Radio host Dave Ramsey advised a man identified as Todd to sell his inventory of Pokémon cards and secure two jobs after Todd disclosed $13,426 in credit card debt accrued from the purchase. Todd had financed the acquisition using a credit card with a 21% annual percentage rate (APR).

Todd reported that he generated no profit from the sales of the Pokémon cards. He stated that his debt was approximately between $10,000 and $15,000. Todd also admitted to being "kind of bouncing around employment" during this period.

Ramsey addressed Todd's financial situation. "Here you are. $13,426 of stupid. I wanna define my stupid very carefully and thoroughly," Ramsey said. He also said, "You believe crap like it takes money to make money."

Todd indicated he did not closely monitor the debt accumulation. "I didn't really pay attention to it like that," he said. He further explained that he approached the venture by simply proceeding without detailed planning, stating, "I kind of just winged it because I saw other success stories."

Ramsey's advice to Todd included selling the entire Pokémon card inventory immediately at market price. Additionally, Ramsey recommended that Todd work a 40-hour job alongside a 30-hour job to address the debt.

Context

Federal Reserve data indicates that the average credit card APR was 21.00% as of February 1, 2026. The national personal savings rate decreased from 6.2% in the first quarter of 2024 to 3.9% in the first quarter of 2026. Credit card delinquencies stood at 2.92% as of January 1, 2026.