Nurse practitioner owes $143K in debt
A caller who became a nurse practitioner still owes $120K in student loans, $17K on a car, and $6K in credit cards after paying off $47K.
Snapshot · The Ramsey Show
The Decisions You Make Now Shape Your Success
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Jul 20, 2026
Where this was said
Nurse Practitioner With $143K Debt Plans the Car Swap
At 15:05 · chapter starts 14:20
Mary from Boston is a newly minted nurse practitioner raising five kids on her own, earning $145,000/year — but she's still deep in Baby Step 2 after accruing $120K in student loans before discovering the Ramsey method. Her car situation is the immediate pain point: she owes $17K on a vehicle worth $10–12K, making her $5,000 underwater, and the car isn't practical for her large family. She also has $6,000 in credit card debt. With a $5,500 windfall from a third paycheck month, she's wondering whether to clear a credit card or attack the car situation. Jade and George advise holding the $5,500 alongside existing sinking funds, waiting for October's additional $3,500 windfall, and then executing the car swap — selling the upside-down vehicle, paying the difference, and buying a cash van. In the meantime, any extra margin should be hammered into the credit card debt. Freeing up the $560 monthly car payment will be a significant emotional and financial win.
Nurse With $143K Debt and 5 Kids: The Path Forward
A nurse practitioner earning $145K/year owes $120K in student loans, $17K on an upside-down car, and $6K in credit cards. The move: hold $5,500 for the car swap, attack the credit cards hard, and pull the trigger on the car trade when the math works.
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