off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice. I'm Dave Ramsey, your host. Thank you for joining us, America. It's a free call at 888-825-5225. That's 888-825-5225. You jump in.
Starting point is 00:00:56 We'll talk about your life and your money. Bobby is with us in Kentucky. Hey, Bobby, welcome to the Dave Ramsey Show. How are you today, Dave? Better than I deserve, sir. How can I help? Well, I kind of got a little tricky situation. I was calling to see if you could help me out with.
Starting point is 00:01:12 So me and my wife got married about two years ago, and her grandmother's in real estate, and she found a good deal on a double wide trailer so her grandmother's like oh you need this because i was all set and said we're not getting married till we have a place to live so her grandmother and grandfather bought the place for us i assume using cash and we're we're in debt to zeal now for the purchase of that double wide and i was wondering if using the step the debt snowball method if i need to put that further down on my list and pay it off before i pay off my vehicle and other bills of that necessity or what i need to do with that if i need to just go get a
Starting point is 00:02:01 loan and yeah what do you owe pay them straight out. I owe them about $15,000. And what's your household income, sir? About $70,000. That's good news. And how much other debt do you have other than the trailer? Other than the trailer, we've got probably about $40,000 in debt. What's that on? We've got two vehicle payments, a side-by-side, a credit card,
Starting point is 00:02:29 the medical bills. What do you owe on your side-by-side? About $11,000. You owe almost as much on your side-by-side as you do the place you live in. Yeah. Yeah, that's dumb. Yeah. How old that's dumb. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:02:46 Okay. How old are you guys? I'm 25 and she is 23. Okay. Well, here's the thing. Toys, like side-by-sides, are not to be purchased except with cash, and I wouldn't keep one if I owed $11,000 on it. Cars that I cannot pay off inside of two years means you have way too much owed on them, too.
Starting point is 00:03:18 I think you could probably make it if you got rid of the side-by-side. And then the other piece of the equation is trailers go down in value, not up in value. Correct. The good news is you don't owe much on this thing. It's probably not worth a whole lot more than that, is it? No, we gave $20,000 for it, so we only paid her $5,000 last year on it. Okay. But, I mean, what's it worth if you were to sell it?
Starting point is 00:03:45 Is it on a piece of ground? It's on a piece of ground, but it's on their property. Oh, you don't own the ground. You just own the trailer. Yeah, I just own the trailer. Okay. All right. Okay.
Starting point is 00:03:57 Here's the thing. The way you make good financial decisions is you look way out into the future, and you say, okay okay 20 years from today what's going to make me wealthy and happy with my money situation a trailer a fifteen thousand dollar twenty thousand dollar trailer on someone else's land does not fit in that category things that are going to make me happy in 10 years in 20 years because it's going down in value and you don't own nothing things that are going to make me happy in 10 years and 20 years. Because it's going down in value and you don't own nothing.
Starting point is 00:04:29 You follow me? Yes, sir. So you don't have to do it immediately. We don't have to panic here. I don't want to make everybody in the family mad. They were trying to do something nice for you. I got that, and I'm not trying to be a jerk about this. But five years from today, three years from today, you don't want to own this trailer on somebody else's land i mean this is like this is like bad rent is all it is
Starting point is 00:04:51 yeah so you know have a plan for selling it sometime within the next 24 to 36 months and go ahead and start talking to granny about the fact y'all are going to be moving within two years to three years and you'll be selling the trailer and moving it off their property. Okay? So would you suggest just going in and renting when I sell that? If you have to, yeah. If you haven't gotten yourself out of debt by then, and if you're out of debt having an emergency fund and a good down payment,
Starting point is 00:05:20 then go buy a little house somewhere up in town uh that you can pay a good solid down payment on and put on a 15 year fix that's at least going to go up in value yeah and it'll be nicer than what you're living in too oh yeah okay so um you know yeah there's no sin in renting for a short period of time versus buying something that's going down in value sitting on someone else's property does that make sense to you it makes sense yeah so three years from today i don't want you to own that trailer anymore and i don't want you to have any debt of any kind three years from today now what you need to do then sit down and go okay forty thousand bucks that means uh i gotta be paying a $1,000, $2,000 a month,
Starting point is 00:06:05 $3,000 a month on my debt, and I may need to get rid of a side-by-side. That's a toy you can't afford. Matter of fact, I just know you need to get rid of it. Okay. It's a toy. I don't mind you having toys. I got toys too, dude, but you pay cash for toys because if you stay in debt to toys your whole life, all you do is work for a bank.
