232. “My husband gives me an allowance. I feel like a child.”
Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi
Negotiating Personal Spending: $300 Each Trial
Ramit mediates a compromise: Ellen asks for more; they test $300 monthly for Ellen and $150 for Edward as no-questions funds.
Edward (38) and Ellen (30) live in Hawaii with their young daughter and a new baby on the way. With a net worth of over $2 million, their finances look strong on paper, but behind the scenes, their marriage is strained by control, fear, and trust issues around money.
Edward manages every dollar, while Ellen has to ask for “permission” to spend, even on basic everyday items. He believes tight control protects their future, making her feel more like a child than a partner. As Edward grapples with his deep fear of losing everything, Ellen wants to step into her own financial power. Can they learn to trust each other and build a partnership where both voices are heard, or will control and fear continue to drive their financial decisions?
In this episode we uncover:
• Why Ellen calls their financial dynamic “like asking my dad for permission”
• How Edward’s fear of poverty leads to hyper-control over their money
• Why Edward compares their finances to the top 1%
• Ellen’s $8,000 home birth decision
• How Ellen avoids learning their finances to sidestep arguments
• The emotional legacy of Edward’s childhood poverty and Ellen’s early financial security
• Their definition of a “traditional marriage”
• Why they fight about $20 face cream despite earning $28K/month
• The weight of Edward’s “provider” identity
• Their Hawaii “dream home” vs. the financial pressure it created
• Their shared craving for safety and control
• Ellen’s realization that she’s been playing financial defense instead of building real skills
• Edward’s hope to teach their daughter financial independence
Chapters:
(00:00:00) “It feels like I’m asking for permission”
(00:16:10) “I’m in charge of the budget”
(00:23:09) “I had just come into a million dollars”
(00:34:29) Ramit breaks down their numbers
(00:51:41) “I don’t think he trusts me at all”
(00:56:49) “I will never be poor again”
(01:07:01) “When do we get to live like we’re wealthy?”
(01:17:38) “I shrink myself to please him”
(01:39:10) Where are they now? Ellen and Edward’s follow-ups
This episode is brought to you by:
Shopify | Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/ramit
Factor | Get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box at https://factormeals.com/ramit50OFF with code RAMIT50OFF
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
ZocDoc | Download the ZocDoc app for FREE at https://zocdoc.com/ramit then find and book a top-rated doctor today #sponsored
Leesa | Go to https://leesa.com for 20% off sitewide PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code RAMIT, exclusive for my listeners
Links mentioned in this episode
• If you want help with your finances, join my Money Coaching program at https://iwt.com/moneycoaching
Connect with Ramit
• Get my new book, Money For Couples
• Get Money Coaching with Ramit
• Download the Conscious Spending Plan
• Listen to my book—now on Audible
• Get my New York Times best-selling book
• YouTube
If you make good money but you haven’t taken a real vacation in years, I want to talk to you. I'm casting couples for a special episode of the podcast. Apply this week only at iwt.com/apply.
The AI-powered Podcast Player
