With her family's savings down to $80,000 and no income coming in, Lara, a caller from Raleigh, North Carolina, told “The Ramsey Show” she was increasingly alarmed. "I'm scared to death," she said.

She explained that her husband worked at the same job for about 10 years before being laid off in 2018. Since then, he has worked full-time on developing a golf-related product, with the family living entirely off savings.

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Five Years Without Income

Lara told hosts John Delony and Rachel Cruze that her husband had previously built a successful company, which made her comfortable supporting another business effort. At the time of his layoff, the family had significant savings, no consumer debt, and only a mortgage.

The venture has produced no income over the past five years. When asked what her husband currently earns, Lara replied, "Literally nothing." She said the family received a severance package in 2018 and 2019, but there has been no income since.

"I don't know how much I spend because if we need it, I buy it," Lara said, estimating her family's annual living expenses at roughly $100,000–$120,000. She said financial discussions often stall, with her husband urging her to stop spending while offering no defined budget.

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The Pressure Point

Delony said what began as a temporary plan had stretched far beyond its original scope. "It's been five years," he said, adding that the situation was no longer about patience but sustainability.

Lara agreed and said she recently told her husband that if the business does not gain traction, she wanted him to get a job. She also raised the possibility of selling their home.

The couple has about $415,000 in home equity, though Lara said she was unsure of the home's current market value. Cruze pushed back on the idea that housing was the core issue. "It's not a house problem — it's an income problem," she said.

Cruze said the problem was income, not housing. She encouraged Lara to document several months of spending and build a clear monthly budget before discussing it with her husband. "Facts are your friends," Cruze said, explaining that concrete numbers could reduce fear and ground future conversations.

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The Starting Point

As the conversation shifted to what Lara could do next, Delony addressed how she might approach her next discussion with her husband. He said decisions about employment or selling the house did not need to come first.

Instead, he suggested starting with the relationship itself. "I want to be married to you in five years," Delony said, framing it as a grounding statement rather than a demand.

Lara agreed that her deeper fear was relational, not financial. She said the uncertainty had begun to erode trust, adding that her concern was "more about the future of our marriage than the money."

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