Episode Transcript
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Host (00:00):
So blessed and lucky to be
bringing to you Rachel Cruze.
(00:35):
She is a great communicator.Rachel's in the media, and she's
just quickly becoming acelebrity and a superstar that's
making a big difference in theworld. Rachel, welcome to the
show. Thank you for being here.
Rachel Cruze (00:46):
Oh, thank you so
much for having me. I've been so
excited about this. Thank you.
Host (00:50):
So tell us. I mean, just,
what is it like growing up,
Ramsey, like, what is it likegrowing up in a house with Dave,
and what are some of the thingsthat are really different about
you from him, in terms of theway that you grew up, and just
kind of talk to us a little bitabout that.
Rachel Cruze (01:03):
Sure. Well, yeah,
everyone's always curious about
growing up in Dave Ramsey'shouse for sure. And I think some
people have the misconceptionthat we had, like mutual fund
parties and budget retreats onthe weekends and that kind of
thing. And thank goodness thatwas not the case. Mom and Dad
were obviously intentional withteaching us about money. But it
(01:24):
was, it was sort of cool styleparenting in the sense that they
just saw teachable moments, youknow, throughout the day,
throughout the week, so theywould talk to us about money.
And I think some people, youknow, think that we were like
little money robots orsomething, and we were all
obsessed with money, and thatwas not the case. And really the
great thing mom and dad did thathelped us now as Ramsey kids,
there's three of us in thefamily, so now we can kind of
(01:46):
stand on this solid financialground and win, and thankfully
win not because we're DaveRamsey's kid, but because we are
top these principals. So now weget to apply that to our own
lives.
Host (01:56):
So the book Smart Money,
Smart Kids. Why is it that more
parents don't teach their kidsabout money in the first place?
Rachel Cruze (02:03):
Yeah, I really
don't think parents are I think
Host (02:03):
So if I'm a parent, I'm
listening to the show. What are
money is a very shameful topic.I think it's a very intimidating
topic. And so some parents lookback on their own mistakes and
some jobs that parents can dowith their kids at all the
they think, you know, there's noway I can teach my kids about
money. We handle money horribly.You know, parents though, so we
don't have the right we don'thave the knowledge to teach our
kids. So I think there's some ofthat. And honestly, I think
(02:25):
there is a portion of America,and a large portion that is
stressed out about money, youknow, in their own sense. So
they're living paycheck topaycheck, they have debt,
they've like they're not able toinvest for retirement, you know,
all these stresses. So theydon't even think about it. I
don't think they don't have thetime to sit down and talk to
their kids. And so I think it'skind of a mixture of all of
that, but I am finding kind ofthis lack of knowledge, if you
(02:47):
will, on this subject, and soit's not taught in schools. And
sadly, a lot of parents aren'ttalking to their kids about it.
And if you know mom and dad'sstory at all, they actually
filed for bankruptcy when I wassix months old. And so and they
can bounce back and teach us toavoid those mistakes. Any parent
different ages, right? You know,like, at what point can they
can do that. And so with thisbook, you know, I really, I look
at dad's message as kind of theemergency surgeon, and I'm the
(03:11):
preventative medicine. You know,your kids are your do over.
They're your clean slate, and sodon't feel like your mistakes
have to haunt you into yourparenting by any means.
start helping around the house?And what are some things as
parents that we can do to putour kids to work early, to sort
(03:34):
of teach them about money andcreate these teachable moments,
as you call them?
