'You're Not Broke Because You Don't Make Enough,' Says Dave Ramsey. It's Giving 'Your Income To Everyone Else' That Keeps You Struggling

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'You're Not Broke Because You Don't Make Enough,' Says Dave Ramsey. It's Giving 'Your Income To Everyone Else' That Keeps You Struggling

Adrian Volenik

Fri, February 6, 2026 at 9:02 PM EST

3 min read

Personal finance expert Dave Ramsey has a straightforward message for anyone feeling stuck financially: your income isn’t the problem.

“You’re not broke because you don’t make enough,” he said in a post on X last year. “You’re broke because you give your income to everyone else,” he wrote.

Why So Many Stay Stuck

Ramsey pointed to credit cards, car payments, and student loans as the main culprits. “Every payment is money that you could be using to build wealth for yourself instead of making everyone else rich,” he said. In a video attached to the post, Ramsey doubled down, calling these habits “stupid on steroids.”

You're not broke because you don't make enough.You're broke because you give your income to everyone else.Credit cards, car payments, student loans… every payment is money that you could be using to build wealth for yourself instead of making everyone else rich.Here's how… pic.twitter.com/KvfVZ6e36u

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“Credit cards, stupid. Student loans, stupid. Car payments, stupid on steroids,” he said. “Borrowing money on your house to put granite countertops in—somebody ought to smack you. That’s stupid.”

His larger point is that Americans are giving away their future to debt payments, often for things they don't need. “When you give your income to someone else, you don’t have it anymore,” he said. “And when you give your income away, you have given up your economic future all for crap.”

A Way Out Of The Paycheck-To-Paycheck Cycle

Ramsey said the path forward starts with creating a zero-based budget where every dollar has a job. From there, he recommends aggressively tackling debt using the snowball method, starting with the smallest balances first. And finally, he urges people to stop relying on financing altogether and to pay cash for what they buy.

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“Your income is your #1 wealth-building tool,” Ramsey wrote. “If you keep it, budget it, and invest it, you can break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle and finally get ahead.”

He also took aim at the culture of financial denial. “We’re fat and we’re broke because we have no ability to do critical thought,” he said. “Think, think, think. Seriously.”

Get Help If You Need It

If you’re struggling to make these changes on your own, WiserAdvisor offers a free tool that can match you with a vetted financial advisor who meets your specific needs. There's no obligation to hire anyone, and it's designed for households earning $100,000 or more.

Story Continues

Ramsey's message is loud and clear: keeping your income, not giving it away, is the key to building real wealth.

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This article 'You're Not Broke Because You Don't Make Enough,' Says Dave Ramsey. It's Giving 'Your Income To Everyone Else' That Keeps You Struggling originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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