Couple makes $188,000 a year, but doesn’t ‘spend any money’: ‘We’re living too little of a life’

By some standards, Angela and Brian are fulfilling the American Dream.

The 52-year-olds were high school sweethearts, have been married for 28 years, raised four children and will soon be empty nesters. They have a net worth of $1.57 million, including nearly $900,000 invested.

But Angela isn’t satisfied with their life.

“I just worry that life is passing us by, and we can be doing and spending more on life,” she wrote in her application to appear on author and self-made millionaire Ramit Sethi’s “Money for Couples” podcast. The couple joined Sethi for a recent episode, seeking advice to work through differences in their feelings around money. Their last names were not used.

“We never eat out. Vacations are once a year. He always thinks we are poor. I need someone to tell him that we are OK money-wise,” Angela wrote.

Brian disagrees. “I think she feels that we’re at a comfortable place financially right now for our plan going forward,” he said on the podcast. “I don’t see that. I think we just need more. I wish I would’ve started [investing] much earlier.”

Here’s Sethi’s advice for them.

The ‘hidden cost’ of frugality

Brian and Angela earn $188,000 a year and have $294,000 in debt between their mortgage and car payments. Their fixed costs account for 72% of their monthly income.

Sethi generally recommends these costs not exceed 50% to 60% of your income, but Angela and Brian have been paying extra on their mortgage, so they have some wiggle room, he said.

However, Brian and Angela’s most frequent financial disagreements revolve around relatively small money decisions, like groceries and dining out.

Angela does the shopping and financial management, so she has a good idea of what they can afford, the couple told Sethi. But Brian constantly nitpicks her purchases. Angela wants to go out to dinner or drinks more frequently, but Brian almost always says no.

“We’re living too little of a life, is the problem,” Angela said. Sethi agreed, and said the shrinking “didn’t happen all at once. It happened $2 at a time.” That’s the “hidden cost of decades of frugality,” he added.

It’s wise to live within your means, no matter your income. But Brian’s frugality, including his resistance to spend on things that will make his wife happier, seems to come at the expense of their relationship, Sethi said.

“First, you [budget] for a reason. Then, you do it out of habit. And sometimes, you start to believe you don’t deserve anything else,” Sethi said. “It goes beyond saving money on coffee. And sometimes in situations like this, you start to realize how narrow your life has become.”

‘We just have to say yes’

While Angela would like to retire in the next five years, she fears Brian will feel like he needs to work “till he is 80,” she said.

Sethi walked the couple through retirement projections to show how their investments could change if they decide to put away more each month or retire later. But he warned that the financial logistics won’t matter so much if they can’t get on the same page about how they want to spend their time and money.

“The two of you have so many different options,” Sethi said. “But I don’t think any of it happens if you’re not actually connected, starting right now.”

In addition to showing them that they can afford the date nights and some of the immediate travel Angela would like to do, Sethi encouraged Brian to initiate planning nights out so he can get as excited about a date as Angela. And when Angela asks him to try a new restaurant or activity, “sometimes we just have to say yes and our feelings change later,” Sethi said.

Brian agreed he needs to “not give in, but compromise,” he said. “I think I need to be a better husband and compromise and rebuild the foundation of this relationship.”

Even if it’s small things like going out for coffee, planned activities together will help the couple start “getting those adventurous feelings back,” Sethi said.

They’re currently on track to have nearly $1.5 million in investments if they retire in five years and could see that value surpass $2 million if they wait 10 years. But either way, they are able to afford reasonable outings and activities, he told them.

“Whether it’s joining a group together or trying some new stuff, that brings you way closer,” Sethi said.

Want to stand out, grow your network, and get more job opportunities? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It’s new online course, How to Build a Standout Personal Brand: Online, In Person, and At Work. Learn from three expert instructors how to showcase your skills, build a stellar reputation, and create a digital presence that AI can’t replicate. Sign up today with coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off the regular course price of $67 (plus tax). Offer valid July 22, 2025, through September 2, 2025.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and peers.

