A recent Reddit post from a frustrated husband in the r/Dave Ramsey subreddit caught people’s attention after asking if his wife’s spending habits were out of line. His main complaint? Over the last 90 days, the family spent $6,769 on dining out alone.
“Luckily we are positive net worth,” he wrote. “But she is delaying our retirement saying her spending is normal for having 2 kids. I cover probably 80-90% of essentials from my side.”
According to his breakdown, they also spent $1,330 on groceries during the same period, along with $1,230 on supplies, $1,250 on healthcare, $560 on gas, and $1,200 on other expenses.
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The response was swift and nearly unanimous. One commenter was particularly direct: “Dining out isn’t just delusional, it’s irresponsible and incredibly selfish. That’s almost $30k a year.” They also pointed out that if they placed that money with a financial advisor, “at $2k a month, and they earned an average of 12%, you have almost $650k in 15 years.”
Another person added their own math of how much they could get over 30 years if they invested that money: “$6769 was for 3 months, so $27k/year. Turns into $3 mil in 30 years at 8%.”
Others were comparing themselves: “We make $380k a year and eat out about $500/month. That dining out number is terrifying.”
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While many were focused on the spending itself, others pushed the husband to reconsider how he approached the issue.
“Stop saying ‘I cover most of the bills…’ you are we,” one person said, pointing to the importance of shared financial responsibility in a marriage, something Dave Ramsey often teaches and preaches.
Another chimed in with, “This reads more like a marriage issue than a money issue. Does she handle all of the child rearing and housework? Get off the spreadsheet and be the partner your wife needs and communicate through this issue.”
Still, others called for practical changes instead of blame. “Cut dining out to a quarter of that and add 1-2 grand to groceries and cook more – problem solved.”
