Dear Dave,

What can someone do if they can’t convince their spouse to begin planning and saving? I’ve tried for years to persuade my wife to join me in following your plan, but I can’t get her to start thinking about our financial future and stop living in the moment.

- Donald



Dear Donald,

It sounds like your wife, for whatever reason, is not willing to pay a price for a short period of time. I’m sorry to say it, but that kind of thinking is a one-way ticket to a lifetime of mediocrity. If you're unwilling to pay a price to win, then you're going to end up paying the price that comes with never having paid a price.
In essence, you’re asking me how to get her to grow up. I’m not sure there’s a way to convince her at this point. If she’s not willing to delay getting or doing things she wants, that’s a sign of immaturity. You can’t change that within another person. It must be a conscious, willing decision on their part.
Maybe you could try letting her know that being careful with your money and planning for the future doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun. It just means you may have to delay certain things for a little while. My wife and I do and have lots of cool things now, because we saved like crazy and sacrificed years ago. We lived like no one else, so now we’re able to live like no one else. In other words, we paid a price to win!

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The DaveRamsey Show is heard by more than 14 million listeners each week on 585 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.