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- Just as they begin to rise, the Plateaus lose their lead singer to an accident. The remaining members decide to carry on, creating a hilarious parody of a band trying to climb the ladder of success, and failing at every turn.
- A wealthy tenant subdues a burglar robbing his downtown Toronto condo, but loses control of the situation right before the cops arrive.
- Krystal and Chris both grew up poor and say they've never learned how to handle their money. Gail wholeheartedly agrees. These two love to spend cash on tanning salons, hair care and entertainment, and rack up $60 bills at convenience stores on cigarettes and candy. They're financing their lifestyle with credit card advances and payday loans, leaving them thousands of dollars in debt and bewildered about where to begin to fix things. Looking over their litany of bad habits, Gail is wondering the same thing.
- Lori and Greg have had two babies very close together. When their first child was born, they weren't prepared for the hit Lori's maternity leave would have on their income. Now Baby #2 has left them financially breathless. Greg can't understand why they're in debt and blames Lori. With a newborn and toddler at home, a fresh start is critical. That's where Gail comes in...
- Married Roxanne and Shawn have different views of money and credit. Having a zero balance or less in savings scares Roxanne, whereas Shawn believes why pay for something now if you can pay for it later. As such, Roxanne has begun not to be totally honest with Shawn about money, i.e. she hides money from him. Their money problems began when they bought their house - which happened a year earlier than they anticipated - a step they saw as working toward their goal of starting a family. But all those hidden costs of home ownership without curbing their other spending, such as frequent meals out, have threatened that goal of children in the near future. Gail wants them to plan what their life will be like with a baby, which means not only researching costs, but living on what will be their reduced income due to maternity leave. Gail gives them an even more realistic taste of what that life will be like. Gail makes them look more clearly at the entire notion of "buy now, pay later" plans, which means for their life now finding money to pay for their latest "pay later" purchase. And she wants them to set priorities for their spending whenever they do have any fun money with which to splurge.
- Rick and Jennifer are constantly battling about money. Between them they make 90 thousand dollar a year. But Jennifer's impulsive spending and "consumeritis" have already led to two bankruptcies and they fear a third. Jennifer has trouble saying no to her teenage daughter and even keeps a separate bank account so Rick can't monitor her buying. Rick's sister, an accountant, has tried to put them on track. Can Gail succeed where family has failed?
- Wendy and Dan have been married less than a year and have a 6 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.
- 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.
- Approaching age fifty, married couple Gail and Tony should be at the point in their lives of thinking about retirement and planning for it. Instead, they are mired in $80,000 of consumer debt, with no savings for retirement beyond their government pensions. Gail had no debt when she and Tony got together nine years ago, but she, who handles all the household finances, has allowed Tony many indulgences as he did not have many of those available to him the better part of his life. They bought a $22,000 timeshare with on-going fees on credit which they have never used. But their biggest extravagance is their vehicles. They belong to a car club, which means putting a lot of money into their show car. Tony also trades up his vehicle on average once a year. Gail has thought about leaving Tony because of the money issues, the extent of the problem of which Tony is, although not totally oblivious, unaware by choice. Gail Vaz-Oxlade (GVO) wants them to match their spending to their income, which means either earning more money and/or selling the luxury asset(s) in their lives, namely the timeshare, Tony's truck and/or the show car. GVO wants them to find other hobbies that they can still do together but that don't cost a lot of money. And GVO shows them what their retirement life will look like if they don't plan for it and make the necessary changes.
- Bill and Tasia are sinking deeper into debt every month and they just can't figure out why. They agreed that Tasia would stay at 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.
- Ronald and Vivian were on the verge of calling it quits. Vivian's gambling at the casino and Ronald's frequent fleeing to a hotel was driving them into crushing debt. With four children at home, this house of cards was on the verge of collapsing. Then, just days before Gail arrives to help, they get the notice of foreclosure on their house. Can this family be saved?
- 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?
- 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 mad 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?
- 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.
