大象传媒

In Gloucester, Jo and Melanie come to the aid of a family whose spending is spiralling out of control. Having been victims of the 2008 property crash, Steve and Sarah are financially back on their feet. But with a young family to support, they find they never have money at the end of the month for their savings pot. Keen to replace their kitchen after 14 years, the couple need to rethink their current spending habits in order to give themselves a bit of financial security and some money for home improvements.

However, the couple are relying on store cards and online credit to pay for clothes and household items, as while larger one-off payments are unaffordable, smaller monthly ones seem more manageable. Throw in monthly subscription boxes and regular toy-buying for their two daughters, and these two are spending more than they realise. Melanie and Jo bring Steve and Sarah face to face with the extent of their spending to make them see just where their money is going.

Jo reveals the amount they have spent in the last year just in interest on their store cards and online credit in the hope that they will stop seeing them as an affordable option. Melanie, Sarah and eldest daughter Ellie fire up the barbecue to see whether you really do need to splash out on BBQ tools, and Jo and Steve assemble four football goals in the garden to find out which Steve would choose to buy. Office chairs are tested out by Bristol shoppers to find out if the best seat is indeed the priciest, and how easy is it to identify the cheapest carry case from some luxury luggage when you can't see the price tags?