Lessons Learned from Til’ Debt Do Us Part
I’ve enjoyed watching the series “Til’ Debt Do Us Part” that is on after Suze Orman. It features financial expert Gail Vaz-Oxlade who tries to save couples marriages and financial futures at the same time. If they follow her plan then they can get up to $5,000 to repay their debt. It’s always interesting to see just what people are spending their money on. Apparently here are a few things that a lot of these couples had in common:
They seem to shop at outlet and discount stores for their children. They seem to know that they need to save money but they don’t realize that an easy way to do this is to just stop buying so much stuff.
A lot of couples have grocery bills three or four times the normal size. This either comes from eating out or eating organically.
I think the show is Canadian because they always talk about mat leave or maternity leave. A lot of couples really seem to get in trouble because they keep spending like they did before one of them went on mat leave. Some of them even spend more because they have all that extra time to go to the outlet stores.
The couples end up living out of jars filled with money instead of using credit cards. Most of them find that they can leave on 1/3 of their regular budget just by tracking their spending. There is even a section for gifts, clothes and entertainment so you could get an xbox 360 if you saved up for awhile. It really turns the couples lives around. They go from living in debt to just plain living.
I’ve never heard of the show; but it sounds like common sense. Believe you’re right though, folks just don’t seem to understand the concept of living within their means. New is not always better, in fact often it’s definitely not as good as the old.
Case in point. We’re traveling out of state this wkend — unhaul filled with some things for our daughter who’s moving. As I look at the stuff we’ve put in the staging area, I’m reminded how much good we get out of our stuff. The book case we’re taking out for her was the one we had in her room when she was little (she’s now 26); more importantly it’s one I remember when I was little (I’m turning 60 this year). This is the very bookcase my mother made into The Magic Christmas Fireplace for Santa to come down. It’s well made and is now making it’s way to the 3rd generation. I need to ask Daddy how long he and Mom had it. They would have been married 64 years last August had she not died in April.
There really is no need to buy stuff all the time. People need to take care of what they have, too often they trash it.
Sandy
February 12th, 2010 • 2:25 pm