Dawn and Kelly bought their dream house in the country. But after borrowing money to make their down payment, they were totally unprepared for double financial hit of a sudden drop in income and the high costs of heating their home in the winter. These two have found themselves spending more than 50% of their income just to keep a roof over their heads, and their debt just keeps growing.
Neither of them want to consider selling the home they love, so it’s up to financial expert Gail Vaz-Oxlade to challenge them to consider all the possibilities. If Dawn and Kelly can find a way to make sacrifices to stay in the home they love, Gail will reward them with $5,000 to help get them out of the hole.
When Tara met Adam, she thought she’d found a prince with his very own castle. But after moving into to his house, she quickly discovered that the financial demands of home ownership were more than either of them bargained for. Now this couple are frantically trying to keep afloat as they juggle the mortgage, property taxes, utilities and maintenance with their debt repayment. There just isn’t enough money for everything.
It’s up to Gail Vaz-Oxlade to show these two that selling the house may be their only option to get out of debt. But will Tara and Adam have what it takes when it comes to making the money they need to fix the house and maintain its value? Their home – and their relationship – is on the line as they work together on Gail’s challenges.
Mohamed and Leona spent the past year renovating their century home and they did it all with credit. They indulged their extravagant tastes and now they’ve got $100,000 worth of debt. With no safety net and no hope of starting a family, they need to find money to do necessary repairs and come up with a plan to pay down their debts before disaster strikes and they lose everything.
Both say selling the house would break their hearts – enter financial expert Gail Vaz-Oxlade. She gets these two talking about their nightmare debt so that they can keep their dream home.
No matter how much Scott pleads with his partner Darlene, she simply refuses to take responsibility for her shopping problem. With three kids and a home daycare business, Darlene justifies her exorbitant spending on baby items as necessary, despite the piles of new clothing and toys that sit unused in closets, tags still attached. Each month, 95% of this couple’s joint income is spent on “stuff”.
When it’s revealed that Darlene’s shopping habit has gotten so extreme she’s taught her children to lie about her purchases, Scott feels completely out of control. It’s up to Gail Vaz-Oxlade to restore balance to this family’s finances, and to their relationship, before the damage done is irreparable.
Melanie, a single mom who conceived via donor insemination, is raising her son on a maternity leave income. Melanie loves her new baby, but she also loves her sports car, her motorcycle, her vacations and her almost daily takeout meals. Melanie didn’t crunch the numbers before going on maternity leave, and is now horrified to learn that her current income doesn’t even cover her mortgage and car payments. Melanie’s impulse spending, on her baby and on herself, has her on the road to ruin.
Melanie wants to stay home with her son more than anything, and Gail Vaz-Oxlade gives it to her straight: unless Melanie makes some drastic financial and lifestyle changes, she’ll have to go back to work early just to stay afloat. Melanie has to decide what’s more important: her son… or her sports car?
Jaclyn and Richard racked up thousands in debt before becoming pregnant with their son Mac. After a few months of maternity leave, they’re in the hole deeper than ever, but their number one priority is ensuring that one parent is home with baby at all times. So while Richard plans to become a stay at home Dad, neither Jaclyn or Richard have any idea how to make ends meet.
Host Gail Vaz-Oxlade breaks the difficult truth: if having a parent at home is important to them, Jaclyn and Richard have to shift their priorities. If they don’t stop encouraging each others’ reckless spending and instead start working together to manage their finances, this couple’s future may be filled with a big debt instead of the big family they’ve always wanted.
After years of struggling with infertility issues, Tracey and Dan finally welcomed their baby girl into the world by surrogate. These parents spent over $120,000 in the process of conceiving their daughter, most of which was borrowed after Dan lost his job and their household income was greatly reduced. Now, with Dan working three jobs and Tracey on parental leave, they’re struggling to pay their over half a million dollars in mortgages – but that’s not stopping them from planning for another costly surrogate process, or talking about early retirement.
