'Corporate America, You Suck,' Dave Ramsey Says — Slams Firms That 'Need You To Front Them Money' While Calling Reimbursements 'Bullcrap'
'Corporate America, You Suck,' Dave Ramsey Says — Slams Firms That 'Need You To Front Them Money' While Calling Reimbursements 'Bullcrap'
Casey B. RennerFri, April 3, 2026 at 10:01 PM UTC
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A new job perk can sometimes come with a hidden cost.
Justin, calling from Lubbock, Texas, asked "The Ramsey Show" whether a travel credit card made sense for a new job with frequent travel and reimbursement. Personal finance expert Dave Ramsey said the bigger issue was the expectation that employees cover company costs upfront and wait to be paid back.
"Corporate America, you suck," Ramsey said. He called that setup "bullcrap."
The Bill Doesn't Always Go Where You Expect
His first suggestion was simple: ask for a company card so the employer covers expenses upfront. Ramsey said he does not understand why a big company would need you to front them money. "I don't understand why this big company needs you as their bank," he said.
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Ramsey said the risk is not limited to delayed reimbursement. He pointed to a case involving a man whose company asked him to buy about $12,000 in equipment while traveling in Europe. When he got back, Ramsey said, the office was locked and the company had filed for Chapter 11, leaving him stuck with roughly $11,000 on his American Express card.
He said the danger is often less dramatic but more common. Travel throws people out of routine, leading to unplanned purchases that do not qualify for reimbursement. "You buy crap because you're bored," Ramsey said, warning that a worker might spend $1,000 on company expenses but tack on another $250 in personal spending.
The Trouble Builds Between Charges And Payback
Ramsey said travel can disrupt routines around food, sleep and spending, making it easier to overspend.
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Co-host John Delony said reimbursement gaps can create trouble. Recalling his college years, he said he once put school expenses on a personal credit card and later got a reimbursement check just as his car needed repairs.
"Life hit me in the gap there," he said. The money went to fixing the car instead of paying off the card balance.
A Cash Buffer Instead Of Credit
If the employer would not cover travel directly, Ramsey said a more controlled fallback was to set up a separate checking account for travel expenses.
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With travel costs under $4,000 or $5,000, he said the account should be built to $3,000 or $4,000, then refilled as reimbursements came in.
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He said using a debit card tied to that account can make people more deliberate about spending.
Delony said employees in his workplace are given travel funds before trips rather than being asked to cover costs themselves.
"If you don’t trust somebody enough, don’t hire them," he said.
Dealing with delayed reimbursements or unexpected work expenses? AdviserMatch can connect you with trusted financial advisors who help plan cash flow, create emergency buffers, and manage your money so you're never caught off guard.
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