Top-rated
Mon, Sep 6, 2010
Twenty-five year old Ashley, a student and social worker, is just starting her career with a $30,000 per annum income job. But she's also a princess, turned on by brand names and having a sense of entitlement since she's always gotten whatever she's wanted. She doesn't see why the future should be any different. Her father John has always spoiled her, and her fiancé Kyle seems to be taking up the cause in John's footsteps. But the time has finally come when cracks are starting to show in what seemed like Ashley's perfect world, where she has racked up $17,000 in debt, without a clear sense of who will pay for it. Kyle has his own $10,000 debt, which is sitting on Ashley's finger as her engagement ring. Those combined debts are causing a rift between the two when their relationship should be at its strongest as they enter into marriage. In addition, Kyle does all the housework, Ashley not lifting a finger. And Kyle has put off his dream of becoming a police officer since he cannot afford the costs of training as he has gone into debt for Ashley's ring. People, including Kyle, are now unsure if Ashley wants to marry him or just wants to have a big wedding so that she can wear a pretty dress. Gail has to get Ashley to take responsibility for her own life for the first time, to plan for the wedding for the money available (which includes a $10,000 contribution from John), to change one of her dreams into a goal which includes a plan on how to achieve it, and to show Kyle how much she really does want to marry him and not just his wallet.
Mon, Sep 13, 2010
Thirty-seven year old Krista, a corporate trainer with a $47,000 per annum income, unabashedly admits she's a princess, spending all her money on the single party girl lifestyle. The problem is, she's not single. Meet Ryan, Krista's somewhat devoted husband, who's happy when she's happy, but isn't so happy when he doesn't have any money because she's spent it all. She hides most of her shopping from Ryan, who does eventually find out since he has to pay the bills. Ryan admits that Krista is a narcissist, never passing a mirror without checking herself out. Her spending and deceit led to a past trial separation. Krista's past debt is consolidated into one loan, which includes their house, but Ryan is unaware of Krista's current credit card debt, which if he knew would be the third and final strike in their marriage for him. In total, her consumer debt is in the vicinity of $60,000. Gail convince Kyle to give Krista the six weeks of this process, after which he can do as he pleases. Will Gail's advice and challenges save this marriage? Some loops are thrown into the process along the way, which do not make the answer any easier.
Mon, Sep 20, 2010
Thirty-three year old Lee treats herself not so much like a princess as she does a queen, having an overall sense of entitlement. Working as a beauty consultant at an upscale department store (i.e. a high end shop girl), Lee walks the walk and talks the talk. She isn't averse not only to buying herself the expensive clothes and accessories that her customers have, but pampering herself in any conceivable way, including living in the swankiest part of town, Yorkville. She has surrounded herself largely with friends who admire her lifestyle. Her family - her mother Joanne, her father Brenden, and her sister June - see things differently, knowing that Lee is living far above her means as witnessed by the fact that her parents had to cosign a loan for her to get her out of a financial hole. Lee's job has been downscaled over the past two years, from $72,000 to $45,000, which she later learns is in large part due to her negative attitude. In addition, she is three years in arrears in filing her income taxes. Gail has to give Lee a sense of reality in that she is not a queen who can live with uncontrolled spending. Gail has to get attitudes to change by all, including such people like June, who has always had an "I told you so" attitude toward Lee's excesses, which do Lee no good. Some of Lee's spending has to dig deeper into such areas as housing, and if she can afford her current apartment, and if she can't and still wants to stay what that will cost in her life. Gail gives her a reality check on how other people with her income actually live. But it's Gail's final challenge that may show if Lee has truly learned the lessons of the past six weeks.
