# Show me the Money - Andrew the chef



## rainyday (30 Jan 2004)

I thought Eddie missed the mark a bit in communicating the situation to Andrew. Phrases such as 'negative net worth' and 43% of net income were fairly meaningless - Alvin would have found an easily-digestible way to communicate this message to Andrew.


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## fish (30 Jan 2004)

*Andrew the Chef*

'Let's see what's cooking'....class!  

 I liked the show.


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## Marion (30 Jan 2004)

I forgot to watch it. Was it better than the last 2 shows?

Marion :hat


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## Investor (30 Jan 2004)

*!!!!!!!*

No, it was a bit slow and boring to be honest. A missed opportunity by RTE yet again.


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## Repaymentator (30 Jan 2004)

Better than the first fairly well-off couple show, worse than the poor holidaying on €1000 of refinancing debt couple show and didn't see last week's Donegal apartment one. This was the first programme about a single person. Andrew the chef (aged 27) was still living with his parents and spending lots on drink, cigarettes, car insurance, car loans (on a written-off car) and taxis. The profile of the average young person I imagine. He was also lucky enough to have parents that were willing to loan him money and he was "repaying"  that via the €100 per week he was already giving to his mother.  Eddie got him to stop buying rounds for his drinking buddies and cut back from two to one pack of cigarettes a day. At the end there was talk of him buying a property to rent out but without a substantial contribution from the parents it wasn't realistic given his income.


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## sueellen (30 Jan 2004)

Marion,

Can't you video it again tomorrow at 3.00 (Friday, RTE2).  Believe it or not I have managed between one thing and another to miss it each week at both 8.30 and 3.00 - Mother's taxi is usually on the road.


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## Troy (30 Jan 2004)

*SMTM*

Watched the show for the first time.

Surprisingly entertaining and Eddie is a real natural for the box.

But this is not at all what I thought we were in for when I first heard about the upcoming SMTM.  I thought every major financial institution, including my own, would finish up subject to an IFSRA investigation and slapping writs on RTE and Eddie.

If last night's show is anything to go by, Credit as a commodity comes across as a wonderful thing.  Without it Andrew would probably never in his whole life have the pleasure of owning his own car.  Andrew's problem is that he is taking a bit too much of a good thing (credit).

The advice given is hardly the sort of stuff you would pay a financial advisor €200 an hour for.  Much more useful, I concede, but surely his mammy could have dished out this common sense - cut down on the booze and fags.


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## Elcato (30 Jan 2004)

*Re: SMTM*

Maybe its just me, but I got the impression that Andrew wasn't telling the whole truth. I don't believe the old halved the ciggies and drink bit and I also feel that the €100 a week to the Ma was not always handed over. When you work in the hospitality/hotel/bar trade the pressure for having a few pints from fellow staff and trade is enormous. There's always somebody going for a few pints at end of shift.


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## rainyday (30 Jan 2004)

*Re: SMTM*

Interesting that Eddie went for the panacea of the credit union loan to refinance yet again - No talk of shopping around for the best APR loan.


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## Comicbookman (30 Jan 2004)

*Andrew*

I thought the show was good.

Andrew lifestyle was heavily subsidied by his parents. 

Net Annual Income          €23K
Drinks and Fags p.a         €10k
Loan repayments p.a       €7.7K

It amde me feel quite good about my own finances, also he was buying a round of drinks that averaged €90!!!!

I ask you the alarm bells should have been ringing long ago. No thought of Savings, pensions etc


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (30 Jan 2004)

*Re: Andrew*



> Drinks and Fags p.a €10k



Let's hope mammy and daddy are saving up for his liver and lung transplant and triple bypass! :eek


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## Aquila (30 Jan 2004)

*Re: Andrew*

I missed the start of last night's show. Was it mentioned if Andrew originally had any savings with the credit union? Like a poster on one of the earlier threads I'd have liked to seen more information on the process of debt consolidation.

Perhaps I'm being unfair but I also got the impression that he was not being entirely truthful about cutting back on the drinks/cigarettes, but I've also felt that way about some of the other participants. I also got the impression that he didn't *really* want to buy a house, but felt he had to pretend for the camera-again just my opinion.

I'd really like to see Eddie help someone struggling with their finances who didn't spend large amounts of money on socialising/entertainment/food. What would he recommend then?


