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Unfortunately, most of these people are also deep in debt and have already made such cuts. Sometimes I wonder about this. How many poor folks are wasting their

by hugh3 15y ago

Unfortunately, most of these people are also deep in debt and have already made such cuts. Sometimes I wonder about this. How many poor folks are wasting their limited budget on frivolous crap? One reality show I really would like to see would be about a sensible financial advice type who parachutes into the lives of low-income, deeply-in-debt people and shows them how to budget properly.

rb2k_ 15y ago
We actually have a show like that in Germany... It's mostly the same basics over and over again (cut the cigaretes, no Pay TV, Why do you have 4 Cell phone contracts, ...). It could very well be scripted though. Maybe I'll remember the name over the next hour or so :)
singular 15y ago
That sounds like Alvin Hall[1]. He's not done a show (in the UK at least) for a while, but he's definitely done that type of show. [1]:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_hall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_hall
reemrevnivek 15y ago
Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace program (not reality TV, a and "Total Money Makeover" (a book, even though it sounds like a reality TV show) does delve into how to take a deeply-in-debt situation and start budgeting properly. Step 1: Create an emergency fund with $1000 (as a rough starting point, your financial situation may be different) to handle the unexpected and avoid making more debt. Adjust the $1000 number based on your income level and possible expenses. A homeowning breadwinner with a wife and kids would need a good deal more. See: http://www.daveramsey.com/new/baby-step-1/ http://www.daveramsey.com/new/baby-step-1/
skidooer 15y ago
There's a show in Canada named Til Debt Do Us Part that has a similar premise, except they usually visit higher class households (usually $100K/year+ earners) who still have managed to rack up tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of consumer debt.
djcapelis 15y ago
One reality show I would really like to see would be about sending entitled people into low income neighborhoods so we can all watch them realize just how hard working some people are and just how well most people manage their money. Maybe then they'd stop saying misinformed stuff like "all that person really needs is someone to help them with a budget." A budget helps you cut excess spending. There's not a lot of spending in low income places almost by definition. There is not a lot of excess. Deeply in debt people typically don't come from low income neighborhoods, they come from the middle class. Low income folks can't get credit that easily, even when credit was easy. Most poor people I know work amazingly hard and manage their money well.
- hugh3 15y ago
  One reality show I would really like to see would be about sending entitled people into low income neighborhoods so we can all watch them realize just how hard working some people are and just how well most people manage their money. That would indeed be interesting if it were true, regardless of your snarkiness. I'd be interested in seeing a show just like that regardless of how it works out.
  - tesseract 15y ago
    Secret Millionaire?
- btilly 15y ago
  I know a lot of poor people who work hard and manage their money well. I also know a lot who could save themselves a ton of money with obvious (if not easy) steps like quitting smoking.
  - timsally 15y ago
    Quitting smoking may seem obvious, but it's important to consider the context. Middle class people grow up in homes that are very anti-smoking. In the rare case that a middle class family isn't anti-smoking, middle class schools certainly are. Hell, I was indoctrinated with anti-smoking feelings starting from age 10 in school. Whereas a lot of poor people are probably being given cigarettes at age 10. Combine this with the highly addictive properties of cigarettes and I'm not convinced quitting smoking is a reasonable money management strategy to suggest unless we provide some sort of support program or infrastructure. If there are free programs available to teach how to fight addiction, then sure I'm on board.
tricky 15y ago
I have a friend at work who I try to help. I can't count the number of times or ways I've tried to tell him pay day loans are bad news. The one time he came into some money (by cashing in a part of his 401K) I suggested he open an account at a credit union or even walmart (he lives 3 blocks away) but he ended up opening a "savings" account at a pay day loan shop because it was just around the corner. It is horrible and sad but the reality is there really is no helping some people...
bconway 15y ago
There is such a show, it follows Suze Orman on CNBC on Saturday nights (I forget the name off the top of my head, something about being married to debt). It's not all low-income people, but it meets the rest of the criteria.

by hugh3 15y ago

rb2k_ 15y ago

We actually have a show like that in Germany... It's mostly the same basics over and over again (cut the cigaretes, no Pay TV, Why do you have 4 Cell phone contracts, ...). It could very well be scripted though. Maybe I'll remember the name over the next hour or so :)

singular 15y ago

That sounds like Alvin Hall[1]. He's not done a show (in the UK at least) for a while, but he's definitely done that type of show. [1]:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_hall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_hall

reemrevnivek 15y ago

Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace program (not reality TV, a and "Total Money Makeover" (a book, even though it sounds like a reality TV show) does delve into how to take a deeply-in-debt situation and start budgeting properly. Step 1: Create an emergency fund with $1000 (as a rough starting point, your financial situation may be different) to handle the unexpected and avoid making more debt. Adjust the $1000 number based on your income level and possible expenses. A homeowning breadwinner with a wife and kids would need a good deal more. See: http://www.daveramsey.com/new/baby-step-1/ http://www.daveramsey.com/new/baby-step-1/

skidooer 15y ago

There's a show in Canada named Til Debt Do Us Part that has a similar premise, except they usually visit higher class households (usually $100K/year+ earners) who still have managed to rack up tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of consumer debt.

djcapelis 15y ago

One reality show I would really like to see would be about sending entitled people into low income neighborhoods so we can all watch them realize just how hard working some people are and just how well most people manage their money. Maybe then they'd stop saying misinformed stuff like "all that person really needs is someone to help them with a budget." A budget helps you cut excess spending. There's not a lot of spending in low income places almost by definition. There is not a lot of excess. Deeply in debt people typically don't come from low income neighborhoods, they come from the middle class. Low income folks can't get credit that easily, even when credit was easy. Most poor people I know work amazingly hard and manage their money well.

hugh3 15y ago
One reality show I would really like to see would be about sending entitled people into low income neighborhoods so we can all watch them realize just how hard working some people are and just how well most people manage their money. That would indeed be interesting if it were true, regardless of your snarkiness. I'd be interested in seeing a show just like that regardless of how it works out.
- tesseract 15y ago
  Secret Millionaire?
btilly 15y ago
I know a lot of poor people who work hard and manage their money well. I also know a lot who could save themselves a ton of money with obvious (if not easy) steps like quitting smoking.
- timsally 15y ago
  Quitting smoking may seem obvious, but it's important to consider the context. Middle class people grow up in homes that are very anti-smoking. In the rare case that a middle class family isn't anti-smoking, middle class schools certainly are. Hell, I was indoctrinated with anti-smoking feelings starting from age 10 in school. Whereas a lot of poor people are probably being given cigarettes at age 10. Combine this with the highly addictive properties of cigarettes and I'm not convinced quitting smoking is a reasonable money management strategy to suggest unless we provide some sort of support program or infrastructure. If there are free programs available to teach how to fight addiction, then sure I'm on board.

tricky 15y ago

I have a friend at work who I try to help. I can't count the number of times or ways I've tried to tell him pay day loans are bad news. The one time he came into some money (by cashing in a part of his 401K) I suggested he open an account at a credit union or even walmart (he lives 3 blocks away) but he ended up opening a "savings" account at a pay day loan shop because it was just around the corner. It is horrible and sad but the reality is there really is no helping some people...

bconway 15y ago

There is such a show, it follows Suze Orman on CNBC on Saturday nights (I forget the name off the top of my head, something about being married to debt). It's not all low-income people, but it meets the rest of the criteria.