- Alina's privileged upbringing hasn't prepared her to stand on her own two feet. Dan is a man who loves to play and likes a good deal. He has a $250/month gym membership he's never used. Their parents seem determined to step into this couple's struggle, but it's time for them to go it alone. Can Gail show them how?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Nell is contemplating walking out on her eleven year marriage to Darrell because of their consumer debt, which currently sits at $60,000. Nell handles all their household finances, and thus feels the weight of dealing with that issue all on her own. While Nell and Darrell have a joint bank account, Darrell also has his own bank account, from which he indiscriminately spends. To protect herself, Nell has secretly been stashing away $100 a month in a workplace savings plan about which Darrell knows nothing. When Nell tries to talk to him about their finances, the conversation, which generally leads to a yelling match, ends with Darrell making a joke. He does it in an effort to diffuse the situation, not fully comprehending how badly that makes Nell feel as she doesn't see their finances as a laughing matter. Their nine year old daughter Aprielle is also affected. Aprielle sees and hears her parents' constant fighting, Nell feels ashamed for always having to say no to Aprielle for anything that Aprielle may ask for, and Nell and Darrell have so far taken $6,000 out of Aprielle's education fund to deal with their debt. Gail wants this couple to balance out their finances in every respect, meaning that Nell should have what Darrell has, or conversely Darrell should give up what Nell already forgoes. She also wants them to do whatever it takes to give back to Aprielle what she has been missing or given up in her life, which probably means they have to find ways to make more than their current combined $60,000 per annum income.
- Gerry is a financial analyst but the books at home just don't balance. This is a second marriage for both Kelley and Gerry and they're both trying hard to avoid control issues they faced in past relationships. But, with three kids and seven years of uncontrolled spending under their belts, they're sinking fast.
- Rob is a physician who feels entitled to the nice things in life because he works hard and earns a good annual income, in the range of $100,000 to $125,000. However, his excessive spending has put their family in total debt of about $320,000. His wife of twenty-five years Yvonne owns a scrap-booking store, which sometimes will go through slow periods when she will not take an income. She initially allowed him his excesses because she felt she could do nothing about them. Finally fed up only a few months ago, she inserted herself into the household financial management, which has not seemed to help, largely because of Rob not wanting anyone to question what he feels he and their family deserve. She has vowed to dissolve their marriage if their financial situation keeps on going downward, as she feels she needs more consistency and order in her life. Gail believes they need to organize their lives, largely by decluttering their house and their finances. She needs Rob to get over the issue that he has to maintain an image, while she needs Yvonne to treat the store as a business and not a hobby. And she wants to see if they have the same life goals, which may determine whether they stay together as a couple or not, which, if they do stay together, means working together as a team.
- Newlyweds Natalie and Matt have accumulated $25,000 in consumer debt, and they haven't even celebrated their first anniversary. Natalie's so stressed out, she's taken a leave of absence from work. Meanwhile, Matt's an overgrown teenager who spends more time playing sports and drinking beer with buddies than he does working. Gail needs to show these two how to grow up.
- Kristy and Dean are newly-weds with two kids who are completely stressed about their cash-strapped situation. They're sinking fast - as soon as their pay comes in, it goes straight out again. This young couple is down-trodden and exhausted. They need Gail to give them a road-map to help get them out of this mess.
- 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.
- Nicole and Russell are new parents who are trapped in a quagmire of spiraling credit card debt. Russell's $40K income at a big box store barely covers rent and the credit card minimums. As a small business owner, Nicole can't even venture a guess how much she makes a year. They hope that Gail will be able to help them figure out how to create a viable business that allows Russell to join Nicole in the design business full time. Her business is at stake - and so is their relationship.
- Brian and Theresa are both irresponsible with money. They eat out at least five times a week, have $3,500 in unpaid parking tickets, a $2500 unpaid cell phone bill and take their daughter on weekend trips on a regular basis. Brian is putting his business expenses through their home income, and Theresa never knows how much money will be coming in. They agree that their relationship is crumbling. Can this couple salvage their finances and marriage for the sake of their 3 year-old daughter?
- 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.
- Michael and Laural don't see eye-to-eye on anything - except they both agree they're very deep in debt. Laural blames Michael's huge student loan, but ignores the impact of her shopping addiction. Gail is going to teach them to stop pointing fingers at each other and start building a better life for their son.
- Becky and Mike, who have been married for thirteen years and have two children, have a combined income of $100,000 annually. They rarely talk about money or its management within their household, paying bills only when the final notice has come in and only to those vendors or creditors who yell and scream the loudest to them. They have no idea what they are doing wrong financially, never having money to pay the bills on time and already being a negative situation as soon as they receive their next paycheck. As such, they have no savings for a rainy day. And they have amassed a consumer debt of $56,000 on top of their $190,000 mortgage. They know that they are disorganized - one of the reasons bills never get paid on time - but they are unaware of how self-indulgent they are in their spending until Gail points it out to them. Becky and Mike have to plan their lives and the spending of their money, and talk about what they want to accomplish with their lives to see if their future spending will be on the same page. They have to find substitutes to shopping as entertainment. And Gail wants to show them, and in turn their kids, that nice things don't necessarily have to come from stores.