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## havana (31 Jan 2004)

*Re:  Re: Andrew*

Was looking forward to this series and have seen them all so far, but have to say I am getting a bit bored. Its the same each week. Cut down on your social life and/or unnecessary extras and consolidate your loans, usually by going to the Credit Union. I've been watching in the hope of finding a different, more constructive way of dealing with my debts. It's really just entertainment for me at this stage. I get more answers and advice on here.


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (31 Jan 2004)

*Re:  Re: Andrew*

I've always argued that a lot of the most widely applicable, proven and prudent advice about personal finances is, by it's nature pretty boring, and difficult to "sex up" to use the phrase of the day. Just read the AAM Guide to Savings & Investments and you'll see what I mean! (only joking Brendan!)


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## Huzz (31 Jan 2004)

*SMTM*

The market share is growing to over 35% so the shows a hit. These type of shows can't by their very nature deal at a detailed level, and remain entertaining to the mass audience. AAM and readers of personal finance pages are a specialist audience. If you win one you lose the other. 

Hobbs has been around a long time running media campaigns at a highly detailed level. Employees of Life Offices and Banks that expected heavy hits from a money maker TV programme show a lack of understanding of TV. The format for that type of detailed and academic would require something like PrimeTime and a much later slot. But imagine PrimeTime focusing purely on personal finance ugh. The audience would be abysmal, but we'd love it.

It is also expecting too much to get free advice customised to your circumstances from TV! Two way communication like AAM is needed. 

Once you bear this in mind and follow SMTM, its actually very good. Its about the people on the show, their relationships with each other and their relationship with money. My family are glued to it, including my young teenagers, so I'm happy. SMTM isn't the only recent success from RTE. I thought I'd never be heard saying it but the old girl is showing signs of sparkle. Maybe it was the fee increase!


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## rainyday (31 Jan 2004)

*Re: SMTM*



> SMTM isn't the only recent success from RTE. I thought I'd never be heard saying it but the old girl is showing signs of sparkle. Maybe it was the fee increase!


I agree - The Clinic from earlier this year was great quality drama, and while Bachelors Walk didn't exactly float my boat, it was generally recognised as a high-quality product.


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## WaterWater (31 Jan 2004)

*Lazy in the kitchen lazy with money......maybe not!*

But...If Andrew was a chef, why was he seen buying a Dolmio Lasagne making kit from the supermarket? I thought that a chef could have put this togther using fresh ingredients?


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## soc (2 Feb 2004)

Bravo Eddie!

This show was FAR better than Episode 2!  *I unfortunately missed Episode 3*

Eddie got down to the nitty gritty of what was contributing to Andrew's amounting debt... he really highlighted how simple things like going to the pub & smoking can contribute to a growing debt.... and how a change in lifestyle & how one spends can make a BIG difference to your bank balance.

What got on my nerves during the programme was Andrew's constant declaration that he wanted to buy a house and rent it out for about 5 years.  

...Yes Andrew... do that by all means... but where are you going to live for the time being??  You can't expect to live off mum & dad while becoming a 'property tycoon'... can you!


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (2 Feb 2004)

*Can't Save, Won't Save!*

The guy can't live within his means but wants to become a property investor! Welcome to Ireland 2004... :|


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## rainyday (2 Feb 2004)

*Re: Can't Save, Won't Save!*

Looks like [broken link removed]!


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## Breeze (2 Feb 2004)

*Re: Can't Save, Won't Save!*

I think this was a good example of this type of person. Single adult living at home with parents while leading the good life. I know some don't but many do. I know one case of a person with a house, whose renting it and living at home with parents paying €20 a week. (I kid you not), taking nice holidays and living in pub.
So I guess andrews dream of being a house owner isn't far -fetched.


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## Sludge (2 Feb 2004)

*He was an angel when he made his First Holy Communion.*

Have two of them at home. One lives in a pub, his bedroom will need a specialist decontamination squad to clean it, never puts a DVD/CD back in its case, never buys a toilet roll, his wardrobe is empty because he uses the floor to hang his clothes, earns lots of money but never offers a penny toward anything. Grunts a lot...
Andrew was charming comapred to my lot.....


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (2 Feb 2004)

*Re: He was an angel when he made his First Holy Communion.*



> earns lots of money but never offers a penny toward anything.



I find this amazing. When I lived at home and had a job (even a part time pub/supermarket job while at school or on school holidays) I had to hand up at least a token amount in respect of board and lodgings. It seemed reasonable to me even at the time. Maybe my parents were odd...?


