May 22, 2025
Arabella from Springfield, Missouri called into “The Ramsey Show” because she was facing a financial fork in the road.
With about $60,000 in cryptocurrency, $14,000 in student loans, and $37,000 in auto debt, she and her husband were preparing to close on their first home.
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Her question to financial guru Dave Ramsey: Should they liquidate their crypto holdings to become debt-free before taking on a mortgage, or hold out for a market upswing that many in the crypto world anticipate?
“I wouldn’t try to time the market with it,” said co-host Jade Warshaw. “You guys are in debt today, and you’re closing on the house really quickly. So, I would liquidate this crypto, and I would pay off this debt. I would do that instantly.”
Ramsey didn’t mince words about the risks. “It’s one of the most volatile, high-risk investments on the planet. And it’s not technically an investment, it’s actually called speculation.”
‘You’re in Vegas, and your car payment’s on the line’
Arabella argued the digital coins they hold aren’t meme tokens, but admitted their portfolio was worth $30,000 more before President Trump’s tariff announcement.
“And so what happens when Trump burps again? You’re screwed,” quipped Ramsey.
Ramsey and Warshaw emphasized that investing in the cryptocurrency market is more like gambling than wealth building, especially when the assets are held instead of paying off loans.
“It’s the roll of the dice. You’re in Vegas, and your car payment’s on the line,” Ramsey said, repeating Warshaw’s advice.
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He also used a sunk cost analysis to help Arabella reframe her thinking. He asked her that if had no debt, would she borrow on her car and credit cards to buy $60,000 worth of crypto. Arabella responded, “Absolutely not.”
“It’s the same thing!” said Ramsey. “If you don't sell it today, you’ve borrowed it again tomorrow.”
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‘It might’ve been a spirit, but it wasn’t the holy one’
Arabella then revealed a different reasoning for the couple’s crypto holdings as the conversation turned spiritual.
“We are Christian and we do not gamble,” she explained. “But we felt like God showed us these three specific coins that we're invested in. And we have just been waiting for the right time for him to show us when to sell, which is why we’ve been holding for five years through two bull runs.”
Arabella’s story struck a nerve with Ramsey. He drew a clear line between what he believes are scriptural principles of long-term investing and speculation.
“Playing short-term games with money you don’t have, cause you’re broke … Please don’t blame that on the Holy Spirit,” he said. “It might’ve been a spirit, but it wasn’t the holy one.”
Ramsey made his position crystal clear — for her and anyone else listening: when you’re deep in debt, hoping for a crypto miracle isn’t a plan. It’s a bet.
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Monique Danao is a highly experienced journalist, editor and copywriter with 8 years of expertise in finance and technology. Her work has been featured in leading publications such as Forbes, Decential, 99Designs, Fast Capital 360, Social Media Today and the South China Morning Post.