It’s up to host Gail Vaz-Oxlade to teach Tracey and Dan that they can’t have their cake and eat it too. If they don’t start planning for their future, this couple will be faced with over a million dollars in debt, and no savings to provide the life they want for their child, or the retirement they want for themselves.
Celine and Ron love living large. When they’re not jet setting to tropical islands, they spend their free time shopping, playing high stakes card games with friends, and, since neither can cook, eating out at restaurants. None of this seemed like a problem before Celine got pregnant. But now, this couple is finally realizing how financially unprepared their lifestyle has left them for a new baby.
Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s message to this young couple is clear: grow up – fast. With a baby due in less than two months and maxed out credit cards on both sides, this couple needs a solid plan if they want to keep a roof over their heads, or food in their baby’s belly.
Courtney & Chad "The Trouble with Twins"
When Courtney and Chad had beautiful twin girls, they weren't ready for the not-so-beautiful reality of incurring double the costs to provide for their children. By the end of Courtney’s maternity leave, they're facing almost $70,000 in debt. Between Courtney's penchant for adorable baby clothes and Chad's smoking habit, and without an emergency fund to cover unexpected costs, their financial future is looking grim.
It’s up to Gail Vaz-Oxlade to help these two to break their bad habits so the twins won't have to grow up doing without. If Courtney and Chad are up for the challenge, they could earn up to $5,000 to put toward their family's future. If they aren't, their hopes and dreams for the twins could go up in smoke.
Lisa & Sean “Growing Family, Shrinking Budget”
A series of bad financial decisions compounded with back-to-back maternity leaves have left Lisa and Sean's finances on the verge of catastrophe. These young parents fill their small home with piles of children’s toys, clothing and DVDs, while their debt grows deeper and deeper each day.
Enter financial guru Gail Vaz-Oxlade, who challenges Lisa and Sean to ditch the denial and work together to manage the expenses, home and children they already have before even thinking about adding to the family. Gail will have to work fast, or Lisa and Sean may never be able to afford the family home of their dreams, or, more importantly, the children they hope to fill it with.
Bill and Tasia are sinking deeper into debt every month and they just can’t figure out why. They agreed that Tasia would stay home with their two small children. So the couple is living on Bill’s part-time income while he tries to get his own business off the ground. To friends and family, they appear to be a couple perfectly in control. But Bill’s health and their relationship are crumbling under the stress.
Rob is a family doctor who believes he deserves the finer things in life. His wife Yvonne is spinning with frustration because he refuses to stop the bleed or take responsibility for his spending. With hundreds of thousands of dollars of personal debt, five sons, university fees on the horizon and the tax man breathing down Rob’s neck, their happy home has become a battleground.
Wendy and Dan have been married less than a year and have a six-month-old daughter. They also have significant debt, loans from family that have ruined relationships, and a baby who needs special formula that costs $200 a week. Dan is working all the time to make ends meet, and Wendy, a dance instructor, is contributing a little cash by teaching. But their tiny income, disgruntled creditors and their inability to meet their bills could be the curtain call on their relationship.
Mark brings in more than $100,000 a year. His wife Nicola, a teaching assistant, earns 1/4 of that. She has Mark on an allowance of $100 a week for his gas and spending money and Mark is fed up. They also have three kids who play sports five nights each week, eating fast food on the run. With absolutely no savings, if Mark loses his job this family of five would be living on less than they pay for sports every month. Can this couple make the sacrifices needed to make the save?
Beth and Steve are struggling with a modern reality. Beth out-earns Steve and it makes them both uncomfortable. Add in Steve’s larger debt load and it’s a recipe for marriage meltdown. They’re so busy keep track of who owes what and what got paid when that their relationship is suffering. Gail has to show them that when it comes to dealing with debt, they’re a team and there’s no “I” in team either.
