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Denise and her husband earn $150K a year, have no debt, and have built a sizable retirement fund -- so why does money still feel tight?

With seven kids to raise, this Tennessee mom called into The Ramsey Show [1] to get the experts' take on her financial situation.

"We paid everything off first, and then we had kids. And so we have a sizable retirement fund, and it just feels very strange to still be... in a situation where my husband's getting upset about money when we're supposed to be doing that well on paper," Denise said.

When Denise asked if they could ever "save too much," Dave Ramsey said the real problem wasn't the savings -- it was the lack of planning. "You're throwing money in savings and hoping you can live with what's left over, and when chaos hits, you dip back into the savings," Ramsey said.

When Ramsey dug deeper into Denise's situation, he discovered that the couple doesn't have a solid budget set up, which is a big reason for the stress and "chaos" every month.

Having a budget is critical, especially with today's unpredictable financial landscape. Inflation continues to cut down consumers' purchasing power, making everyday essentials like food, gas, and utilities more expensive than they were even a year ago.

U.S. inflation is projected to go up by 3.1% in 2025, according to the Congressional Budget Office [2]. For many families, like Denise's, every dollar needs to stretch even further.

Monarch Money's all-in-one budgeting app is a great way to get all your finances under one roof, from your banking statements to your investments. You can also add separate or joint accounts to your dashboard, which can be great for tracking grocery runs for couples or helping your child get used to big-picture financial planning as parents.

Both Forbes and The Wall Street Journal ranked Monarch Money as their best budgeting app for 2025.

And the best part? Monarch Money offers a seven-day free trial so you can see if it's right for you. If you like what you see, you could then snag 50% off with code MONARCHVIP.

Whether or not you have seven kids, the first thing that families can do is start tracking their spending for a month or two, using statements or apps. This way, you'll have a clear picture of where your money is going.

Here are some practical budgeting tips:

Zero-based budgeting. Give every dollar a purpose, putting your income towards expenses, savings, or paying off debt. If you're investing, make sure the money that's out of the market is earning a return too. With the Wealthfront Cash Account , you can build out your investment base with high-interest rates and maintain easy access to your money.