Couple Making $200K Wants To Invest 60% of Their Income—Dave Ramsey Says That's Great, But 'Build Up A Fat Juicy Down Payment' For A House Instead

Most people call into "The Ramsey Show" wondering how to climb out of debt. But one recent caller? He and his wife are trying to do the opposite. They're in their 20s, fresh out of college, no debt, $200,000 combined income, six months of emergency savings—and their big question was whether investing 60% of their take-home pay was a little too much.

Turns out, it might be.

Not because they're saving too aggressively—Dave Ramsey loves intensity—but because they're skipping a key step almost every millionaire he's studied has taken.

"Very, very few people that we have studied… that became wealthy used that plan," Ramsey said. "Instead, what they have done is they bought and then paid off a home."

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The couple, who just got married and are currently renting, laid out their plan: live on her $60,000 salary and invest his $85,000 take-home in 401(k)s, HSAs, and other vehicles. Their goal? For her to eventually become a stay-at-home mom.

But Ramsey had one question that changed the tone: "What about your house?"

They didn't have one. And to him, that's a red flag—because he's seen what happens when people rent for life. "You can 100% count on rent going up your entire life as long as you rent," he said. "Your largest item is out of your control."

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In his book "Baby Steps Millionaires," Ramsey details a study of 10,000 net-worth millionaires. Most of them followed a path that involved a modest home, a long-term mortgage, and slow, steady investing. That's not to say saving 60% is bad—it's just rare, and in Ramsey's view, less efficient.

"I would save a maximum of 15% of my household income into retirement… stop the HSA, build up a fat juicy down payment, and buy a house in Texas," Ramsey said.

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And he's not just talking theoretically. The data backs him up. According to the Federal Reserve, the median net worth of homeowners is around $400,000, while the median for renters is just $10,400. That's not a typo—renters, on average, have less than 3% of the wealth homeowners do.

Ramsey even got a little nostalgic about the power of real estate: "Think about the neighborhood that you might buy in… what you could have bought that house for 15 years ago. That's what it's going to be 15 years from now."

And while the husband might be fine roughing it for now, Ramsey warned him not to bank on his wife feeling the same. "When she becomes a stay-at-home mama, I promise you this—she's gonna want a house."

Ramsey's final take? This couple's drive is rare, and they're already ahead of the game. "You're not going to be a broke guy because you're actually paying attention," he told the caller. But even the most disciplined saver needs a solid foundation—and in his world, that foundation has a deed and a mortgage.

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