It’s not a spending problem. It’s an income problem. Who told someone that makes $60k he could afford 3 kids and a stay at home wife? He wants a traditional family but doesn’t have the income to support it.

NOOOOOOOO!!!?!! $125/ week on groceries for a family of five is spending $1.19 per meal per person. The price of food is quickly rising. Doni has been set up for failure. I love your work Ramit, but you have openly admitted that grocery budgeting is not your forte. Doni needs more margin. This couple counted cutting the food budget as a win. How much stress is that going to cost Doni? Please do a meal plan for the week, them write down the ingredients in list form. Take the list to the grocery store and write the price after each item. After doing this for a few weeks, then set a realistic budget. I just don't want the family to have no margin for healthy food. I'm begging families for MARGIN. Healthy food can add up quickly, and in situations like this, sometimes nutritional food gets sacrificed in the name of money. Maybe internet or cable needs to get cut; but good food literally helps brains develop. You are literally putting your kid's IQs on the line. Please be realistic when setting your food budget.

It's Ramit's compassion, humor, and expertise for me. 🙂

I really admired Cacey’s openness as he navigated these deep-rooted identities within himself and how they are expressed in their daily lives together. He demonstrated a lot humility and kindness to himself and Doni in the process. This makes me feel really optimistic for this family that they’ll be able to adjust their roles and relationship dynamics over time. I wish them well!

That is a totally unrealistic grocery budget for five, I spend more than that on 2-3 people! Prices are outrageous right now , how can he not be aware of that?

1:02:38 Holy crap, I hear people coming into money not knowing what to do with it, but this was the first time I've actually "seen" someone do that! The amount of life upgrades they wanted to do while they are barely floating is insane! I'm glad they reached out to Ramit for advice on this one, that would have been bad!

90 000 car without a blink vs 75/125 to food per week :D :D

The USDA puts out a monthly "cost of food at home" calculator. It's ranked in four tiers: thrifty, low, moderate, and liberal food plans. The "thrifty" food plan for this couple, their 2 & 4 year olds is $880.50 per month. Add in whatever it takes to feed the four month old, either formula or more calories for a nursing mom. That's considered the bare minimum for a nutritious diet. This lady has already gotten it down to $700! $500 is less than what the USDA says to budget for just the man and woman ages 19-50, without even factoring in three kids who are growing at lightning speed.

This was an ALL TIME episode. I got as pumped for them as I would my team scoring a touchdown. You're a master, Ramit!

This couple has a great future ahead if they take Ramit’s advice. Ramit needs to have a poll to let us vote on which couples to bring back 1 year later

MAD RESPECT FOR THIS COUPLE! I love what Ramit has done for them. I would take 50K and put it into a Emergency Fund. Just in case something happens, at least they are safe for the bills being paid. That cushion is important. Wishing them the best!!!

Excellent show! I was so concerned about the power and control dynamic at the beginning, but the love came through in the second half. Glad I watched until the end. Sounds like they may hold on to their windfall as they get a grip on their finances.

This podcast is where it really clicked for me. I’ve listened to nearly 70 episodes, read the book, and follow Ramit on social media, but it didn’t really click in relation to my own money journey until this episode. Thank you to this couple and Ramit for helping me understand and value money goals and debt issues.

This couple is precious ❤. So happy they were able to work with Ramit and get on the same page! Wishing them the best.

Unpopular opinion: he enjoys the control. Hope they see it thru. I like how he needs to finess what he says to not appear as controling. " I had to take back the credit card" as if he was talking about a child. If she had a reasonable weekly budget I am sure she would find ways to make the best out of it... she has to come "ask". Like a child to a parent to get money to feed their kids....

Great couple. I am rooting for them. It’s refreshing to see the guest diversity.

I would invest half and pay all debt and leave mtg at that amazing rate! In 60+ years I’ve never seen a rate like this. You gave perfect advice. I hope they heed it all. This is an amazing couple…I would love to hear how they’re doing in 1 year.💜💜

WOW, I didn't see that one coming! If this lovely couple listen to Ramit's advice, they will be millionaires sooner rather than later! I wish their family the best!

Please don't spend $120,000 on vehicles (for a Tesla and a van)! So much for depreciating assets! I wouldn't spend almost $50,000 on solar panels too. Yes, I would Save and Invest a certain amount too. Wishing Don and Cacey all the best to them! Great advice, Ramit!

One of the best episodes. I loved your influence on their windfall. I hope they create generational wealth rather than just spending the money on a bunch of crap and getting back to zero.