Walmart exec shares the ultimate red flag she sees in employees: ‘Nobody’ will want to hire you

If you ask Donna Morris, there’s one behavior that’s the ultimate red flag an employee won’t get far in the workplace: when someone is a “Debbie Downer.”

Morris, 57, has been executive vice president and chief people officer at Walmart since 2020, helping shape the employee experience of 2.1 million workers since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to her current role, she spent 17 years at Adobe in a variety of leadership positions — and throughout her career, she’s learned a thing or two about red flags in the office.

“Nobody wants [to hire] a Debbie Downer,” Morris tells CNBC Make It, adding that this kind of person is “constantly negative. You know they’re going to show up [and] they’re going to bring the problem, never the solution. I like people who bring the problem and a suggestion for how they might resolve [it.]”

A “Debbie Downer” can also be someone who’s a naysayer, sharing negative opinions about others’ ideas and goals, or regularly being a hindrance to new projects and perspectives. This could make it difficult for them to make the connections needed to climb the corporate ladder, or for their bosses and managers to trust them with new projects.

If your co-worker has this character trait, they’re “only going to support you to a restricted limit,” Juliette Han, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist, told CNBC Make It in June 2023. “They need you to stay within a short leash, and might discourage you from meeting new people in the company or going after new projects if it doesn’t benefit them directly.”

That doesn’t mean you should practice toxic optimism, pretending everything is fine when your team is facing difficult circumstances, for example. It’s unnatural and unrealistic for someone to be happy all the time, Morris says. Similarly, a continuous negative spiral could be a signal that you’re in the wrong job or company, she adds.

How to actually get ahead

There are a couple attributes that separate the most highly successful employees to those who fall short, says Morris.

She thinks highly of workers who “deliver what you are expecting at the time that you’re expecting,” she says. “You’re better to deliver early than to deliver late, and you’re better to deliver more than less.”

“Another green flag is they’re open to opportunities, and they put their hand up to take on more,” she adds. “Or they bring a problem with the remedy or request help in a timely manner, as opposed to the house is on fire.”

You can show you have this kind of team player, self-starter attitude by offering help even when you’re not asked for it, like volunteering to mentor the new intern or pitching an idea that solves a problem your boss has been dealing with.

Demonstrating radical intellectual curiosity, like researching a new AI tool or a new software your competitors are using, then sharing your findings with your boss or manager, also goes a long way, according to Michael Ramlett, CEO of global data intelligence firm Morning Consult.

And if you’re willing to help your colleagues along the way, acting as a mentor and sharing the things you’ve learned, that’s the icing on the cake, Morris says.

“People who you see are actually helping others [are a] total green flag.”

Relationship expert’s 6 rules for couples: ‘If you do them all, you’ll be happier than most’

After 23 years of marriage and raising kids together, I’ve learned that being a great partner involves structure and intention.

I’ve walked the path myself, from being a breadwinning husband who did little at home to becoming the go-to household manager in a marriage with three kids and a powerhouse executive spouse. Through my platform, Modern Husbands, I also help couples build the systems they need to manage money and domestic responsibilities as a team.

Couples in the most successful relationships, including my wife and I, do six things for each other without question. If you do them all, you’ll be happier than most.

1. They divide tasks by skills, not gender

Men today face mixed signals: Be the breadwinner, but also do half the housework (and don’t expect any recognition). That confusion leads to imbalance at home.

In our household, we assign responsibilities based on skills, passions, and goals — not gender. I manage our finances because it’s my professional background. I also cook because I love it.

What matters is creating a system that reflects your family’s goals, not outdated roles.

2. They complement each other’s career goals

Throughout our marriage, we have taken turns assuming the roles of “gardener” and “rose.”

The gardener nourishes the environment at home so the rose can blossom in their career. The gardener is the domestic safety net who handles unplanned problems. That might look like being the “parent on call” for doctor appointments and emergencies.

