Unpopular Opinion: I don't like Dave Ramsey

[Beendare]

It’s not the schools job to teach that stuff. Schools are to teach kids 2 plus 2 equals 4. What the powerhouse of the cell is.

I disagree. I think its the schools job to help prepare the kid for life.Of course the primary responsibility is the parents.

...but how hard is it to show a kid the dangers of high CC interest......or budgeting....or what the power of compounding does to your savings over the decades?

 

[Hnthrdr]

Hope you got a good umbrella to block out the mess from the exploding heads with that truth bomb.

Haha no man, just eat beans and rice and let the fed devalue any savings and inflate all assets and eventually you will get a 100 million net worth like me brother! Don’t mind that we will import 100 million people for you to compete against so I’ll get my diapers changed for cheap in the nursing home oh leave my money to my kids, naw I’ll give to a foundation I don’t wanna spoil them lolz

-Probably Dave to some poor gen Z kid

 

[CorbLand]

I disagree. I think its the schools job to help prepare the kid for life.Of course the primary responsibility is the parents.

...but how hard is it to show a kid the dangers of high CC interest......or budgeting....or what the power of compounding does to your savings over the decades?

It’s not hard, like I said, my high school provided a class like that. I still don’t think it’s their job. I support it as an elective class but it should not be a requirement.

 

[svivian]

I disagree. I think its the schools job to help prepare the kid for life.Of course the primary responsibility is the parents.

...but how hard is it to show a kid the dangers of high CC interest......or budgeting....or what the power of compounding does to your savings over the decades?

Problem is kids see mom and or dad swipe their cards for everything. Even if schools were teaching it they are seeing opposite at home.

I grew up poor and I know that greatly influenced the way I managed money today. I realize that doesn't apply to all.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I see this said about kids coming out of schools not knowing financial stuff and personally, I think it’s one of the fundamental problems. It’s not the schools job to teach that stuff. Schools are to teach kids 2 plus 2 equals 4. What the powerhouse of the cell is. That the US is back to back world war champs. It’s my job as a parent to teach my kids the life skills.

I took a personal finance class in high school. It was helpful but most of what I have learnt was from conversations at the dinner table and talking with other people.

The advice I always give my brother in laws(they are horrible with money, just like their parents) is to look at the people living the life that you want and figure out how they are doing it. If how they are doing it meets what your willing to do, then follow in their footsteps.
Sometimes they are doing it via debt. Sometimes they have the cash. Sometimes it’s a combination of both.

Agree it’s the parents job! My girls already have brokerage accounts in their name and will be deciding where to invest by the time they are 7-8 years old.

My dad did that with me in the early 90’s haha funniest part is we used Monopoly money. If we had used real dollars that portfolio would be worth about 300k plus it was like a 5k initial investment, lots of McDonalds, coke, Home Depot picks by my younger self, John Deere & Cat cause I like tractors haha

 

[fwafwow]

My kids had to take a personal finance class in high school. But the teacher was a DR fan, and the book was one of Dave’s. I pointed out the faults of one of the recommendations in the book (IIRC something about buying *only* an international mutual fund - which no longer appears to be his advice) and offered to go to the class to discuss that and any other finance point. Crickets.

 

[Hnthrdr]

My kids had to take a personal finance class in high school. But the teacher was a DR fan, and the book was one of Dave’s. I pointed out the faults of one of the recommendations in the book (IIRC something about buying *only* an international mutual fund - which no longer appears to be his advice) and offered to go to the class to discuss that and any other finance point. Crickets.

There are definitely some immutable truths in finance…. BUT! Things move pretty quickly, especially in this day and age that reading a book that’s even a few years old might be giving bad dope.

 

[CorbLand]

My kids had to take a personal finance class in high school. But the teacher was a DR fan, and the book was one of Dave’s. I pointed out the faults of one of the recommendations in the book (IIRC something about buying *only* an international mutual fund - which no longer appears to be his advice) and offered to go to the class to discuss that and any other finance point. Crickets.

