Simple Habits Create Lasting Peace

SPEAKER_1 (0:02)

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Rachel Cruze (0:13)

Normal is broke and common sense is weird. So we're here to help you transform your life. From the Ramsey Network and the FAIRWINDS Credit Union Studio, this is The Ramsey Show. And I'm Rachel Cruze, hosting this hour with Jade Warshaw. And we are taking your questions. So give us a call at 888-825-5225.

We'll talk about your life and your money. All right, first up, we have Willow in Springfield, Massachusetts. Hey, Willow, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_3 (0:41)

Hi, thanks for hearing me out today.

Rachel Cruze (0:44)

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_3 (0:45)

Willow, first time caller.

So my question is about changing habits.

I'm kind of an impulsive spender. I like to eat out. And I noticed, so a couple of years ago, I really got intense and I had a second job. I worked like 70 hours a week. I paid probably like 25K off in debt. Nice. And yeah, it was nice. And then, a couple of years later, I realized I'm pretty much right back where I was. And what really got me to think that is someone from the show did, now we have SmartDollar through my work and someone through your show did a little webinar and that made me realize, wow, I got so intentional or I got so intense, but not intentional. So, when you really want to get down to it, how do you change those bad habits? Even if you know you can work hard, you can get all those hours that you want to get.

Jade Warshaw (1:52)

I mean, Willow, I would boil it down to, why are you doing this to begin with? Because if you don't have a good reason why, yeah, you probably won't stick to it. Or, and I just was talking about this on social media, I just don't think that if you don't have the personal buy-in, like your own specific reason for doing the plan, you won't do it. It's very easy to hear Rachel or George or myself or Dave say information to you and logically, you kind of know like, yeah, that makes sense.

That sounds right. But it's kind of like, if you don't have that personal buy-in, that personal reason for it to be right for you, something that you must do that is really that urgency inside of you, you won't do it. It's kind of like when you go to the doctor and they tell you you need to start eating healthy. And you're like, yeah, I got it. And then next thing you know, you go through the drive-through and get McDonald's, right? There's no personal buy-in. You haven't felt that pain or you haven't made that association with why it's necessary for you to make those changes. And that's probably what's missing for you. I mean, if I were to ask you why, you tell me why. Why is this a necessity for you?

SPEAKER_3 (2:56)

I'm just so tired of living paycheck to paycheck. I'm just so tired of renting a room with a bunch of other people. You know, I would love a house someday.

Jade Warshaw (3:08)

What will happen if you don't get your life together? Where do you see yourself in 10 years if you don't do this?

SPEAKER_3 (3:13)

Oh, if I am right now, you know?

SPEAKER_4 (3:16)

I'm just stuck.

Rachel Cruze (3:19)

And your main reason for being stuck in your head is overspending? Is that what you would blame it on? That's kind of how you open the call, so I'm just curious.

SPEAKER_3 (3:27)

I really think so, because I make okay money. I'm on a projection to make better money throughout my life. But it's just like, even if I start making more money, I'll just want to spend more of it.

Rachel Cruze (3:43)

Yeah. And so it's interesting because spending money, and I would say saving money as well, there's a motivation and a reason we do both. And in the extremes on both ends, they're unhealthy, right? So you have a saver on one end and all they do is save. And they live their life or they end up hoarding, not enjoying their life. And their money ends up controlling them in a negative way because they have no freedom from it. Because it's become this thing that is deeply ingrained of security or whatever it is for them of why they do that on this side. And on the other side, Willow, which I can relate to, because I'm more of a spender, so I'd be probably more in your camp, of what does spending give me? Like what is it that it gives me? Is it the initial purchase and buying? Because we know through research and studies that it does. It kind of gives you a hit. It gives you something, right? And so my question to you would be, what is that deep motivation when you are spending? Is it out of any level of achievement, accomplishment, you feel value when you buy something? Is it because you're bored, you don't feel like your life's good enough, and if you buy this next thing, it's gonna do good for you? Is it laziness, I don't wanna cook, so I'm gonna go out, what would be the name?