She earns $145,000 a year in tech. She just had a baby. And she’s covering every bill on her own while her boyfriend, a car salesman, hasn’t made a sale.
The situation came to light during a recent episode of “The Ramsey Show,” where Ashley from Ann Arbor, Michigan, laid it out plainly. “My boyfriend and I just had a baby,” she said. “He’s 11 weeks old right now. My boyfriend is a car salesman and has not been making sales. So I have been paying all of our bills.”
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$3,000 Rent, $3,000 Daycare And One Income
Her only debt is a car loan with about $15,000 left. The minimum payment is $350, but she’s been sending $700 a month to knock it out faster.
When co-host George Kamel heard the income, he pushed back gently. “Your income is great,” he said. After taxes, she’s likely bringing home around $8,000 to $9,000 a month. With $6,000 already spoken for between rent and daycare, the math is tight but not catastrophic. “That’s not like amazing, but it’s a good start, and it gets you to survive and thrive on your own,” he said.
But the conversation quickly shifted from numbers to trust.
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Ashley admitted she wouldn’t “necessarily trust” her boyfriend to stay home with the baby full-time when Kamel suggested that option. She also said they’ve been having a lot of relationship issues.
A Multimillion-Dollar House And A Tax Waiting Game
The housing situation adds another layer. Ashley’s dad is in poor health and currently hospitalized. If he sells the house now, there could be a large tax bill. If Ashley inherits it later, she would receive a step-up in basis and avoid that hit. That’s part of why she’s staying.
Still, Kamel questioned whether paying $3,000 indefinitely makes sense. He suggested bringing in roommates to split the rent. If she cut her portion in half or more, that could result in real breathing room.
Childcare was the other pressure point. Instead of a traditional daycare charging $3,000, Kamel suggested looking for alternatives such as a retired grandmother-type caregiver or a shared nanny arrangement. “What if you paid $1,500?” he asked. Even shaving $1,000 to $1,500 off that monthly bill could dramatically change her cash flow.
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The bigger theme was control. She can’t force her boyfriend to sell cars. But she can reduce expenses, adjust her living situation and build a strict zero-based budget.
For high earners juggling complicated decisions like this, it may also help to talk through the bigger picture with a professional. WiserAdvisor’s free tool matches you with a vetted financial advisor that meets your needs, with no obligation to hire.
Kamel framed it as a season of life. “Use every dollar,” he told her, and map out what the next six to 12 months look like. The income alone isn’t the crisis. The uncertainty is.
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