Dave Ramsey, finance expert, helps homeless woman overwhelmed by heartbreak and debt spiral

A popular finance guru demonstrated kindness towards a homeless woman by offering to connect her with a financial coach after she revealed her struggles with debt.

During an episode of The Ramsey Show, the woman, known as Marie, reached out for advice on how to improve her financial situation. Dave Ramsey, the host of the nationally syndicated finance-focused radio program, listened to her story and offered guidance to help her get back on track.

Marie shared with Ramsey that despite working as a licensed occupational therapist and earning a decent annual income of $87,000, she had faced multiple challenges that led her to accumulate debt and end up living in hotels, desperately trying to rebuild her financial stability.

‘I’m currently living in hotels. I can’t seem to find an apartment,’ she shared with Ramsey.

Marie explained how despite her steady income, a poor credit score has limited her housing options later explaining how she moved across states for love and for a relationship that ultimately fell apart.

 It left her with no immediate housing and only the option of short term stays at hotels costing $2,200 a month.

Marie explained how her financial challenges extend beyond housing. 

‘I have my car payment, about $340 a month, and my student loan debt, which is $1,000 a month,’ she explained. 

Despite her income, Marie’s spending habits have only added to her struggles. 

‘You paid a $300 payment. You make $87,000 and you pay to a hotel bill. That’s all you’ve done,’ Ramsey said. ‘Where’s all your money going, kiddo?’

Marie’s response was blunt, but honest. ‘Eating out… I only have a microwave here, so I can’t really cook,’ she admitted.

But financial expert Ramsey appears to have seen it all as he spoke to Marie with empathy noting how despite her predicament, the numbers told a deeper story. 

‘You’re a highly educated, very intelligent lady whose heart got crushed,’ he told her. 

‘The numbers aren’t telling me anything else because you’re too smart to be in this situation if you were functioning at a normal level. And right now, you’re functioning with a broken heart.

‘You’re not a bad person. You’re not a weak person. You’ve just been stomped on and you’re hurting. And it causes your math to get screwed up. And you’ve been in a spiral, in an emotional sense, and everything’s out of control.’

There was silence on the line as Marie broke down in tears. Ramsey’s financial diagnosis appeared to have hit the nail on the head.  

‘You’ve got plenty of money to go rent an apartment. Lots of places will rent somebody with bad credit in an apartment. You just put up a good deposit,’ Ramsey explained.

Ramsey offered Marie a glimmer of hope and pledged to connect her with a Ramsey-trained financial coach, free of charge, to help her rebuild her finances and regain stability. 

‘We’re going to get you back to sustainability. You’re hurting and you need somebody to put their arms around you. And we’re the people that are going to do it. And then I’m also going to have that person recommend to you to get plugged into a good local church.

‘You need some human beings in your life because you’re wandering out there completely alone,’ Ramsey said. 

Viewers commenting had sympathy for Marie’s situation. 

‘I heard $87,000 and instantly knew it was an emotional problem,’ wrote one.

‘Emotional spending is a real thing.’ said another.

‘Something is not adding up with her spending though,’ stated a third. 

‘Aw I can hear the pain in her voice,’ wrote a fourth.