Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich talks to Nicole and Shane, an engaged couple in their forties getting married in just 11 days. Together they earn $241,000 a year, have a net worth of $588,000, and hold $265,000 in savings, but their financial lives are still tangled. Nicole has built a rich life around travel, dining out, and intentional spending, while Shane is a natural saver whose job has covered most of his living expenses. As they prepare for marriage, a future child, and a major shift in Nicole’s income, Ramit helps them confront the messy reality of combining money, separating business and personal finances, investing more aggressively, and turning vague dreams into a real shared Rich Life. In this episode we uncover: • Why Nicole’s $10,000-a-month spending shocked Shane early in their relationship • How Nicole built a “Rich Life” for one through travel, dining out, and dedicated savings • Shane’s unusual work setup where housing, food, and utilities have been covered • The tension of combining finances just 11 days before their wedding • Why Nicole feels judged for her lifestyle, even though her numbers are strong • Their combined income of $241,000 a year and net worth of $588,000 • Why Shane has a higher net worth despite Nicole earning slightly more • Nicole’s concern that her income could drop by half after having a child • How Nicole’s business and personal finances became dangerously tangled • Their surprisingly low fixed costs and unusually high savings rate • Why having $265,000 sitting in savings may actually be holding them back • Shane’s habit of trying to time the market when investing • Why their projected $1.7 million retirement portfolio may not be enough for the life they want • Ramit’s advice on turning their messy numbers into a shared financial vision before marriage ⏩ CHAPTERS 💡 RAMIT’S PODCAST NEWSLETTER • I share new ways to think about money every Saturday. Get the emails here: https://iwt.com/podcastnewsletter 🙌 GET HELP FROM RAMIT SETHI • Order my new book: Money for Couples: https://iwt.com/moneyforcouples • Take control of your money with the Conscious Spending Plan: https://iwt.com/csp • Optimize your credit cards with the 1st chapter of my book: https://iwt.com/chapter1-pod • Join my Money Coaching program for monthly help: https://iwt.com/moneycoaching • Listen to my book — now on Audible: https://amzn.to/48zko28 🤳 CONNECT WITH RAMIT SETHI • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramit/ • X: https://twitter.com/ramit ✅ SUBSCRIBE SO YOU DON’T MISS ANY EPISODES https://youtube.com/user/ramitsethi/featured/ THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Netsuite | Get the free guide “Demystifying AI” at https://netsuite.com/ramit LMNT | Get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order at https://drinklmnt.com/RAMIT Factor | Head to https://factormeals.com/ramit50off and use code ramit50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only, while supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). DeleteMe | Get 20% off all consumer plans when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/ramit and use promo code RAMIT at checkout Get 25% off my programs until Friday May 15th at iwt.com/programs with code RESET26. Apply to be on my podcast at https://iwt.com/apply

"We make $167k. Why do we feel poor?"

“We’re sacrificing our retirement to pay for our kids’ college”

"I resent carrying our finances. Can we fix this?"

“He lost his $150k job, but I make every decision. Can we fix this?”

"I want to retire, but my wife is too scared"

"We Make $150K… So why are we broke?"