Financial and life advice experts on The Ramsey Show delivered a blunt wake-up call to a young couple expecting their first child, emphasizing marriage, financial responsibility, and independence before buying a home.
Unmarried Couple Living With Parents Faces Reality Check
On Sunday, Claire, a caller, asked hosts Ken Coleman and George Kamel when the right time would be for her and her boyfriend to buy a house.
The couple, living with her parents and relying on a single income of $3,600 per month from the boyfriend, were unsure about their financial readiness.
Coleman responded bluntly: "When you can afford it," but quickly added, "People who ask that question generally cannot."
Hosts Urge Marriage, Debt Management Before Homeownership
The boyfriend, a second-year construction apprentice, has a truck with a $36,000 balance and a $770 monthly payment.
The hosts stressed the couple's lack of shared finances and the need for a solid plan before considering homeownership.
Kamel said, “If you want the true next steps, if you can convince him and get on the same page, would be to sell the truck, get married, get an emergency fund, and then move out and rent.”
He added, “Do that for a year, two, three, while saving up a down payment. And then maybe a few years from now, we can get into a house.”
Coleman added, "Somebody's got to have a hard conversation with him.”
“This kid should not be playing video games. He has a child on the way," he added.
Financial Differences Shouldn't Threaten Relationships
Dave, a 48-year-old small business owner, asked The Ramsey Show whether he should stay with his girlfriend because she earned less.
He made $80,000–$90,000 while she earned $60,000 and he worried about being the main provider.
The hosts learned she had no major debt, raised her son alone, rented her home, and drove a paid-off car.
Dave Ramsey said there was no financial reason to end the relationship and suggested the real concern might be respect and partnership, not money.
In a separate call, Ramsey scolded a husband who admitted hiding "millions of dollars" from his wife because she "spends too much."
He called it deception, saying, "You have actively deceived your wife," and stressed that marital honesty outweighed any bank balance.
Despite the caller citing different money personalities and cultural differences, Ramsey warned that secrecy in marriage would only worsen the problem and emphasized that relational wealth and a strong marriage mattered more than financial riches.
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