13. “I’m dumb with money and he’s making me feel worse”
At one point, Adam was $75k in debt, but managed to pay it off in just nine months. Elizabeth is in grad school and still accumulating debt, but unlike Adam, she feels powerless to stop it. Their two very different experiences of debt are a window into how they approach money and why they keep clashing.
Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi
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Show Notes
A few years ago, Adam spent nine months aggressively paying off $75,000 in debt. He loved it. It gave him a purpose and he was happy to work seven days a week to pay it off quickly.
His girlfriend, Elizabeth, has debt, but she isn’t excited by paying it off. Instead, she feels trapped, describing herself as “dumb” with money. (Notice the words she uses to describe herself and her debt: “disgusting,” “bad,” and “stupid.”)
Adam’s aggressive approach of constantly talking about money isn’t working. Even though he wants to help, she craves emotional security and support. At one point, as Adam is about to go into yet another long monologue, I cut him off.
Sometimes, what worked for you doesn’t work for your partner. Listen in to hear how Adam and Elizabeth navigate their Rich Life.
Connect with Ramit
If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here.
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