217. “Are we broke…or just bad with money? (Part 1)

Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi · 2025-07-15

Dominique (33) and Chris (34) have been together for six years, engaged for two, and share a two-year-old son. While Dominique manages parenting, full-time work, and their finances, Chris shuts down when money comes up—and has no plan for what’s next. With rising childcare costs, growing debt, and a second home draining up to $2,000/month, their finances are on the brink. Dominique has paused their wedding plans—and admits she’s considering co-parenting alone. Can Ramit help them build a future together before it’s too late?

In this episode we uncover:

• The emotional burden Dominique carries as the default parent, planner, and financial lead

• How Chris’s we’ll-figure-it-out mindset undermines Dominique’s trust and long-term planning

• The real reason their wedding is on pause—and why Dominique’s preparing for life on her own

• Chris’s internal conflict: overwhelmed by adulthood, uncertain how to change

• How avoiding money conversations became the deepest fracture in their relationship

• What happens when one partner is growing—and the other is standing still

• Ramit’s challenge to both: take action now, or risk losing everything

Chapters:

(00:00:00) “At this rate, we’ll be co-parenting next year”

(00:06:52) Can I actually afford a new vehicle?

(00:20:46) Ramit breaks down their numbers

(00:30:43) “We make $180K—but we still feel broke”

(00:46:45) Uncovering their REAL spending habits

(00:55:59) The money messages they’re passing on without realizing it

(01:18:29) “We’ll figure it out”—reacting vs. being proactive

(01:23:26) What we’ll uncover next week

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Links mentioned in this episode

• If you've been waiting for "the right time" to start your business, join me on Monday, July 21, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT to learn how to start a business in just one hour. Reserve your seat at iwt.com/earnmore.

• Should you buy or rent? Get my 3-step guide to buying a house at iwt.com/house.

Connect with Ramit

• Get my new book, Money For Couples

• Get Money Coaching with Ramit

• Download the Conscious Spending Plan

• Listen to my book—now on Audible

• Get my New York Times best-selling book

• Get my no-numbers journal

• Other episodes

• Instagram

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• YouTube

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

Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi

Get Ramit's new book, Money for Couples at iwt.com/moneyforcouples. From Ramit Sethi, host of Netflix’s ‘How to Get Rich’ and author of NYT bestselling books, ‘I Will Teach You To Be Rich,’ and ‘Money for Couples’…

Imagine listening in on raw, unfiltered conversations with real couples, to explore how money psychology affects their everyday lives. Ramit talks with couples from all walks of life, helping them to get past guilt, resentment, & fighting over purchases, to help them create a shared vision for their Rich Life.

Ramit asks the questions we wish we all could ask, presenting a new philosophy on money: spend extravagantly on the things you love, and cut costs mercilessly on the things you don’t.

Follow Money For Couples on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X to start living your rich life today.

In Money for Couples, Ramit delves into the often-hidden dynamics around money issues in marriage, which can be some of the biggest challenges couples face. Money psychology impacts everything from everyday decisions to long-term dreams, and Ramit's finance coaching sessions with couples offer an eye-opening look into the deeper emotions behind financial choices.

Whether you're wondering how to save for a big goal, how to invest in a shared future, or simply looking to understand personal finance in a relationship better, this podcast delivers practical, actionable insights. Each conversation reveals that money in marriage isn't just about numbers—it's about values, trust, and working together toward a Rich Life that's unique to each couple. Ramit provides a safe space for couples to unpack the beliefs and habits that may hold them back financially, guiding them toward a shared vision for their lives. With humor and empathy, Ramit's finance coaching shows couples that they can learn to save and spend in ways that enhance, rather than hinder, their relationship.

Money for Couples is not only a finance podcast but a journey into what makes a marriage strong, financially and emotionally. Through the lens of personal finance, Ramit provides a blueprint for couples to navigate the challenges of managing money together, offering tools to make confident, aligned choices. So, whether you're a fan of the Ramit Sethi podcast or new to his philosophy, tune in and learn how to save, how to invest, and how to create a financial future with the person you love.

Ramit's unique approach to money psychology helps couples overcome common money issues in marriage, from guilt and resentment over purchases to aligning on long-term financial goals. By exploring real couples' stories, Ramit offers insights into how money mindset affects everyday decisions and bigger life dreams. His finance coaching provides couples with a safe space to unpack their beliefs and habits around spending, saving, and investing.

Rather than focusing solely on the numbers, Ramit emphasizes the importance of values, trust, and working together toward a shared vision for a Rich Life. Couples will learn practical strategies for managing money as a team, from saving for big purchases to building investment portfolios. Ramit's philosophy of "spend extravagantly on the things you love, and cut costs mercilessly on the things you don't" empowers listeners to make financial choices that enhance their relationship.

Money for Couples is an essential listen for any married or committed pair looking to improve their personal finance skills and deepen their emotional connection. Ramit's finance coaching and the real-life stories of the couples he features offer a blueprint for navigating the challenges of money in marriage. Whether you're a long-time listener of Ramit's work or new to his approach, this podcast will transform how you think about spending, saving, and investing as a couple.

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