- When Elizabeth lost her job, this family of five felt the crunch. But Elizabeth didn't stop spending, so Wojtek began juggling their growing debt between 16 credit cards with low introductory rates. Now, the cards are about to jump to full interest and these two are preparing for the worst.
- Fiona and Alister have amassed $110,000 of consumer debt in a short two years. Their financial problems started when they bought their house out in the country. Even with that extra debt load, they did not cut back in spending in other areas of their life, most specifically Fiona's habit of shopping online, and Alister sinking money into his many trucks, one, his favorite, which now largely sits idle since it's a gas guzzler and he can't afford the fuel required to drive it. Those money issues are compounded by the fact that they have separate bank accounts so that each, especially Alister, would have a sense of financial independence, but which instead has led to indiscriminate spending. On top of it all, Fiona is five months pregnant with their first child, a child which they don't know how they will be able to afford. Gail wants them to focus as a couple on the upcoming baby to make them change their priorities away from their other areas of unnecessary spending, such as Fiona's want for more lingerie, or Alister's fancy red truck which acts now more as a lawn ornament than a useful part of their transportation.
- 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.
- Rosyln and Kevin are a couple on the edge. Roslyn has a hard time denying their precious 2 year- old daughter ANYTHING, and recently spent $1500 on her birthday party. They have 10 credit cards, thousands of dollars in debt, hide purchases from each other and have family living with them who don't pay rent. Rosyln and Kevin have filed for divorce in the past, but reconciled a week before it was finalized. The process cost them $3000 in legal fees. Can Gail turn this couple around for a storybook ending?
- Bev and John are a fun couple who love to dance. But the vicious cycle of high interest payday loan advances and thousands of dollars in debt to family and friends have them dancing around disaster every time a bill arrives. This couple took some bad financial advice a few years ago, which began their spiral into the red and their disorganization has kept them there...to the point that they fear losing their home. Can Gail get them back in the black and on the way to financial freedom?
- 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?
- Corrina and Jay have had a $1,500 pay advance loan for the past four years, racking up thousands of dollars in interest. It's a cycle they just haven't been able to break. Jay has resigned himself to living in constant debt, but Corrina is losing sleep. Can Gail pull them out and show them a different way?
- Tom and Lisa have creditors lining up at the door. But as a supply teacher, Lisa hasn't made the effort to work more than a day or two per week. Tom has a good job, but ends up throwing out bills because he says they just can't pay them. Will these two grow up, face up to their debt and take charge of their future?
- Tears, tantrums and a runaway groom are among the highlights of this special hour long episode. Host Gail Vaz-Oxlade works with three young couples, all in love, engaged to be married - and deep in debt. Dreaming of $50,000 weddings while living paycheque to paycheque, these couples are given a serious reality check in Gail's Court of Love. Catherine and Scott have the least amount of debt, but their bickering over bucks is a symptom of their deep communication problems and Scott is reluctant to walk down the aisle until those issues can be resolved. George and Shantelle are trapped in the buy now, pay later cycle, with thousands of dollars in payments coming due and a high interest loan for the engagement ring to pay off. Duane and Aisha owe $80,000 and have just bought a new home - will they even be able to move into it? With $15,000 up for grabs, these couples complete some of the biggest challenges ever in their quest to become financially solvent before their wedding day.
- 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?"
- Mark brings in more than $100 thousand dollars a year. His wife Nicola, a teaching assistant, earns one quarter 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 3 kids who play sports 5 nights each week, forcing them to eat 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?