This is why I am not a fan of schools doing it. It’s open to too much opinion and not enough fact. Two plus two equals four is a fact. How to invest your money is an opinion.

Largely what would be taught in school is going to come down to what curriculum they can get the cheapest to fulfill the mandate. If DR is willing to provide the curriculum cheaper than Robert K, DR is what will be taught.

No thanks, I will take the responsibility of teaching my kids that. DR was what was taught in the class I took as well.

 

[Rich M]

School teaches math, accounting, economics. In other countries such as India, they also teach investing - how to determine better businesses based off the numbers.

Allowances were to teach money handling. Odd jobs and chores for others to make some more pocket money - again, to learn how to handle it, start saving, etc.

Anyone remember crown ministries? The biggest thing I learned from teaching that was if folks don't make enough money to cover expenses, then there is very little they can do to get ahead. You have to have fluff money to invest and build off of.

 

[HuntHarder]

As a society, we fail on properly teaching economics and investing. I see it every year when I onboard our new hires. I devote at least 1 day to teaching the new guys (who are often <27 years old) how to set themselves up for an early retirement. I am fortunate to work in a place where you start out at the bottom making 6 figures. When you start out that high as a 20 year old, a bunch of them spend, spend, spend. It's all about educating them on the basics of 401k, roth vs. traditional, good debt vs. bad debt, investing for your future. This is a fundamental failure of their parents in my opinion.

 

[roymunson]

I see this said about kids coming out of schools not knowing financial stuff and personally, I think it’s one of the fundamental problems. It’s not the schools job to teach that stuff. Schools are to teach kids 2 plus 2 equals 4. What the powerhouse of the cell is. That the US is back to back world war champs. It’s my job as a parent to teach my kids the life skills.

I took a personal finance class in high school. It was helpful but most of what I have learnt was from conversations at the dinner table and talking with other people.

The advice I always give my brother in laws(they are horrible with money, just like their parents) is to look at the people living the life that you want and figure out how they are doing it. If how they are doing it meets what your willing to do, then follow in their footsteps.
Sometimes they are doing it via debt. Sometimes they have the cash. Sometimes it’s a combination of both.

This.

BUT its just like pastors say at church. We're here to help magnify what you're doing at home raising your kids, not to replace you.
But parents are lazy and don't wanna do the hard things to teach their kids the valuable lessons they need to know.

Its how the family falls apart and the downward cycle begins. It's really not the kids fault. But Mom and Dad are too busy being selfish or dealing with their own sheet to help.

Dave helps those folks.

I'm blessed to have had a good grasp on it from solid parents.

 

[jayhawk]

Daggone. I’ve been missing out.
Who knew there was so much hate and millionaires on this forum

 

[Rich M]

Daggone. I’ve been missing out.
Who knew there was so much hate and millionaires on this forum

Not hate, diff ways of doing things.

$1 mil is not a big deal for many. Many folks will inherint that much and piss it away as the boomers die off. For others it is a magical number.

Invest and it wont be.

 

[Beendare]

Like I said, I think the parents are primarily responsible- thats a given.
I get it, everyone here is a model parent that shoots 1" groups at 500y- grin but what about kids that don't have a Mom and Dad that can teach them this stuff?

It sure seems like not many. So if there parents are out to lunch the kid is out of luck in the way of a financial education?

It's pretty obvious thats what's happening now. Even kids from good families going to college are choosing a Film degree with zero guidance as to that being a dead end low paying degree. My 2 kids come from upper middle class area and they all have a bunch of friends with loser degrees- 4 with film degrees that I can think of....and a Parks and Rec degree. Yes, the parents dropped the ball- one being my hunt buddy that is divorced and only saw his daughter 2x a month. The [loser] mom told her to "Follow her dream" ....now that film degree got her a barista job that will soon be a robot.