$125 a week is not realistic for 3 kids and the 2 parents. I live with just me and my gf and spend about $140 on avg a week. You guys need diapers and formula and not to mention food. I mean I would think about $200-$250 a week would be normal for a family of 5.

I need to be able to trust her vs I need to trust her. That was powerful.

This was an amazing episode with many twists and turns. The couple bravely unpeeled the onion to tap into deeper truths and the behavior that was harming or helping. Ramit, the consummate professional, helped them with kindness and humor. I was yelling at the screen when they revealed their plan for spending their windfall. So glad they heard Ramit’s suggestions. Love this podcast!❤

4k a month for 5 people is kinda rough.

0:00 Download the Conscious Spending Plan so you can use your money GUILT-FREE: iwt.com/csp-youtube Please remember: These are real people who had the courage to come on my podcast and ask for help. Would you be willing to come on this podcast and share every detail of your financial life? Feel free to leave comments based on what you think, but remember that we are here to help in a supportive way, not to demean and criticize.

It was great to see the light bulb moments from Cacey & Doni during this episode. I'm happy for them.

Considering they emphasize the value of setting their family up for success, I'm surprised that this couple never discussed or even considered setting money aside for the children's college fund and education. Truly disconnected - the goal doesn't align with their decision making in my book. Hence why I appreciate Ramit always emphasizing the importance of taking the time to conceptualize rich life goals, connect it to future vision and current life and decisions. Make it align and prioritize accordingly.

Damn Ramit...EVERY episode I learn SO MUCH! I wish I saw this episode last year when $13K came my way...otherwise, I am so happy I have gifted your book to my nephews and niece, all young adults in their early 20s. 🙏

No partner/spouse should give anyone total control of their finances. Women specifically have historically suffered financial in such situations.

I have listened to so many of your podcasts. I am gradually learning so much about money & it's relationship. Thank You so much

I love that there are more middle income families being featured recently EXCEPT they have all these windfalls (like this one, or the one where the couple ended up splitting but had a huge profit on their house) or situations (the couple which lives for barely nothing at mom's house) which are pretty unusual? The stories are great but also want to see something more like the people I know all around me. these people are middle to low income, some have kids some no kids, and they have a lot of federal student loan debt (this is almost never addressed in this series), no giant windfalls, usually working a couple jobs to make ends meet, no special help (maybe a little babysitting from family maybe not) and well over half the people I know don't have any benefits at their jobs.

What an awesome couple! I liked how they treated each other. You could feel the tension decline as the episode progressed. Well done !

People seem to confuse control & responsibility. It's fine if overall one person oversees the ongoing maintenance of a pre-agreed-upon financial framework, but I'd never hand over "control" of finances to a spouse. That's a recipe for disaster in so many ways. Asking permission for XYZ case-by-case would be miserable & toxic...having a discussion about increasing the monthly budget for XYZ categories of spending is a whole other matter & far healthier in my opinion.

I love this couple. Congratulations on the investment windfall 🎉. That's truly life changing and I hope they make the best out of it and never had any arguments about groceries because that's a necessity. All the best 💖 Ramit, amazing coaching and well presented!

Such a nice couple. They really took your advice well. As you mentioned they should really focus on communication and I know they will be successful. That calculator made it a reality of what they could do with their future investments. Good luck to them!

I obviously made this comment mid video lol. But 1.5 million. Let's say they keep 1 after taxes. They could invest in an index fund and just pull 30-40K a year out and never touch the balance...... the problem is they have lots of wants and are goind to spend the money in months....... The amount they are spending each month is reasonable. The problem is 5 people on one salary that is less than the national average. This is why food is such a big issue for them AND the wife is tries to mix entertainment with $20 for McDonalds just to keep her sanity. As Dave R would say, you have an income problem, not a spending problem. They need at least $500 more a month. May that is starting a small day care in house or walking dogs during the day (seems unlikely), but they need to do something.

Thanks again for making the connection to their childhood upbringing. I appreciate how you pointed out how their communication & control problems are the key issues to work on. It doesn't matter how big or little their investment returns are gonna be. Nothing can beat a supportive & thriving relationship

Lovely episode and lovely couple!! Wishing them the very best 💯❤️

15 minutes in and I'm more than a little concerned by the amount of financial control he exerts over her. Really hoping it gets better.

I left this episode feeling so great. Thanks Ramit for the episode. Best of luck to the couple, and congratulations to them on all the success.

$48k in solar panels is a complete waste of money

This was a great episode! As I'm binging some old ones... this couple/episode stands out as of my favorites.

Loved this episode and I LOVE this for them, wish them both the best!