- Shauna and Nick had a long distance relationship until Shauna moved from St. Louis to the Toronto area to be with Nick six months ago. At the time, Nick bought a house for the two of them in which to live. However, both have found that being together is not the total fairytale each envisioned largely because of the way they relate to each other through their money. Nick admits that they both spend recklessly, but he blames Shauna for carrying more debt (although in reality, her debt is only slightly higher than his). Nick believes he is carrying more than his half of the household bills. He also admits that he has been unable to let go of the mentality that things are "his" and "hers" instead of "theirs". Shauna feels isolated in many ways, shopping which she uses as a means to deal with that loneliness. In addition to all these issues, Shauna's father passed away soon after her move, which required them to make several trips to St. Louis. Nick accuses her of holding out on their relationship by not dealing with her father's estate and his life insurance policies in a more timely manner. Because of these issues, Shauna questions Nick's commitment to her. Gail wants them to organize their work lives, both by making more effort to earn more money (which both do not maximize) and by cleaning out what is considered their home office where Shauna would do much of her work. She also wants them to work as a team in their life, which includes Shauna closing the loose ends on her St. Louis life. The challenge Gail issues with regard to mending their relationship is thrown for another loop.
- Rainer and Faith have no concept of their exorbitant spending, he in particular always underestimating exponentially their financial outlays. Recently with close to $30,000 in credit card debt alone, Rainer reluctantly accepted his parents' help to pay off that debt, only for Rainer to rack up even more credit card debt. Now engaged, Faith goes along with Rainer's ride, the two still in what was their dating mode of always going out to impress and have fun, and not denying themselves their guilty pleasures. Thirty and twenty-seven respectively, they still see their spending as typical for young people their age. In addition to needing money for the wedding, they now also have a mortgage. This debt problem may even be worse if they decide to have a baby sooner than later. They are not only scared of that extra debt, but of setting a bad example for their future children. Gail has to figure out the root of their spending addiction, which she learns is overcompensation for him, and self-esteem for her. She has to show them that couples their age can make wise spending choices relative to their income. She has to show them that whatever budget they set for themselves, they are not denying themselves but being satisfied, which means entertainment that is more often than not free. And she has to show them in real terms what their lives will look like if they continue on their current path.
- Three week newlyweds Paul and Robyn earn a combined income of just over $100,000 annually. They used to go out and do things - most expensive - until they bought their house. Now they largely spend their time at home not knowing what to do but sit on the couch and watch TV. Robyn, in particular, feels like the house is an anchor. They have no savings and they financed their wedding on credit. They still plan to go on their $7,500 honeymoon over the Christmas holidays, and expect upcoming large Christmas bills. They use one debt source to pay off another. Their money issues have negatively affected their relationship. Gail shows them that they have unrealistic views of how much they are earning, how much they are spending, and how interest is calculated on debt. Gail issues life challenges to them on how to live within their budget. She makes them look realistically at that upcoming honeymoon. And she makes them review their relationship in light of that anchor which they call their house.
- Dating for six years, Bobbi-Jo and Steve, both campus police officers, earn a comfortable combined income of $130,000. They both contribute to their indulgent lifestyle, which includes doing many renovations on their house, furnishing that house, eating out regularly, and having a fleet of mountain bikes. Financial mismanagement led to the break-up of Steve's first marriage, something that he does not want to happen with Bobbi-Jo, while Bobbi-Jo is at this point in their relationship still somewhat unconcerned about where they are financially, preferring to live in the here and now. Their wedding next summer they have not placed a budget on, and they have not really talked about it or what it will cost. Even without that, they are $69,000 in consumer debt, which is sixty percent higher than they guesstimated. Gail has to get them to get their heads out of the sand and take control of their finances. Their wedding in seven months will be the big test, which they have to budget for and figure out how they will pay for it.
- Sam and Stephanie, who have four children, are in overall the worst shape of any couple Gail has ever seen. With a combined income of $92,000 annually, most which is contributed by Sam, they lead a flashy life of material goods, a television in each bedroom being the least of it, none of which they can pay for. As such, they take out high debt loans, not realizing the interest rates or that what little money they are putting into repayment goes primarily into paying the interest. Sam admits that he lives by having the "wow" factor in what he buys, which, to him, gives him a sense of accomplishment. They are behind in all payments, with creditors constantly calling. His family has bailed them out financially in the past, something Stephanie is unwilling to ask her family to do. They lost one house seven years ago, and are close to losing the house in which they currently live for many of the same reasons. When reviewing their situation, Gail realizes that their financial problems come out of a relationship problem, where Sam takes the approach of his way or the high way, while Stephanie responds by shutting down, not wanting to get into an argument. Their marriage is on the verge of collapse. If they cannot learn to communicate with each other, not only will their financial issues continue, but their marriage may not be able to survive their problems.
