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Private Notes
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern return to our screens just in time for Christmas. They are off to Yorkshire to tackle the Atwal-Brice family's seasonal spend. As foster parents, Paul and Michael have cared for over 20 children, including twin brothers Levi and Lucas who they adopted ten years ago. Levi and Lucas have since been diagnosed with autism and epilepsy and now aged 12 need full-time care. As well as continuing to foster, Paul and Michael have recently adopted another set of one-year-old twins, Lance and Lotan. For this extremely busy household, there's one time of year that remains particularly special - Christmas. With ten Christmas trees, over 600 baubles and 5,500 Christmas tree lights, Paul and Michael feel Christmas is all about making special memories with their boys and as a result don't hold back on anything, but can Steph and Alex convince them that magical memories don't have to come with a hefty price tag? If this family can make a few cutbacks this Christmas they could start saving for a family trip to Disneyland, Florida. As well as saving the family much-needed cash, Alex sets out to investigate how Christmas candles get their smell while Steph goes back to school to find out more about this year's interactive must-have toys. From gift wrapping to the best value party dress, there's tips and tricks for everyone.
In this episode, Steph and Alex are with the Allen family in South Yorkshire. Beauty therapist Naomi and project manager Richard have two sons and a daughter, and they love to shop, splashing their cash on their appearance, big brand names and buying on a whim. However, they need to reprioritise their spending to fix a DIY disaster in their bathroom.
Rob, Jenny and their 13-year-old daughter Leah are the Garretts, and they would love to visit Disneyland. However, all three of these leisure shoppers are big spenders, meaning they can't save for the trip. Rob has two sheds packed with stuff, Jenny has nearly 50 dresses and Leah loves her trainers. To analyse their shopping habits, Steph and Alex secretly spy on them and watch as they splash the cash, egging each other on to spend. To show them the error of their ways, Alex and Steph sneak into their house and take their possessions to stock a pop-up shop - the Garretts are shocked when they are confronted with how much they already own and what they have spent.
Alex and Steph head to Glasgow to meet the Rodger family. Event organiser Colin and dance lecturer Karen are parents to three sets of twins. This supersized family are desperate for their first holiday abroad, but they need to get their spending in check if this dream is to become a reality. Karen's addiction to shoes is rubbing off on the kids, and when it comes to technology, Colin always opts for the brand leader. While the family are out, Alex and Steph take a sneaky peek inside the house and make a pop-up shop with all the things the family already own to get them to face up to their spending. The family want to change, and we've put them to the ultimate test. All their usual branded products have had their labels removed and have been replaced with substitutes to open their eyes to alternatives. But will the family like Alex and Steph's changes?
Alex and Steph head to north London to meet Kevin and Yolanda. This shopping-obsessed couple are desperate to save some money for their upcoming wedding. Having recently lost 16 stone between them, new-found confidence has led to a shopping obsession, each of them buying new clothes to flatter their new frames. To reveal just how much stuff there is, Alex and Steph have gone into the house and taken their possessions to stock a pop-up shop. Yolanda and Kevin can't believe it when they walk in and find everything out on display. When they are confronted with how much they have spent, they are left shocked. Alex and Steph swap Kevin and Yolanda's products for unbranded substitutes to show where they can spend less, but not all the products have been changed. Will they be able to spot the difference? And will they make the changes needed to save for their wedding?
Alex and Steph are in north Wales to meet the Williams family. Katy, Wayne and eight-year-old Holly are living a life of luxury with a home jam-packed with designer brands. Alex and Steph make it their mission to change the family's ways. They set up a pop-up shop filled with the family's belongings, which leaves Katy and Wayne shocked. To really challenge them, Alex and Steph take away their usual brands and repackage them. Some are cheaper but others are the same to really put them to the test. Alex and Steph also take away a lot of the family's luxuries, from expensive nights out to essential hairpieces - even Katy's beloved Land Rover isn't safe. But do the shock tactics prove to the Williams that they can spend less and still enjoy the lifestyle they're accustomed to?
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern are on a mission to help families change the way they shop without changing their lifestyle. They are in Surrey with John and Flo and their three children. A drop in income coupled with a reliance on credit means the family need help to get back in the black. The sooner the family start reining in their spending the better, so Alex and Steph debrand their home, replacing many of their favourite products with cheaper alternatives.
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern help the Parmar family from North London, who are addicted to brand labels, and try to convince them that cheaper alternatives can be just as good by giving their house a new look and organising a pop-up shop of their belongings. Plus, Professor Avi Shankar reveals how companies use packaging to catch the customers' eye, as five travel mugs are put through their paces to see which one comes out on top, and Alex gets the Parmar's to blind test three stand mixers to see if price really does equal quality.
