Nick from California recently called into “The Ramsey Show” with Dave Ramsey and George Kamel to talk about a problem unlike most financial questions the hosts usually hear. Nick explained that he has 11 children—four grown and out of the house, seven still at home—along with nine dogs, seven cats and a tortoise.
When Chaos Collides With Finances
Nick said he has been trying to follow Ramsey's Baby Steps for years, but his wife hasn't been on board. He admitted that while he's managed to save for emergencies, "each time I get my emergency fund built up, crisis ensues." Many of these crises, he said, weren't really emergencies but "self-inflicted because one of us isn't on board."
Don't Miss:
- The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market — and you can too at just $2.90/share.
- They Sold Their Last Real Estate Company for Nearly $1B — Now They're Building the Future of U.S. Industrial Growth
The most recent problem is that two of their dogs were impounded after biting a neighbor's dog. To get them back, Nick would have to pay about $4,500, which includes fees and the cost of building a county-mandated enclosure. He said his initial reaction was to surrender the dogs, but they’d probably be euthanized. "It's not because I don't love them," he said. "It's because in the end of the day I knew this was going to be an expensive endeavor."
Ramsey and Kamel were stunned at the scope of Nick's household. "What circle of hell have you created? How do they even coexist?" Kamel asked after hearing about the number of kids and animals.
A Hard Look At Priorities
Ramsey told Nick that paying $4,500 would be "throwing good money after bad" since the environment is not sustainable. "There's a 1000% chance these dogs are going to have a problem again, no matter what you do," he said. The hosts emphasized that the situation is unfair to the animals, the kids, the neighbors and even Nick himself.
Trending: An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed Marketplace—Now You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform
Kamel also pointed out the legal risk: "If that dog bit a human, well, there's a lawsuit on your hands that could crush you guys."
Instead of spending the money, Ramsey suggested finding a better long-term solution, such as rehoming the dogs somewhere they could thrive. "Maybe you can find someone to adopt them and take them out to an area where they can thrive," he said, adding that a farm might be a safe option.
The hosts closed by urging Nick and his wife to face the bigger picture: too many pets, too much disorder and a lack of unified financial decision-making. "You guys ought to fix that. It's not fair to the humans involved. It's not fair to the animals," Ramsey said.
Read Next:
- Kevin O'Leary Says Real Estate's Been a Smart Bet for 200 Years — This Platform Lets Anyone Tap Into It
- From Chipotle to Red Bull, Top Brands Are Already Building With Modern Mill's Tree-Free Wood Alternative — Here's How You Can Invest Too
Image: Shutterstock