- Shannon and Colin, married for just over a year, were high school sweethearts. They, but particularly Shannon, are impulse shoppers, which also applies to the purchase of their house. Most of those purchases they do not need. Shannon has the mentality of "buy now, pay later", which Colin knows is unsustainable, but he does not have the backbone to say "no" to his wife, especially about shopping. In terms of incomes, Shannon makes decent money, but Colin only has a part-time retail job which brings in little money. In addition, he has ambition to become a police officer, but does little to work toward making it actually happen, or states that they don't have the money to support making it happen. Beyond dealing directly with the financial issues such as Colin needing to make more money in the short term, Colin taking decisive action toward that police career, and both planning their finances instead of buying on impulse, Gail makes them embark on challenges which are more symbolic concerning their bad life decisions, and Colin needing to stand up to Shannon.
- Thirty-somethings Terry, an operations technician/writer/singer, and Andrea, who operates a day care out of the home while she takes care of their three children, are addicted to money. They would rather spend whatever money they have on stuff to get that instant gratification rather than pay bills, non-payment of which they have not yet seen the dire consequences. They finance their debt by other debt sources. A prime example is their house, bought on a $0 down payment, the house which has now been remortgaged. They borrow more than they need, that extra money which again provides them with an adrenaline high to spend. In addition, their instant gratification purely is for the moment as their house is a junk heap, no one putting anything away after its use. Before they can curb their spending, Gail has to get them to organize their lives so that they can see just how much stuff they have, and so that they can truly see what their financial situation is by going through their paperwork. They will have to make a drastic decision: earn over $1,000 more a month or sell the house. She also wants them to "see" a change in their lives, from the slobbily dressed teenagers they look and behave like, to mature adults.
- Newlyweds Tim and Tonya are both fitness fanatics. Both work in the fitness industry. Tim works three jobs and Tonya two to make ends meet, but which takes up all his and most of her time, leaving them no time together. Because it brings her to tears, Tim tries to shield Tonya from their money problems, of which she is fully aware despite Tim's efforts. They are in arrears on the mortgage payments for their condo, which Tim hates as he sees it as a money pit, and on their property taxes. Tonya is an emotional shopper, she doing it to keep herself happy. On top of these issues, they would like someday to start a family, which they know they cannot do until they get their financial house in order. Their lack of communication has led to no financial planning, which in turn has resulted in short term individual decisions, such as the mountain of supplements he buys and the mountain of sweets she buys. In reviewing the numbers, Gail shows them that the condo is not the problem, but rather their lifestyle spending, especially on anything that goes into their mouths, enough to feed three times the number of people. As such, they have to figure out a plan that not only reduces their indiscriminate lifestyle spending, but includes doing things together.
- Married twenty-somethings Tamara and Brandon have a combined income of about $50,000. They have an infant son, Kaiden, the unplanned pregnancy which forced them to move "home", namely Brandon's parents' basement for the nominal rent of $200 per month. Although they have to share the space as it acts as his parents' storage area, Tamara and Brandon have access to all the house amenities, such as the swimming pool, and free food, which does not even include with what her parents provide them. They have not made any headway on paying off their massive combined $64,000 in student loans, or taken advantage of what those educations were supposed to provide in terms of income earning potential. Brandon also has his toys, namely his broken down car, which requires much maintenance, and his many bicycles, all which he bought new as cycling truly is his passion and his stress reliever. Gail's ultimate goal for this young family is for them to start living their adult lives away from the cushion of parents, but it may take a harsh and painful reality to start to do so.
- Frank and Simone's combined $110,000 annual income is currently curbed by Simone being on maternity leave. Simone is addicted to what she believes she needs to keep up appearances in every respect, which includes working out at the gym, and spending money on "stuff" for herself, such as clothes, getting beauty treatments of various kinds, and having a beautifully appointed house. A $125,000 new car is next on the list. Simone, however, states that she would never do anything that would place her family at risk. But Frank doesn't realize he is just as guilty, spending money on his electronics, which includes six large television sets in their house of four people, including one infant. This spending has resulted in $55,000 in consumer debt so far. They constantly fight about money, something having to give if their marriage can overcome this issue. As such, Gail issues them challenges largely focusing on dealing with their root problem, namely their addiction to luxury, this focus which not only entails them doing the challenges, but understanding why she has issued these challenges.