Mon, Sep 27, 2010
Twenty-four year old Katie is a full time nanny earning about $2,200 a month. Since Katie lives rent-free at "home" with her mother, Cindy, and her new husband, Katie has no qualms spending money on her indulgences, designer clothes and even botox being the weaknesses. Katie even bought a designer dog, a $800 shar pei named Kingston, knowing that Cindy said no dogs. Kingston has ended up being as high maintenance as Katie, with Cindy handling the many bills concerning Kingston. Katie's parents and her step-parents help Katie out on many of her purchases, including her car insurance and cell phone operating costs. Cindy knows she is an enabler, but feels it's easier to give in than to fight. Cindy wants to sell the house so that she and her husband can do more traveling, but knows that Katie would be "negatively" affected. Katie admits she's superficial, but even with age she figures she can be fixed with makeup, hair coloring and botox. With all these people paying for stuff for Katie, she has still racked up consumer debt of $28,000. Gail has to give Katie some life skills, which she currently does not possess at all, in preparation for the eventuality of living away from Cindy. Katie has to: come up with a budget, which may include ways to make more money in addition to spending more wisely; and plan for the future, including figuring out what she will do for a career and how she will achieve it. Katie may have to make, in her mind, some pretty tough decisions.
Mon, Oct 4, 2010
Twenty-four year old Tanya, who's lived on her own since she was seventeen, is a $33,000 per annum income cosmetician at a drug store. She uses the excuse of being in the fashion business to splurge on herself to look good, and further to live the high end life. She believes she deserves what she spends on herself. She treats her boyfriend, Jamal, like her sugar daddy, he who moved out of their shared accommodation because of it. Her friends don't expect anything from Tanya when they go out because they know she will never offer to pay. If she doesn't have enough money to spend on her indulgences, she sponges off her family, which has placed her grandmother Verna, who lives off a fixed pension, in a difficult financial situation. Her father has already cut her off. A diva, she uses emotional blackmail, often throwing temper tantrums or giving the cold shoulder, to get what she wants. She had in the back of her mind that she would rack up the debt, which she is unaware sits at $30,000, and then declare bankruptcy to make it all go away. Gail wants Tanya to see what it's like to live on her grandmother's income for a month - about $1,000 less a month than Tanya's own income - which has to cover everything, including debt repayment specifically to Verna. Gail makes Tanya go through a goal setting exercise for something that she would like to achieve in her life. Gail provides Tanya with a stylist to show her how to maximize the use of her existing wardrobe. Because Tanya still wants to spend on indulgences, Gail makes her calculate the number of work hours to get enough disposable income to buy each item. Tanya has to pay back Verna in services as well as money. And Gail places Tanya in a situation of temptation to see if she falls back into old habits. But it's Tanya's timeliness in the initial meeting with Gail which sets the tone for Tanya's journey.
Top-rated
Tue, Oct 12, 2010
Twenty-four year old Kezia earns about $30,000 a year as a makeup artist, but is currently on stress leave, reducing her annual pay to about $12,000. That stress is largely the result of working in a mall and being constantly surrounded by temptation. Being in the industry, she is aware of all the latest trends, which she follows religiously and will spend whatever to be part of that trend. As Kezia is aware of those trends, her friends live vicariously through her. Being an only child, her single mother, Sherrie, admits she spoiled her. By the time Sherrie tried to teach Kezia proper money management, it was already "too late" as Kezia was entrenched in her self-indulgences at whatever cost. Kezia's boyfriend Chris knows about her overspending, but she hides the extent from him. Chris is the exact opposite in terms of spending than Kezia, but he is stuck paying for many of her wants as opposed to his own. Kezia also sponges off her Great Aunt May, from who she borrowed a car but never gave back, and who paid her student loans. Kezia ignores money issues, throwing out her bills when they arrive in the mail. Most of her debt is owed to Chris, Sherrie or Aunt May, all three who may end up being as big a challenge as Kezia.
