Dave Ramsey

David Lawrence Ramsey III (born September 3, 1960) is an American radio personality who offers financial advice. He co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio program The Ramsey Show, and is the founder and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. Ramsey has written several books, including The New York Times bestseller The Total Money Makeover, and hosted a television show on Fox Business from 2007 to 2010.

Early life and education Ramsey was born on September 3, 1960, in Maryville, Tennessee, to parents who worked in the real estate industry. He was raised in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville and graduated from Antioch High School. At age 18, Ramsey took the real estate exam and began buying and selling property while attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and real estate. However, when his primary lender for his portfolio was sold off to another financial institution, the new owners called in all his promissory notes at once, and since he was unable to pay them off, he filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy in 1988.

While rebuilding his personal finances, Ramsey began providing financial counseling sessions at his church.

In 2004, the Gannett newspaper group dropped Ramsey's financial advice column after discovering that the names in readers' letters had been changed without disclosure. Ramsey responded by offering to pay Gannett their money back.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramsey opposed public health measures such as mask mandates, referring to them as "a sign of fear". On his March 2, 2020, show, Ramsey dismissed refund requests for his upcoming live events, calling those who sought them "wusses" and stated that he would attend an event "by my freaking self" if necessary.

In February 2021, Ramsey told Fox News that he did not support stimulus checks, saying, "If $600 or $1,400 changes your life you were pretty much screwed already. You got other issues going on."

Teachings and criticisms One of Ramsey's central strategies is the "debt snowball" method, in which individuals pay off smaller debts first to gain momentum before tackling larger ones, regardless of interest rates. He discourages the use of credit cards, and frequently demonstrates his adherence to this philosophy by showing the only cards he carries: two debit cards, a driver's license, and a concealed-carry permit.

Critics also argue that Ramsey's approach may not account for income inequality, emergency financial needs, or long-term investment strategies.

American journalist Helaine Olen argued in her book, Pound Foolish, that some of Ramsey's financial advice "doesn't even work on a base, mathematical level".

Personal life Ramsey married his wife, Sharon, on June 26, 1982. The Ramseys have three children: Denise Whittemore, Rachel Cruze, and Daniel Ramsey. All three work for Ramsey Solutions.

Ramsey was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2015.

As of 2018, Ramsey had an estimated net worth of $55 million.

Ramsey is an evangelical Christian and described himself as fiscally and socially conservative.

Selected works Financial Peace (1992) More Than Enough (1999) Financial Peace Revisited (2002) The Total Money Makeover (2003) Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money (2011) EntreLeadership (2011) Smart Money Smart Kids (with Rachel Cruze, 2014) The Legacy Journey (2014) Baby Steps Millionaires (2021) Build a Business You Love (2025)