I hadn't heard about the show Maxed Out [1] until it was featured in a highlighted clip on On Demand, but I'm so happy that I was indecisive that day with my viewing choice; otherwise I'd have missed this thirty-minute Supernanny-meets-money show. The show features a "financial investigator," Allison Griffiths, who gives advice to women who are in financial trouble and explains the simple steps they need to take to ditch poor-spending habits.

I watched an episode entitled "Debt Distress [2]," which was all about communication and the importance of being on the same page with your spouse when it comes to finances. The featured couple Stephanie and William were about $60,000 in debt and on the brink of bankruptcy when they called the show, which airs on the Style Network [3] in the US, for help. They also had a new baby and knew their arguments about money could lead to divorce. To learn what happened and check out a video clip, .

Allison calculates that at the rate they're going, it will take eight years and $37,000 in interest alone for Stephanie and William to pay off their debt. She gives them four steps that would allow them to pay it off in half the time, saving $18,000 in debt.

• William needs to rethink his career; his $30,000 bartender job is a $30 cab ride away.
• Consolidate accounts to make tracking spending easier.
• Cut ties with William's mom's credit cards.
• Get a consolidation loan that would lower the interest rate on a current loan.

They followed Allison's rules and at the end of the episode, they were getting family portraits taken. This quote of Allison's stuck with me: "Money is a fundamental part of every relationship." I agree with her on this one; couples need to communicate about money. How do you feel?

Photos courtesy of the Style Network [4].