Dave Ramsey Says You're Working 'Like A Rat In A Wheel' Because Of Monthly Debt Payments While 'Everybody Else Is Getting Rich'
- - Dave Ramsey Says You're Working 'Like A Rat In A Wheel' Because Of Monthly Debt Payments While 'Everybody Else Is Getting Rich'
Fahad SaleemJanuary 11, 2026 at 11:02 PM
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Personal finance expert Dave Ramsey says people have become so used to monthly debt payments that they stay trapped in jobs they do not like for years instead of fixing their habits to gain financial freedom.
Discussing the importance of staying out of debt on "The Ramsey Show," he said average Americans work tirelessly only to hand over their money to credit card companies and car lenders through debt payments. Ramsey believes people could build fortunes by eliminating monthly payments and investing that money instead.
"This is ridiculous, people," he said. "Everybody else is getting rich and you’re helping them. You’re working and working and working and working and working like a rat in a wheel and you put yourself in the wheel."
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‘Been There, Done That'
Ramsey said people across the U.S. have come to rely on debt because they believe it is the only way to get ahead. He said he relates to the mindset of average Americans who justify making monthly debt payments because he has also done "stupid things" with money in the past.
"I’ve done so many stupid things with money I can’t even count them," Ramsey said. I have a PhD in DUMB. ‘What qualifies you to do this show, Dave? What degrees do you have?' I’ve got something, honey, that you don’t have. It’s called experience. Been there, done that."
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‘Aren't You Sick and Tired?'
Ramsey said he used to make poor financial decisions and call them smart, but those choices do not stand the test of time and eventually get exposed. He said people can only change their lives when they become truly sick and tired of their old habits. Ramsey urged people to see their income as their most powerful wealth-building tool and take control of their lives.
"You spent too much of your life giving it away to other people," he said. "Aren’t you sick and tired of being sick and tired? It’s time to do something about it. How much would you give if you weren’t in debt? How much could you invest if you weren’t getting debt? How fast would you build wealth if you weren’t in debt?"
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This article Dave Ramsey Says You're Working 'Like A Rat In A Wheel' Because Of Monthly Debt Payments While 'Everybody Else Is Getting Rich' originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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