Deliberately and thoughtfully sharing supportive roles in each other’s career dreams can prevent the silent resentment that arises when one partner repeatedly makes small, unplanned sacrifices for the sake of the other’s career and the household.

3. They have regular family ‘business meetings’

Just like a weekly business meeting, having regular check-ins with your partner can change everything.

Find a quiet time, when emotions are low and focus is high. Walk together, grab coffee, or sit down for 15 minutes to align on schedules, financial goals, and responsibilities.

If you want to take it further, plan annual retreats to reflect, set goals, and recommit to working as a team.

4. They establish systems and environments that make success easier

Success in a relationship shouldn’t rely on constant effort. Set up systems that make good decisions the default.

A few examples: Set joint savings goals, then automate transfers to a high-yield account at a different bank; delete spending apps from your phone; and turn off auto-fill on social media to reduce impulse buys.

I often recommend utilizing household management systems like Fair Play to assign clear roles, promote an equitable and efficient distribution of the mental load, and prevent miscommunication. The Fair Play system consists of three key elements:

Conception: Generating the idea or identifying the need for a task in the household or family system.
Planning: Mapping out the steps, resources, and timeline needed to complete the task effectively.
Execution: Carrying out the task from start to finish with full ownership and follow-through.

5. They talk about everyday life

We have financial and domestic labor systems for our home to give ourselves more time to spend with each other, to talk about everyday life. When we talk about our day, we put our phones away and we stick to the rule of not speaking about the business of our home.

The approach we like to use on our evening walks after dinner is the rose, thorn, and bud prompt. We each share the highlight of our day (rose), any issues or frustrations (thorn), and the time we spent investing in our future (bud).

6. They keep their promises

It takes trust to work together to manage money and the home. Take, for instance, a spending limit that is not honored or picking up a prescription from the grocery store. Failing to follow through can have real consequences.

Continually breaking the promise that comes with a family budget or doing chores can lead to resentment and even contempt.

The most important thing to remember is that great relationships aren’t built on luck. They’re built on shared goals and a willingness to evolve together.

Brian Page is the founder of Modern Husbands, a company dedicated to helping couples manage both financial and home responsibilities as a team. He holds a master’s degree in education and is certified as both an Accredited Financial Counselor® and a Fair Play Certified® domestic labor specialist.

I got accepted to Harvard, Princeton and Yale—3 things my parents did ‘differently’ at an early age

For every high schooler, the college admissions process is incredibly daunting. Thankfully, for me, the years of hard work all paid off.

I recently graduated from PCTI STEM Academy in Wayne, New Jersey. This spring, I was accepted into 10 of the top 25 universities in the U.S., including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. This fall, I’ll be attending Harvard University.

Among my acceptances, I was offered a merit-based full-ride from Washington University as a Langsdorf Scholar and a direct phone call from their Dean of Engineering, along with a Likely Scholar Designation through Columbia University’s C.P. Davis Scholar program.

See also: The Complete Guide to Paying for College

What made all the difference? It started long before high school, with the way my parents raised me. We couldn’t afford college consultants or expensive enrichment programs, so they focused on simple, consistent routines that laid the foundation for my success.

1. They emphasized sleep, food, and health

Research consistently shows that good sleep and proper nutrition lead to better academic performance. My parents took this seriously.

To make sure I got enough rest, my dad would wake up early so that he could drive me to school every morning before heading into work. Not having to catch the bus gave me an extra hour of sleep. My mom would similarly get up before sunrise, sometimes as early as 4:30 a.m., so that she could make me a nutritious breakfast — usually a couple of eggs, some protein, and garlic toast.

My parents also arranged their schedules so that I’d never come home to an empty house. As soon as I was done with school, they’d be home from work.

2. They encouraged me to explore opportunities

In Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers,” he talks about how success requires not just talent and hard work, but also finding opportunities to develop our own interests. That really stuck with me.

