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Dave Ramsey is perfect for the type of people who need Dave Ramsey. If you’re a standard deviation or two above the median person in terms of having your shit together and being smart about personal finance you can do a few things more optimally than he would recommend, but the advice that works for that person could easily ruin most people.

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Agreed. For example, he strongly advises paying off one's house first. While this is good advice for many/most who struggle to save and invest, it's not optimal for maximising returns on a given portfolio. If the interest rate is below expected investment returns (minus tax and other subsidies, discounted for volatility), it can often be optimal to invest rather than pay down mortgage debt. It also means more liquidity in the case of sickness and redundancy. Equity in one's home can be difficult to access without some hefty fees or interest rates.

I was always confused why he was popular until someone told me to think of Dave Ramsey like vaping. It's great if you're currently a 2 pack a day cigarette smoker, but bad if you don't currently smoke. That cleared it up for me.

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