Suze Ormand on Oprah

[DVC Sadie]

Did anyone see this show?

 

[suzimar57]

oh, yes! just finished watching it on tape

suze really "ripped into" those people!

(first family was living WAY beyond their means - end result: suze told the wife to get a PT job at Starbucks, sell the house, and move to seattle)

second couple were expecting a baby, deep in debt - suze told them to stop spending right now, start selling things on ebay and don't keep ignoring the phone calls from the student loan company

 

[Tjaleks]

I tivo'd it to watch later.

 

[DVC Sadie]

I still cannot believe that the first family earned 100,000.00 a year but did not have either health insurance or life insurance.

 

[KelNottAt]

The Phil and Felice story disgusts me. Dear Lord. They withheld medical care from their children in order for that woman to shop.

 

[DVC Sadie]

The Phil and Felice story disgusts me. Dear Lord. They withheld medical care from their children in order for that woman to shop.

Grrrrr....

I can't believe she allows her 6 childrens teeth to literally "rot" out of their heads and allow her 2nd oldest child to go without medical tests due to her poor judgement.

I also think her dh should have done something about both his wife's overspending and the neglect of his kids.

If this situation would have happened in a lower income home I guarantee that the family would have had CPS on their doorstep.


ETA: I had to delete first line due to strong language.

 

[ldb1030]

Excellent show! I really, really hope they follow up with them this season!
She did rip into them but it was good advise and she was just trying to make the see the light of day! I'm not real sure how things will turn out for Felice and her husband. After you have lived like that for all those years, you don't just change over night! Wonder how it's gone even since they filmed the show!

I kept thinking when they were filming in her house: How on earth do you have a house like THAT and not have health insurance for your kids?????? And when Suze was listing ALL their debt, I felt like throwing up and it was not even MY debt!!!!

Love that Suze!

 

[dvcgirl]

I saw the program. The first family....forget it, there's no way that they'll put out of that mess. No way. She's got a serious problem though....I would bet that she's manic, the high that she got from shopping was obvious. She needs help. I think that there is a lot more than money issues going on here, a whole lot more.

The husband is just as guilty in that mess too. The guy brings home 5K a month. $1800 to the mortgage, $1,700 for the cars. Did he really think that all of the *stuff she was bringing in that house was covered by the remaining $1,500. That's not even mentioning things like, oh, I don't know....food, utilities, auto insurance. He's full of crap when he says that he didn't know it was bad.

The advice to sell the house and move to Seattle, well, good luck selling a house in California right now. They probably owe more than the home is worth, and with back taxes they'd likely have to come to closing with a big check (which they don't have). Most of the bills are being paid with cash advances and Ormann noted that the credit was already maxed out and drying up. So, they'll end up in foreclosure followed quickly by bankruptcy.

 

[isla bonita]

In addition to the others posts that I so agree with?

I had an issue with the childrens closets. She spends so much time shopping and the kids closets were empty. Whats that all about

 

[Tiger926]

I saw the program. The first family....forget it, there's no way that they'll put out of that mess. No way. She's got a serious problem though....I would bet that she's manic, the high that she got from shopping was obvious. She needs help. I think that there is a lot more than money issues going on here, a whole lot more.

The husband is just as guilty in that mess too. The guy brings home 5K a month. $1800 to the mortgage, $1,700 for the cars. Did he really think that all of the *stuff she was bringing in that house was covered by the remaining $1,500. That's not even mentioning things like, oh, I don't know....food, utilities, auto insurance. He's full of crap when he says that he didn't know it was bad.

The advice to sell the house and move to Seattle, well, good luck selling a house in California right now. They probably owe more than the home is worth, and with back taxes they'd likely have to come to closing with a big check (which they don't have). Most of the bills are being paid with cash advances and Ormann noted that the credit was already maxed out and drying up. So, they'll end up in foreclosure followed quickly by bankruptcy.

I don't normally post on this board, but I visit it each day. ITA with your assessment of Felice - definitely manic displays here in regards to her shopping addiction. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that she has serious emotional issues at play - her kids have no clothes, no medical insurance, yet she spends hundreds of dollars a month on her Barbie doll appearance - definite emotional issues that she needs to seek counselling for, or it will surely happen again. Her hubby seems to be totally in the clouds - he only brings in $60,000 (we have a 40-50% tax rate here in Canada as well), so where in the world did he think the money was coming from to pay for this stuff? Does he not see the expensive furniture, flowers, nail & hair extensions, etc. Sure he does, but he chooses to ignore it, as he obviously has emotional issues as well. He seems to be totally blaming his wife, and you can tell he feels he shouldn't have to move and change jobs for her - I think they'll probably declare bankruptcy and that will be that. Perhaps get divorced as well.

Sad show, very, very sad, Tiger

 

[minnie1928]

Unfortunately, I didn't see the show...but I looked at the Oprah.com site to read about the show (certainly NOT the same as watching it!). The first family has big issues, and many of them. I agree that they should find a job that offers insurance and then both parents should start therapy...and soon!

If anyone sees that this show will be re-run, please post. I checked with my local listings and it's not going to be re-run anymore today.

FWIW I just checked out the audiobook "Women and Money" by Suze. I'm on chapter 2 (I think) and so far it's been pretty good. Had I known that she was going to be on Oprah, I would've definately watched it.

 

[ldb1030]

Sadly, I know people who live like this..........and I bet alot of you do also! And worse yet, we all people that we probably think are NOT doing this and would be shocked to find out how much in debt they really are!

 

[minnie1928]

Sadly, I know people who live like this..........and I bet alot of you do also! And worse yet, we all people that we probably think are NOT doing this and would be shocked to find out how much in debt they really are!