Starting point is 00:06:28 You just happen to show up at somebody else's place, and they you money and then you hand it over to the bank your whole life all the money comes in all the money goes out and you're just a slave and that's what happens when we buy toys and finance them so i want you to get wealthy and get you some toys that you own i got some nice boats and some other stuff i like toys i like stuff with engines in them i I got a big Raptor. I'm a redneck. I like a big truck. You know, I'm right there. I get it.
Starting point is 00:06:51 I completely get it. But you need to pay cash for those kinds of things, young man, because they'll eat your lunch by the time you're an old man like me. And so pay cash for your toys. Get everything paid off in two to three years and be out of that trailer by then don't make this a long-term play and then if you're going to sell it you don't have to worry about paying it off early just pay them the payments and then put it up for sale whenever you want sometime maybe about two years a year from you're two years from now while
Starting point is 00:07:20 you're working on this other stuff but let's get these cars paid off and pay cash for everything from this point forward. So, Bobby, what I do is I'm going to put you on hold. Madison's going to pick up, and I'm going to pay for you and your new wife to go through our financial piece. We're going to give you the financial piece membership. You're going to go to the class, and I'm going to teach you how to handle money, the stuff I wish somebody taught me when I was your age. And you can do this, but you're going to be weird your friends are going to think you've lost your mind but your friends are broke and if your broke friends are making fun of your financial plans
Starting point is 00:07:54 that means you're on track open phones at 888-825-5225 you jump in we'll talk about your life and your money it is a free call we're here for you guys that's what we do get up every morning and come down here because we get a great reward by helping you that's what we do thank you for listening this is the dave ramsey show Thank you. Are high health care costs getting you down? Are you confused trying to navigate your options? Do you wish you could find an affordable, biblical solution to your health care costs? Based on New Testament principles, Christian Health Care Ministries, or CHM, helps Christian families, churches, and ministries join together as the body of Christ to share their major health care costs.
Starting point is 00:09:16 Christian Health Care Ministries is the original health cost-sharing ministry. A Better Business Bureau-accredited organization, CHM members share to pay each other's medical bills. It's not insurance. It's Christians financially and spiritually supporting each other. It's what Christian Healthcare Ministries has done for over 35 years, and our members have shared over $2.5 billion in medical bills. To learn more, visit chministries.org. That's chministries.org. Christian Healthcare Ministries is a proud sponsor of Dave Ramsey Live Events. chministries.org. Thank you for joining us, America. This is the Dave Ramsey Show.
Starting point is 00:10:24 Open phones at 888-825-5225. You jump in. We'll talk about your life and your money. Terry is with us. Terry is in Indiana. Hi, Terry. How are you? Hi, Dave.
Starting point is 00:10:41 Thanks for taking my call. Sure. What's up? Hi. So my husband and I have paused our debt snowball for the past few months as we were waiting for some storm damage to our roof to get fixed, which is getting fixed this week. So at the end of the week, I was going to pay off all that money back onto our debt. But then I had a discussion with my boss today, and they're making some staffing changes.
Starting point is 00:11:00 So I either have to switch to a night shift from day shift, or I have to find something else basically so i didn't know if i should just continue pausing my debt snowball until that all kind of settles down or go ahead and pay off the debt and just continue on as i'm job searching there what do you do for a living i'm an occupational therapist okay um are you in a metro area medium-sized maybe okay so you're gonna be able to find something and not have to take a night shift i should be able to but it's a little bit we have a college in the town that has no peace it's a little bit saturated with new grads and stuff coming out every year so it might just take a little bit of time maybe i I would say two months tops.
