The advise Dave Ramsey and Mr. Money Mustache give are really only applicable once you already did the hard part and built a steady career. Their advice isn't going to help someone who works at McDonalds with several kids with several deadbeat baby daddies and no family support get out of poverty, nevermind build wealth. The fact that most of Mr. Money Mustache's readers (who answer surveys) are engineers really reinforces that.

I'm not trying to pick on anyone here, I'm actually describing a good friend of mine.

That being said, I don't know what will, so I don't have any suggestions.