My kids had no choice but to get a legit degree- both now engineers, making good money- and they are both frugal, and semi savvy investors- [lucky it worked out- knock on wood]

The current schools put a huge priority on gender issues....but they can't teach kids the dangers of CC interest? Cmon....it takes a village. There is no reason schools can't help a little with finance so they can function as an adult.

My daughter is looking at other job positions and one position she is looking at the other candidate brought their mom to the job interview. Many Parents and Schools are dropping the ball- big time.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Daggone. I’ve been missing out.
Who knew there was so much hate and millionaires on this forum

0 hate for millionaires/billionaires/ wealthy people in general, I am friends with a lot of very well off people and hope to fall into that category someday when I grow up.

As far as my views on DR, I wouldn’t call it hate, but distaste for DR and a lot of his generation: who btw created the current financial mess that our country is in, they sold out our country in the name of cheap profits, pulled the ladder up behind them and act like they “boot strapped” their way to financial greatness with not acknowledging they were dealt a far better deck than what most are currently playing with. I think a little bit of acknowledgment to the current financial situation and those in his class with his influence could potentially use that to help educate and encourage politicians to potentially do things to help right the ship? I dunno, the bragging nature of I did this and I did that, sure man, totally different time totally different opportunities, many of which simply do no exist in the united states today as they did in the 80’s 90’s or even early 00’s

 

[displacedtexan]

Problem is kids see mom and or dad swipe their cards for everything. Even if schools were teaching it they are seeing opposite at home.

It's 2025... I know people who pay with cards for lots of stuff and don't even have a checking account, much less a credit card.

Even if it's credit, it doesn't mean they're paying interest, or even in debt.

 

[CorbLand]

Like I said, I think the parents are primarily responsible- thats a given.
I get it, everyone here is a model parent that shoots 1" groups at 500y- grin but what about kids that don't have a Mom and Dad that can teach them this stuff?

It sure seems like not many. So if there parents are out to lunch the kid is out of luck in the way of a financial education?

It's pretty obvious thats what's happening now. Even kids from good families going to college are choosing a Film degree with zero guidance as to that being a dead end low paying degree. My 2 kids come from upper middle class area and they all have a bunch of friends with loser degrees- 4 with film degrees that I can think of....and a Parks and Rec degree. Yes, the parents dropped the ball- one being my hunt buddy that is divorced and only saw his daughter 2x a month. The [loser] mom told her to "Follow her dream" ....now that film degree got her a barista job that will soon be a robot.

My kids had no choice but to get a legit degree- both now engineers, making good money- and they are both frugal, and semi savvy investors- [lucky it worked out- knock on wood]

The current schools put a huge priority on gender issues....but they can't teach kids the dangers of CC interest? Cmon....it takes a village. There is no reason schools can't help a little with finance so they can function as an adult.

My daughter is looking at other job positions and one position she is looking at the other candidate brought their mom to the job interview. Many Parents and Schools are dropping the ball- big time.

Schools are lacking because parents can’t be bothered to actually do anything. From not showing up to PTA or board meetings or anything. You get more parents in the stands to “support” their kid sitting the bench at the football game than can be bothered to actually do something that will truly affect their life.

We have outsourced parenting for the last 40 years and the effects of that are starting to show.

You want to talk about bullshit degrees? You ever looked at what it takes to be a teacher and the ROI on that?

I know there are a lot of people that disagree with me on my stance that it shouldn’t be taught in schools but it’s my stance. Schools should teach facts. Parents can teach opinions.

 

[IdahoElk]

I listen to Dave driving to work, His relationship advice is often crazy.

 

[svivian]

It's 2025... I know people who pay with cards for lots of stuff and don't even have a checking account, much less a credit card.

Even if it's credit, it doesn't mean they're paying interest, or even in debt.

You’ve missed the point I was making but that’s ok

 

[displacedtexan]

You’ve missed the point I was making but that’s ok

Your point is part of the problem...

But that's ok.