Starting point is 00:11:47 So what are you going to do? Quit or are you going to work a night shift during the two months? I think I was going to work the night shift for the two months because obviously I need some income coming in. And then once I found something, move to that. Okay. So your income has not changed. Your income has not changed.
Starting point is 00:12:03 Just your, I mean, would you quit after two months if you have not found something? I don't think that would be smart, so I'm going to say no. Okay. I'm not trying to trap you. I'm just saying if you're making, what do you make today? About $65. Okay. Will you be making the same or more on the night shift
Starting point is 00:12:26 they would give a shifted differential so it'd be a little bit more okay and so your income didn't drop and as long as you don't quit and you take another job making 65 you're not going to have an income drop as a result of this if you anticipate an income drop for a logical reason yeah i would stop the debt snowball and build up cash but i don't hear a reason you're going to work the night shift till you find a good job during the day right okay yes so if that changes having a mental freak out yeah i can imagine i don't blame you i don't mind walking through it with you and thinking through it with you but the uh uh so what if um you know after three months
Starting point is 00:13:08 of working the night shift and you haven't found something if you're getting really burn up and burn out um and you say hey i'm just gotta i gotta bail so then you stop your debt snowball maybe and you pile up some cash because you're going to bail and maybe sit for a while. Okay. But as long as you've got the stuff to stick with that night shift until you find a day shift, you're not going to take a loss in income. You won't need savings. That's true. That's true.
Starting point is 00:13:38 But if you do reach a point where just the night shift's killing you, I can imagine that. I can't imagine me working nights. I mean, I get tired's it's a hard life a lot of people do it but it's a hard life so you know and so after a while you may reach a burnout point you go okay i'm gonna have to stop at that snowball for two months and save up some money because i got to bail on this okay but but for today i think you're going to find a place and you're just going to move from night shift to a new job yeah hopefully yeah that's the plan go get them kiddo thanks for the call james is with us in missouri hey james how are you hey dave thank you so much
Starting point is 00:14:19 for taking my call sure how can i help okay i'm a retired 19 years been listening to you all that time and have five adult children who are all poor money managers i am debt free except for the financial help to my children the most recent was an equity loan to my house on my house to help my oldest son save his business he has not paid it back so now i have a mortgage on my house to help my oldest son save his business. He has not paid it back, so now I have a mortgage on my house. How much do you owe on the house? $90,000 now. Oh, good Lord. Do you have any money?
Starting point is 00:14:56 Pardon? Do you have any money? Oh, yeah. I'm financially stable. How much money do you have? Well, I got a couple hundred thousand in IRAs and got a pension in Social Security. Okay. So you have enough to pay it off, but it would leave you without much money.
Starting point is 00:15:19 The mortgage? Yeah. Oh, yeah, but I have to take out my IRA, and that would be... That would leave you not much money, yeah. No, but I also have to pay taxes on that, $90,000. Yeah, that's true. Okay. So anyway, my question, though, Dave, should I change my will to proportionally ask
Starting point is 00:15:38 since the five children will receive, since one has not paid his debt, and the other four will have his debt to pay off on the house. Yes. I should proportion. You should reduce his portion of the inheritance by the debt that he owes. The other kids should not have to pay that. They all have received financial help. He's gotten the most in 19 years.
Starting point is 00:16:07 Well, I mean, it's up to you how far back you want to go. But for today, we know $90,000 has come out of your estate. We know that. And, you know, it's left the others poorer by that much when you pass away. How old are you? 80. Okay. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:16:27 I'm in good health, but I don't know how long I'm going to be here. Well, we're none of us, too, brother. I thank the Lord every time I wake up. Amen. For another day. I hear you. Yeah, I think, you know, how long has it been since you helped another kid? Well, they all pay back. I know, but how long has it been since you helped another kid? Well, they all pay you back.