Rainer didn’t change a thing after his parents bailed him out of $30,000 of credit card debt. Only a year later he and fiancé Faith owe even more. They bought a house but that gives them just one more reason to impulse shop. They know what they need to do to get out of debt – but whether they have the self-discipline to do it is another question. Gail has to show these two that denial isn’t the only route to a debt-free life.
Marissa loves to spoil her mother, her brother and her mother in law with lavish dinners out and trips to the spa. But her husband David is beginning to see that all these treats are taking a huge toll on their finances. With a serious health problem on the horizon, it’s now or never for this couple to cut the family factor from their weekly spending.
Single mom Favel thought she’d found her knight in shining armour when she met new husband Twain. Twain hates debt as much as Favel does and together, they plan to buy a house for them and their three children. Before they can get there, they need to start cleaning up the mistakes in their pasts. Gail walks them through their credit reports to show them the impact that a poor “R” rating can have on their futures.
High school sweethearts Trish and Tony have three children – and a pile of debt. Tony’s parents bailed them out once before, but only two years later, their debt is bigger than ever. Stay at home mom Trish is miserable in their tiny townhouse and spends money as fast as Tony can earn it. The stress is taking a serious toil on their relationship. Gail has to show them that solving their problems is going to take more than just money – they both need to fess up.
Newlyweds Robyn and Paul are freaked out by their mounting debt. What’s worse is that they haven’t had any fun since buying their home. They estimate it will take them at least five years to get out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves – and they figure they’ll be spending most of it sitting on the couch. Gail has a plan to get them back in the black in only one year – but only if they make some major sacrifices for their honeymoon.
Jacqueline and Grant are both huge fans of the band Queen. That’s where their similarities end. Jacqueline is a compulsive shopper who thinks that using coupons will mitigate her out-of- control spending. Meanwhile, husband Grant is completely oblivious to the impact of his wife’s spending – and to the $50,000 of debt she’s racked up. To get their finances back in tune, Gail has to slash their spending and step up the debt repayments.
Michelle and Zack have only been married for three months and they’ve already reached a crisis point when it comes to their finances. Zack’s decision to become a full time student has left Michelle holding the bag when it comes to their debt. With no plan on how to manage their money, Michelle was scared and angry. Gail gets these lovebirds talking about their plans for a debt-free future.
Almost 30 years old, divorced dad Innis has spent the last year dodging creditors and crashing on his mother’s couch. Now he’s got a new girlfriend and he’s so busy spending his cash on her that he hasn’t made a single debt repayment. Innis’s mom and girlfriend want to see him back on his feet and living in his own apartment, but unless Innis steps up to the plate, that’s never gong to happen. Gail is just the gal to give Innis the push he needs.
Steve admits that money problems played a part in the break up of his first marriage. But that hasn’t stopped him from racking up almost $70,000 in debt with his fiancé Bobbi Jo. Their home is beautifully furnished but they have no idea of how much their wedding will cost, let alone how they’re going to pay for it. Gail’s number one goal is to get them through their wedding without any new debt, while helping them pay off the debt they already have.
Allison is a smart girl, studying for her PhD and wondering how she’s ended up in such a stupid situation. Her husband of only one year, Chris, had a secret gambling addiction that’s landed them both in debt. Now he’s desperate to win back her trust. But Allison isn’t ready to let him off the hook yet. Gail gives this young couple the financial know-how to get back in the black, but whether their marriage will survive is still up in the air.
Only 21 years old, Kristine wants the best of the best. And she’s pretty sure that her husband Adam will start providing those things - as soon as he finishes school. In the meantime, she’s so desperate to show everyone that their teenage engagement wasn’t a mistake that she spends far more than she makes in an effort to appear successful. Adam spends right along with her and between them, they’ve racked up $20,000 of debt in only a year. Gail needs to bring them both back down to reality.
After a long distance romance, Shauna left her home in St. Louis to move in with Nick. But now she’s here, they spend more time fighting about their mounting debt than they do enjoying their beautiful home. Nick’s quick to point the finger at Shauna’s shortcomings, but less enthusiastic when it comes to changing his own bad habits. Gail has to get these two playing on the same team.
