245. "We make 6 figures. Why am I hiding fast food purchases?"

Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi

Ramit Sethi

Business, Relationships, Society & Culture, Investing

4.6 • 124 Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2026

⏱️ 130 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich talks to Grace and James, a couple from Ireland, aged 38 and 37, who have been navigating immense challenges. James was diagnosed with cancer and underwent a year of treatment, while Grace managed a difficult pregnancy and maternity leave with their second child, an infant. Amidst the fear and grief, their household income took a significant hit, causing financial strain. Grace felt the burden of managing their finances, leading to guilt about James continuing to work during his illness. Despite these hardships, they’ve built a strong financial foundation with high savings and have managed to stay afloat. Ramit helps them explore their individual money psychologies, the impact of their upbringings, and how their shared experiences have shaped their financial outlook, revealing a story of resilience, unwavering teamwork, and an inspiring pursuit of a rich life. In this episode we uncover: • How Grace feels immense pressure to manage finances • The emotional toll of James's cancer diagnosis • Grace's hidden "mindless" spending under stress • The Irish perspective on "mustn't grumble" about money • James's childhood money messages and aversion to debt • The surprising freedom found in small financial wins • Grace's proactive approach to long-term financial planning • The power of internal versus external locus of control • How a shared money philosophy can emerge from conflict • The importance of planning for the worst when at your best • Their inspiring journey of overcoming adversity as a team Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction (00:05:13) Grace's guilt over James working during cancer (00:12:32) Grace's "mindless purchases" and coping mechanisms (00:15:55) The surprising reality of their financial stability (00:30:03) Contrasting money philosophies: big spend vs. small treats (00:33:45) Reviewing their Conscious Spending Plan and uncovering hidden wealth (00:46:12) The impact of fluctuating income on their financial outlook (00:55:00) Planning for the worst when they are at their best (01:00:16) James's upbringing and the origins of his money anxiety (01:11:10) Their "ice cream cone" fight and early money revelations This episode is brought to you by: Notion | Try Notion, now with Notion Agent, at https://notion.com/ramit LMNT | Get a free 8-count Sample Pack with any LMNT order at https://drinklmnt.com/RAMIT Fabric by Gerber Life | Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/ramit Facet | As of the date of this recording, Facet is waiving their $250 enrollment fee for new annual members, and for my audience, Facet is offering $300 into your brokerage account if you invest and maintain $5,000 within your first 90 days. Head to facet.com/ramit to learn more about which membership option is best for you. Offer expires March 31, 2026. #FacetAd Shopify | Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/ramit Connect with Ramit • Get my new book, Money For Couples • Get Money Coaching with Ramit • Download the Conscious Spending Plan • Listen to my book—now on Audible • Get my New York Times best-selling book • Get my no-numbers journal • Other episodes • Instagram • Twitter • YouTube 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: https://iwt.com/apply

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you are in a relationship where you or your partner cover up spending to avoid big fights,
0:06.6	or you get stressed out spending $150 on dinner, even though you can easily afford it.
0:11.7	If you lay awake at night anxious about money, I want to talk to you.
0:15.7	I'm currently casting couples for the next season of the Money for Couples podcast.
0:20.0	We only do this a few times a year, and I want to hear from you.
0:22.9	You can apply today at IWT.com slash apply.
0:26.9	Being on the podcast is basically a three or four hour coaching session with me.
0:31.7	Tons of past couples who have appeared on the podcast have said it is a pivotal moment for them
0:36.2	to get on the same page. So if you want
0:38.7	my take on your unique financial situation, this is your chance. Apply right now at IWT.com
0:45.5	slash apply. I hide how much food I eat out. I will drive into a drive-thru by a huge meal and eat
0:53.0	all. His therapist said she's shocked that he's still working with young children and cancer treatment.
1:00.0	I was just feeling incredibly guilty.
1:02.0	You wrote in your application that you feel like a pressure cooker about to explode.
1:10.0	What if I get sick again?
1:10.9	They said it was going to be gone the first time when it came back.
1:13.1	What if I can't work for another year?
1:14.6	This time work won't pee for it.
1:16.5	I actually find it so hard to stick to the budget.
1:19.8	I spent 200 euro on Timo.
1:22.1	On where?
1:22.9	Oh, rick for me.
	...

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