Melanie

At age thirty-eight, single Melanie has become a mom for the first time, through artificial insemination. She has decided to take one year maternity leave, which cuts her annual income from $80,000 to $20,000. She planned the pregnancy, but has done no planning otherwise, even since baby Jude's arrival three months ago. She has pretty much kept to her pre-baby lifestyle, which includes spending on her own wants, such as maintaining a motorcycle, having recently purchased a cute but expensive small car, vacationing, and eating out all the time, these on top of her buying whatever she wants for baby Jude. Her reduced income is insufficient to pay her monthly mortgage and car payments, let alone anything else. Through Gail's visit, Melanie's dad, Bob, and Melanie's friend, Christi, will be her support, although Christi admits she has been enabling Melanie's bad habits by being her dining partner. Gail has to get Melanie to make a long term plan, including: budgeting money for debt repayment and when that will happen; budgeting needs ahead of wants for Jude; and costs and benefits of taking that entire one year for mat leave. Gail has to get Melanie to change her behavior concerning luxuries, the most prevalent being from eating out to cooking at home. And Gail makes Melanie truly examine if what she says is true, namely if Jude is more important than her motorcycle and especially the cute but impractical car.