A recent call to The Ramsey Show left hosts Dave Ramsey and Ken Coleman stunned after a father of 11 revealed that his family had fallen $50,000 into credit card debt, all because of sports and extracurricular activities.
Despite earning around $200,000 a year, the man said he feels financially trapped as his wife continues to enroll their kids in expensive programs.
The caller explained that five years ago, they were debt-free. But as their children got older, their spending skyrocketed.
“I make more money than I ever thought I would make, honestly,” he said. “And yet… we’ve amassed almost $50,000 of debt in maxed-out a credit card and pushed some expenses we haven’t paid, medical or whatnot.”
He said they spend around $25,000 a year, or more than $2,000 a month, on sports alone.
When Ramsey asked about income, the man said his take-home pay after taxes and deductions was about $120,000.
That means nearly a quarter of his net income is going toward kids’ sports and activities.
Ramsey’s reaction was immediate: “What you’re doing is not sustainable because your system sucks. You don’t have one.”
Ramsey Tears Into Their Lack of Financial Discipline
Ramsey told the caller the problem wasn’t his wife signing up the kids for sports, and it wasn’t her working part-time either. “No, the sports are not the problem. And no, her working is not the problem,” he said.
He added that the real issue was the couple’s unwillingness to acknowledge that they have to live within their means.
“We have a limited amount of resources and we are going to live within them and write it down,” Ramsey said.
“My wife and I decide if we can afford anything, and then it goes on the budget, and then and only then do we do it because we both looked at the overall picture like two grown-up people.”
The husband admitted that his wife wanted to sell one of their rental properties to pay off the $50,000 debt, but Ramsey immediately pushed back.
“What do we do when that money’s gone? Because you continue to overspend,” he said. “What you’re doing is not sustainable because your system sucks. You don’t have one.”
Ramsey said this couple’s situation is a perfect example of what happens when one spouse takes control of spending while the other stands by.
“You can’t be passive and say, ‘Well, she did this.’ No, she didn’t do it. You stood there and watched it,” he told the caller. “So, you did it too. And she can’t say, ‘Well, you make the money, and I’ll take care of the house.’ No… you’re spending more than we make, and that’s not sustainable.”
“You Sound Beat Down”
Ken Coleman jumped in to say the husband sounded emotionally worn down and resentful, describing his tone as one of quiet defeat.
“The voice sounds like you’re beat down and like you’re just throwing in the flag,” Coleman said.
He added that the resentment between the couple has to be resolved before they can successfully create a budget.
“There’s some real resentment there between you and her, and that’s got to get solved at the same time, if not before we sit down and get this budget.”
Coleman said most struggling couples on the show deal with the same pattern: one person overspends while the other grows resentful and emotionally distant.
The Real Issue Isn’t Sports — It’s Structure
Ramsey wrapped up the call by emphasizing that the couple’s real problem wasn’t money spent on sports, it was the lack of structure and accountability.
“The sports aren’t the problem — they’re the symptom,” he said. “Once you guys get organized and get aligned, you probably can afford to do the sports.”
He went on to remind the caller that having 11 kids requires serious financial teamwork and said the couple must handle their $200,000 income responsibly to cover their family’s expenses without relying on debt.
The takeaway? The problem wasn’t $2,000 a month on sports, it was a couple refusing to face their finances together.
Without a clear plan, Ramsey said, even a six-figure income will crumble under chaos.
IMAGE CREDIT: ”Dave Ramsey” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.