Despite a healthy family income, Lucy and Dave have never been debt free. Lucy manages all of the family’s finances – but she spends it as fast as it comes in. To get this couple back in the black, Gail has to open up the lines of communication – between themselves and with fellow shopaholics. Confronting clutter at home and in their spending habits gets Lucy and Dave back in sync.
Mike and Sheila met in a rehab facility and triumphed over their addictions together. But to make up for lost time, they bought everything they've ever wanted, and it's left them with a throbbing debt hangover. And their dreams for the future are totally out of touch with their finances. It's up to Gail to get their spending under control and dole out a sobering dose of reality, or they risk all the progress they've made.
Amy and Paul are learning about home ownership the expensive way. Surprises during renovations forced them into a line of credit – and there's still much work to be done. Amy loses sleep from worry but they haven’t curbed their spending. Now they want to add a puppy to the household but haven’t yet figured out if they can even afford it. It's time to get their priorities straight if they ever want to sleep peacefully.
Gord has always been happy to let his fiancée Angela take the lead while he plays the clown. Now these expectant parents are up to their eyeballs in debt and Angela is counting on family support to rescue her once again. Gord meets every one of Gail’s challenges head on, determined to show Gail that he’s more than a doofus. But Angela has a harder time accepting the changes she needs to make.
After 18 years together, Paula and David’s relationship is at the breaking point, and it’s all due to finances. Paula feels exhausted by the stress of trying to manage their money on her own, and she’s frustrated by David’s debt denial. It’s definitely taken a toll on them, and their two young children. Once Gail gives David a wake up call, this couple makes money the focus of their vows when they decide to finally take a walk down the aisle.
Dina and Bill have turned to their mortgage to cover up some of their money mistakes. They even used their home equity to finance their car purchase. Now they’re going to spend the next 25 years paying for a vehicle that will likely only last a fraction of that time. To ensure that Bill and Dina’s teenagers learn from their mistakes, Gail gets the kids involved in her family-focused challenges.
Newlyweds Karissa and Karl have everything – a new home, two vehicles and a new baby. Because they make their minimum payments on time every month, they’re perfect credit clients and they have the massive credit limits to prove it. During their short marriage, they’ve used that credit to rack up over $80,000 in debt. Karl wants to focus on paying down the debt, but Karissa thinks they can do it “later.” Will Gail be able to help this couple find the balance between their income and their debt?
Ted is a paramedic, Melissa a cop. Working opposite shifts in high-stress jobs, and caring for two young kids, has left them with no energy to track their money. So, they spend, spend, spend. Totally divorced from their financial reality, the couple underestimates their monthly income yet still overspends across the board. Their healthy joint income is more than enough to comfortably support the family, so Gail’s first question is: “where’s the money going?”
Andy and Evelyn’s impulsive decision making has lead them from one end of the country to the other. Along the way, they’ve had to sell their dream house and still ended up with a whack of debt. It’s cost them more than just money because their relationship is on the rocks. Andy is feverishly working, trying to bring home the bucks while Evelyn broods at home with their two toddlers. Gail tries to balance the scales by putting Evelyn in charge of the family’s finances.
Musicians Valerey and Alex make more than just music together – they’ve also orchestrated a financial disaster. Unemployed, Valerey recently declared bankruptcy but she’s going back to school leaving Alex with all the bills. At 40-something, they're too close to retirement to have zero savings and no assets. Gail's plan depends on them tuning into their financial situation and making more money, but that's a tune that Valerey might not be willing to play.
Ivy and Carson haven’t stopped to add up the cost of their family-focused lifestyle. Having a stay at home mom and buying organic are important to them, but are they spending too much time thinking about the wrong kind of green? They say they’re worried about their increasing debt but they can justify every bad decision they’ve made. Gail faces an uphill battle trying to get these two to change their ways – no ifs, ands or buts.
