Dave Ramsey: 7 Effective Ways To Prepare for a Recession
Many Americans fear that we could face a recession in the back half of 2025 due to several economic factors — including tariffs. If you’re concerned that an economic downturn could hurt your finances, learning to better manage your money and build a safety net now is crucial.
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Dave Ramsey, famed personal finance expert, radio host and author, is known for his advice on breaking free from debt and establishing good money habits. He offered these seven recession preparation tips you should consider.
Don’t Panic and Remember That You’re in Control
Just hearing about a potential recession may leave you feeling very anxious — or even cause you to make unwise money moves.
Ramsey’s suggestion is to remember that you’re always in control of your finances, even if the economy isn’t in good shape. By keeping a calm and clear mind, you can focus on improving your financial situation now so you can ride out a recession more easily.
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Assess Your Financial Situation
Before you make additional money moves, you should know where your finances currently stand. Ramsey recommends identifying all your assets, debts and monthly bills so that you have the information readily available. By knowing how much you’ve saved, what you owe and what you must pay each month, you’ll know where your finances need improvement.
Budget Your Money
Even when a recession isn’t occurring, your finances can easily get out of control if you lack a budget. You need one that lists all your monthly income and expenses in detail — and shows your leftover funds once you account for expenses. If you end up with a negative number, that’s a sign to find costs to cut right away.
While a simple budgeting spreadsheet can work, Ramsey recommends his free EveryDollar app since it handles the calculations. You can also get a premium version of this app with several financial planning tools. Whichever option you choose, be sure you actually follow the budget and don’t use debt to cover a cash shortage.
Have a Sufficient Emergency Fund
While an emergency fund comes in handy for any large, unexpected expense, it’s especially crucial during a recession, when a job loss could occur. As part of his “7 Baby Steps,” Ramsey advises starting with a $1,000 emergency fund. Ultimately, you’ll want to have at least three to six months of expenses, but Ramsey suggests getting rid of all your debt before building a larger emergency fund.
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