Overview of "I'm Addicted to DoorDash" (Ramsey Network)
A 20-year-old college student, Gabe, calls into the Ramsey Network saying he spends nearly every dollar he earns—mostly on DoorDash—and wants to stop so he can reach financial goals (buy a car, a house, and eventually grow net worth). The hosts walk him through his situation, diagnose the behavioral drivers, and give practical, habit-focused advice: pay yourself first, automate saving, set clear short-term goals (car), avoid debt, and create financial friction and accountability.
Context & caller snapshot
- Age: 20, in school for business management (graduating next summer)
- Job: DoorDasher (part-time) — around $2,000/month variable income
- Living situation: living at home (low urgency to save)
- Monthly responsibilities: phone + gas (~$300–$400)
- Debt: ~$200 on credit card
- Goals: get a car, buy a house, reach $1M net worth long-term
Key points and main takeaways
- This is primarily a habit and motivation issue, not a catastrophic financial problem.
- Pay yourself first: treat saving like a non-negotiable expense.
- Automation is the simplest behavioral fix—set transfers that happen immediately when pay arrives.
- Create meaningful short-term goals (e.g., buy a car in 6 months) to fuel discipline and replace low-effort spending.
- Living at home reduces urgency; moving out after graduation can be a healthy motivator to change behavior.
- Avoid debt and tempting credit options while building the habit of saving.
- Practice generosity as part of a balanced money routine.
Actionable steps (what Gabe — or any similar listener — should do)
Short-term (next 1–6 months)
- Set a clear savings target: aim to save $1,000/month (example target from the show).
- Automate transfers: direct $1,000 from each paycheck into a high-yield savings account immediately.
- Define a monthly discretionary spending envelope (example: $600/month) and stick to it.
- Keep giving: allocate a small portion (e.g., $200/month) to charitable giving to build a habit of generosity.
- Create friction for impulse DoorDash orders: uninstall the app, remove saved payment info, or set spending limits.
Mid/Long-term
- Use the saved funds to buy a reliable used car (~$6,000 if saving $1,000/month for 6 months).
- Graduate, pursue a corporate/management job in your field, and use established saving habits to scale with higher income.
- Avoid taking car loans or unnecessary credit until you have disciplined cash-flow habits in place.
Notable quotes & insights
- "Love will find a way" — describing how spending temptation creeps back even after deleting the app.
- "Pay yourself first." — make savings automatic before discretionary spending.
- "You're telling your money what to do." — emphasis on intentional money allocation.
- "Create some problems for yourself because we are wired to solve problems." — suggestion to add motivating constraints (e.g., moving out) to spur change.
Resources mentioned
- Fairwinds high-yield savings bundle for Ramsey listeners: fairwinds.org/ramsay (includes a savings account and Ramsey debit card)
- Christian Healthcare Ministries (sponsored mention): chministries.org/budget
Tone & audience
- Tone: practical, motivational, non-judgmental — typical Ramsey Network coaching style.
- Best for: young adults, students, or gig workers struggling with impulse spending and looking for a simple habit-based plan to start saving and avoid debt.
Quick summary
Gabe’s spending problem is fixable by habit change: automate saving (aim $1,000/month), set a reasonable spending allowance, create short-term goals (buy a car), avoid debt, and use life transitions (graduation/moving out) as momentum. Small systems and accountability will scale as income grows.