Season 6
13 episodes
22 min. per episode
Where to watch
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Couples confront financial chaos with tough-love guidance, risking everything to save their relationships while learning hard truths about money.
Episodes
Married forty-somethings Alex and Valery are both creatively oriented, both jazz musicians, Alex with a degree in jazz composition. They are both not living their musical dreams... to some extent. Valery is four months into her personal bankruptcy. In the meantime, she collects employment insurance while she indulges herself in those things that make her happy: taking an expensive course in expressive arts therapy seemingly solely as a self-improvement measure, and filling their small rental house with artistic little touches, which includes antiques and collectibles. Even with her bankruptcy, Valery has managed to get an overdraft protection on her bank account, which is funding her current spending. Alex, on the other hand, works full time at a $35,000 per annum income job that he hates solely in order to pay his and Valery's bills. Alex feels he can't make a living in jazz music, especially in the small town where they live. Alex has his own spending weaknesses, namely on instruments and music accessories. In addition, both Valery and Alex don't like to cook, which means eating out a lot at nice places. Because of his own money problems, Alex has entered into a consumer proposal, which would cut him off from credit. The two think they support each other emotionally, but money problems have been a source of friction because Alex is working a job he hates, while little in his current life gives him pleasure. Beyond getting them to cut their spending and raise their incomes, Gail shows them what their retirement options will be solely on a government pension, which is the route they are currently headed with no retirement savings whatsoever. Gail wants them to think outside the box to make more money working in fields that truly give them pleasure. And she shows them what it truly means to support each other, which isn't happening in a meaningful way in the state of their current relationship.
Together for twelve years, early forty-somethings Mike and Sheila are both recovered alcoholics who met at a treatment center. Both have had difficult emotional pasts, which they hope is behind them. Part of their recovery was being told not to deprive themselves, which they have not done, especially in furnishing their house. Mike is the sole household breadwinner, earning about $70,000 annually as a sheet metal mechanic, while Sheila goes to school, and takes care of her aged grandmother, with who they have a difficult relationship. Mike realizes that the amount of money he makes is not the issue, as it would go just as quickly if he made millions as if he made little. Gail learns that they have no idea what and to who they owe, the amount of their consumer debt which currently stands at $45,000. Gail has to make them critically review what they are doing in their lives, what they are striving for as future goals, and how they are going to achieve those goals. And she gets them to learn how to deal with granny to make their own lives more fulfilling in that regard.
Married couple Amy and Paul earn a comfortable $110,000 per year. They bought an older house, which they are addicted on renovating without considering the cost of each project. As they started some renovations, they found additional problems, such as asbestos and termites, which ended up costing more money to rectify. Despite this uncontrolled spending on the house, they have not cut back on any of their other spending. Paul, who admits he has always spent money foolishly on such items as fast and junk food, sticks his head in the sand about their household finances. In addition, they have their minds set on buying a $1,700 puppy, money which they do not have, nor have they planned for the puppy's upkeep. Not including their mortgage, they are $20,000 in debt. Gail tries to make them see the long term financial cost of their bad habits, ones they may not believe have any major financial implications. With a budget Gail sets aside for it, Amy and Paul have to make a long term plan for what they ultimately want to accomplish with their house in terms of renovations, and when they can achieve each project. And Gail has them work together to set common goals for their spending.
Married couple Melissa and Ted are a police officer and paramedic respectively, earning a comfortable combined annual income of $155,000. Because of their chaotic work lives while they deal with two pre-school aged children, they are always on the run, not thinking about where they spend their money, or communicating with each other about where he/she spends, which they both do largely on impulse. They have upsold their house twice, thinking they could make a profit on each sale, but realistically they lost on both while having a larger mortgage for each successive bigger house. Gail finds that they are totally disconnected from their money, which has led to their debt problem. Gail wants them to see how much of their life energy has been poured into stuff currently in their house, while getting Melissa to deal with the finances in and of themselves, which she has been reluctant to do thus far. Gail gives them a symbolic challenge to show them how difficult it is to run through life aimlessly like they are with the debt load they are carrying. She also wants them to slow down and enjoy their lives together as husband and wife.
Early thirty-somethings Jillian and Orson, who have two toddlers, earn a combined income of $70,000 annually, which does not go very far for a family of four in the expensive city where they live. They were already in debt individually when they came together. Jillian spends on little things, such as going out for lunch with coworkers leaving the brown bag lunch Orson made for her sitting uneaten in the fridge, which over time adds up. Orson works at a low paying job he doesn't like, but feels he needs it to support his family. Jillian has a large extended family, individuals from which drop by frequently and unannounced which also generally includes staying for dinner. Some have even lived with them at times, with Jillian and Orson footing the bill, which has caused some unspoken friction between Orson and everyone else. Jillian, who solely manages their finances, sometimes has to make the decision whether to pay daycare or rent. They dream about buying a house someday, which to them seems unattainable. They are currently $23,000 in debt, most of it sitting on high interest credit cards, with not much to show for it. Gail wants the two to reverse household roles to see their lives from the other's perspective. She wants there to be even more balance in their household which includes Jillian's family giving back for all they have taken thus far. She wants Orson to be more motivated in exploring options for higher paying jobs. She shows them if home ownership can be in their future. And she has to get them working together as a couple.
Money can't buy you love. But keeping love alive without money can be pretty tough. In fact, ninety percent of marriage breakups are due to money problems. And to get advice on how to manage money usually costs money! Til Debt Do Us Part, is a series that offers tough-love solutions to those willing to face their financial troubles head on. In each episode we meet a couple in crisis. Some are on the verge of bankruptcy, hounded by creditors or facing eviction. Others are just getting by, but in the midst of a personal meltdown or relationship breakdown because of money issues. With the sensitivity of a therapist and the toughness of a CFO, our host, renowned financial author and columnist, Gail Vaz-Oxlade reveals what she's found in a couple's finances - and then she'll dig a little deeper. She asks some tough questions and then they'll be forced to face reality. Where will it end if they continue on this rocky road? To get things back on track, Gail takes control of their finances for one month. She devises a strict budget and enforces some dramatic changes. A two-car family may become a one-car; or no-car family. The new hair salon may become the corner barbershop and goodbye fancy lattes - hello thermos. All credit cards and debit cards are taken away and their only discretionary cash is a weekly allowance. Gail makes regular house calls to deliver the week's allowance and assigns a new challenge for the couple to make them confront bad money habits and to help get their relationship back on track. At the end of the month, we find out how well they've done - how much did they save, what did they learn about money, themselves and each other? What is the new forecast for their finances and relationship? Gail can reward them with cash based on how well they did on their challenges. In addition, she always surprises them with a small but thoughtful gift, certain to generate hugs and the occasional tear. Til Debt Do Us Part is a dramatic and fun series that shows how bad it can get and how to get out from under.