Many people feel like they’re working nonstop but never getting ahead, but Dave Ramsey says there’s a big reason for this – and it’s not an accident. According to him, the system is set up so that everyone else can get rich using your money and many people willingly play along without realizing it.

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Debt Keeps You Stuck

Ramsey points out that most of us are “wandering along,” stuck in a cycle of debt that keeps us from building real wealth. Who’s benefiting from this? Companies like credit card issuers, banks and retail stores. They’re intentional about making money off regular people while they just go along with their plan – and their plan is to keep people in debt. Ramsey’s message is simple: you’ll stay broke as long as you keep making payments.

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Think about it: every payment you make to someone else means less money for your future. “Your number one wealth-building tool is your income,” says Ramsey. If you’re always making payments on credit cards, car loans or student loans, you’re letting that income slip away. Instead of saving and investing your money, you’re making everyone else wealthy, from big corporations to lenders.

The Rat Race of Payments

Ramsey paints a striking picture of what it’s like to be trapped in debt. You work hard, but it feels like you’re running in place, like a rat on a wheel. All that energy goes into making payments – for things like that big TV at Best Buy or those student loans hanging around for years. He even jokes about people proudly counting their credit card points or airline miles while the real cost is their financial freedom.