Thank you so much Ramit for your videos, it is almost hard to type this because of gratefulness I have towards the impact you have had on our mindset of looking at money. I have a long way to go, but my husband and I probably feel the most "energy" referenced in your video around our student loans. Thank you again

Ramit (and/or his producers) are great at finding real people to help bring the message to other real people like most of his listeners (me/us) ❤

Best episode yet. It’s good to see people with relatable income bracket and the help given was impeccable. 🎉

Such great content. I have noticed that Ramit has the couple do the interviews from separate rooms vs together. I think this probably allows both parties to be truly transparent with how they really feel. I bet that really helps get to the root of things and allow them to really problem solve. This content is so helpful because its so much deeper than money.

I would LOVE to see an update on this couple.

I haven't heard enough but 75$ is not enough. 150$ would be a good week but there has to be flexibility. I think 150$ - to 200$ could be a good budget

200k to a non profit?!! When your mom in need? Lawdy

Awesome episode with an awesome couple! Thank you so much for sharing!

Very good episode. I'm so happy Ramit gave advice on the $ they have coming in. Hope they go with Ramit's suggestion or at least significantly increase the amount they intend to invest.

Want to give some perspective with a little back-of-envelope calculations: In State of Texas, $51,216 year Gross Salary is Maximum Annual Income to apply/qualify for SNAP/food stamps for a Family of 5. Casey makes just under $60K year. He is just $9K (apporx.18%) over qualifying for SNAP. Using the 5 Earned Income Quintile metric, Tier #3/"middle-class" is $55,001 - $89,744, so he is scraping the barrel at $60K. Glad they have a windfall coming, but what if they didn't? Their situation is precarious with only $2,000 emergency fund, which would not even cover 1 month of mortgage & car payments. Paying off the non-mortgage debts is a no-brainer with proceeds from windfall. $60K/equivalent of 1 year salary should be set-aside for emergency fund only. As for whether to pay-off the mortgage, there is a 3rd option. Do a 1/2 principal reduction of $125K. With $125K balance and $1,560/m payments, it will take about 7 years to payoff mortgage, before Casey hits 50 years old. Regarding charity, why is anyone only earning $60K/year and barely in Middle-Class, going to give $200K to non-profit? That's just ego-driven & very stupid. Chances of Casey having another windfall in his lifetime is very slim to non-existent. He needs to make wise decisions with this windfall that will create generational wealth, not try to impress other people, especially family because family will start asking for hand-outs.

Mr. Sethi, please consider doing a short video on the 5 Earned Income Quintiles. Most people don't know which Quintile they fall into, so they make decisions based off missing inputs.

It was refreshing to see that they were truly considerate of each other and not wanting to put pressure on their spouse. It did lead to skirting around the issue and stop gap solutions but in the end seems like they got a solid plan and understood the value they bring to the table.

Here's what I would do: 1. Pay off all high-interest loans 2. Save 6 months of emergency funds 3. Fun spending (braces, lasik, etc) 4. Invest the rest

Where can I get that excel sheet? Is there a place to buy it?

Love this couple and episode 🙌🏽

My husband used to get groceries on the way home from work, too. Though the man at 25:25 cannot explain it, I can. He always thought I bought more than we needed. It would be confirmed when things would expire before we consumed them. We do meal plan and that helps with major items, but I buy a lot of snacks and like to have things on hand for when I just can't cook that night or if I fall ill (soups/canned tuna/frozen foods, etc). I used to buy in bulk when there was a great sale. It took me years to learn that does not work for my family. The snacks they want shift so often that the buy 5 bags of Doritos get $1 off each bag or similar cereal deals don't work for us. After the 2nd or 3rd, they stop eating that product for a while. The worst was when both kids decided they were over Z bars when I purchased 4 large sale boxes during a great sale. One purchase decision cost over $50. I know they'll change their mind shortly after they EXPIRE. By picking groceries up himself, we spent less. No compulsive or bulk purchases. Now, I just do store pickup. It has the same effect.

Great episode - very likable couple - very willing to learn and change. Loved the discussion at the end. As usual, the one disagreement I have with Ramit is re the house (typically owning vs. renting, but here, paying off the house early) - in this case I'd probably leave the mortgage in place, but I would pay it off early with monthly cash flow moving forward (everything left over after investing 10-20%). But that is a minor detail - great episode

55:30 you two are relationship goals in this convo right here at this point. Amazing way to model true teamwork ❤

I don’t know many women who don’t enjoy grocery shopping; be it in person or ordering online. She’ll cook, she knows what to get. She’s not just the babysitter and the cook, you just “provide” what you think is right and she’s just supposed to cook and feed you and the kids. You don’t allow her to feel like an adult and have some financial control; she’s a damn adult! This man is too controlling, will result in her being resentful and loosing her feminine qualities. Sit down, make a budget and let her do the grocery shopping that she enjoys. If the money is not enough, discuss that and make reasonable adjustments!

