Feb 7, 2026
Atlanta resident Cynthia recently called into The Ramsey Show because she felt like she was “throwing my money away” (1).
Cynthia earns $94,000 as a civilian building engines for the military and owns her home. But despite earning a good salary, she had $32,000 in debt built up from credit cards and loans.
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She says her spending was triggered by the loss of her son in 2018, admitting it has been “out of control” ever since.
But co-hosts Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw saw encouraging signs from Cynthia during their discussion. Here’s what they had to say about how she could get her finances back on track, and the perils of emotional spending.
Cynthia's emotional spiral
Despite owning a paid-off Jeep, Cynthia bought a second car to commute to work. She was spending around $600 a week on clothes — sometimes wearing items only once before giving them away. She also made use of buy-now-pay-later services, and owed money on a personal loan. On the positive side, her house was paid off.
Ramsey recognized that Cynthia was grieving the loss of her son and spending became a way for her to cope with her grief.
“When someone loses their son and their heart is broken, and they make some spending mistakes, that doesn’t make you a bad person. It just means that your heart was hurting,” he said. “Let’s get this mess straightened up, and in his memory, instead of having a pile of shoes let’s have a pile of money.”
Ramsey and Warshaw said the first step to financial change is acknowledging there is a problem, which she already has. Now, it’s about turning intention into action.
Cynthia’s story serves as a reminder that out-of-control spending can outpace even high incomes, and without good money habits, even high earners can face financial strain.
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Taking practical steps
Sixty-three percent of U.S. consumers admitted that emotions influence their spending, according to a 2025 survey by LendingTree (2). Among emotional shoppers, 74% said it led them to overspend.
When it comes to managing your spending during a challenging emotional time, here are some tips to build a solid foundation so that you can fall back onto healthy money habits:
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Create and commit to a budget: Every dollar should be intentionally assigned, whether for bills, debt payoff, savings or essentials.
Build in accountability: Ramsey suggested that Cynthia give a friend access to her budget to keep her accountable. Giving a trusted friend or partner budgeting access helps to create an external motivator.
Use windfalls wisely: Cynthia revealed she had a $10,000 check coming in soon and planned to use it to pay $2,000 in back taxes and the rest on debt.
Add extra income: Whether it’s a side hustle, gig work or freelance, adding extra income can help with debt payoff and building a nest egg. In Cynthia’s case, since she had a surplus of clothing and shoes, the hosts suggested she sell the items on platforms like Poshmark and eBay.
Remember, financial resilience isn’t just about how much money you make. It’s built up with intentional habits, emotional self-awareness and having a healthy money strategy.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
The Ramsey Show Highlights (1); LendingTree (2)
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Jessica is a freelance writer with a professional background in economic development and small business consulting. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Sociology and is completing her Publishing Certificate.
