Personal Finance

I thought a $7 million windfall would ease our worries—instead, my husband won’t spend a dime.

Maurie Backman

Published: March 6, 2025 9:40 am

When money is tight, it’s natural to worry about spending it. And it’s always a good idea to live on a budget so you can ensure that you’re able to cover your expenses and work toward your long-term goals without racking up scores of debt along the way.

But there should come a point when you don’t have to worry about money as much. And a woman named Rachel would perhaps be there if it weren’t for her husband.

Rachel called into the Ramsey Show with a dilemma. She and her husband had received a $7 million inheritance six months prior after her father passed away. She wants to use some of the money to enjoy her life and make things easier on her and her husband. But her husband has such bad financial anxiety that he’s opposed to spending any of that windfall.

A tough situation

Prior to receiving the inheritance, Rachel and her husband worked hard to save and pay off debt. They’re also in the process of building a house — something they had saved for and had started doing before getting their inheritance.

Now that they have the extra money, Rachel would like to do a few more things for the house. She made herself a $50,000 to $60,000 budget to upgrade the home, but her husband is opposed to it. He’s so scared about losing the money that he doesn’t want to let them spend any of it. Frankly, though, that doesn’t seem fair to Rachel.

Rachel also revealed that money has long been an issue in their marriage. And at this point, it’s a shame for that to continue since they have so much of it.

Professional help is sorely needed

I can sympathize with Rachel, who deserves to use her inheritance to better her life. But believe it or not, I can also sympathize with her husband.

It could be that he grew up in a household without money, and because of that, he’s constantly worried about being broke. Or maybe not. But either way, it’s pretty clear that he has some type of money-related anxiety. And I think he should get help for it.

So I would tell this couple to do two things. First, they should consult a financial advisor. Not only can an advisor help put the husband’s mind at ease, but they can also map out a plan for stretching that inheritance so it doesn’t run out prematurely.

Secondly, I think the husband at the very least should talk to a therapist. Or, it might be better for the couple to talk to one together so the husband can work through the issues he has.

Not only is his financial anxiety impacting his own wellbeing, but it’s hurting his wife. Money tends to be a huge cause of marital strife and divorce, and I would hate to see this couple split up because of it.

But with the right intervention, they can perhaps avoid having things to come to that. And hopefully, with proper help, the husband can learn to control his anxiety and enjoy his money rather than worry about it all the time.