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?

Dancing Around the Truth

Gail Vaz-Oxlade

Drowning in Debt

Buying into Bankruptcy

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.

A Life of Convenience

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.

Buy Now, Pay Later

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.

Roxanne is frustrated that her boyfriend Shawn is addicted to the buy now, pay later purchase plans. And even though they make good money, they have debt, no savings and Shawn is in the market for a big screen TV. They’re keen to take the next step with the ultimate buy now, pay later life choice…having a baby. But can they afford it?

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.

No Laughing Matter

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?

Physician, Heal Thyself

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?

Taking Care of Business

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?

The Great Wall of Silence

Nell and Darrell have $60 thousand dollars in personal debt, which is no laughing matter. But Darrell refuses to let this stress him out and constantly jokes about their situation to avoid reality. That leaves Nell suffering through sleepless nights alone. And it’s starting to take its toll on their 9 year-old daughter who has offered up her piggybank to help in tough times. When the numbers are crunched, is bankruptcy the only option for this couple?

The Money Pit

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?

The Princess and the Paupers

They’ve been married 12 years and have had two children. But Rebecca and Mike still haven’t made the time to sit down and discuss their finances…ever! Their communication is limited to fights triggered by creditor calls or ‘forgotten’ bills. This couple is completely disorganized with their finances. They’ve just taken out a third consolidation loan, and are still shopping an average of three times a day! Can Gail help this couple lay the brickwork for a solid financial future?

The Romance with Cash Advance

Fiona and Alister make good money…almost $100 thousand dollars a year. But a hundred grand is also the amount of debt they’re carrying thanks to the money pit - the home they’ve been renovating for the past 6 years, and emotional overspending on instant gratification. In one month alone, Fiona spent $800 on lingerie over the internet and Alister is still paying for a dirt bike he no longer even owns. Now, they’ve found out they’re pregnant…

Without a Safety Net

Til Debt Do Us Part is a Canadian television series produced by Frantic Films for Slice in Canada, Zone Reality in the United Kingdom and AmericanLife TV Network and CNBC in the USA. It is hosted by Gail Vaz-Oxlade, who each week visits a couple who are in debt and having relationship troubles. The participants are given weekly challenges, some of which are to help bring the finances and debt under control, with the others meant to help the couple's relationship. At the end of one month, Vaz-Oxlade gives the couple a cheque for an amount up to $5,000, depending on how well they did during the challenges.

Dancing Around the Truth

Seasons8

Season 1 Episodes13

Cast1

Discussion

Episode Summary