Commercial pilot Ed and chic fiancee Brandi live with their heads in the clouds. But a globe-trotting lifestyle of fine wines and the latest fashions has left them with financial jet lag. Despite recent reductions to their incomes, they haven’t curbed their expensive tastes., making Brandi's disproportionate share of household expenses and baggage of student debt all the more glaring. With marriage fast approaching, they'll need to change course or prepare for a turbulent ride.
Owning a house is just a dream for family-minded Jill and Orson. Stuck with their children in a cramped apartment, they live a life where overdraft protection is not a safeguard but a necessity. Jill's financial management is misguided while Orson stays willfully ignorant. They're both clueless as to why they keep spinning their wheels as they grind from month to month. Can Gail free them and turn their hopes and dreams into ways and means?
After meeting online, Carolyn and Jason lived large during their engagement, but now it’s time to pay the piper. They were years behind in paying taxes and spending double what they earn – which led Gail to repossess the stuff they purchased on credit. Caroline felt like a failure and they decided to cancel their wedding plans. Can Gail teach these two to be happy with what they have in time to save their future together?
Racking up $52,000 of debt while living rent free in his parents’ basement, 35 year old perpetual student Chris has a lot to learn. Chris’ wife, Yen, is the breadwinner of the family but now they’re expecting a baby. Gail schools Chris for his carefree attitude towards his crushing student loans and finally gets him to feel the damaging weight of his debt. Once Gail helps Yen find her voice, Chris is forced to make tough choices about his future.
Michelle and Stephen were so busy planning their fairy tale medieval wedding they forgot to talk about money. Once the honeymoon was over Michelle found out that her Prince Charming was actually a frog with a lot of debt. Although all that debt still didn’t stop Michelle from spending like a princess. Can Gail get these two to stop living a financial fantasy and rescue them from the Debt Dragon?
Maggie spent her way into debt and bullied her sister, Janice, into bankrolling her. After the death of Maggie’s husband, her sister came from Scotland to help her look after her three children. Along with taking care of the kids, Janice also took out a loan to cover what Maggie couldn’t pay. These sisters’s interdependence has left them feeling trapped and frustrated. Gail breaks their old habits by getting Janice to stand up to her sister and getting Maggie to start prioritizing what’s important – her family and future.
Debt was ripping Melanie and Kevin’s family apart. With a surprise second baby on the way and 15 creditors demanding interest payments, Melanie worries that their financial affairs will kill their relationship for good. After begging for Gail’s help Gail nails them on bad habits, silly spending and unstable incomes. Plumber Kevin has to work extra hard to keep his temper in check so that their prize money and relationship don’t end up down the toilet.
Alexandria’s secret spending habits pushed Andrew to cut up her debit and credit cards. After consolidating close to $80,000 of consumer debt into a 2nd mortgage, they still went and spent thousands more on credit. And Alexandria wasn’t the only one to blame; Andrew was blowing their credit on big-ticket items like an entertainment system and a motorcycle. Their relationship is cracking under the strain of their mounting debt and if Gail can’t get them to start trusting each other again their marriage is going to hit the wall.
While Dionne was putting vacations on credit using a fly now and pay later plan, Shannon - having “no interest in interest” - ignored his debt and buried his head in the sand. On top of their bad spending habits, they made a huge commitment to their parents to gut and flip a fixer-upper hoping to make a quick buck but their renovation fell behind and the market fell apart. To renovate this couple’s finances and get them interested in interest, Gail pushes them to make some tough decisions.
Despite going through a consumer proposal in the past, Jodi and Adrien didn’t change their ways and overspending got them into trouble for a second time around. Given that Jodi was on a reduced maternity leave income and both of them were struggling to make minimum payments, this family was on the brink of disaster. Gail forces them to pay back the dough they’ve already spent and teaches them that budgeting is as easy as baking... a loaf of bread.