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## Aquila (2 Feb 2004)

*Re: Can't Save, Won't Save!*

What's really starting to annoy me are those magical credit union loans that several of the participants seem to have got without much hassle. Was it ever stated if they had previous savings with the CU? Would my local one offer me a large loan if I just walked in off the street?

I think it's fair enough to say that the programme is meant as light entertainment, but it wouldn't hurt to have a few ninety second soundbyte sections on strategies for saving on groceries, or getting a credit union loan or whatever.

As I mentioned above, I really got the impression that Andrew wasn't too bothered about buying a house and would be quite happy to continue living at home. Then again how many late twentysomething men would be willing to admit that on camera?


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## Elcato (3 Feb 2004)

*Re:  Re: Can't Save, Won't Save!*

I'd say his mother put him forward to try and get him a slight bit motivated. As I stated before I reckon the €100 was a very loose arrangement.


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## daltonr (3 Feb 2004)

*Re:  Re: Can't Save, Won't Save!*



> What's really starting to annoy me are those magical credit union loans that several of the participants seem to have got without much hassle.



This is starting to piss me off too.  If the next episode involves someone with no savings consolodating using a CU loan with no savings then I'll give up.

I don't mind the show being light on financial details.  It's fine to leave stuff out.  But if something goes in to the show it must be honest.  If Eddie is convincing CU's around the country to give loans to the show's participants then that's just wrong, because that facility is not available to the viewer.  

Based on the episodes so far the Credit Unions should be paying RTE for advertising space because these are becomming 30 minute Ads.  It's as if the CU is the ONLY way to get out of Debt in Ireland.

At this stage I wouldn't lose any sleep if I missed the remaining episodes. 

If there's another season, they should 

  1.  Be honest.  The participants should only be able to take
      steps that a viewer in the same situation could take.

  2. Do some 1-minute side-bars about the details that come   
      up in the show.

  3. Add a bit of variety (not everyone's money problems 
      come down to overspending and debt).
      * Someone who is not yet seriously in debt but who are 
         clearly living beyond their means.
      * Someone who has a large debt due to a single event
         who is living within their means but can't seem to shift 
         the debt.
      * Someone who is not in debt at all, but can't seem to 
         save or invest, and are worried about retiring.
      * Someone who can easily manage their debts but see 
         no point in saving for the future.  Borrowing now will 
         leave them with less later.   Try to get them to 
         understand their position.
      * Someone living on the Minimum Wage.  The Des Bishop
         show on Monday nights is actually a better money 
         program than SMTM.

-Rd


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (3 Feb 2004)

*Re:  Re: Can't Save, Won't Save!*



> * Someone who is not yet seriously in debt but who are clearly living beyond their means.



Like Chef Andrew perhaps?


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## daltonr (4 Feb 2004)

*Re:  Re: Can't Save, Won't Save!*

I would have classed him as being seriously in debt.

-Rd


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (4 Feb 2004)

*Re:  Re: Can't Save, Won't Save!*

Fair enough - I thought that he was living beyond his means but being subsidised by mammy & daddy. I overlooked the fact that he had significant loans outstanding. That'll show me!


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## Rmul (4 Feb 2004)

*Moderator moderate?*

Daltonr, the number of people prepared to be the first to bare all on TV mustn't have been too high. if this is so, then RTE has done a remarkable job with scant material.I mean would you go on the show? 

The fact that the show has popularised discussion about money in such a short time probably has to do with the fact that it is breaking open new ground, and we're just nosey about our neighbours "wealth".

That most of the programmes, four I think, deal with over spending and borrowing is likely to be reflective of what is really happening out there. In addition not a lot of people come across well on TV, would you for example? But even if you do, is your money story interesting. I mean if its about a comfie guy try to get more comfie, who'd want to watch that?

I think you're expecting education, not entertainment with a few messages, or maybe you just don't like Hobbs for other reasons?


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## Aegonite (4 Feb 2004)

*Daltonr is right*

Daltonr is probably right and you never know SMTM 2 staring Daltonr could be coming soon - from a home garage pirate station! Watch out RTE


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## Taxman (5 Feb 2004)

*SMTM*

Why dose Eddie never check to see if his clients are being given / claiming all tax allowances and credits due to them.
Revenue statictics show that a very large number overpay their taxes to some degree


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