I work with someone like this, it's truly sad. I'm pretty sure they're in a lot of debt (like before the bankruptcy), but I bet the actual numbers are worse than what I imagine.

 

[dvcgirl]

Sadly, I know people who live like this..........and I bet alot of you do also! And worse yet, we all people that we probably think are NOT doing this and would be shocked to find out how much in debt they really are!

And you know, this is why it's a dangerous game to keep up with the Joneses. Looking at this family, well, it is possible that the husband *could* have made enough money to at least cover the expenses and some of the out-of-control spending. I was suprised when Oprah said that he made a "really good income". I mean, yes, he was making around 85K a year or so, but for a family of eight....living in california.....no way.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

In addition to the others posts that I so agree with?

I had an issue with the childrens closets. She spends so much time shopping and the kids closets were empty. Whats that all about

This really bothered me too. The kids' closets were empty, they had no medical insurance, they received no dental care, they had teeth "rotting out of their heads," and yet the mother kept spending I loved it when she was saying that her kids were her top priority. Um, no, they're obviously not.

I agree with the poster who said that a lower income family neglecting their kids would have CPS on their doorstep. These parents were neglecting their kids medical and dental needs bigtime

DH and I watched this show on the TIVO last night, and I kept saying to DH that the husband looked mad enough to slap the wife on national TV (and that I wouldn't blame him if he did ) I don't think that Suze's fix of moving to Seattle even made sense for these people I agree that they'll end up in forclosure and bankrupt. First they'll hit mommy and daddy up for money to float their lifestyle for a while longer, though, IMHO. Suze was saying "don't do it!" and you could totally see that couple's wheels spinning...they were probably thinking that one set of parents or the other would pony up some cash after the show aired

This might sound really bad, but if I were that husband I'd file for divorce and for full custody of the kids. This woman isn't going to stop bankrupting him, and the kids are going without as long as she's in the financial picture.

 

[disneysteve]

I was suprised when Oprah said that he made a "really good income". I mean, yes, he was making around 85K a year or so, but for a family of eight....living in california.....no way.

True. I think a lot of people, apparently Oprah included, hear a number and think - "Oh, that's a lot of money" - when it really isn't given the situation. My wife and I live a relatively low-maintenance lifestyle, modest home, 2 older used cars, budget vacations, only one child in public school and I can tell you that $85,000 would be a struggle in this area. People tend to look at the gross income and forget to factor in things like income taxes, insurance premiums, property taxes, retirement and college savings, etc. Knock off those things and suddenly that 85K is really only 40K or less available for actual spending. That's not a lot of money, especially if you have several children.

 

[momx2]

I think she said the father with 6 kids made 100K. Which would be 60K after taxes. I think Oprah was referring to the fact the father made well over the median american income. But I agree in Calf. that's chump change. In Ky., where I live, you can live very well on that salary, but not in Calf.

 

[dkostel]

What really got me was that she'd buy clothes for herself & kids and then sell them at garage sales shortly after, at a 98% loss?!? That is clearly indicative of something going on beyond a shopping compulsion. And that "I love my babies" crap made me sick. I don't even have kids, but if my niece desperately needed medical care that she couldn't afford, I'd get a 2nd job and sell whatever I needed to to get it for her.

The husband just looked like he was going to have a heart attack the whole time.

 

[disneysteve]

What really got me was that she'd buy clothes for herself & kids and then sell them at garage sales shortly after, at a 98% loss?!?

She also stated that she will buy things even if she doesn't like them because she can't leave the store empty-handed. If that isn't mental illness, I don't know what is. This woman needs serious psychiatric help. I hope she's able to get it before the 8 of them are out on the street.

 

[Tiger926]

I think people are missing the point in regards to the hubby. He is a big problem - didn't notice that the amount of stuff they have surpasses his salary, doesn't ever check bills/receipts, doesn't spend time with kids, doesn't ask about doctor or dentist appointments, and I can go on. IMHO, his wife's mental illness (that's surely what is going on here) really bugs him, so he closes himself off from what is going on around him. Easy solution is to blame her as there is a lot of work to be done in order to fix this mess (if it even can be fixed), and based on his appearance on the show, he wants no part of it.

In my opinion, they have a very patriarchal relationship (hubby at work & wife at home and neither discusses those jobs with the other) - he said something to the effect of he's the provider, and he decided that his wife was going to stay home to raise the kids, but instead, she is spending all of his money. These two are only on the same page insofar as they are both selfish - to have 6 children with parents like this is a problem. These two as spouses and parents haven't been working together at all. Even if they agreed that he would go to work & she would stay home, it doesn't mean you aren't involved in the household or your kids' lives. He doesn't need to go grocery shopping, or do the laundry, but for goodness sake, be engaged and interested in your family just a little bit! He doesn't notice his kids have no clothes because he doesn't go in their rooms or closets, doesn't see an absence of laundry around? He either knows, or, he is an absentee father who believes his sole job is going to work to make money. He doesn't even work on the weekends, which means he's home a lot of the time, so don't tell me he had no idea! I think he's very similar to her in regards to showing off as the extra car story proved. What's the deal with the $650,000.00mortgages ? My hubby is a banker, and here in Canada this would not be allowed - you have to have ability to pay, plus equity in your home to qualify for that high rate of mortgage, so either they have money coming in from somewhere else, or it's a private high-risk mortgage because their credit is so bad, so how wouldn't he know about that? Give me a break!

When you give over total control of anything to someone else - whether it be, finances, childrearing, household, etc., you better be prepared for the chaos that may ensue. The don't ask, don't tell policy is surely going to spell bankruptcy and divorce for these two.

Tiger