Rachel Cruze (03:38):
Yes, well, giving
them the value of work is
tremendous. I mean, a job welldone, feeling like you completed
something, you've accomplishedsomething, there's dignity
attached to that. I think someparents are fearful that they
don't want their kid to feel thehard shifts in times of life,
and they don't want them to haveto make hard choices at their
time and all of that. But doingthose things and making your
kids work, it really is a guess,and you can start that we pay as
(04:01):
early as four years old. I mean,a four year old can pick up a
few toys and, quote, unquote,clean their room. But we all
know four year old does it cleanthe entire room up to four and
so they pick up seven or eightboys and and I say at that young
pay them instantly. So if you'refinancially able, whatever it
is, you know, a quarter or $1bill, whatever it is, pay them
(04:22):
instantly and show them thatmoney come from work. Making
that connection for them earlyis so key. So it's a four year
old. So you're not, you know,setting up a boot camp for small
children a bit those four yearold can maybe have two or three
responsibilities. You have madematching socks in the laundry,
or helping feed the dog, or justlittle things they can do. And
again, you know, maybe 2, 3, 4,things and pay for, and as they
(04:46):
get older, their responsibilityshould increase. And so, you
know, doing things like cleaningtheir room, their entire room,
making their bed, helping withthe kitchen, helping with the
laundry, taking out the garbage.I mean, there are plenty of
things kids can do around thehouse. And again. I would
encourage parents to pay yourkids on those chores. And there
will be some chores your kidswill do because they're part of
the family. And so for us,growing up, of room to kid, the
(05:08):
kitchen was always a place. Wenever got paid. We always were
expected to set the table, tohelp clean up, to help mom do
the dishes. The older we got,because that was just, you know,
to show my mom that we love herand we appreciate her. So there
is some act that you're going todo around the house just because
you're part of the family.You're not just trying to raid
good kids. You're trying to raidgood adults. And so that's what
you're doing, is you're givingyour kids a tool set. So when
(05:31):
they leave the home at 18,whether they're going to college
or just out to the real world,they know how to handle
themselves. They know how totake care of themselves.
Host (05:38):
So there's this concept,
which I just think is hilarious.
Can you explain what the 401Dave plan is and and why that's
important, and how that worked?
Rachel Cruze (05:50):
Yes. Well,
growing up, mom and dad always
told us that they were not goingto pay for our cars we turned
16, that we had to pay for them,but what they were going to do
is actually match the amount ofmoney we saved. And so Dad
coined the phrase 401 Dave.That's what he called it, the
401, Dave. So the matching plan,if you will. And so, yeah, this
(06:12):
was great. I mean, it made us,you know, depending on that How
nice of a car we wanted,depending upon how hard we
wanted to work and how much wewanted to save. And so going
through that process wasincredible. And writing that
check at 16 years old, Iactually say that $8,000 so,
yeah, I had, I got $16,000 topay for my first car. Well, I
always tell parents, you know,maybe it's not the amount,
(06:32):
necessarily, or even the match.I mean, if you're not
financially able to match yourkids, then, then that's fine.
But just the process of savingup and paying for something.
It's just tremendous. I mean,this is such a culture, such a
generation of instantgratification, that we cannot
anything we want when we wantit, and so making your kids stop
delay that gratification, havethe patience to say, to reach a
(06:55):
goal, to have something out, youknow, in the future that you're
that you're working towards. Imean, it's incredible. The
saving money, I don't think, isjust to put money away in a bank
account and just watch it grow.I mean, you're teaching your
kids a lot of life principlesthrough this process of saving
money.
Host (07:10):
Another thing you talk in
this book about the power of
giving and how and when and why,you can teach your kids to give.
So can you just give us someideas on how and why and when we
should be teaching our kids togive?
Rachel Cruze (07:24):
Sure, well, I
suggest parents, you know, once
they do their chores and theyget paid some money, yes, to
teach them, the very first thingthey need to do is give. And
this can be giving to, you know,maybe a church or a non profit
or a charity organization or thehomeless shelter, find something
that maybe you're you're childpassionate about, and see if
there's an opportunity to matchtheir passion with a giving
(07:46):
opportunity. We don't have abunch of selfish world. And so I
think you know, when you give,you're saying no to yourself,
and I think that's an importantquality to have. Sometimes. I
think giving is the antidote toselfishness and selfishness, I
think, in arrogance andentitlement, it's all kind of
wrapped in together, almost. Sothis idea that it's mine, you
(08:06):
have a close fit, and I deservethis, you know? And it's all
these kind of emotions. Andpeople who win this money are
givers. They give of their time,they serve people. They're
surrogate leaders. They give oftheir money as well. They're
giving spirit. So when you livewith an open hands, it's not a
prosperity gospel kind of thing,but I do believe you're blessed,
(08:26):
and not in a financial sense,but for your heart. I mean, it's
amazing when your heart changesas you're able to help people.
