overheard on the Dave Ramsey show

[talltexan]

I think there's a nuance in the DR position on income that you've missed.

Maximizing earnings when you are on baby step #2 or #3 is the way you complete baby step #2 most rapidly.

But baby steps 4-6 are also debts in a way. The more income you have to throw at the mortgage and kids' education, the more rapidly you get those done. Dave will almost always tell people to maximize income relative to these debts, too, to the extent that their lives are "sustainable". He's pretty open about things that are unsustainable to him, like gobs of overtime or working in a city 500 miles away from your spouse/kids.

[HawkeyeNFO]

DR is great and an idiot and all that, but my take-away from the discussion is this:

If human food is cheaper than cat food or dog food, then shouldn't I be feeding my pets the same stuff that I eat?  After all, we've had pets throughout history, but the pet food industrial complex is a relatively new phenomenon, evolving in just the past few centuries.

[nereo]

DR is great and an idiot and all that, but my take-away from the discussion is this:

If human food is cheaper than cat food or dog food, then shouldn't I be feeding my pets the same stuff that I eat?  After all, we've had pets throughout history, but the pet food industrial complex is a relatively new phenomenon, evolving in just the past few centuries.

In most cases yes.  There are lots of websites devoted to making your own, healthier pet food.
More to the point, most canned cat/dog food contains a crap-ton of sodium (both for preservative and flavor-boosting), often filler grains and the like. It's not a very natural diet. 
Cats, for instance, are naturally carnivores (dogs are omnivorous).  Their gut is not very well suited to digest corn or rice found in many cat foods.

[Davnasty]

DR is great and an idiot and all that, but my take-away from the discussion is this:

If human food is cheaper than cat food or dog food, then shouldn't I be feeding my pets the same stuff that I eat?  After all, we've had pets throughout history, but the pet food industrial complex is a relatively new phenomenon, evolving in just the past few centuries.

Maybe. Cheap dog food is probably as cheap or cheaper per calorie than human food that would provide the proper ratio of fat/protein/carbs, plus feeding a dog human food would generally require more preparation than opening and pouring.

As for cats, they need certain nutrients like taurine that they might not get enough of if you just feed them the cheapest meat you can get.

We've had pets throughout history but it's only recent that we started keeping them restrained 24 hours a day. In the past they've been able to supplement their diets with whatever they catch or find.

ETA: Also what nereo said. Homemade pet food is an option and it can save money, but it takes some work.

[ender]

Interesting, DR was recommending the backdoor Roth IRA recently.

Hadn't heard him say that till recently.

Also, if you think DR is bad, you should listen to some of the advice the other folks who occasionally are on in place of him give lol. DR is very consistent in his advice and the train of decisions that leads him to the decisions he makes. Other people though lololol.

[nereo]

Interesting, DR was recommending the backdoor Roth IRA recently.

Interesting.  Do you happen to have an episode number?  Would like to hear that...

[talltexan]

I've heard him mention the backdoor Roth many times. He's also very pro-health savings account.

[Proud Foot]

Interesting, DR was recommending the backdoor Roth IRA recently.

Interesting.  Do you happen to have an episode number?  Would like to hear that...

Why wouldn't he recommend it? He recommends you to do a Roth regardless of your income level. If your income is too high for direct contributions then he always says to do this. He even says this is what he personally does.

So much face palming this morning. Lady called in saying she sold a rental and a commercial property to be able to have a mortgage free house. I didn't catch (or it wasn't given) details on those properties but that is most likely not something I would do!

[talltexan]

The Roth IRA is fine, but--particularly if you have a high income and think you can live on a small fraction of it--deferring tax payments is better.