Dave Ramsey is a personal finance guru, renowned author and media personality who offers credible financial advice, drawing from his personal experiences of success, failure and redemption.
After becoming a millionaire in his mid 20s through a successful real estate business, Ramsey faced bankruptcy at 28.
He hosts “The Dave Ramsey Show” which is one of the America’s top talk radio shows.
His unique investment style focuses on mutual funds with a strong track record and real estate investments made without debt financing.
Raised with a strong work ethic, Ramsey integrates Christian values into his financial advice, emphasizing savings and systematic debt payment.
Related: Suze Orman Quotes on Money, Finance and Investing and Financial Management Quotes about Finances and Credit
His “7 Baby Steps” theory offers a roadmap to financial freedom, reflecting his own journey from bankruptcy to becoming a financial beacon for millions.
I have listed down some of the top quotes from Dave Ramsey to increase your financial acumen.
Dave Ramsey Quotes
1. “Work is doing it. Discipline is doing it every day. Diligence is doing it well every day.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
2. “Debt is normal. Be weird.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
3. “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
4. “Adults devise a plan and follow it, children do what feels good.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
5. “Pray like it all depends on God, but work like it all depends on you.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
6. “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
7. “Bosses push, Leaders pull. Real leadership is servant leadership.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
8. “Being willing to delay pleasure for a greater result is a sign of maturity.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
9. “Debt is dumb. Cash is king.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
10. “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
11. “It’s never too late to turn things around. You are the only obstacle.” ~ (David Lawrence Ramsey).
12. “Nothing happens without focus. Don’t try to do everything at once. Take it one step at a time.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
13. “Those who don’t manage their money will always work for those who do.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
14. “Remember, there’s ultimately only one way to financial peace, and that’s to walk daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
15. “You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
16. “There’s a great place to go when you’re broke – to work!” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
17. “True leadership is servanthood. Put the interests of others at the center of your decisions.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
Popular Dave Ramsey Quotes
18. “Act your wage.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
19. “Winning at money is 80 percent behavior and 20 percent head knowledge. What to do isn’t the problem; doing it is. Most of us know what to do, but we just don’t do it. If I can control the guy in the mirror, I can be skinny and rich.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
20. “Success is a pile of failure that you are standing on.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
21. “The paid-off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
22. “Every person falls down at some point. Successful people choose to get back up!” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
23. “Fear is the enemy of hope.” ~ (David Lawrence Ramsey).
24. “Where you are today is the sum of every choice you’ve ever made. If you don’t like where you are, start making different choices!” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
25. “If hard work, integrity, thrift, and perseverance have caused you to succeed, then you don’t owe anyone an apology for winning.” ~ (David L. Ramsey).
26. “Delegation requires the willingness to pay for short term failures in order to gain long term competency.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
27. “Investing is important, but get debt-free first. That’s what frees up your income so you can win.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
28. “When getting help with money, whether it is insurance, real estate or investments you should always look for a person with the heart of a teacher, not the heart of a salesman.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
29. “You will only sacrifice when you passionately believe in the outcome.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
30. “Broke is normal. Why be normal?” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
Top Dave Ramsey Quotes
31. “Financial peace isn’t the acquisition of stuff. It’s learning to live on less than you make, so you can give money back and have money to invest. You can’t win until you do this.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
32. “Change is painful. Few people have the courage to seek out change. Most people won’t change until the pain of where they are exceeds the pain of change.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
33. “Earning a lot of money is not the key to prosperity. How you handle it is.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
34. “Credit is an ‘I love debt’ score.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
35. “Doing a budget means learning an ancient and powerful word: NO.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
36. “If you will make the sacrifices now that most people aren’t willing to make, later on you will be able to live as those folks will never be able to live.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
37. “We live in a culture full of hares; but the tortoise always wins.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
38. “Just keep taking the next step and keep having excellence in the ordinary.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
39. “There are no shortcuts when it comes to getting out of debt.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
40. “The first step in taking control of your money is to stop borrowing money. Start using cash today.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
41. “One definition of maturity is learning to delay pleasure.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
Famous Dave Ramsey Quotes
42. “Contentment may be the most powerful Financial Principle. You can give more, avoid debt, and live better.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
43. “Without a mission statement, you may get to the top of the ladder and then realize it was leaning against the wrong building!” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
44. “You can get anywhere if you simply go one step at a time.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
45. “As you will it, so shall it be.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
46. “You can’t be in debt and win. It doesn’t work.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
47. “You don’t build wealth with credit card rewards and airline miles. You can’t beat the credit card companies at their own game.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
48. “At the end of the day we are not selling, we are serving.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
Short Dave Ramsey Quotes
49. “Stupid is not illegal.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
50. “Knock out a small debt first so you get a quick win. Momentum is key.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
51. “Poor is a state of mind. Broke is, ‘I’m just passing through.’” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
52. “That stupid saying “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” is ridiculous. What you don’t know can kill you. If you don’t know that tractor trailer trucks hurt when hitting you, then you can play in the middle of the interstate with no fear – but that doesn’t mean you won’t get killed.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
53. “Broke people giving financial advice is like a shop teacher with missing fingers.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
54. “You can’t work three hours a week and make $100,000. Get rich quick doesn’t work. Crock pot mentality always defeats microwave mentality!” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
55. “Goals convert vision into ENERGY.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
Best Dave Ramsey Quotes
56. “Your greatest asset is your paycheck. Disability insurance protects you and your family if you are unable to work by providing income which will help pay your bills and take care of your family. It’s just as important as life insurance.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
57. “Gratitude is really, really attractive. A child who is genuinely grateful makes you want to do anything for her, and that is true of adults as well.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
58. “You have the clean canvas of a whole week before you. Paint well.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
59. “Don’t medicate dysfunction with spending. No amount of stuff will get rid of guilt.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
