Downsized-- A new reality show

[gctattoo]

I DVR'ed the premiere episode, knowing full well that I would be criticizing up a storm when I watched it. I just cannot fathom how people can spend like there's no tomorrow and then complain when they run out of money. Yes, it was as aggravating as I thought it would be. Here are my thoughts:

1. IMO, the wife had dollar signs in her eyes when she met the husband. She was a single mom of five and an elementary school teacher. I doubt she was used to living the high life. Along comes a guy who's a successful contractor. And before long they are going out to eat every night (with seven children between the two of them) and generally just wasting money left and right.

And this was by their own admission. I'm not dramatizing. They showed a clip where he says he'd like to keep the restaurant bill under $350 for that meal. That. One. Meal. And they "used money to make the transition for the kids easier" -- the blending of the two families. He then goes on to say they were spending more than $15,000 a month. Even she seemed surprised by that amount.

2. They are supposedly downsizing, hence the name of the show. However, apparently that doesn't apply to the huge house they currently rent (and cannot afford the rent) or the fancy cars parked outside. I guess it's my bad-- I must've confused downsizing with downgrading. No, they can't do that. What would the neighbors say?

3. They've suddenly decided it's okay to shop the deals and use coupons after years of being too good for it. They even have food stamps now. Not that it does them any good since the mom admitted she just lets everyone in the family use the EBT card and doesn't keep track of how much is on it. We learned that nugget while she was apologizing to the daughter who went to use the card and found there was only $2.10 left. Which she used to purchase a packet of gravy. Which only illustrates how inept these people are when it comes to finances. $2 for a packet of gravy??

In addition, I could totally see something coming when they pulled out the safe full of change to cash in. I just knew they'd take it to Coinstar and shell out 9 cents on the dollar to use the machine. Yep, they sure did. And when they were crowing later on about getting $186 (I believe it was), I was ranting about them giving away $16 just to get it. What's wrong with getting free coin wrappers from a bank and rolling it yourself?

4. There are several able-bodied people in this family. But neither parent can get a second job? Nor can the kids old enough to work get a job? One of the kids sold his baseball glove to get the last $100 they needed for the rent. Nice sentiment, yet completely out of character in that family. Oy!

Okay, end of rant. For this episode anyway.

Did anyone else watch it? What are your thoughts?

[Doglover8180]

I watched the first episode as well. I love how all the kids have cell phones but my tax dollars are paying their grocery bill - which by the way - they eat pretty good.... the mom was making them burgers - fresh burgers when the dad & daughter got home from the grocery store.... they could have also used some of that coinstar money - to pay their $20 grocery bill. I also didn't see any coupons used at the grocery store - yes they were going for sales but not using coupons. I also heard one daughter mention getting syrup - I assumed chocolate syrup - but either kind - not really a necessity. Some of those kids are over 16 and can work and aren't it seems. I have a sense that I am sure they are getting a paycheck by being on the show (Kate Gosselin certainly does when she shows up on TV). I think the family was very irresponsible for a long time and they got themselves into this mess. Most people don't eat out every meal when you have 5 kids (or none for that matter) and even the boys said - they used to eat out every meal. Their house is very nice - they don't need that big of a home I wouldn't think. Also, they paid money for that device on the shower to cut the water off - how hard it is it to tell your children - you get a 3 minute shower and then that's it. To spend 20 bucks on a device to shut the water off...seems kinda crazy - when you can't even come up with the money to pay your rent. I watched the show but I didn't really care for their poor me attitude. They dug this mess of a hole for themselves, they need to get themselves out of it. I missed the very start of the show - so I didn't get how the mom, with her masters degree, cleans homes for a living? I came in at the end of that so I missed how that was happening. Enlighten me on the mom's work situation if you can - I understand the dad's- that part I got.

[faeryedark]

Yep. I watched it for a survey...otherwise I wouldn't have known it existed.
I did feel bad for the kids.
I wanted to rant too...$15,000 a month? That's half what we make for a whole year !!!
BUT...I'm sure it's a shock for them. Tho' I don't know why they didn't save more.
It'll be interesting to see what happens to them.