DJs Amanda and Sean have been spinning themselves into debt. Even with Sean’s three jobs and Amanda’s bookkeeping skills, these new parents haven’t been able to scratch the surface of their debt. Using credit to buy big toys for themselves and for their daughter, their interest fees have skyrocketed and their romance has flattened. On top of challenging these two to brush up on their budgeting skills and to rekindle their relationship, Gail cranks up the pressure and gives them the job of planning a dance rave party to raise some much needed cash.
Leanne hid bills and purchases in cupboards and closets around the house to keep the truth about her spending addiction from her husband Adam. These spending secrets were not only damaging their finances but they were also detrimental to their relationship. Gail puts this family back in touch with reality by opening their eyes to the $141,000 of debt they’ve accumulated, cutting their spending, and prioritizing honesty. When Gail challenges Leanne and Adam to reveal their undisclosed secrets to each other will it strengthen their relationship or cause them to split up?
Debt was ripping Melanie and Kevin’s family apart. With a surprise second baby on the way and 15 creditors demanding interest payments, Melanie worries that their financial affairs will kill their relationship for good. After begging for Gail’s help Gail nails them on bad habits, silly spending and unstable incomes. Plumber Kevin has to work extra hard to keep his temper in check so that their prize money and relationship don’t end up down the toilet.
Sherry met David on vacation in Cancun; now they are married with a baby, and deep in debt. Sherry was so stressed about the money that she cut her maternity leave short. David, on the other hand, is determined to make the most of living in the land of opportunity and he’s not going to let debt stand in his way. Even with their credit cards maxed out and a down payment on their house due soon, he resists Gail’s help. Their $68,000 of debt is the elephant in the room that David refuses to talk about and Gail’s going to make sure he doesn’t ignore it any longer.
Greg’s gambling has his fiance, Karla, wondering if marriage really is in the cards for them. After catching Greg in a lie about his gambling habit, Karla took the financial reins and has been trying to curb his spending and debt. Looking for an easier way out, Greg thought Gail would give him a break – boy, was he wrong. Will Gail’s challenges get Karla trusting Greg again to make their relationship a sure bet or will he revert to his old ways and forfeit it all?
Janet and Ian were happily enjoying their double-income-no-kids lifestyle until their first child was born. Both want Janet to be able to stay home full time, but they’re worried about the $20,000 debt they’ve amassed in a year and a half. And then there’s their 40 year old home, which needs some major repairs. It’s up to Gail to show this couple how to manage their money so their house doesn’t become a money pit.
Sharon thinks of herself as the breadwinner, even though she only makes forty bucks more a month than Dennis. Dennis supplements his income with payday loans. Neither has any idea of where the money is really going. In five years, they want to own a house and a catering business, and become parents —big plans for a couple with $18 in their account. It’s a classic case of freshly minted young adults on their own for the first time. Can Gail save them from a financial freefall?
Jared and Christina have a traditional marriage, and Jared’s in charge of the money. But he’s dug the family into a hole and now he needs his wife’s help to get out of it. Gail tells it to them straight – Christina’s been a mushroom princess, living in the dark and feeding of the crap Jared tells her. It’s time for Christina to take the reigns, if Jared can let go.
When John married Elizabeth, he became a stepfather to her four children. After three years of marriage, they have a new baby together and there’s a lot of love in their house. But after messy divorces, neither of them has wanted to put their new relationship to the test of a money conversation. That’s led their debt to get dangerously out of control. Gail has a blunt warning: Love won’t keep them together, not if the money sucks.
Cheryl and Richard both work long hours. Richard spoils their two kids to make up for it, while Cheryl indulges in pedicures. Meanwhile, they’re on their third consolidation loan and their $40,000 of debt just won’t go away. Gail steps in to show this couple that to get out of debt, they need to get back in step with each other.
Melinda’s obsessed with image. She buys what she wants, and when husband Brent doesn’t make a consistent income in his freelance job, she makes him give up the career he loves in favour of something steadier. Now, Melinda’s on maternity leave for the second time, and unless she gets her spending under control, the family is headed for disaster. Gail challenges Brent to take charge for the first time – and neither Brent nor Melinda are very happy about it.