In the final episode, Alex Jones and Steph McGovern help the Murphy family in the West Midlands rein in their spending. Teaching assistant Kerry's online shopping habits are out of control, so Alex and Steph show her different approaches to purchasing goods online that will hopefully save the family some much-needed cash, as they save up for a family holiday in Florida. Last in the series.
Kicking off the new series in South Wales, Alex and Steph head to Caerphilly to meet the Ingram family. HGV driver Liam and IT engineer Emma are proud parents to 10-year-old Mackenzie and two sets of twins, 19-month-old Maddison and Jaxon and 6-month-old Alexa and Sienna. Emma's mum Katrina also lives with the family but even with her help, jumping from one child to five in less than two years has had a massive impact on Liam and Emma's finances. To make matters worse, Emma's maternity pay is about to stop so saving money has never been so important. It's not only the Ingram's surprise baby boom that's costing them, their desire for big name brands is also crippling Liam and Emma's finances. Alex and Steph need to shock the family into realising the error of their spendthrift ways. While the family are out, they take a sneaky peak around the house and are amazed by the volume of expensive baby items they find. They're even more shocked by how much football merchandise there is and the array of designer gear in Mackenzie's bedroom. To shock the family into making some big changes, Steph and Alex build a surprise pop-up-shop in the Ingram's house with some of their biggest spends, but how will they react when they know the cost of their big brand spending? The family want to change so they are put to the ultimate test. To get their spending down, the family's budget-blowing belongings are banned and replaced with alternatives disguised in plain packaging so the Ingram's have no idea what's been swapped and what hasn't. Will the family like Alex and Steph's changes? Steph gives the family her top tips on how they can go on holiday for less and Alex explores the childcare options Emma could consider when she decides to return to work. They also blind test men's shavers and car seats with the family to find out whether brands are always best. The Great British public get their say too. Steph and Alex hit the high street with four de-branded polo shirts rangin
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern face their biggest challenge yet with the Hurst family from Greater Manchester, whose high-end shopping habits leave a huge hole in their pockets. Steph gives parents Jen and Tom some tips on how they can regularly save money each month, including on the fashion labels the couple like to buy, but Jen doesn't believe you can buy a dress for £20 and Tom appears reluctant to give up some of his habits.
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern head to Hampshire to help Georgette, Tommy and their family get on top of their spending and get their finances back on track. Two years ago the family upsized to a property in need of renovation and have since had to put everything on the credit card, so Alex and Steph hope they can show them ways to save money in their weekly shops and get back in the black.
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern travel to Bristol to help Hannah and Damian Jack learn ways they can change their shopping habits to rein in their spending. Their lives were turned upside down when both Hannah and Damian were made redundant, and now the family find themselves without savings and spending every penny they earn. Can Alex and Steph help the family see the error of their spending ways? Last in the series.
Shop Well for Less is in Evesham with our biggest family ever! John, 46, and Caroline, 44, are proud parents to their eight children: Ellena 20, Joshua 18, Daniel 14, Finley 10, Henry 9, Sophia 7, Florence 5 and finally Emilia, who is 20 months. With 10 people living under one roof, Caroline and John are already super savvy when it comes to spending, but they’re discovering that as the kids get bigger, so do the costs that come with them. Spending every penny on day-to-day living means saving is hard. Can Alex and Steph show this price-conscious couple that it is still possible to be savvy and help them put money aside for the new bathroom that Caroline dreams of having?
Alex and Steph meet the Mountford family. In the past Melissa and Jon didn’t have to worry about their spending, but a change in circumstances means they need to tighten the purse strings.
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern try to help the Miller family in North Lincolnshire, with parents Wes and Mel wanting to save up for their wedding after 10 years together. With no savings and big expectations, they need to make considerable changes if they want the wedding of their dreams - can Alex and Steph show these big spenders that it is possible to create memories without breaking the bank, and help them put money aside for their special day? The Great British public gets their say too, as they put four similar-looking biker jackets to the test.
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern are in Milton Keynes to meet the Howarth family - one of the biggest spending families to ever feature on the programme - to help them change their shopping habits in an attempt to save money. A lack of time management means the family has slid into some bad shopping habits, often buying two or three of the same household items, and having recently renovated their home, the family find themselves with credit card debt. Can Alex and Steph get this family to rein in their spending and get on top of their debt?
Alex Jones and Steph McGovern travel to Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, to meet Antonietta Tulino and her three children, hoping to help the family change their spending habits. In an effort to confront their money-spending ways, Alex and Steph resort to shock tactics, and set up a pop-up-shop in the family home displaying all of their biggest spends, with shocking results. Can Alex and Steph help this family start saving, rather than spending? Last in the series.
Can Jo and Melanie break some tough shopping habits to get a Leicester couple closer to their dream home? Jo tests shiatsu massagers, and does it pay to spend more on secateurs?
Jo and Melanie help a Gloucester family to stop spending on store cards and online credit and start saving their money for a new kitchen.
