News & Trending Money News

6 Overlooked Dave Ramsey Strategies Financial Planners Actually Love

These ideas could help you grow your money and protect your wealth.

By Chris Adam , Edited by Michael Kurko

Updated Aug. 21, 2026

Add Us On Google

Love him or hate him, Dave Ramsey is known for giving straightforward advice to help regular people get ahead financially.

Since you can find many of his better-known pieces of advice in lots of places online, we wanted to give you a closer look at what may be some of his lesser-known financial strategies.

Don't just take our word for it. We asked real financial planners and experts to share which of Ramsey's solid strategies could work for you.

Set up direct deposit - pocket $400

Set up an eligible direct deposit with SoFi Checking and Savings and you could pocket a bonus of up to $400. Make the switch, set up direct deposit, earn the bonus. It basically takes no extra work at all other than following these steps.

Why people are switching: This account earns up to an insane 4.00% APY¹ Earn up to 4.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on one SoFi Savings account with a 0.90% APY Boost (added to the 3.10% APY as of 5/28/26) for up to 6 months. Open your first SoFi Checking and Savings account and receive eligible direct deposits OR qualifying deposits of $5,000 every 31 days by 12/31/26. Rates are variable, subject to change. Terms apply at <a href="https://www.sofi.com/banking/#4">sofi.com/banking#4</a>. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. on savings for up to six months (3.10% APY standard + 0.90% APY boost) on top of that $50 or $400 bonus.² New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more) OR $400 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more). Cash bonus amount will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit received within 25 calendar days of your first Eligible Direct Deposit of $1 or more. If you have satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 5/15/2026 and will be available through 12/31/26. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at <a href="https://www.sofi.com/banking/checking-offer/">sofi.com/banking/checking-offer/</a> That's way better than the measly 0.38% APY (as of 06/15/26)³ Based on <a href="https://www.fdic.gov/national-rates-and-rate-caps">this</a> FDIC data, as of 6/15/26. national average savings accounts offer.

No monthly fees and no surprises. Open your account and earn up to a $400 bonus

Sinking funds for expected expenses

Steven Kibble, a certified financial planner and senior editor at International Money Transfer, is one of the experts who told us he appreciates Ramsey's take on sinking funds.

Instead of letting irregular expenses derail a budget, Ramsey suggests setting up small, dedicated savings pots for upcoming costs.

The idea is that contributing a little each month keeps these predictable expenses from catching you off-guard, making it easier to stick to your budget.

Shopping for cheaper auto insurance? Enter your zip code here to get started.

Planning for Murphy's Law

Kibbel notes he's also a fan of Ramsey's suggestion to prepare for anything that goes wrong that could possibly happen to you.

Kibble agrees that maintaining a strong emergency fund and staying out of debt can make you more resilient to unexpected setbacks, like medical bills or car breakdowns.

According to Kibbel, This mindset encourages people to build a financial cushion, making it easier to handle surprises without stress.

Never financing vehicles

Kibbel alsp likes Ramsey's ideas about buying cars. Ramsey strongly advocates against financing cars.

"He advises paying cash and never owning vehicles worth more than half your annual household income," Kibbel says.

"This keeps car costs manageable and helps people avoid debt traps on assets that rapidly lose value. It's a disciplined approach that preserves funds for other financial priorities."

Resolve $10,000 or more of your debt

National Debt Relief could help you resolve your credit card debt with an affordable plan that works for you. Just tell them your situation, then find out your debt relief options.⁴ Please note that all calls with the company may be recorded or monitored for quality assurance and training purposes. Clients who are able to stay with the program and get all their debt settled realize approximate savings of 45% before fees, or 20% including our fees, over 24 to 48 months. All claims are based on enrolled debts. Not all debts are eligible for enrollment. Not all clients complete our program for various reasons, including their ability to save sufficient funds. Estimates based on prior results, which will vary based on specific circumstances. We do not guarantee that your debts will be lowered by a specific amount or percentage or that you will be debt-free within a specific period of time. We do not assume consumer debt, make monthly payments to creditors or provide tax, bankruptcy, accounting or legal advice or credit repair services. Not available in all states. Please contact a tax professional to discuss tax consequences of settlement. Please consult with a bankruptcy attorney for more information on bankruptcy. Depending on your state, we may be available to recommend a local tax professional and/or bankruptcy attorney. Read and understand all program materials prior to enrollment, including potential adverse impact on credit rating. "Debt-Free" applies only to enrolled credit cards, personal loans, and medical bills. Not mortgages, car loans, or other debts. Results vary.

Extreme financial focus

Alex Schlesinger, Founder and CEO of Active Mutual, is a fan of Ramsey's lesser-known principle related to extreme financial focus.

"The power of choosing a single financial priority, whether it's building an emergency fund or paying off debt, creates momentum that typical multi-goal approaches simply can't match," Schlesinger goes on to say.

"One effective way he suggests is by writing down your single most important financial goal and posting it somewhere you'll see daily, then directing all extra funds exclusively toward this goal until it's complete."

Financial surgery

"Many know Ramsey's debt snowball and emergency fund concepts, but his lesser-known strategies pack equal power," says Abid Salahi, Co-founder and CEO of FinlyWealth.

"The 'plastic surgery' method of cutting up credit cards sounds extreme but works by removing spending temptation entirely. My clients who've done this report save an average of $350 monthly from reduced impulse purchases."

Buffer budgeting

"I really like Ramsey's concept of a financial 'buffer' budgeting with last month's income to help with cash flow," notes Brian Chasin, Chief Financial Officer for SOBA New Jersey.

"There is less to worry about whenever late surprises require spending money, and if a person is living inside just what you have currently earned, then there should be no worries at all."

"And I highly appreciate his 'pay off the small loans first' approach, even if they do carry smaller interest rates, paying the debt in full can have an extremely powerful psychological impact."

Make Money: 8 things to do if you're barely scraping by financially

Bottom line

If you've searched for advice to build wealth, you've probably encountered tips from Ramsey. Depending on your risk tolerance, some of what he advises may not work as well for you.

However, the financial planners we spoke to think some of his strategies are good overall and worth seeing if they could apply to your finances.

Before you start implementing anything, talk to your own financial planner and do some research; Your situation may not lend itself to these strategies.

More from FinanceBuzz:

Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
$0 annual fee
Apply Now

Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers; balance transfer fee applies. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
Redeem cash back for any amount. No annual fee
Terms and conditions apply

4.7

Apply Now

on Issuer's secure website

Read Card Review

Intro Offer

INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300

Annual Fee

Why we like it