Starting point is 00:16:47 I know, but how long ago did you give some? Oh, you loan them money, and then they paid it back. That's how you helped them. Yeah, right, right. Okay, so it didn't actually cost. About a year ago, my daughter was paying a high-interest loan, and I gave her the money to pay off the loan so that she wouldn't have to pay that high interest,
Starting point is 00:17:03 and she's paying me back. Okay, so after it's paid back, since everybody's paid you back, you're not poorer as a result of having helped anybody except this one kid so far. Yeah, exactly. He's just irresponsible, I think. Yeah. Well, I don't think it's fair for him to get, you know, his portion of the estate should be reduced by the $90,000.
Starting point is 00:17:28 And if he wasn't due to receive $90,000, then he won't get anything. Okay, can I ask you another question? Yes, sir. How do I inform all of them what I'm doing so they're not going to be surprised at the end? Just tell them. You just get them all on a phone call. You just a conference call set up put everybody on the call do they all live in the area no they're all within 200 mile radius okay well if you see them all at christmas you could go over all of it or you could just get them all on a phone call and say hey
Starting point is 00:17:59 listen i talked to my financial coach and he he suggested that kid number one's inheritance be reduced by the debt until he has paid it off. And you can have your attorney word the will that way. It won't be a problem at all. So, hey, thanks for the call. Open phones at 888-825-5225. You jump in. We'll talk about your life and your money. It's a the call. Open phones at 888-825-5225. You jump in. We'll talk about your life and your money. It's a free call.
Starting point is 00:18:31 So I love what he's doing. It's very, very smart for you to have a will. It's very, very smart for the people in your family or otherwise that are the heirs to the to the will the beneficiaries of the will to know where they stand and not to find out upon your death that is a very functional good way to handle family life to sit down and say this is what you're going to get and this what you're going to get and this what you're going to get and it's my money and i get to decide that so that's how this works and i just want to let, and it's what you're going to get. And it's my money, and I get to decide that. So that's how this works. And I just want to let everybody know up front,
Starting point is 00:19:07 because you can't be mad at each other when I'm gone. You didn't do it to each other. This is what I decided. And we do that every year. We go over my will and exactly where everything's going and why it's going and what we're doing. And if there's any changes, everybody knows. And everybody can just deal with it while I'm here.
Starting point is 00:19:24 This is the Dave Ramsey Show. I'm going to go. Julie is with us in Tennessee. Hi, Julie. Welcome to the Dave Ramsey Show. Hi, Dave. Okay, so I have a couple questions. I took your advice, and I went to East Tennessee State University instead of Vanderbilt for a third of the cost for my nurse practitioner degree. And I am currently in $23,000 in debt from this current semester for my nurse practitioner and my undergrad. So I have $40,000 saved up. I don't know if I should just write that check now for that $23,000 and only have $17,000 left in my savings account or
Starting point is 00:20:47 what you would suggest. I think it's kind of scary to write that check when I know I have $40,000. Okay. Are you out of school? I'm currently getting my nurse practitioner. So I have a year left and I work full time as a nurse here. How are you paying for that? My nurse practitioner? Mm-hmm. I've been just trying to – I took out a loan for this semester, and that is included in the $23,000. Okay.
Starting point is 00:21:15 You had $40,000 in the bank, and you took out a loan. Yes. I get really scared to pay – well, because I've just been saving up, and I just saved. You shouldn't have gone to school if you weren't willing to pay for it. Okay, yeah, that's true. Well, I figured I'd write just a big check at the end, but I don't know. Okay, so let me ask you a check.
Starting point is 00:21:35 Let me ask, okay, how are you going to pay to finish school either take out loans or work which i have been doing and pay as i go okay so how much do you make working well nashville nursing prices are a little slim so it's like 40 000 and then i have the option i could also move when my lease is up and move to a different state where I make twice as much, too. I'm sorry, where are you studying nurse practitioner? East Tennessee State. So it's a distance learning thing? Yeah, it's online. So that's why I'm able to work as well as go online school.
Starting point is 00:22:24 And you can finish your nurse practitioner online? Uh-huh. Okay. And what will it cost to finish? The total for East Tennessee State is like $35,000. Is that what it takes you to finish? Yeah. Like total with all, the whole degree is about $35,000 to $40,000.
