Dave Ramsey Caller Says They'll Never Pay Off Their Huge Debt, Despite Making $16,000 A Month. 'Y'all Make 300 Grand And You're Broke'
- - Dave Ramsey Caller Says They'll Never Pay Off Their Huge Debt, Despite Making $16,000 A Month. 'Y'all Make 300 Grand And You're Broke'
Adrian VolenikNovember 10, 2025 at 1:31 AM
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Dave Ramsey Caller Says They'll Never Pay Off Their Huge Debt, Despite Making $16,000 A Month. 'Y'all Make 300 Grand And You're Broke'
A Florida woman recently called in to “The Ramsey Show” with a question that astounded even the hosts: Should we just give up on paying off our debt?
Her name was Jenna, and she and her husband take home about $16,000 a month. Despite the high income, they're buried under hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans, car debt and a mortgage.
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When Debt Feels Like A Losing Battle
“Is there ever a point where there’s just too much debt?” Jenna asked, her voice shaky. Should they just pay the minimums forever and try to save what they can so they can enjoy retirement later?
Co-host John Delony, who took the lead during the call, wasn't having it. “You sound tired, Jenna. Are you tired?” he asked. When she admitted she was nervous about what they might say, Delony got frank: “You called The Ramsey Show. You know what we’re going to say.”
Jenna laid out the numbers: $26,000 owed on a car, $47,000 in her student loans, $475,000 in her husband's medical school debt, and a $525,000 mortgage. That's over $1 million in total debt.
Even with a household gross income of $340,000, the couple was struggling. Their current monthly margin was only $3,000 after expenses, including $1,200 for private school.
That’s when Delony pushed back hard. “Y’all make 300 grand and you're broke. I don’t think that’s embarrassing. I think what’s embarrassing is y’all are too smart to be this broke.”
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The Doctor Lifestyle Trap
Jenna’s husband is a physician, which sparked a deeper point from Delony about the financial pressure doctors face. “I’m convinced that this is one of the core issues,” he said. “Physicians and their spouses go through hell for years... then finally get a paycheck and think, ‘Finally, I can...,’ and they add a whole bunch of crazy stressors because ‘we’re doctors, we’re supposed to be rich.’ And you’re broke.”
Delony laid out a plan: pause retirement contributions, sell the expensive car, cut private school, and slash lifestyle expenses. That alone would free up over $100,000 per year to throw at debt.
Co-host George Kamel explained that if the couple adjusted their budget to live on $7,000 a month, they could apply the remaining $13,000 toward their debt. That would amount to $156,000 annually and put them on track to become debt-free in under four years.
Jenna admitted she and her husband had talked about selling their home, but didn't want to leave it. Delony said they didn't need to go that far if they made real cuts elsewhere. “It’s just going to be three years of y’all not acting like doctors, y’all acting like teachers.”
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Kamel also made a pointed remark about the $1,200 monthly private school expense for their 3-year-old. “We don’t really need private school to do that right now,” he said. “It’s Elmer’s glue and googly eyes.”
A Message To All Doctors
In one of the most powerful moments of the call, Delony added, “I actually don’t want my physician... shaking while she’s looking at my daughter because her bills are so high she can barely make her payments.” He wants the person caring for his child to be calm and financially stable, able to make the right medical decisions without being influenced by financial stress or the need for a bigger paycheck.
Kamel ended the call by telling Jenna the truth: they were making daily decisions to stay miserable. But it didn't have to be that way. “You’re worth being out of debt in the next three years and having the next 30 years of freedom.”
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