Mon, Oct 18, 2010
Forty year old divorcée Julie started a new downtown life following her marriage breakup, but her downtown chic attitude has been with her since childhood, when she used her lunch money to take cabs to school. Having worked her entire life in the service industry, she recently moved from a management position to service since she could make more money via the cash tips, that cash which just prompts her to spend on indulgences for herself. Her father and stepmother, Larry and Audrey, have been her cushion, bailing her out financially more than once, as Julie has panic attacks whenever she has to deal with issues of debt. Now reaching retirement, Larry and Audrey don't want to have to bail her out anymore. Despite liking being forty, Julie has not even considered her golden years which are creeping up faster than she imagines. Larry had set up a $25,000 stock investment for Julie in a non retirement account, but she is currently $20,000 in debt. Gail's challenges specific to Julie are: cutting the proverbial apron strings with Larry, who may be more of a problem than Julie; planning for emergencies and retirement; testing to see if certain indulgences actually net her more money in the service industry; and turning certain dreams into realities by making them priorities in spending. Gail's final challenges test whether Julie is truly on the road to recovery from her princess ways.
Top-rated
Mon, Oct 18, 2010
Twenty-one year old Neelam, who earns $23,000 annually, likes to be the center of attention, which means being decked to the nines in almost all occasions. She will often go out clubbing with her friends three to four times per week, each time using a limo service. She feels she needs to keep up appearances around her large social network, which means lots of birthdays and the like. Her friends mutually support each other in this regard. Her delinquency in credit card and cell phone payments have resulted in those companies sending her cases to collections companies, ironic as she works in collections herself, owing money to some of the companies for which she works. This personal issue affects her earning potential as her company will not allow her to work on the larger portfolios until this personal issue is resolved. For pocket money, she is able to sponge off family and friends. She takes her parents, Hardy and Raj, for granted financially, as she squandered away an education fund they set aside for her, and Hardy's credit rating is in jeopardy because he cosigned a car loan for Neelam. She is driving that car without insurance, which she says she cannot afford. She shares a rental house with six friends - it being a party house - which may have benefits, but which she doesn't realize financially beyond sharing the rent. She has no idea at what her total debt is standing. Gail takes a different approach with Neelam in making her spend everything on debit so there is a paper trail, as Neelam currently uses cash which leaves no paper trail once the receipt is discarded. Neelam is also unique in that she, a frequent casino goer, includes casino winnings in her income, but does not include gambling as a cost when she loses. Gail has to get her to look at her life more realistically, which includes: the costs and benefits of living in the party house; what she has to do to achieve her career and other long term goals; and use her existing skills to her advantage.
Mon, Nov 1, 2010
Eighteen year old Laura, who works at a $22,000 job as a receptionist at a spa, wants to appear the most beautiful, glamorous person in any situation. She spends all her money on designer clothes, accessories and beauty treatments. Her goal is to have a different outfit for every day of the year. She dreams of becoming a model, but has no money for an agent or to put together a portfolio. She also plans to go to college as a backup if the modeling does not come to fruition. She has done nothing to work toward any of these two goals from a financial perspective. She manipulates her boyfriend Nitin into spending money on her, he who questions their relationship because of it. One of her friends, Ashley, believes the people who approved Laura's credit cards are the stupidest people in the world as they will never see the money Laura charges on it. Her mother Sue, with who Laura lives and who pays for most of Laura's needs to the tune of about $1,000 per month, realizes that Laura's behavior is much her own fault for not forcing Laura to understand the value of money and how to manage it. Gail issues Laura challenges to see what it would be like to handle those aspects of life that Sue currently handles for her, to do some long term planning to see what it would take to work toward her goals including if they are realistic, and to look at how to live the way she wants on her budget.