And honestly, I think giving isprobably the most fun you can
have with money. I mean, you canbuy some fun things, some fun
toy, the fun car. I mean,there's some things you can buy
with money. That's fine, andit's enjoyable. It's a joy of
giving. There's nothing like it.And so to be able to experience
(08:50):
that as young as 5, 6, 7, yearsold, all the way up through
being a teenager, giving yourkids the ability to give and let
them experience that, it'salmost contagious, and when you
think of a child, he's gratefuland he's willing to help, who's
learned to hold a door. I mean,these little attributes
magnified when they're able togive financially at things. I
(09:11):
think giving can start anywherein your life, but when you're
able to hand over your your ownmoney that you worked for, that
that sense of gratitude and andthankfulness, I think, just
flows out of you.
Host (09:21):
So one of the things
that's a big expense for people
in life is paying for college,right? What are some things that
both parents and students can doto help them pay for college
without getting into debt?
Rachel Cruze (09:32):
Sure, well,
there's lots of options, which
is wonderful. So if you are aparent, first and foremost, I
would say, do not feel thepressure. Don't feel shame.
Don't feel like you're ahorrible parent if you're not
able to help out your kidcollege. College is not an
entitlement, it is a blessing,and that you as the parent are
not responsible for that if youare able to help that the gift
(09:53):
at the blessing your childshould be very thankful. But it
is not an entitlement. It's nota right for them to go to
college and you pay court. Sure.So, you know, open up a 529 plan
or an EFA, look into saving foryour kick college. But if you
had a teenager in the house andyou out there, headed up the
school in the next year or two,and you don't have money saved,
there's still ways to go tocollege debt free. Number one,
(10:14):
choose an affordable school. Sofor a lot of students, that's
going to mean staying in states,taking in thick tuition, or even
going to a community college forthe first year, or maybe even
the first two years, and thentransferring. But do that, I
mean stepping over a state lineto go to the public schools of
the state next. You can call upat the three times the amount,
and you're basically getting thesame education. So don't do
(10:36):
that. Private, fancy schools,and do they have great
education? Sure, absolutely. Butthat you don't have to have a
degree from where those schoolsto go out and win in the
marketplace. So don't believethat lie either. Now if you have
the money to send your kidsanywhere, and that's fine, but
going into debt for an out ofstate school or a private
university is just not wise. Sogoing to that affordable school
(10:56):
number two, scholarships andgrants apply for as many as
possible. I was talking to agirl in Texas, as she said, her
mom was a single mom made herapply for two scholarships a day
to doing that. And then lastly,research has shown that that the
average college student canwork, or will work 20 hours a
week. They can pay their waythrough an in state school. So
(11:19):
you can literally work your waythrough. And so by doing those
kind of thing, talking to yourfinancial aid office, then we'll
even break up a semester into acash payment plan, where you pay
a little bit at the beginningand then some in the middle, you
know, maybe they can work withyou with that. So if you have
your child that's a junior even,you know, starting a junior of
high school next fall, there'sstill time. And just doing those
(11:40):
three things, I promise you cango to full debt free.
Host (11:43):
The one word that appears
in this book Smart Money, Smart
Kids over and over, and I reallylove this word, is just
contentment.
Rachel Cruze (11:50):
Yeah. I think
contentment is a key principle
when it comes to teaching ourkids about money. If you do not
have content kid, they willforever be trying to fulfill
themselves with stuff andspending money and figuring out
what's going to make them happy.And so being content is not
being, you know, apathetic orthumping lazy, but it's really
having peace with this where youare in life, and just being
(12:12):
content. And I think contentmentcomes from a heart that's
grateful, and that gratefulheart, again, kind of wraps back
around to when your kids aregiving.
Host (12:20):
I love it. Well, Rachel,
you are a joy. It's a joy to see
you. It's a joy to interact withyou. It's a great book.
Rachel Cruze (12:27):
Thanks for having
me on.