Starting point is 00:22:45 I thought you had finished half of it. No, I'm in my first semester, and I have four more semesters to go. Okay, so you need $30,000 to finish. Yeah, I need about $30,000 that I take out in loans or pay as I go. Julie, you called Dave Ramsey. Don't say take out loans anymore. I'm going to go into hives. Okay.
Starting point is 00:23:08 I'm going to have chills, okay? We're not going to take out any more loans. You're either not going to finish or you're not going to take out loans. I don't care which, but we're not going to take out loans. Now, we're going to pay cash for it. Now, how are we going to pay for it? If we use this $40,000 to finish, then you're going to clean up the $23,000 later after you finish. And so I think we've got some of this $40,000 earmarked for you to finish school,
Starting point is 00:23:49 and you'll use some of your income to do that, but you're living pretty tight if you're able to finish. Over what period of time is left? How much longer will it take you to finish? I have a year left. One year you need basically $25,000, right? Yep. And you're going to pull that out of 40? No, you're not.
Starting point is 00:24:06 That's not going to work. So that's why I didn't know if I just write it down. No, a $40,000 income. You don't have enough income to eat and pay for this without using this savings. Even if I work as I go and make around $3,000 a month? $40,000 in one year, and you need $25,000 during the same year. If you make $40,000 and you spend $25,000 on your degree out of your income, that only leaves $15,000 minus taxes. You don't have enough to exist.
Starting point is 00:24:41 Yeah, and I pay $750 for rent. I know, it's very tight which is ten thousand dollars a year okay yeah okay so you know when we start adding up your budget you probably need 25 30 000 a year to live and so you may have five or ten thousand dollars out of your income to throw at this but you need 25 you're going to use some of your savings to finish school kiddo uh-huh no more loans yeah stop it stop it do i so i don't write a check then not at all do not write a check for the existing loans let them sit there until you graduate use your you have forty thousand dollars in savings did i understand you right yes Yes. Okay. Exactly. Exactly $40,000.
Starting point is 00:25:28 I would use some of that money to finish school. Okay. Pay cash for the rest of the school. Make no more loans. Then when you graduate, you should have $15,000 left in your account, a $23,000 loan, and a better job making as a nurse practitioner more than $40,000. Yeah, exactly. And so we can use that $15,000 towards the $23,000, and we can clean up the debt and begin to save again. Okay.
Starting point is 00:25:57 Okay, that sounds good. After graduation. No more borrowing. Raise your right hand. Say no more borrowing. No more borrowing. I won't. I won't. I won't.
Starting point is 00:26:05 I promise. Thank you, Julie. Appreciate you calling. Debbie is with us. Debbie's in Arizona. Hi, Debbie. How are you? Hi.
Starting point is 00:26:15 Thank you so much for taking my call, Dave. And I want to say thanks to you. I have been debt-free for many years except for the mortgage on my home. My question today has to do with a landlord situation. My brother was renting a condo. He lived there for six years. The landlord never went in to check things. My brother didn't want her to come in, so she just didn't.
Starting point is 00:26:44 Why didn't he want her to come in so she just didn't um why didn't he want her to come in it's her property that's right and so my point to her was no no why didn't your brother want his landlord in his house what was he doing he was because he was messy because he because he had clutter um he didn't he would tell her he would fix it himself. Is there a lease? Yes. There's a written lease? I don't have the lease.
Starting point is 00:27:12 The reason I'm calling is my brother had cancer for the past three years and passed away three weeks ago. Oh, no. And so it just was left to me. I'm sorry. Well, you're not, you're not liable for anything. Only his estate is. Did he own anything?
Starting point is 00:27:34 Um, no, I, I'm not saying that I'm liable. I'm so sorry. Um, my concern was just that I did, um, I did everything out, and I left it spotless. And, I mean, even after he lived there for six years and she never went in, it was spotless except for just normal wear. Wow. That's very nice of you to do that. Does your brother have any assets
Starting point is 00:28:06 no nothing for me but but my my question is just can she can she keep his deposit yes because that's what she's insinuating that she's going to do based on, you know, any little thing, dripping water in the bathtub. How much is the deposit? A thousand. Okay. And that's all he had to his name, really? No, no.
