Big Spender

**pecunierrant** · 11-28-2006, 01:09 PM

Have you watched this tv show? Its on A&E and the host seems to be a financial guru of sorts. ive only watched one episode but he was fairly tough on the couple for spending so much on stuff. He helps them make a reasonable budget to live on, this particular couple rufused to follow it even though it was their idea to make the changes.

Examples from the show-

Monthly
$600 for eating out
$300 for personal care
$300 for clothing
$30,000 for upcoming wedding
credit cards charged up to limits
spending more than both their incomes

Although it wasnt as in depth as it could have been it was interesting to see a 'frugaly' point of view on a tv show.

Anyone see this show and what do you think so far?

**schellie69** · 11-28-2006, 01:30 PM

i watched this one and also so another one maxed out, they are okay but i don't think they show enough of how to save money, and how to be frugal. the amount that they give for things seems really high for me the one i saw food for a week for 2 adults and 2 small children for groceries was $300 a week i don't even spend that for food, nonfood and pet food and this is for 7 people and numours pets. so i am not sure where they get the numbers.

**Buckeye5** · 11-28-2006, 01:34 PM

This sounds interesting. When is the show on? Also, wow I can't believe how much they spend on stupid stuff, have you ever heard the saying "that you can't fix stupid", they sound like a case in point, huh?

**frugalnana** · 11-28-2006, 01:38 PM

I haven't watched it, but it sounds interesting. I'll have to do a search to see when its on. I agree about the food. For three people we spend now around $200 a month before it was about $250 to $300 a month. But we have made cuts to everything in order to pay more on the medical we owe.

**frugalnana** · 11-28-2006, 01:42 PM

Buckeye5 I just did a search and its on Sundays at 5:30pm on A & E. Its 30 minutes.

**Stella** · 11-28-2006, 01:52 PM

We watch this show. It is insane the amount of $$ people spend. One woman was spending $1800 a MONTH on food/entertainment. Crazy. I cannot believe how much money people spend there and there and think that they need these items.

**Buckeye5** · 11-28-2006, 02:25 PM

Thanks for the info Frugalnana, I am going to make a point to watch this show.

**Shellshome** · 11-28-2006, 02:28 PM

I love Big Spender he also has a book out that I got at the library that was very very good and I did learn a lot from it. Big Spender comes on A&E on Sundays for 1/2 hour.

I started watching a show called Maxed out it comes on at different time and I think it is on the Style channel. There is also another one the is called Debt do us part that comes on and it is really good also. The maxed out and debt do us part are based in a Canada I think. But they are also both good shows.

I can't get over what some of the expenses these people spend on Big spender. Some of them have clothes in there closet that still have tags on them that just shocks me a lot because that is just a waste to me. And what they spend on eating out kills me my hubby and sometime only spend $75 to eat out and entertainment and I think that is high and that is very seldom. And groceries we spend maybe $200-$400 a month depending on what we need and don't need to stock up on.

But they are both good shows. And Larry Wigent (I might have spelled the last name wrong)has a book out and it is very good. I can't remember what it is called but right now it is the only one he has out. So if you want to check it out just call your library.

**guest32** · 11-28-2006, 02:30 PM

I've tried to watch it...but the people are so out of touch with reality and never really seem to *get it*..... It makes me crazy!

**frugalfriend** · 11-28-2006, 02:43 PM

I'm too cheap to get cable, so I don't get those channels! Oh well!

**FrugalWitch** · 11-28-2006, 03:45 PM

I get too mad when I try to watch shows like that. The sheer wastefulness just sends my blood pressure soaring. I also cannot watch that Sweet Sixteen show (forget the title but the amount spent on those spoilt brats is astonishing) Platinum Weddings, Bridezillas....well there are several shows that highlight ridiculous spending that gripe my gizzard. I don't have cable, only see parts of the shows at Momma's house. (she likes them for some reason)

When there are so many people starving, homeless and without any medical care, glorifying outrageous unnecessary spending is, to me at least, the definition of true obscenity.

FrugalWitch

**lottaLove** · 11-28-2006, 03:47 PM

I enjoy watching these kinds of shows, sometimes they can be a real eye opener. I think that I would like them more though, if they were a bit more realistic.

They did a program with a lady a few weeks ago who was addicted to shopping. They cut down her shopping budget from 1500.00/month to 500.00/month, and this does not even include food! This is just a budget for shopping on clothing and makeup, movies and gadgets that she doesn't need! I wish I had that kind of shopping fund worked into my monthly budget!

**pecunierrant** · 11-28-2006, 05:25 PM

I was stunned to hear how much the one woman spent on clothes monthly and eating out wow.
I'll have to look for those other shows too, thanks for mentioning them. Dave Ramsey is supposed to have his own show on CBS sometime soon too. Hopefully that'll be interesting and educating too.

**REJB** · 11-28-2006, 08:33 PM

I've watched "Big Spender" a couple of times. I think it would interesting for the show to revisit the person 6 months later to see if they're still using a budget and/or paying off their debt...

Elizabeth

**Megareader** · 11-29-2006, 02:55 PM

Recently on Big Spender they had a couple that was spending about $3500 more each month than they had coming in. Unreal!! I don't watch this show each week, but when I do it amazes me how awful of a financial position people can get themselves in to.