Join the Debt Diet On Oprah today

**Braque68** · 02-17-2006, 08:41 PM

Hi,

My name is Sue.

I am a mother of 2 boys, DS5 and DS2 living on one income living in Queens, New York.

I have been lurking on this forum for a couple of months and love what people write and suggest here.

I wanted to see if anyone had read/seen the Join the Debt Diet segment on Oprah today. Found it while surfing the web today. We don't have a tv so couldn't watch the show.

www.oprah.com.

I found the families profiled on that segment completely and utterly pathetic. These people earned between 80-100K and were spending like money was going out of style. Even one wife was hiding what she was spending from the husband! This same family was spending $100 a day on takeout and lived off paper plates and now they're wondering why they're in debt -duh!

I recommended on that forum on Oprah's website that they need to come over here onto this forum and profile some "real" and down to earth people about what it truly means to be in debt and get some answers.

Thanks for listening.

Sue

**homesteadmamma** · 02-17-2006, 09:13 PM

Welcome to the village.

I watched the program and I'm thinking next Friday is going to be very interesting. Unless these families are really serious about getting out of debt, they won't.

I do applaud Oprah though for trying to get people to take a look at their debt and going on a Debt Reduction Diet. Hopefully some will take this seriously.

**AmyBoz** · 02-18-2006, 12:07 AM

I watched with great interest. We have no debt with the exception of our mortgage and our van, but I thought it was fascinating.

Thanks for referencing the village in your post at Oprah! Hopefully people will follow your advice!

**thrifty gal** · 02-18-2006, 12:57 PM

I watched the show, too. One woman spent 7k a year on having her haird done. I almost fell backwards when they said that.

Anyhow, I thought it was ridiculous too, how they made quite a bit of money, and was sooo friviolous with it. Looking forward to next week's show.

**bee9984** · 02-18-2006, 05:13 PM

I saw this episode and thoroughly enjoyed it as well

. I am looking forward to next weeks show.

**Mom23boys** · 02-18-2006, 10:25 PM

Welcome to the Village.

I didn't see the show either, but from reading what some of the posts are saying I can understand why they are in debt.

**Michelle** · 02-19-2006, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by Braque68

I found the families profiled on that segment completely and utterly pathetic. These people earned between 80-100K and were spending like money was going out of style. Even one wife was hiding what she was spending from the husband! This same family was spending $100 a day on takeout and lived off paper plates and now they're wondering why they're in debt -duh!

I totally agree. I wish there had been some "typical" families on there. I just can't relate to people who make that amount of money and squander it.

**FrugalMomof3** · 02-19-2006, 07:58 AM

Hello Sue,

Welcome to Frugal Village!

**slowtypinwoman** · 02-19-2006, 09:29 AM

I didn't see the show. What happens next Friday?

**homesteadmamma** · 02-19-2006, 10:10 AM

Marcia, next Friday they show the financial counsellors going into their homes and it looks like it might get a bit nasty. By the looks of the advertisement for next Fri., some of the ladies are giving them a rough time.

**Hollyhandi** · 02-19-2006, 10:18 AM

Thats the problem with most of those shows, they don't show the average real people trying to get out of debt.
I didn't watch the show either as we very seldom can get the
channel to come in.
I don't figure someone making 80 to 100 K average Americans.
JMHO

I'm lucky if I get 2 $20.00 haircuts a year.....

**homesteadmamma** · 02-19-2006, 10:26 AM

Although according to statistics these are the average person though. 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That is a very high statastic. I can bet it's the same in Canada.

Personally I don't think we realize just how close many people are in both countries, to bankruptcy.

**Newsnerd68** · 02-19-2006, 08:36 PM

Welcome Sue and thank you! I'm glad somebody finally said it! Duh! These people made me mad. I think a lot of us here at the village live with much less (income-wise) than these people and we are still managing to save a little here and there. I can't imagine spending as much on frivilous things as they do. And most spent $100 or more a day on take-out! Sheesh! $100 a day? I don't think I've spent that much in 2 months on take out in a long time.
But I guess there are a lot of folks in their situations and debt is bad no matter what you make. It will be an interesting series.