Starting point is 00:28:38 He had plenty of money, but it's just all going to his son. Okay. And all of that is fine. The point is he's liable for any damage that's done to the property, and if she can show that there's a thousand dollars worth of reason to hold his deposit, that's a negotiation with the landlord. Are you the executor of the estate? I'm only a representative.
Starting point is 00:29:04 He didn't have an executor. Well, I mean, you can just negotiate with her. I'm not a lawyer, but if she can show that there's damage, she's probably going to be able to keep that deposit. It's probably not going to be worth fighting about it, to be honest with you. Our scripture today, 2 Timothy 2.15. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Bill Murray said, people are just like music. Some speak the truth and others are just noise.
Starting point is 00:30:32 Well, a lot of parents think that their kids have to go to college to be successful, and they think the only way they can go to college is to get a student loan. Debt-Free Degree is Anthony O'Neill's brand-new book. It comes out one week from now, Monday, October the 7th it's only 1999 if you purchase the book ahead of time it is the step-by-step guide to getting your kid through college without student loans it's um it's going to change everything, the way people look at these situations. This whole idea that college is 100% necessary, number one, we don't agree with. I do love education, and I do want folks to get an education. But I don't want you to get an education and just go into debt every time you burp.
Starting point is 00:31:22 It's just crazy, y'all. This has gotten out of hand you guys are just it's like turn on a water faucet you don't think anything about it you don't you just don't it's like getting in the car starting the car you just i'm gonna go fifty thousand dollars in debt just like that just bloop just like that and and then you call me where you've been fighting with this monster for a decade after that so don't allow your kids to do this stuff. Please don't allow your kids to do this stuff. Debt-Free Degree by Anthony O'Neill.
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Starting point is 00:32:12 or the Ramsey Concierge team at 888-22-PIECE, 888-227-3223. Jump in and we'll talk. Caleb is with us in California.ia hi caleb how are you howdy dave i'm doing great i appreciate your time my pleasure how can i help well uh basically i've got some student loan debt and i've been working to pay down the rest of my debt i'm on track to get everything except for the student loan down by May. So there's $15,000 will be gone. The remainder is $40,000 in student loan debt. The reason I'm calling is because my wife and I, we're about to celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary. Congratulations. Hey, appreciate it. We've been in a house that we dislike, a little one-bedroom,
Starting point is 00:33:01 one-bath. She's been here for about five years. I've been here for the last three. Um, we want to buy a home. We want to go somewhere else, buy something better. Um, I'm looking at it and I believe that I could get us into one within, you know, about a year and a half if I don't pay down the student loans first. So my question is this. Is it something that is reasonable to do to get into a home loan? No. You're going to make a mess, and you're going to have to buy a home with an extra bedroom for Sally Mae. No.
Starting point is 00:33:39 Take your time. Slow down just a little bit. I mean, you're newlywed. You've got house fever. And just take a cold shower. It'll help with the house fever. And, you know, it's normal. What you're experiencing is a normal thing.
Starting point is 00:33:55 All your friends are buying houses because all your friends are stupid and in debt and are broke. And if you're not careful, you're going to keep right up with them. And so don't do this, man. Slow down just a little bit. What's your household income? Between the two of us, about $110,000. Way to go. How old are you guys?
Starting point is 00:34:13 We're pretty old, man. I'm 38, and she just turned 30. Ancient. I don't know how you're getting around. Okay. I'm probably the most newlyweds, I guess. Okay. So I'm kidding with you. Did I count you? Did you say 55,000 clears your student loans?
Starting point is 00:34:30 No, actually 40 will clear the student loans. Oh, I thought you said 15 was a portion and 40 was a portion. Okay, so 40 clears them. Right. Okay, so 110, can we not do that in one year if you're on beans and rice? Pretty close. Maybe 14 months. Maybe 14 months.
