Her husband began as a stay-at-home dad. Over time, his wife says he stopped contributing financially, fell back on excuses, and spent much of his day on betting, video games, and avoiding responsibility. Now, after six years of marriage and three kids, she is divorcing him\u00a0 and trying to buy him out of a house she says she paid for almost entirely herself.<\/p>\n
The situation came up on a recent episode of \u201cThe Ramsey Show<\/a>,\u201d when a caller named Janelle from Philadelphia laid out what she described as years of financial imbalance, growing resentment, and regret. She did not hold back, referring to her soon-to-be ex as a \u201cmanchild\u201d early in the call.<\/p>\n Don’t Miss:<\/p>\n Janelle said that when she met her husband, he was working full-time. Things changed after she began nursing school and later advanced her career to become a nurse practitioner. When their third child was born, the couple decided it would be easier for her to pick up extra shifts instead of him continuing to work.<\/p>\n \u201cI regretted having him become a stay-at-home dad because that was like the end of it,\u201d she said. \u201cEvery time I asked him to start working again afterwards, there was an excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n She told hosts John Delony and Rachel Cruze that her husband eventually stopped contributing financially at all. Family involvement made things worse. \u201cI kept saying I was married to three people\u2013him and my in-laws,\u201d she said, explaining that his mother frequently inserted herself into arguments.<\/p>\n By the time divorce proceedings began, her husband had only just returned to work, taking a part-time janitorial job for four hours a day. \u201cAs of the week he filed for divorce, he finally went back and got a job,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Trending: This ETF issuer isn’t chasing the index \u2014 it’s building tools for income, leverage, and conviction<\/a><\/p>\n Janelle said she felt guilted into putting her husband’s name on the home, even though she paid for it. The house is now valued at about $255,000, with roughly $138,000 left on the mortgage. Under the divorce agreement, she owes her ex about $48,800 for his share of the equity.<\/p>\n At the same time, she is facing about $1,000 a month in alimony for roughly 15 months, along with legal costs and upcoming childcare expenses<\/a>.<\/p>\n Despite all of that, her income is strong<\/a>. She brings home about $6,000 a month from her main job and earns an average of $2,000 a month from a side business doing medical aesthetics, with higher earning potential if she increases her hours.<\/p>\n Delony told her she did not cause her husband’s lack of ambition. \u201cThat’s a man, that’s a father of three kids choosing to not get up and support his family,\u201d he said. \u201cYou didn’t cause that in him.\u201d<\/p>\n See Also: Security and regulation matter in crypto \u2014 explore Kraken Pro’s compliance-first trading platform.<\/a><\/p>\n The financial advice was surprisingly balanced. While the show often tells callers in similar situations to sell, the numbers here were different. Rolling the buyout into the mortgage could work, but only if the total housing payment stays under 25% of her take-home pay.<\/p>\n Renting would likely cost more than her current mortgage, making selling financially painful in the short term. Keeping the house could preserve stability for the kids, but only if it does not become a constant source of stress.<\/p>\n For professionals earning six figures or close to it, having a clear plan can make the difference between long-term stability and years of financial strain.<\/p>\n That is where services like Domain Money<\/a> come in. Domain Money offers personalized financial planning for people who want to make smarter, more confident decisions about their money.<\/p>\n For someone facing buyouts, alimony, and major housing decisions, a free strategy session with a financial planner can help turn chaos into a plan.<\/p>\n Janelle’s call ended without a final answer, but with clarity. Peace, the hosts stressed, matters more than pride. Whether she keeps the house or sells it later, the goal is the same: a fresh start that doesn\u2019t drag old problems forward.<\/p>\n Read Next: This investment firm leverages expert insights and a $1.85 billion track record to help accredited investors capitalize on 2026 multifamily market trends\u2014read the full forecast now.<\/a><\/p>\n Image: Shutterstock<\/p>\n Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge’s one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights<\/a> that can set you ahead in today’s competitive market.<\/p>\n Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga:<\/p>\n This article He Started As A Stay-At-Home Dad And Ended Up A ‘Manchild’ Addicted To Betting And Games. Now She Wants Him Bought Out Of The Home She Funded<\/a> originally appeared on Benzinga.com<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Her husband began as a stay-at-home dad. 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