Suze's Money Smackdowns

In October 2007, Suze confronted Phil and Felice, a married couple and parents of six children, whose finances were in ruins. Phil and Felice also had no life or health insurance for their children—despite a history of serious health problems.

Suze's financial prescription for Phil and Felice was severe. "You have to sell the house," Suze says. "You're going to have to take drastic measures. And you know when you're going to have to take them? When you go home tonight."

During a tense plane ride home, Felice says she took Suze's plan to heart. They've purchased health and life insurance, put their house on the market and sold one of their cars. "They are on the track to recovery," Suze says. "I know a lot of you didn't think they were going to do it."

In fact, Phil and Felice have changed their attitudes about money so dramatically that they have a new way to pay for their morning Starbucks. "They both go on weekends, they look for cans," Suze says. "And whatever cans they get and money they make, that money is what they can go and buy Starbucks with. But that's it."