Starting point is 00:34:52 $3,000 a month. You can do it. I mean, you're living on nothing, though. You don't have a car payment, right? I do. Oh. But in about five months. I'm sorry.
Starting point is 00:35:02 I thought you said you only had $40,000 of student loan debt. I misunderstood. How much do you owe on your stupid car? On the car? One sec. I've got about $6,300 on the car. And then credit cards adding up to $15,000. Yes.
Starting point is 00:35:30 Okay. Well, maybe that's where I heard the $15,000 earlier. Okay. So I've got $61,000 in debt to clear. Is that what I'm hearing? $6,000 and $15,000 and $40,000. I've done some weird math for you. The $15,000 is the car plus the credit card.
Starting point is 00:35:47 So 55 clears you out completely? Yes, sir. 50% of your household income. Okay. So it sounds like it's going to take you 18 months to clear that to me if you're living on beans and rice. And then you would build your emergency fund in the next six months, and then you would build your down payment after that.
Starting point is 00:36:10 And so you are about two years and some change, maybe two and a half years before you're looking for a house, and that's going to be the wise way to do this. If you buy a house with all this debt hanging around your neck, you're going to live to regret it because you're going to slow down everything. You're going to struggle. This is not going to work. And normal people do it, but normal people are broke.
Starting point is 00:36:36 So please do this stuff in the right order. You've got to clean this mess up. It's going to take you 18 months to do it. And, you know, 55,000 in 18 months, that means you's going to take you 18 months to do it and you know 55,000 in 18 months that means you have no life during that 18 months none whatsoever you're not going to see the inside of a restaurant unless you're working there and you're not going on vacation we're trying to get out of debt so we can build an emergency fund so we can build a down payment so we can buy a house on a 15 year fixed where the payments no more than a fourth of our take-home pay. Eric is with us in Wyoming.
Starting point is 00:37:06 Hi, Eric. How are you? Hey, Dave. I'm doing great. I want to thank you for all the counsel you've given over the years. Thank you. Thank you, sir. How can I help?
Starting point is 00:37:16 Well, my youngest son is in a high school, and my wife and I are in a small business. I'm having trouble hearing you. Can you speak directly into your phone, sir? Sure that that's much better thank you okay so um my uh youngest son he's a senior high school and my wife and i run a small business and it's really taken off over the last four or five years we're doing really well debt free except for our except for our house and um my son is he's on our payroll right now. He makes a little bit, a few hours here and there during the week. And I'm thinking about giving that boy a raise and taking that money
Starting point is 00:37:54 and putting it away for his kind. We've saved nothing for him up to this point. How old is he? And I was just wondering if you think that is a good idea. How old is he? Is there something better I could do? How old is he? He's just turned 18 last week.
Starting point is 00:38:10 Okay. Why don't you sit down with him and map out where he wants to go to school, what it's going to cost, and how, with him working hard and you being willing to help him with it, you can map towards getting there and just say, all right, let's pick out a school. What is it you're going to study? What's it going to cost you to do that? And then I'm going to help you with you working your butt off.
Starting point is 00:38:33 I'm going to help you get a way to make this happen, and I'm going to guide you through the process. It'll be a good exercise for a father-son team to work on. It'll be a great thing for him to have input into the decision. He'd be willing to work more probably if he was participating emotionally in this goal rather than you just randomly setting money off to the side and hoping it all fits up with his plan. I think you'll come out with a better result if everybody's aligned on these goals.
Starting point is 00:39:02 Hey, man, thanks for the call. I appreciate you joining us. That puts us out of the Dave Ramsey show in the books. Thanks to Madison on the phone serving as associate producer today. James Childs, our producer. I am Dave Ramsey, your host. We'll be back with you before you know it. In the meantime, remember, there's ultimately only one way to financial peace, and that's to walk daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus. This is James Childs, producer of The Dave Ramsey Show.
Starting point is 00:39:40 Did you know you can now listen to The Dave Ramsey Show on Pandora and Spotify? For all the ways to watch and listen, check out our showcase at DaveRamsey.com.

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