Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich talks to Ado (33) and Gabby (32), who are exhausted by a cycle they can’t seem to escape: getting into credit card debt, paying it off, and then ending up right back where they started. Now, with $44,000 in credit card balances, student loans on both sides, and an $1,800 monthly daycare bill, they feel one setback away from losing everything. Ado’s avoidant, live-in-the-moment approach clashes with Gabby’s desire for structure and long-term security. Both come from financially chaotic childhoods, and those old patterns are replaying in their marriage. They dream of moving to Europe and building stability for their young daughter — but can they break the cycle that’s defined their entire relationship? This episode asks: What will it take for them to finally stop the spiral and create a plan that lasts? In this episode we uncover: * Why Ado and Gabby keep finding themselves back in credit card debt * How their “dance” of overspending, working extra, and then trying to catch up has cost them thousands * The emotional toll on Gabby as she tries to break a cycle that feels unsustainable * Why Ramit pushes them to examine their spending through the lens of their daughter watching and learning their habits * Taking apart their monthly budget line by line * The $170 date nights, lattes, Costco trips, and Target runs that add up * Gabby’s realization that overspending isn’t just about Ado * Ado’s upbringing as a Bosnian refugee, and how frugality, scarcity, and parental sacrifice shaped his desire to enjoy life * How childhood experiences continue to shape Gabby’s budgeting, anxiety, and need for security today * How both partners absorb social norms around spending and treat exhaustion as a justification for impulse purchases * The truth about using their savings account as a checking account * The staggering $3,075/month they spend on debt payments * Their dream of moving to Europe being pushed back year after year * The emotional rupture of realizing one missed paycheck could destabilize everything they’ve built ⏩ CHAPTERS (00:00:00) “We never tell ourselves no” (00:17:24) “It’s not just about paying off debt” (00:33:21) Ramit breaks down their numbers (00:48:21) “I feel like it gives me comfort” (01:02:26) “Money was a weapon” (01:12:53) “Denial lasts a week, vision lasts a lifetime” (01:32:00) “Nobody making this much should have credit card debt” (01:36:45) Where are they now? Ado and Gabby’s follow-ups 💡 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 * Join my event “Becoming Time Rich” on December 18th at 8pm ET. Register at https://iwt.com/timerich 🤳 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 Aura Frames | Use promo code RAMIT to get $35 off the best-selling Carver Mat frames at https://auraframes.com Masterclass | Get up to 50% off Masterclass during the holiday season at https://masterclass.com/ramit Facet | Facet is waiving their $250 enrollment fee for new annual members, and for my audience, Facet is offering $300 into your brokerage account if you invest and maintain $5,000 within your first 90 days. Head to https://facet.com/ramit to learn more about which membership option is best for you. Offer expires December 31, 2025 Fabric by Gerber Life | Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/ramit Wildgrain | Get $30 off the first box — PLUS free Croissants in every box — at https://wildgrain.com/ramit If you and your partner have a money issue and you want my help, I occasionally select a couple to work with, free of charge. Apply for my help here: https://iwt.com/apply