Dave Ramsey didn't hold back when a 25-year-old caller described how his girlfriend's mother was meddling in their relationship, calling her behavior a major red flag and advising him to walk away from the chaos.
Mother-In-Law Interferes In Young Couple's Finances
On Tuesday’s episode of The Ramsey Show, a caller named Jacob explained that his girlfriend's mother was threatening to withhold a promised acre of family land after seeing his frequent Amazon deliveries and labeling him financially irresponsible.
Jacob, a DevOps engineer earning six figures, said he and his girlfriend had been planning to build a house on that land.
Ramsey Warns Against Building A House Before Marriage
Ramsey quickly pushed back, telling him bluntly, "You should never buy a house or build a house ever with someone that you’re not married to. So, your plan that you’ve been doing sucks."
He warned that taking land or gifts tied to manipulation was a recipe for lifelong tension, adding, "You do not want to be living in her backyard on money on an acre she gave you.”
“There is no circumstance in which that’s going to turn out well, ever," he added.
Co-host George Kamel agreed, pointing out that if Jacob's girlfriend wasn't defending him, that signaled huge “boundary issues."
Ramsey summed up the dilemma sharply: "Either this lady has identified a character flaw in you that you're unwilling to discuss, or this lady’s a nut job.”
He added, “You just get away from the fruit cake."
Relationship And Financial Advice From Ramsey
Earlier this month, Ramsey offered guidance to two listeners facing major life decisions. A 48-year-old small business owner asked if he should stay with his girlfriend, who earned less than him.
Ramsey and co-host Kamel noted she had stable finances and no major debt, emphasizing that long-term relationships fail when one partner sees the other as a burden and highlighting the importance of respecting her character, work ethic, and intellect.
In another case, Ramsey advised a husband planning to quit his job to return to school full-time.
He approved the plan if the couple fully agreed and saved aggressively, stressing that the education should lead to a practical, marketable career and warning that not all degrees justify the financial risk.
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