Financial Feminist 262. Everything Dave Ramsey Gets Wrong (and Right) About Personal Finance
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Nov 18, 2025 Explore the duality of Dave Ramsey’s financial advice! The discussion reveals what he gets right, like the importance of emergency funds and confronting debt, but also critiques his oversimplified approaches. Learn why a $1,000 starter fund is insufficient and how labeling all debt as bad can be misleading. The conversation touches on the harmful nature of shame-based budgeting and the outdated advice on childcare. Finally, discover a more adaptable financial game plan that combines the useful parts while avoiding the pitfalls.
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Simple Baby Steps, Lacking Nuance
- Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps are simple, sequential rules: starter emergency fund, debt payoff, full emergency fund, retirement investing, college saving, pay off home, build wealth.
- Tori praises clarity but warns one-size-fits-all sequencing lacks nuance and ignores systemic barriers.
Always Build A Starter Emergency Fund
- Always keep a cash buffer before aggressively paying debt to avoid new emergencies forcing more borrowing.
- Tori agrees with having a starter fund but argues it should be larger than Ramsey's $1,000.
Rigidity Sells But Hides Systemic Causes
- Ramsey's rigid rules sell well because they remove nuance and create clear accountability.
- Tori argues that ignoring systemic oppression makes those rules misleading and shaming.
