Til Debt Do U$ Part

- Season 5

(2008)

Early twenty-somethings Michelle and Zack are three month newlyweds, with a modest combined annual income of $64,000. Working in retail, Zack decided to downgrade his job from management to sales - cutting his salary in half - so that he could go back to school. Their consumption did not decrease with these changes in their lives. Michelle feels the burden of their $21,000 debt more as Zack doesn't seem overly concerned about their finances, doesn't check or pay credit card bills, and continually spends more on the big ticket items, often without even consulting her. ...

As the household money manager, Tony admits that he has made a lot of mistakes in managing his, his wife Trish and their three children's lives. Much of their money has gone toward his lifelong obsession with low rider cars, he having stopped counting how many cars he's owned in his life when he hit number eighty-five. His parents bailed them out financially once paying off their then $36,000 consumer debt, which required them to re-mortgage their house, on the promise that Tony and Trish would change their ways. But things did not change, their consumer debt having ...

Favel and Twain were broken emotionally and financially before they met, those problems largely from mistakes from previous relationships. Favel has two adolescent children from a past relationship, where the father was not in their lives. As such, Favel had to manage on her own, with no outside support. She contemplated giving the children up for them to have a better life than what she could provide. Twain divorced three years ago from his first wife. To get out of the bad situation, he, as part of the divorce settlement, decided to assume the debt they accrued as a...

Jacqueline and Grant met online as fans of Queen, and have now been married for six years with an infant child and another on the way. Jacqueline is also the queen of coupon shopping, she justifying spending on stuff because it's a good deal, not realizing that most of it is stuff she probably would not need. But it becomes less of a good deal when it is causing debt - their consumer debt currently at $53,000 - on which they have to pay interest. She believed she was managing their debt, but in reality was paying off their debt with more debt while she racked up more ...

Beth and Steve have the traditional perception that the man should be the major household breadwinner, which does not match the reality of their relationship. As such, they both "keep score" of who pays for what. Resentment has crept into the marriage because of it as Beth has taken an extra job to pay off their $23,000 debt which she sees more as Steve's (largely his student loan). Beth always questions Steve about money which makes him feel emasculated, like she doesn't trust him, which he feels she should. Steve, who spends much of his "non-working" time performing...

Divorced twenty-nine year old Innis, who makes $50,000 a year, is the father of two young children. After splitting from his ex, he lived in his car with just a bag of clothes until he convinced his mother to let him stay at her one-bedroom apartment, sleeping on the living room sofa, temporarily until he got on his feet. What was supposed to be two months has now turned into over a year, he having saved no money at all and literally confining his mother to her bedroom. He pays no rent and whatever debt of his has been paid has been paid by his mother, who has had to ...

Early twenty-somethings Kristine and Adam are relative newlyweds. Kristine is the current household breadwinner, earning $35,000 a year, while Adam has a nominal income while he goes to school in Marketing. He has failed some courses, which has only prolonged his schooling and the associated costs. Kristine has been spoiled all her life, their current financial situation which has not changed that mentality. Although they both spend recklessly, Kristine doesn't believe what Adam spends money on is worth it, primarily action figurines and take-out coffee. They both ...

Married for one year, Allison and Chris have a modest $44,000 income. Allison is a full time doctoral candidate and does TA work on the side, while Chris, who trained to become a police officer, struggles to find his career footing, currently working in a lumber yard, his fourth job in a year. The more dominant Allison has dumped all the household finances on Chris, despite Chris having previously stated that he is not very good with money. In part because of their modest income, Chris decided the best way to deal with their debts was to "earn" money by gambling, that...

Despite earning more than almost any couple she's counseled on the show at $150,000 annually, Gail believes that thirty year olds Marissa and David are also one of the most difficult and at risk of any couple she's ever met because of the $60,000 of consumer debt they've racked up in only nine months (with their total consumer debt sitting at $73,000). They recently bought their first house, and spent much money in filling it with stuff. They also realize that they do overindulge themselves, especially on joint spa treatments and expensive meals out (as they consider ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...