When Hailea was abandoned by her mother, Sheila saw the opportunity to give her granddaughter the life she couldn’t provide to her own daughters. Now Sheila and her husband Frank are $92,000 in debt and their retirement is in jeopardy. But when Gail gives them some tough challenges, the couple pushes back. Has Gail finally met her match in the headstrong Sheila?
Single mom Tammy is 35 years old – and still spends her money like a spoiled teenager. When she runs out of cash, she turns to her parents to pay her monthly living expenses. Even Tammy’s 15 year old daughter knows her mom’s a mess when it comes to managing money. Gail shows Tammy the hard truths she has to face up to, including Tammy’s biggest fear – declaring personal bankruptcy.
In three short years, Lorna and Richard met, married, had a baby and bought a house. They won’t even slow down to cook dinner – and order in almost every night. They’re on the highway to a hellish amount of debt. With a surprise second baby on the way, it’s time for these two to get out of the fast lane and start thinking before they spend.
Erica and Andrew live a seemingly perfect life, with a beautiful home and huge wardrobes. But what lurks beneath the surface are mounting debts, unpaid taxes and a growing hostility towards each other. She’s sick of cleaning up the mess he’s made of his business expenses. He‘s sick of her nagging. They both say that Andrew is largely to blame for their financial situation – but does Gail agree?
Sandy and Mike are living in bliss with their new baby. Sandy’s taken a year off work to stay home with the baby, and she spends most of her time shopping. Meanwhile, Mike’s set up their banking so their mortgage is paid by their line of credit. Neither of them have any idea of how deep they’re really in. When Gail gives them the bad news, it doesn’t go over well. Will these two lovebirds get out of the situation Gail calls “the worst ever”?
High school sweethearts Selena and Eryk finally got back together and married years after they graduated. Since then, they’ve moved across the country and back while Eryk has jumped from job to job. He manages all the money, and he’s done a lousy job of it. Selena’s returned to work, but still doesn’t get any say in how their money is spent. Their financial situation never seems to get any better and their both about to break down from the stress. When Gail steps in, she finds herself in the middle of a domestic meltdown.
Stephanie and Sam are parents of four whose financial priorities are very different. Sam’s need to have the biggest and best of everything has led to financial chaos, as Sam pursues what he calls “the Wow Factor.” Despite the fact that the family has already lost one home, and may be on the brink of losing another, Sam seems oblivious to the toll his actions are taking on his wife and children. While Stephanie tries her best, she’s ultimately left with some very tough choices to make.
Self-employed couple Ingrid and Jamie agree they have a money problem, but while Jamie thinks they spend too much, Ingrid's convinced they don't have enough income, leaving any shortfalls to be filled in with credit. Now they're trapped in a circle of debt. Two children, a mortgage, and mounting bills have stretched Ingrid to her anxiety limit while Jamie is content to sit back and let it be. When they run out of cash for their jars in week three, Gail is left wondering how committed this couple is to fixing their financial mess.
Daniela and Rachel are total opposites in their attitudes towards money. When Daniela gets cash, she’s like a kid in a candy store. Her wife, Rachel says she’d rather go without. What they have in common is over $54,000 in debt. Impulsive spending on big-ticket items with no plan for repayment has landed Rachel and Daniela in serious debt. Gail needs to get these opposites on the same page or there won’t be a happily-ever-after for these newlyweds. Gail challenges them to make a five-year plan that will prioritize their goals of paying off their home and starting a family.
