“I’m embarrassed—We hid $10,000 in our closet for 3 years”

Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich talks to Christina, 37, and Noah, 35. They’re married with one young son and another on the way. They earn a very high income, but their decisions are clouded by stress over money and over the future. Noah plays dream crusher while Christina spins them down a rabbit hole of negative outcomes.

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[ramitsethi]

Please remember: These are real people who had the courage to come on my podcast and ask for help. Would you be willing to come on this podcast and share every detail of your financial life? Feel free to leave comments based on what you think, but remember that we are here to help in a supportive way, not to demean and criticize.

[ramitsethi]

My team and I see all of your comments about the intro! We're listening and we appreciate the feedback. Here are a few things we've changed in the last few months:
- CSP graphics
- Audio quality
- In-person vs. Zoom
- Followups are on video
- Filming the CSP and other BTS material
- CSP analyses on our Saturday emails

We're always working to improve the pod to make it as useful as possible. Sometimes we don't get it right. Other times, we're going to make a change that you disagree with. As always, thank you for watching.

[vuquusn]

Besides the complete annoyance to listen someone cry over being so poor with $300k a year and $800, 000 saved, it’d at least a good reminder that comparison is the theft of joy. Being self confident is beyond valuable

[ramitsethi]

LAST NIGHT I RECEIVED THIS UPDATE FROM CHRISTINA AND NOAH:

“Since meeting with Ramit we’ve been very busy getting our environment ready for baby—as we’re now in the 9th month and baby could come anytime!

We’ve spent less time focused on our spreadsheet and focused more on using our finances to work for us.

We enjoyed our week long vacation and spent money without worrying that we’d have enough for retirement. We ate out freely, bought gifts and souvenirs without overthinking “do we really need this?” and generally didn’t budget day to day as we knew we had financially planned for the vacation.

To make our lives easier and more convenient, we’ve been in touch with cleaners and expect to have our first professional cleaning this week! We’ve also engaged more frequent babysitters for a few hours weekly to help us in the chaos of preparing our lives for the baby.

We have been focused on our marriage and have been going to weekly couples therapy too, something we prioritized in the past but weren’t making the space for when we met you.

While this added expense of $1000+ monthly formerly would seem like a major dent in our finances, we know this temporary use of funds is good for our marriage and therefore, a great use of money.

Thanks again for your help Ramit.

We will carry the lessons you brought to our attention with us throughout this year, and I’m sure beyond. Thanks for encouraging us to dream more and focus on building a rich life together, right now.”

THANKS FOR THE UPDATE, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. WE WISH YOU BOTH THE BEST!

[lathaniabutler]

Please producers: don’t over refine the show; it’s making it worse. The intro feels like tv but this is YouTube. The more you refine; the less your core audience will watch.

[ivanpadilla]

I have to agree with other commenters. The intro felt like a TV show, not the vibe for an intimate candid conversation. In my opinion of course.

[aleahuggins]

This couple was confusing, and I agree that it was difficult to connect with them.

Christina dominated most of the conversation. Noah barely talked. But maybe they were nervous, which is understandable. I know I certainly would be.

I felt this couple came on the show to be praised for their amazing financial position, especially at their age. And I'm not a "hater" that has an issue with the wealthier couples. However, something about them was strangely off-putting and unlikable.

Christina cries about her spending worries one second and then her eyes literally lit up when they opened the CSP to show their massive net worth, ZERO debt, and $300K income. She says she's scared they won't have enough money for the future and stresses about $70 dinners but also speaks of purchasing Gucci bags, enrolling her kids in expensive daycare, and pressed her husband on buying a $1M house as if she was asking him to donate a life saving organ.

I think there is always something to learn from the wealthier couples who come on the podcast. However, Christina and Noah came across to me as inauthentic and superficial. Christina's comment about "keeping up with the Joneses" in the update really says it all.

Are Christina and Noah trying to live THEIR rich life or just simply trying to emulate what their rich friends/peers do and have? This is the question I'm left with after this episode.

Regardless, I wish them the best and hope they learn gratitude for everything they have or they will never be happy.

Ramit, I love your work and appreciated your candor as always!

[shola]

Homegirl needs some down to earth friends. Some diversity in her life to see how people enjoy life with various levels of income.

[VictoriaVictorova]

One more hardcore fan here, pleading with you to not use these kinds of intros. I know you'd probably think "They'll get used to it, there's always backlash with changes", but it really is fixing something that wasn't broken.

[Lordtrainman]

What was with the desperate housewives intro! Please never do that again! We come for the knowledge transfer, not the drama.

[zurijones]

Glad I’m not the only one bothered by this episode. 800k net worth, $300k income, private preschool, $10k in cash sitting on a shelf for a few years but I want a Gucci purse so let’s go cry on a show about money. What in the alternate universe did I just watch?

[dillin]

It seems that you get a less polished version of people via zoom and that people are more aware they’re on a show and more guarded in person. I prefer the zoom conversations and the more authentic responses.

[magicllama]

It's hard to see people making $300k with ZERO debt worry about how they're not making enough money. I can see the genuine pain with her, and it's crazy to always get slapped back to reality how personal and individual financial situations are. Perspectives are crazy. I hope this couple can find a great place in the middle. Ramit, I really REALLY liked your point where you told her she has, "...a dramatic mis-calibration of what a lot of money means, " and how it will make her feel bad about money all the time. This woman is incredibly anxious.

[teragram]

ok, after watching the full episode I just don't get what the issue was here. No debt, almost a million in net worth, mid 30s, growing family. They seem to be hitting all the milestones that you're "supposed" to. I don't get why they applied. There were a lot of words, but hardly anything substantial was said. I feel like the wife mostly just wanted a reassuring pep talk from Ramit. As a fellow mid-30s millennial -- I found this episode incredibly annoying.

[nuriko]

It's a huge concern when one of them says "I" in all of their answers, while the other person remains quiet. Where is the "we"?

[nomaam]

Something about this couple is rubbing me the wrong way. I can understand worrying about the future but she is stressing ME out. They are in such a privileged position that most folks will never reach and she isn’t seeing that. Not to mention her doing an excessive amount of talking and comparing everything they have to her peers. Idk maybe it’s me but I’m annoyed with her ideology. Also, she isn’t the driver she thinks she is.

Annnndddd…I agree with the majority here. NO to this intro!! Please go back to the Zoom setting. I’m still a fan of the show.

[Friendlyfish-pg]

I want to call out that I think Ramit models male feminism really well. I so, SO love that you can see him get personally upset by sexism and by the idea of it getting perpetuated to future generations. Also, the way he always speaks about his wife as an absolutely respected and equal partner despite him (literally) being the financial expert in the relationship. It feels really good to see someone with a big platform and influence openly care about gender equality and respect.

[PSmith-iejx]

This lady constantly contradicts herself and stresses about both sides of every coin. She's exhausting to listen to and I can't watch in one sitting. The dramatics sound like they are starving on $25k a year, not like their 300k salary!! PS, like others, I like the more intimate old video style.

[jenniferhao]

Hey Ramit, I would love to see you interview couples that make 150k and under if possible. 🙏🏻 Thank you.

[Mo_rena-chpu]

Not gonna lie…it was a bit overwhelming to see someone with so much financial privilege yet be stuck on worrying about not having enough and spending. 😶