A call from Tracy in Birmingham, Alabama set off a tense conversation about marriage and control on "The Ramsey Show." The caller told host Dave Ramsey and co-host John Delony that she put her career on hold to support her husband's multiple businesses.
Although she draws a salary as a project and office manager for an electrical contracting company, she said her daily responsibilities stretch far beyond that job.
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Concerns About Building A Life Together
Tracy said she signed a prenup because she respected her husband's previous success. However, as the marriage entered its third year, she said she began to feel they were not working toward shared goals.
She also helps manage his personal affairs and business operations, which has added to her concern about falling behind on her own career.
She said the imbalance had become difficult to ignore. "Everything in our lives is his," she said, adding that her opinions often go unheard. Ramsey told her her feelings made sense, saying, "You know why you feel this way? Because that's the truth."
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Tension Over Children And Emotional Support
As the conversation continued, Tracy said she wants to have children but feels her husband may be putting it off. She said he often tells her she should not be unhappy because he provides financial comfort, which leaves her struggling to express her needs.
She added that he told her she might need to see a psychiatrist for questioning their life together.
Delony responded by pointing to a pattern of dismissal that made her feel unseen. He told her her reaction was valid. "You're not crazy," he said. Tracy replied that she had been living in a version of life shaped entirely by her husband's decisions.
Age Gap And Shifting Power
After hearing more about the relationship, Ramsey asked for their ages. When Tracy said she is 35 and her husband is 51, the hosts took a sharper tone.
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Ramsey said the dynamic sounded more like hierarchy than partnership. "He's acting like a daddy," he said, responding to how decisions were handled at home. Tracy told the hosts she often feels like an employee rather than a spouse, especially because she helps run several of his businesses.
She added that she earns about $50,000 from her salaried job and could find similar work elsewhere. Delony encouraged her to consider stepping outside her husband's operations. He said that change could help reset their relationship and reduce the pressure she feels within his companies.
Tracy also said her husband calls her spoiled and entitled because he pays the household bills. Although she has threatened to quit working for him before, she said the dynamic only shifts briefly. Ramsey said she needed a plan that protected her independence. He urged her to find another job and seek marriage counseling.
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