At the start of high school, I was too focused on academics. Yet, my parents encouraged me to join clubs. If I didn’t like it, I didn’t have to commit. Growing up, my immigrant parents didn’t have access to extracurricular activities. I was reminded of how lucky I am.

I became one of the most involved students in my district, and surprisingly ended up having a lot of fun. I participated in Robotics, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and SkillsUSA. I even worked on real-world engineering projects, like optimizing math models for school-based initiatives.

My proudest accomplishment? Leading a NASA HUNCH team that designed a lunar rover built to survive the moon’s harsh terrain. We were invited to present our design at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, directly to NASA engineers and astronauts.

My parents taught me that you can become talented through skill development, but you need opportunities to put that talent to good use.

3. They raised me with strong morals and a sense of purpose

My parents, who immigrated to the U.S. without a formal American education, taught me that success means more than grades. It’s also about character.

They instilled in me values rooted in our Islamic faith: curiosity about the world, honesty, gratitude, and perseverance. Our faith also encourages us to observe and appreciate the beauty of the world, which is initially what got me interested in science!

Those values shaped how I approached everything, from academics to relationships with teachers and classmates. When it came time for recommendation letters, my teachers didn’t just write about my grades. They spoke about who I am as a person, and that came from how my parents raised me.

What matters most to me is giving back — to my parents, my community, and everyone who helped me along the way. I believe that’s how I’ll truly make the most out of my Harvard education.

Salman Chowdhury is a recent graduate of PCTI STEM Academy in Wayne, New Jersey. He grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, and plans to attend Harvard University in the fall.

Lawmakers want to end HR ghosting during the interview process—here’s how

There may not be any laws against ghosting in the dating realm, but some governments are cracking down on the phenomenon in hiring.

As of Jan. 1, 2026 some companies in Ontario, Canada, will be required to inform job applicants about the status of their candidacy within 45 days of a job interview, whether a decision has been made or not, effectively banning the practice of businesses ghosting candidates during the hiring process.

The rule applies to companies with at least 25 employees and also seeks to eliminate the posting of ghost jobs, where companies post job ads for roles they’re not actively hiring for. Under the law, businesses will be required to disclose whether a vacancy is actively being filled, as well as if they’re using artificial intelligence to screen and select candidates.

The law “makes clear that if someone applies to your company and takes the time to interview, that you owe them a clear response and a decision,” says Bonnie Dilber, a recruiting leader at software company Zapier.

“That feels like a minimum expectation,” she tells CNBC Make It. “People who apply to jobs deserve to understand what’s happening behind the scenes.”

Companies that don’t comply with the new law may be fined up to $100,000 CAD (about $72,500 USD), Bloomberg reports, though first offenses may result in warnings or lesser fines.

Half of job-seekers have been ghosted after an interview

Ghosting has become all too common in today’s job market: Roughly half of job-seekers say they’ve been ghosted in the hiring process, meaning they’ve had initial conversations, and in some cases made it to final rounds of interviews, only to never hear back from the hiring team about a decision, according to Greenhouse data. Meanwhile, some 17% of all job posts on Greenhouse in the second quarter of 2025 were for roles the business never intended to actually fill.

In the U.S., state lawmakers in New Jersey, Kentucky and California have their own proposals to prevent HR ghosting in the hiring process.

The New Jersey proposal would require businesses to give interviewed candidates a clear decision of their timeline, remove job listings within two weeks of filling the role, and disclose when they post ads for roles that don’t exist — otherwise they’d face a fine fine up to $5,000.

A bill to ban ghost jobs introduced in Kentucky failed to gain traction, but a similar one in California is currently under committee review, Bloomberg reports.

Dilber says it’s possible that we could see more movement among states and cities that have previously passed transparency laws that center the job-seeker’s experience, including in Colorado and Washington.

More regulation around using AI in hiring could come first, she adds: For example, in 2023, New York City became the first entity to prohibit employers from using AI decision-making tools to hire unless it’s been audited for bias and provides required notices to applicants.