May 13, 2026
Moving closer to family during tough times probably seems like a no-brainer. But, for this man who called into The Ramsey Show, there's more to it than just packing up and heading out.
Gary from Dallas, Texas, wants to move himself, his wife and their 3-year-old son, closer to his family so he can have more support as they navigate his wife's alcoholism.
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"We would be buying a house that's probably about twice as expensive as the one we currently have … I'm pretty sure in two to three years after we make the move, we will not be able to afford it. I don't think we're going to have the income for it in that amount of time," Gary told hosts (1) George Kamel and Rachel Cruze.
"Under normal circumstances, it would be okay…the reason I don't think we're going to be able to afford it is, you know, the doctors are saying if things continue with her, you know, she'll probably be dead in three years" he added.
Here's what The Ramsey Show hosts had to say about Gary's situation.
When renting is the right call
As of right now, Gary's wife is the sole income earner of the household, making $250K to $300K annually while working from home. Gary is a stay-at-home father, and mentioned that at his previous job in a management position for a non-profit he made $50K. He says he's never made more than that annually, and hasn't been working for five years.
They've been looking for a home near Gary's parents for the past year. They made two offers, but then Gary's wife was diagnosed with cancer related to her alcoholism, and everything was put on hold to deal with that.
Before then, they were looking at homes around $700K. They currently owe $280K on a home that they could sell for around $375K. In other words, they would walk away with around $80K if they sold it.
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With all those details in mind, Kamel suggested that Gary move closer to his family, but rent for a while: "that solves this problem temporarily until we figure out what's going on with the finances" he said.
According to 2025 data from Ruby Home Luxury Real Estate (2), "owning a home costs $385 to $830 more per month than renting a typical 2-bedroom unit, and $575 to $910 more when comparing to recently financed homes."
While renting does not build the same equity as owning, in trying times like Gary's family is going through, the money saved can make a big difference.
Gary added that his parents have offered to give him $100K to $150K for a down payment as a gift, but Kamel and Cruze still suggest renting.
"Would [your parents] just cover rent for a year in the meantime as you guys kind of find your footing?" Kamel asked. Gary said if he asked, they "certainly would."
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"I might use part of [their gift] to say hey, cover rent. We just got to figure out our life and then you'll know a whole lot more a year from now if things are going to get better or if they're going to get worse" Kamel advised.
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Getting back to work
The other piece to Gary's situation is that he has no income of his own right now. Part of this is because of his choice to be a stay-at-home father, since he doesn't feel comfortable leaving his son alone with his wife.
On this note, Cruze recommends taking advantage of his parents' help with watching his son when they move, and starting to build up his work experience so he can work toward a higher income to support his family and buy a house in the future.
"I don't know if I would make a financial move, a big purchase like a home right now" Cruze said "there's a lot of instability going on. And so, I would find a place to be renting. And then you guys could look up in a year, year and a half and see where you're at with her health and your job situation, family situation, all of it. But I wouldn't tie myself down to a big purchase like a home right now."
Kamel agreed: "Personally I would not buy a home until she is sober because there's too much risk that her income is floating this entire thing. If one thing happens, you got a $600,000 mortgage with no income or even a $50,000 income and now you're going to be facing foreclosure or a short sale."
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
YouTube (1); Ruby Home Luxury Real Estate (2)
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Em Norton is a Content Specialist at moneywise.com. They have been with the company since 2022.