Mon, Nov 8, 2010
Twenty-nine year old Cortney, an environmental activist with a $47,000 per annum income, is always wearing the nicest clothes and accessories, one-of-a-kind being all the better. But it's the type she spares no expense on which makes her a unique princess, that for her first passion: outdoor adventures. These expenses are not only for gear and accessories, but adventure vacations around the world. When spending time with friends, she often sponges off them, always coming just a little short on what she is supposed to owe. Her get rich scheme is to marry into money, and bases her activities on where to meet men. Her friends are not as deluded as she is about the dichotomy between her environmental activism and the excesses in her own day-to-day life. Cortney's friends and Gail believe it's time for reciprocity in their relationships, but in ways that are meaningful. Cortney also has to stop treating her creditors more importantly than her friends and family, especially stopping the habit of placing loved ones in financial risk to protect her own standing. Gail makes Cortney set some goals, both short and long term, shop smarter by doing research, and view critically the things she does in life which is what has placed her in debt literally and figuratively.
Mon, Nov 15, 2010
Twenty-five year old Nicole earns $32,000 as a youth services coordinator. She uses her emotional states as excuses to shop for herself. Her friends and family believe she is lured by the gloss of celebrity, and she pampers herself the same way, refusing to do any of the work herself when she can pay big bucks for others to do it for her. She neglects her nine year old daughter Kiki, who is shipped to stay with grandma Jacqueline more often than not, in favor of doing things solely for her own pleasures. She also neglects Jacqueline, who becomes her best buddy only when she needs sitting services or money. Nicole bullies everyone to get what she wants. She is currently $16,000 in debt, which would be closer to $25,000 if not for the handouts. Gail makes Nicole: change her focus so that Kiki is the number one priority, which means taking care of her daughter when she would usually be partying; evaluate what she truly needs among her stuff and see if she can generate income from selling what she doesn't need; set some long term goals which also means taking concrete steps to achieve those goals; show Jacqueline how much she appreciates the support given to her all her life; and see if she can resist her life-ingrained temptations. Will the thought of her daughter be enough to get Nicole to change her princess ways?
Mon, Nov 22, 2010
Thirty-five year old Nicola works as an office temp earning $23,000 a year, but her real passion is performing as a singer on which she makes no money since she has never done anything to work toward it. It's that celebrity lifestyle to which she aspires, eating out at the best restaurants four to five times a week, shopping for the best clothes, sparing no expense on beauty treatments, traveling on a whim, taking taxis everywhere no matter where she goes, and racking up cell phone charges higher than her rent payments. She gets an adrenaline rush from spending. How has she managed all this with her income?: Steven. Her ex-boyfriend, he pampered her, she recently having left him when he decided no longer to fund her spending, which was to the tune of $12,000 per month, although she left with his Blackberry among other items according to Steven. Although Steven is no longer in her life per se, he is still part of the process with Gail which may affect how Nicola deals with the six weeks with Gail. Nicola has a large uphill climb with Gail as a woman who has few true life skills, who doesn't take criticism well, especially on those things which she believes she is an expert, and who has a strong sense of entitlement.
Mon, Nov 29, 2010
Thirty year old Jennifer is a dental assistant who doesn't know how much she earns (although she can earn earn up to $60,000 a year in such a job). Jennifer is self-absorbed, spending on her whims, especially beauty treatments, shoes and black winter jackets. She doesn't have a high tolerance for anything she finds boring or that she doesn't like, which has resulted in a few jobs, lots of periods of unemployment (combined which resulted in a gross income of $8,000 this past year), and one ex-husband so far. She seems unphased by her money problems, she having been evicted from one apartment for unpaid rent. She moved in temporarily with her friend Jody and her husband, who ended up charging her nominal rent because she stayed so long, that rent on which she reneged. Her father used to subsidize her spending, but he passed away a year ago, that emotional void she fills by spending. Norah and E.J., her mother and brother, help her out whenever they can, Jennifer treating her mom like a personal maid. Jennifer is currently $22,000 in debt, largely because she has been able to hide from the collection agencies. Gail makes Jennifer: experience what it's like to have to do the dirtiest jobs without anyone's help; see what it would take to work toward a goal of being a personal trainer; see how she can better use the clothes she already possesses as opposed to always wanting to shop for more; give back meaningfully to those who have supported her emotionally and financially; and educate those who may be in the same position as she is.