Newlyweds Shannon and Colin started their marriage off in an unusual way – as an engaged couple, they purchased a brand new home and made the mortgage payments for eight months while still living separately in their parents’ homes. Once they moved in, Shannon’s desire for the the lifestyle of a couple twice their age led them to some expensive choices, and now it’s all catching up to them. Amongst other things, the young pair argue about how much debt they’re actually in: Shannon says it’s about $30,000, while Colin insists the sum is only $25,000. Whatever the sum, one thing they can agree on is that “having become accustomed to certain lifestyles in a rent free environment,” they’re now finding it difficult to give up their free spending ways. They admit they’re in way over their heads. Besieged by the escalating payments, they want a way out that won’t cost them everything they (don’t) own. They lack the tools, expertise and perhaps even the will power to manage on their own and they’re desperate for a kick in the pants from Gail to get them back on track.
Dental hygienist Liz and truck driver Will are engaged in a destructive spending game. Control freak Liz handles all the finances while keeping Will on a tight leash, yet still spends a lavish amount on clothes for herself, their baby and their dog. In retaliation, Will takes out costly cash advances.
They've refinanced their home several times to hide debt in their mortgage to the point they now owe more than the house is worth. Getting this couple back on track means reigning in the spending, finding ways to re-build equity in their home and getting rid of the resentment between them. Gail finds way to get them fighting their debt rather than each other.
Leslie and Jurgen are a couple in crisis. While they both clearly love their son, and each other, their on-going financial problems have driven a wedge between them that’s so deep, it may be too late to bring them back together. Leslie feels isolated as she deals with the money and bills on her own, while Jurgen keeps himself intentionally in the dark. Gail has to get this couple back in touch with their money, but just it’s just as important that they focus on their relationship before deciding what their future will be.
Like many other young couples today, Candice & Clint want it all, and they want it now. They’re both guilty of the typical spending crimes – financing multiple cars, eating out, electronics, entertaining, purchasing home furnishings and over extending themselves on a mortgage they can’t afford. But what sets them apart from other young couples is the sheer amount of debt— $80,000— which they’ve racked up in five short years. Now, the debt is threatening their ability to start a family. Candice feels powerless to stop her husband’s spending. Unless Gail can get fun-loving Clint to focus on what’s really important, these childhood sweethearts could end up apart.
Lisa and Paul have dug themselves into a hole of overindulgence. Lisa spent $1,000 decorating their infant daughter's bedroom and has 15 outfits for their dog. Meanwhile, Paul drives a new car into the garage so often, they should consider installing a revolving door.
Since they enable each other's bad financial habits there's no voice of reason to tell them that "negative equity" is just marketing-speak for "debt." It's up to Gail to erase their illusions and straighten out these big spenders before they drive their young family into the ground.
Although they've been together for over ten years and have three children, Hollie and Sean are not married and they keep their financial arrangements separated. While Hollie wants to make it official, Sean's putting off the trip to the alter until they can afford a big wedding.
Sean only pays for the mortgage and insurance, leaving Hollie to handle everything else. And with an ever-increasing debt load, the wedding is a distant dream. Now, Hollie's facing a family crisis which makes it even more urgent that they sort out their finances, and their relationship. Gail needs to show this couple that even though they're not hitched, their finances are.
Teachers Julia and Guy live in different worlds. Julia's all about planning and responsibility, while Guy lives for today. Guy has no qualms paying exorbitant interest fees to get the things he wants now, and thinks Julia should lighten up by spending more. And then there's the issue of Guy's gambling problem which has so far cost them $9,000. The stress of being married to a man-teen has pushed Julia to the brink and bitterness simmers between the couple. Gail arrives wielding the "clue by four" but Guy may prove to be a tough nut to crack.
Between them, Sharon and Brad have failed relationships, six kids and nearly $60,000 of debt. They’re full of good intentions, but with Sharon’s unemployment, Brad’s financial foolishness, and a total lack of communication these two are at the breaking point. When faced with financial problems in the past, their solution was to separate their accounts and bills entirely, but that only proved to drive them further apart. In one of her most fiery challenges ever, Gail tries to provide this drifting couple with a second chance at love by forcing them to address the topics they’ve been avoiding. Pushed to the limit, will Sharon and Brad learn how to depend on one another, or will their financial future go up in flames?