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The Dave Ramsey Show is a personal finance radio show that’s actually worth listening to. Every few months I try out the finance podcasts available on iTunes and every time I’m disappointed. Many financial shows discuss money in the most dispassionate, dull way possible. The focus is always on the interest rates, exchange rates and futures.

The Dave Ramsey Show is different. Ramsey takes calls from average people and helps them with their money problems. He also knows that most of the time money isn’t their problem, they are their own problem. People call in and Ramsey makes them face their irresponsibly with money, their family problems and their addictions, all through the lens of how it destroys their financial (and personal) lives.

Ramsey has a simple fix-your-finances algorithm that he mercilessly applies to all the callers. They are his ‘baby steps’ and go as follows:

1. Put $1,000 in an emergency fund.

2. Pay off all your debt using a debt snowball.

3. Save three to six months worth of expenses.

4. Invest 15% of your income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement plans

5. Save for your children’s college

6. Pay off your home early

7. Build wealth and give

After you’ve listened to the show for a few weeks, you get to know what Ramsey will say before he says it — there is a church-like aspect to listening. Yes, you already know how how to lead a good and prosperous life, but it helps to hear the steps repeated over and over.

If you are not a Christian, be prepared for a few biblical moments in each episode. Ramsey always tells his listeners that people who don’t take care of their family are ‘worse than unbelievers’. When talking about future job paths, the question is always asked what the listener feels God is calling them to do. That being said, I am one of those unbelievers Ramsey thinks there can be nothing worse than, and I (and my unbelieving wife) both enjoy the show and listen together. For the unbeliever, there are some entertaining moments, such as a discussion on whether credit card numbers are the mark of the beast. There was also the time a listener’s mortgage payment came out to be $666 a month and Ramsey advised him to change it ‘for obvious reasons.’

Disagree with him though I may do on religion, his financial advice is sound. It was his plan that I followed to get out of debt. My wife and I owe our debt-free lives to him. Every Friday the show encourages people like us who have followed the plan to call in and scream ‘I’m debt free!’ when they’ve made it out of the credit card trap. While you’re working to pay off you debts, the Friday show is a mighty inspiring thing.

If you’re struggling to get out of debt, I highly recommend listening to the Dave Ramsey Show. You can click here to subscribe to the podcast. Also, if you are a fan of This American Life they did a segment on Ramsey a few years ago that’s worth listening to.