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Big Spender

(Rated TV-PG, Reality TV, Starring Larry Winget, Where to watch: A&E)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Harsh delivery masks good messages about debt.

updated 07.04.08

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Parents model poor spending habits that concern the welfare of the entire family. Winget's strategy to get people to recognize their mistakes is to make them feel horrible.
  • Violence:

    Larry Winget's confrontational, in-your-face style can be difficult to watch.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Mild: "It's your own damn fault!" "You are full of crap." "I'm going to kick butt."
  • Consumerism:

    Retail stores, brand names, and designers are all mentioned in the context of shopping habits.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A couple talks about the costs of smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Big Spender

Parents need to know that star Larry Winget, a financial-help guru, uses a form of tough love that is verbally harsh, caustic, and confrontational. When first meeting adults who are chronic, compulsive over-spenders, he'll say things like "It's your own damn fault," "You make stupid choices," and "You are full of crap." His strategy, which apparently works, is to "get in their faces to make them face reality." He also harshly critiques spenders who are parents on the examples they're providing for their kids. However justified his actions, Winget's method make this show inappropriate for younger teens.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about responsible spending habits. For kids who are off to college or moving out of the house, it's a great chance to review spending, budgeting, balancing the checkbook, ways to cut back, ways to save, and more. Parents can demonstrate the point by calculating how much a college kid could save by making coffee each day versus buying a latte.
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    Lives in Wisconsin
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0

    Larry makes individuals own up to their mistakes. A no holds barred way of looking at finances and taking control of your life.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it 5.0

    will beg my son and his wife to watch

    would love to get him to come to oklahoma to help my son and wife. i have tried to help. everyone should watch this, he is very blunt but it must work

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 3.0

    Finally,responsible reality TV

    Nothing Wrong with the truth about finances. Why are we, as Americans, comfortable watching someone establishing paternity( "who yo baby daddy" shows)but not willing to talk about how we handle our own personal finances? Because big spender hits 2 close to home. I say keep up the "must see TV"

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0

  5. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0

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