[faeryedark]

I watched the first episode as well. I love how all the kids have cell phones but my tax dollars are paying their grocery bill - which by the way - they eat pretty good.... the mom was making them burgers - fresh burgers when the dad & daughter got home from the grocery store.... they could have also used some of that coinstar money - to pay their $20 grocery bill. I also didn't see any coupons used at the grocery store - yes they were going for sales but not using coupons. I also heard one daughter mention getting syrup - I assumed chocolate syrup - but either kind - not really a necessity. Some of those kids are over 16 and can work and aren't it seems. I have a sense that I am sure they are getting a paycheck by being on the show (Kate Gosselin certainly does when she shows up on TV). I think the family was very irresponsible for a long time and they got themselves into this mess. Most people don't eat out every meal when you have 5 kids (or none for that matter) and even the boys said - they used to eat out every meal. Their house is very nice - they don't need that big of a home I wouldn't think. Also, they paid money for that device on the shower to cut the water off - how hard it is it to tell your children - you get a 3 minute shower and then that's it. To spend 20 bucks on a device to shut the water off...seems kinda crazy - when you can't even come up with the money to pay your rent. I watched the show but I didn't really care for their poor me attitude. They dug this mess of a hole for themselves, they need to get themselves out of it. I missed the very start of the show - so I didn't get how the mom, with her masters degree, cleans homes for a living? I came in at the end of that so I missed how that was happening. Enlighten me on the mom's work situation if you can - I understand the dad's- that part I got.

She's a school teacher. i got the impression that the cleaning gig comes about later on.
That device was crazy...I'd wondered if it was something he either already had or something (being a contractor)

[~~Who,Me?~~]

What channel/network is it on?

[faeryedark]

My son and I watched it, and he kept saying..."bet she could sell some jewelry, ana they could sell that trampoline."
It really bothered me that the dad would rather be homeless than get help from her parents but they can get FS...and ya know, right now we get FS but then again, I don't have family that can help me out.

[faeryedark]

What channel/network is it on?

WE

[justmama]

I saw them on Rachael Ray. She also waitresses 2 nights a week and gets $100 a night in tips. I kinda figured something was coming up when they made the reference about the glove being 'like his/a girlfriend' when one of the other boys threw it on the ground. I was a little taken aback by the food stamps. But again to receive them they only go by the amount coming in, not what you spend it on. And a family of 9 can not gross more than $4400 a month. Which i doubt she makes as a teacher and if he's not working full time, his income can vary month to month.

It didn't seem like a very good perspective. I just kept looking at the mom's clothes and earrings/purses/shoes, etc. Her statement that they had sold everything seemed misleading.

I guess that's all i'll say or i'll be accused of not understanding people on food stamps or how i think they should not have earrings/purses/etc. and how they are down on their luck and so forth and so on.

Not sure if i'll watch the upcoming episodes. It wasn't what i thought it was.

[bali1228]

sorry I missed it. I'll be spending a lot of time in bed this week{another stupid eye surgery tomorrow, hopefully this one works} so hopefully they play it again.

[Doglover8180]

I don't mind the FS situation so much - but I mind it for me - it's not intended for people who went through $15,000 a month and spent all their money.... it's intended for people who aren't making anywhere near that kind of money. These people on the show are in the boat they are in - solely because of their own mismanagement of funds and way overspending - not because they work their tale off but just don't make that much - WhatI can't wrap my brain around is this: This family had X amount of money in their bank account...now slowly that money quit coming into the bank account as fast as it once did, meaning that X amount in the total section was dwindling quicker if they didn't change their spending habits - seeing it dwindled - should have put the breaks on... to get to the point that you literally cannot make rent... when you once were able to go through money like water - you could have saved your money alot better - its not like what was coming in was always very little - and they couldnt "get ahead" - they did get ahead but chose to misuse it. That's what I can't understand because I think most people would see the total X amount going down and put the breaks on... it is not a need to eat out every meal every night, that's not a need.