60. “Thinking about starting a small business? Assume everything will cost twice as much and take twice as long as you think it will.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
61. “I believe that through knowledge and discipline, financial peace is possible for all of us.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
62. “Outrageous generosity is a character quality of people who win with money.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
63. “Teaching kids about money is never just about money.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
64. “We learned early on that if we help enough people, the money will come.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
65. “Study the habits of the people you want to be like and then imitate them. If they are succeeding, they must be doing something right.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
66. “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
67. “Wealth comes from hard work but not because of hard work. Wealth comes because of God. Everything is His.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
68. “You must walk to the beat of a different drummer. The same beat that the wealthy hear. If the beat sounds normal, evacuate the dance floor immediately! The goal is to not be normal, because as my radio listeners know, normal is broke.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
69. “If your life is bad because of an elected official, then you don’t have a life.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
70. “Hitting bottom and hitting it hard was the worst thing that ever happened to me and the best thing that ever happened to me.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
71. “I came to realize that my money problems, worries, and shortages largely began and ended with the person in my mirror. I realized also that if I could learn to manage the character I shaved with every morning, I would win with money.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
72. “Be an evangelist with your excellence.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
73. “I would not pre-pay. I would invest instead and let the investments cover it.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
74. “Financial Security is not enough money to buy toys. That is to learn to live with less money than you earn. So, you can help other individuals or investors. You are not a winner until done it.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
75. “Too many people try to do the new job, new spouse, new house, new car thing in 18 months. That’s a good way to end up broke. We’ve got to resist the temptation to catch up with our parents in 18 months. Slow down. You have the rest of your life to play catch up. After all, it’s just stuff.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
76. “You wanna blow money? Put it in a ‘blow’ category in your budget. But at least admit it on paper!” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
77. “No one got rich on a government program. Do not choose to be a common man. You can be uncommon.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
78. “Work-get paid; don’t work-don’t get paid. Everybody is on commission.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
79. “Leading a family is the hardest job a man can ever have.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
80. “Higher calling matters. When you care so deeply about the why-why you’re doing what you’re doing-then and only then are you operating in a way that allows you to overcome the obstacles.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
81. “Money is 80% behavior, 20% head knowledge. It’s what you do, not what you know.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
82. “When leadership set the goals by themselves, they are not goals, they are quotas.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
83. “You’re not exempt from math if you’re a Republican, and you’re not exempt from math if you’re a Democrat. You’re not exempt from math if you’re a liberal, and you’re not exempt from math if you’re a conservative. You still have to do math.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
84. “If people in America would get their finances together and start taking care of each other, we could put the government out of business.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
85. “There’s not a party, a congressman, a senator, etc. elected that will fix your life. YOU have to fix YOUR life.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
86. “A good financial planner is going to do more than pick your funds.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
87. “Children who reach the age of eighteen with their entire skills set composed on Nintendo and eating Doritos have been neglected. Their parents neglected to give them the character traits necessary to live successfully.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
88. “Opening your hands will set you free…” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
89. “Term Life Insurance is the only insurance I recommend. It’s the least expensive way to get the coverage your family needs and allows you to lock in rates for 15, 20 or 30 years. Zander’s online quoting system will help you find the most competitive options. It’s more affordable than you think!” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
90. “You cannot lead without passion. Passion causes things to move, and passion creates a force multiplier. Passion actually covers a multitude of sins. Real EntreLeaders care deeply, and that is basically what passion is. Passion is not yelling or being wild; it is simply caring deeply.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
91. “We are all in the business of sales. Teachers sell students on learning, parents sell their children on making good grades and behaving, and traditional salesmen sell their products.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
92. “I’m a Christian. Years ago, I went broke, so I decided to run every part of my life according to the Bible. It sounds hokey, but it works. You run your marriage that way, and it works. It will work with business, too, and finances. Treat people like you want to be treated.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
93. “Good things that cannot be calculated or quantified are set in motion in your life and in your finances when you give.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
94. “We’ve really got to stop looking to Washington to fix our problems. It obviously doesn’t have the ability to do that. People who are successful are not successful because of the president.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
95. “People are in such a hurry to launch their product or business that they seldom look at marketing from a bird’s eye view and they don’t create a systematic plan.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
96. “Instead of just purchasing an ad campaign, target test and measure. Give an ad a small try. If the response is enough to pay for the ad, make it larger. With a franchise, ask the most successful franchisees what they did. Ask the bottom five guys what they did and avoid it.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
97. “Debt has become a part of who we are.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
98. “I can’t tell you how many home businesses are almost in bankruptcy court over a Yellow Pages ad only to find out that the Yellow Pages ad isn’t where their market will look for them, and it cost more than they thought.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
99. “I have to live my books before I write them.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
100. “Surround yourself with people who add the fuel of advice and encouragement to your fire.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
101. “Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who execute them are not.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
102. “Goals are visions and dreams with work clothes on.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
103. “The creature comforts we tend to rationalize as “business expenses I can write off.”” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
104. “In order to be a great marketer, you have to be focused and intense and look at scarcity, urgency, activity and passion in the marketplace.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
105. “Rich isn’t an amount of money, it’s a mindset about how you live. If you believe you can win, you can.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
106. “Be intense, passionate, and fired up, but about things that matter, things that change your life and your legacy.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
107. “The thing I have discovered about working with personal finance is that the good news is that it is not rocket science. Personal finance is about 80-percent behavior. It is only about 20-percent of head knowledge.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
108. “You’ve got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
109. “A lower interest rate doesn’t make a debt go away.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
110. “Work is a surefire money-making scheme.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
111. “Be very proud of what you do, and if you aren’t then change it.” ~ (Dave Ramsey).
