Jenny in Atlanta and her husband are facing financial difficulties, she told The Ramsey Show. They have approximately $50,000 in debt, including $20,000 in credit card debt and $30,000 in car loans and other consumer debts such as medical and IRS obligations.
"My husband and I are getting a late start," Jenny said. She is 45 and he is 51, but they still rent and have no retirement savings. This situation persists even though Jenny works three jobs, her husband works two, and together they earn about $7,500 per month.
With a young daughter and no clear plan, Jenny asked hosts Jade Warshaw and Ken Coleman for moral support and guidance to find a path toward financial independence.
Ken Coleman clarified that this is not a case of financial infidelity. "Like, we're trying to get our money right, but we're trying to get everything else right in our life at the same time," Jenny confessed.
She described feeling overwhelmed by debt. She and her husband are attending counseling to align their priorities, but they still feel distant in their financial goals.
Jenny expressed pain in realizing she only recently understood their full financial picture. Her husband has managed day-to-day spending and card usage, but has not always been transparent about his actions.
Both acknowledge the need to aggressively tackle their debt, but small expenses like dining out, which they enjoy together, hinder their larger goal of becoming debt-free.
Jenny's anxiety stems from her husband's lack of urgency in addressing lifestyle creep and returning to financial stability. This mismatch in urgency keeps them stuck despite their income, with one partner committed to financial freedom and the other struggling to break bad habits.
"He's not as gung-ho as I am," Jenny said, "but he's getting there. He kind of kept the debt from me and we're trying to live correct right now in every area possible." She feels like the responsible one pushing for change, while he acts as if things are mostly fine and debt can wait.
Hosts Jade Warshaw and Ken Coleman are focused on bridging this gap in understanding. When Jenny mentioned prioritizing $1,000 per month for couples counseling, Ken Coleman expressed strong support, saying, "I want to protect [that expense] at all costs."