S09 E14
Nov 1, 2011Til Debt Do U$ Part
Tracey & Dan
Release Date: Nov 1, 2011Tracey and Dan were determined to have a baby, which they are unable to do by natural means. Seven month old Senta is the result. But in having Senta, they racked up $80,000 in in vitro fertilization treatments (which failed), and another $65,000 for surrogacy, neither of which were guarantees of having that baby. During the process, Dan lost one of his three jobs, reducing their household income, and they incurred some "rainy day" costs in their lives. In addition, Tracey and Dan see their next big ticket item as trying to have another baby, which requires that IVF or surrogacy once again. Their biggest fear is not having a sibling for Senta. Although they do not in general live lavishly, they are financing a vacation property in addition to their primary residence, combined which account for over half their monthly spending, resulting in them neglecting their other debt. Beyond making them look at their overall finances, Gail has to show them that they can't have their cake and eat it too, meaning that they have to prioritize their wants, most specifically the housing, the vacation cottage in particular, versus having another baby through surrogacy, which is their preferred method. The baby scenario is also in light of the fact that they are already in their forties and thus need to start saving for retirement soon.