Now this is a couple that came on the show at EXACTLY the right moment. If they play their cards right with the windfall they will completely change the trajectory of their lives!

At 14:55, Ramit asks what subtle clues has the couple left about their money beliefs. The thing that has stood out the most for me so far is that being a better shopper = spending less money and using more coupons. That's the definition I was able to infer from their grocery shopping competition.

Great episode and great couple. Very well done episode by Ramit. Wishing the best for this couple!

I'd love to see a debate between Ramit and Clark Howard. Would be fascinating!

I would not spend $$ on solar panels, way too much for how much you would save.

Waw ! We are a family of three and we set $750 a month for groceries. I feel like we are not eating well enough.

love your videos and clicked into multiple times from the interesting titles while only to find out they are 1h+, thought of shorter versions in addition?

Wow this was my favorite episode ever. I wish them the best!

I’m so happy that they had the opportunity to listen to Ramit and how he’d invest the money. He is so right that the money can disappear as fast as it came in. Best of luck to them both!

Don't take two kids grocery shopping, they will increase your list 30%

Ramit your shirt is SUPER FIRE in this episode. So crispy.

Crazy that I listened to one hour, only to hear that they will have enough money to pay off all of their debts and have tons left over. It turns the whole episode upside down.

Loved…LOVED this couple! She seemed unsure of herself at first but it became clear soon enough that she is his greatest asset and he was putting undue stress on himself by not trusting her ability. In all of that the clearly cared deeply for each other. He is obviously a loving husband!

I am excited for this couple!

Wow what a twist! Really life changing for them, and hope they make the right decisions. Really great that Ramit could advise them before blowing all their money on Teslas.

Great episode! 👏🏽

Great episode! This couple is going to do very well. Keep it up guys!

Can you add chapters to this podcast?

Love this guy, I’m learning a lot . People show me a lot for my life.

Love your impish laugh, Rajit! 😆Such a great episode. Thank you. And just love this couple; they're really sweet and loving.

If you ever wonder how people can blow through their lottery winnings watch this. The windfall is definitely saving them, but ultimately they need to get their income up and then they’ll thrive. Best to them!

$125/week could just be diapers and formula if you need a restock.

Can you put out 2 episodes a week, please?!

Love this episode.

I really enjoyed this episode! I really like seeing how this couple evolves especially Casey. You can see they really want to make some good choices moving forward.

I love this couple. They are so considerate. Seems like they really love each other. I hope they get all the money they want and need so they can enjoy each other. Love is hard to find

What was the investment tho?

Also, speak with a TAX ACCOUNTANT. What are the tax consequences and how do you minimize those. Congratulations .

1:02:00 they about to blow all that money lol I think its time to reconsider the plan, and I think they'll figure it out.

Lovely episode and couple. Getting a windfall yes, pay off the loans for school, business, credit cards, car. I hope they also treat themselves and the family to a nice trip as well and begin to find the things that will enrich their family to find and live their rich life. Wishing them all the best!

No criticism here but this talk would have been a little different had they unveiled that seven figure payout earlier while asking for advice and working through their trust issues. I connected and felt like I related to them until that 1 hr mark when they pulled back the curtain. I stopped watching at that point. Nevertheless, I hope they can continue to work on their mindsets and make good decisions moving forward without falling into the same traps.

They have set nothing aside for savings, solar panels, a $90k vehicle, $30 or $50k for another vehicle. Probably not good investments.

Paying the non-mortgage debt is a great move. Taking 10% for discretionary and saving and investing the rest is generally the way I plan windfalls. That's what I did with my home sale proceeds (without having had the consumer debt) and even with that being a much smaller amount I got so far ahead.

Love this couple! They will do well. Wish more was said about the non profit. When your income is low and you have a non profit, what is the goal? Tax saving?

My main question is how do you get from 4900 gross to 4500 net? Wtf am I getting screwed

The grocery store show would be a great show!!! Lol my wife who doesn’t cook sometimes questions our spending there. Lol I would love for her to take on the full planning for a week or a month and cooking to see what can happen. Lol $75 a week is cray cray but it would be funny to see him trying that.

Awesome podcast! One of the best, and I’ve seen many and I have loved them all. I wish them both well. Keep the podcast coming.

What was that one sponsor ramit had talking about different types of coffee? I remember him mentioning it in one podcast but can’t remember which one. I’d like to give it a try.