Til Debt Do Us Part

Teachers Julia and Guy live in different worlds. Julia's all about planning and responsibility, while Guy lives for today. Guy has no qualms paying exorbitant interest fees to get the things he wants now, and thinks Julia should lighten up by spending more. And then there's the issue of Guy's gambling problem which has so far cost them $9,000. The stress of being married to a man-teen has pushed Julia to the brink and bitterness simmers between the couple. Gail arrives wielding the "clue by four" but Guy may prove to be a tough nut to crack.

Self-employed couple Ingrid and Jamie agree they have a money problem, but while Jamie thinks they spend too much, Ingrid's convinced they don't have enough income, leaving any shortfalls to be filled in with credit. Now they're trapped in a circle of debt. Two children, a mortgage, and mounting bills have stretched Ingrid to her anxiety limit while Jamie is content to sit back and let it be. When they run out of cash for their jars in week three, Gail is left wondering how committed this couple is to fixing their financial mess.

Although they've been together for over ten years and have three children, Hollie and Sean are not married and they keep their financial arrangements separated. While Hollie wants to make it official, Sean's putting off the trip to the alter until they can afford a big wedding. Sean only pays for the mortgage and insurance, leaving Hollie to handle everything else. And with an ever-increasing debt load, the wedding is a distant dream. Now, Hollie's facing a family crisis which makes it even more urgent that they sort out their finances, and their relationship . Gail needs to show this couple that even though they're not hitched, their finances are.

Dental hygienist Liz and truck driver Will are engaged in a destructive spending game. Control freak Liz handles all the finances while keeping Will on a tight leash, yet still spends a lavish amount on clothes for herself, their baby and their dog. In retaliation, Will takes out costly cash advances. They've refinanced their home several times to hide debt in their mortgage to the point they now owe more than the house is worth. Getting this couple back on track means reigning in the spending, finding ways to re-build equity in their home and getting rid of the resentment between them. Gail finds way to get them fighting their debt rather than each other.

Lisa and Paul have dug themselves into a hole of overindulgence. Lisa spent $1,000 decorating their infant daughter's bedroom and has 15 outfits for their dog. Meanwhile, Paul drives a new car into the garage so often, they should consider installing a revolving door. Since they enable each other's bad financial habits there's no voice of reason to tell them that "negative equity" is just marketing-speak for "debt." It's up to Gail to erase their illusions and straighten out these big spenders before they drive their young family into the ground.

Like many other young couples today, Candice & Clint want it all, and they want it now. They're both guilty of the typical spending crimes – financing multiple cars, eating out, electronics, entertaining, purchasing home furnishings and over extending themselves on a mortgage they can't afford. But what sets them apart from other young couples is the sheer amount of debt- $80,000- which they've racked up in five short years. Now, the debt is threatening their ability to start a family. Candice feels powerless to stop her husband's spending. Unless Gail can get fun-loving Clint to focus on what's really important, these childhood sweethearts could end up apart.

Daniela and Rachel are total opposites in their attitudes towards money. When Daniela gets cash, she's like a kid in a candy store. Her wife, Rachel says she'd rather go without. What they have in common is over $54,000 in debt. Impulsive spending on big-ticket items with no plan for repayment has landed Rachel and Daniela in serious debt. Gail needs to get these opposites on the same page or there won't be a happily-ever-after for these newlyweds. Gail challenges them to make a five-year plan that will prioritize their goals of paying off their home and starting a family.

20-somethings Jeff and Tara are both Social Workers who spend a lot of time giving. Providing primary support care for a teen, they have nearly all of their housing costs covered, but they still manage to fritter away their income on over-the-top weekends where they maximize their quality time together. They dream about one-day tying the knot but with debt of nearly $90,000, their dreams are on hold. Tara wants Jeff to get serious and start controlling his impulses, while Jeff wants Tara to recognize the benefits of their current living situation and figure out how to make a dent in her massive student loans. Getting this couple on the road to adulthood requires teamwork and trust. Gail finds ways for Jeff and Tara to stop stalling and start supporting.

Between them, Sharon and Brad have failed relationships, six kids and nearly $60,000 of debt. They're full of good intentions, but with Sharon's unemployment, Brad's financial foolishness, and a total lack of communication these two are at the breaking point. When faced with financial problems in the past, their solution was to separate their accounts and bills entirely, but that only proved to drive them further apart. In one of her most fiery challenges ever, Gail tries to provide this drifting couple with a second chance at love by forcing them to address the topics they've been avoiding. Pushed to the limit, will Sharon and Brad learn how to depend on one another, or will their financial future go up in flames?

Leslie and Jurgen are a couple in crisis. While they both clearly love their son, and each other, their on-going financial problems have driven a wedge between them that's so deep, it may be too late to bring them back together. Leslie feels isolated as she deals with the money and bills on her own, while Jurgen keeps himself intentionally in the dark. Gail has to get this couple back in touch with their money, but just it's just as important that they focus on their relationship before deciding what their future will be.

Jenna and Mark are a classic case of too much, too soon. These self-indulgent 23-year olds have no life skills. They don't know how to run a home, or a budget, and their frivolous spending has landed them deep in debt. Jenna assumed all of Mark's past debt, but she harbours a lot of resentment. Mark senses Jenna's anger and as a result, he doesn't want to add to their existing debt with an expensive wedding. These two are going nowhere fast, causing Gail to ask "Will this be the first couple to break up on camera? To bring them back from the brink of collapse, Gail needs these ungrateful adolescents to start appreciating one another and simple day-to-day life.

Stephanie and Sam are parents of four whose financial priorities are very different. Sam's need to have the biggest and best of everything has led to financial chaos, as Sam pursues what he calls "the Wow Factor." Despite the fact that the family has already lost one home, and may be on the brink of losing another, Sam seems oblivious to the toll his actions are taking on his wife and children. While Stephanie tries her best, she's ultimately left with some very tough choices to make.

Newlyweds Shannon and Colin started their marriage off in an unusual way – as an engaged couple, they purchased a brand new home and made the mortgage payments for eight months while still living separately in their parents' homes. Once they moved in, Shannon's desire for the lifestyle of a couple twice their age led them to some expensive choices, and now it's all catching up to them. Amongst other things, the young pair argue about how much debt they're actually in: Shannon says it's about $30,000, while Colin insists the sum is only $25,000. Whatever the sum, one thing they can agree on is that "having become accustomed to certain lifestyles in a rent free environment," they're now finding it difficult to give up their free spending ways. They admit they're in way over their heads. Besieged by the escalating payments, they want a way out that won't cost them everything they (don't) own. They lack the tools, expertise and perhaps even the will power to manage on their own and they're desperate for a kick in the pants from Gail to get them back on track.